Hello everyone! I have just bought a long bow after shooting and hunting with compounds and crossbows for many, many years.
I just had a chance to shoot this new bow and I have one thing to say. WOW, This bow is not only beautiful but shoots like a good fitting shotgun. I am just amazed at how well this thing points and shoots. I started at 5 yards and was so impressed that I stepped back to 20 yards. I shot a total of twenty arrows at a 3X4 inch box and hit it once but all the other arrows were with in a foot of the box! This is amazing, no sights and no release but I can hit something at 20 yards. Oh, I hope I don't offend anyone with the shotgun comment but I between goose hunting and dog training I probably shoot 700 shells a year and the instinctive shooting of this long bow reminds me of wing shooting.
I wish I started this whole thing years ago!
Are all long bows like this?

Welcome to the world of the longbow...the Crusader is a great bow made by one of the best bowyers out there. Marc knows his stuff!

My buddy has a Crusader that he is deadly with, when he is "on" ...watch out!
I have a 58"Thunderbird on order from Chekmate, can't wait to get it!
I used to shoot recurves exclusivley, I will never shoot them again, i love the smoothness and forgivablility of a longbow, they are the stuff.

Good luck with it.
CCP

If Marc ever finishes mine, I have a Take-down coming that should be real beutiful with the veneers I had put on. I to went looking for a takedown and Chek-mate was my first thought, let alone Chad is wonderful to work with.

The Crusader is the bow that sold me on Chek-Mate several years ago. I bought a used one, and still have the custom one I ordered not long after. It's still my #1 bow and I figure it will be as long as I can get the string back.

No. To me, longbows can vary as much or more than recurve bows. Some are very basic designs with straight limbs and a straight grip, some are so radical that to me they just as well be a recurve. They all have their fans, but they vary a lot in feel, performance, handshock, etc. I couldn't even name all the longbows I've owned, much less all the ones I've shot. There's a lot of great bows on the market, but few were (to me) even close. Not to say it's the perfect bow for everyone, but it's the best in my hands (at least so far--still quite a few I haven't shot).

Thanks for the good word CF--hope to have good news for you before too much longer!

Chad

Congratulations on your bow! Pics would be nice.

Dnk, congrats on the longbow!!! Do ya' got any pictures? What kind of arrows are you shootin' out of it?
EnglishHope

I'm starting with Easton Epics but may got to aluminums.
Here's a pic.
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c220/autotrend/IMG_0930.jpg

That is sweet bow! I plan to own a crusader before it's all over.