Schultzy

Speaking from my ownexpeirence if i was you i wouldn't go all out and start out shooting a 65lb recurve orlong bow. I myself have developed a bit of a short draw problem due to pulling to many poundsback with the recurve i have now. When i switched from compound to recurve 10 years ago ibought a recurve with a little to much poundagei think. Icatch myself not hitting my draw point probably 2 times out of 20 when shooting because i'm pulling a little to much back. I think if i would of started out with a little less poundagerecurvei would of never had this problem i have once in a while now. I'm still shooting the same bow but would like a diferent one myself.Start out in the 50 to 55lb range and go from there. The next recurve i get will be about 65lbs at 29" in stead of my 73lbs at 29" now. Hope that helps you out some!

Arthur P

65 would be a nice weight to have if you live where you can hunt griz and moose, but 45-50 lbs is plenty for deer. Until my shoulders pooped out, my favorite draw weight was 55... mostly because I had been shooting ridiculously high poundage before, over 100 pounds. When you're used to shooting a 120 lbs longbow, a 55 lb recurve feels smooth as silk.[8D]

There are just too many great recurves out there for someone to point at only one and say 'that's the best.' A bow might be the best for a certain individual, but the guy standing right next to him might hate it. But as said above, your price range is killing your list of possibles. Plenty of bows on the used market in that price range, but new ones are few and far between.

If you want a new custom bow, then I think your best option is to go to Recurves.com and look under the 'one piece recurve' section at the ChekMate Falcon and Kings Pawn. Both are well within your price range, even fancied up a good bit. I've been shooting a Kings Pawn Special for about 5 years now and it's definitely a keeper. Still got quite a hankering to drop off into the takedown part of the site and order a Hunter II... just haven't yet been able to convince the household chief procurement officer of the great need.[8D]

burniegoeasily

My personal favorite is a Herters Pro hunter. Havent been able to get one since the 70s because the buisness closed in the early 80s. Ive got my original 1978 bow and found one on ebay the other day. In your price range, you might try Hoyts, persons, or martin. They all have pretty good bows. Ive had a few persons and Hoyts. Im still fishing with a Martin Mamba and an old Person.

My brother just bought a black widow. Very nice bow, but very expensive.


As for weight, dont go too heavy. You can kill a deer with 45lbs. My favorite bow is 58lbs but at my draw its 64lbs. I get pass throughs with it rather easy.

LBR

Smooth depends on your perception, draw length, the amount of pre-load in the bow's design.......2-3 pounds per inch is smooth in my opinion. There's quite a few bows on the market that will deliver that.

Best? HUGE can of worms there. Usually the answer you get will be the bow the person replying owns. There is no one "best" for everyone. A friend of mine's "best" bow is an old Bear--butt-ugly bow, but he can shoot it like it has a scope on it.

Besides opinions, a few things to consider when you are looking, especially if you are buying new:

Warranty--does the bowyer/manufacturer stand behind their work?

Reputation--do they have an all-around good reputation? Not just on the message boards--often negative comments aren't allowed on the boards, for different reasons.

Longevity--how long have they been around? Can you rely on them to be in business next year?

Customer Service--can you get help ordering, get your questions answered in a timely manner, get advice on what bow should work best for you?

These are some of the things I consider. Your budget does limit you a good bit, but you can still get a bow as good as any if you look. More expensive doesn't always mean better--quite often it means you see more advertising--that ain't cheap, and the cost has to be covered somewhere.

That's my 2 cents.

Chad

Bullet Hole Bailey

Thanks guys!

Big Duane

I like them all, but in reality, they all shoot about the same IMO with few differences

I've owned a LOT of bows, and the ones that fit me ? I'll try to give you a listing ... in no particular order unless noted

#1 bow IMO Silvertips - fast, beautiful, bombproof, Windauer and the company has been around a long time, upper priced bows, never lose their value. they're all that and more

other bows ...


Widows - pricey, heavy in the hand, very shootable, gorgeous bows, never lose value, can't go wrong with one

Acadian Woods - pricey too, very nice, some gorgeous optional work in them, very nice bows

Hummingbirds - not quite as nice as the above, but very good still. Small grips on the Kingfishers make them fit me well. I'd have another one in a heartbeat.

Morrison Bows - very well known, backs his bows, Shawnee's are great bows, I've seen a couple with cosmetic flaws you'd not see on a Widow or Silvertip, but that doesn't make them any less shootable and reliable. Some gorgeous bows come from Bob and Co. can't go wrong with one

Adcock - I love OL, and his old style bows, and his ACS's too. Way high priced, the CX and next generation bows seem finicky in my hands, like they amplify my shooting errors, but thats just what I remember. I'll own all of them I can too !

Bear's Paw - great design, fits me, I hate the bowyer to be hones and will never own another.

Chekmate - I've had little experience with them, working man's bows, great prices that will shoot very close to what $500 more will get you.

BlackTails - premium bowyer, I mean his stuff is incredible. You pay for it too, the bows shoot just like any other, except yours looks better

Zipper - my latest love, exceptionally light in the hand, fast, smoother, they seem very quiet, nice price, not Widow/Blacktail finish/quality but thats looks only. I'll have another, gaurantee it

Hoyt Gamemaster - loud, techy, highly adaptable to differnt limbs, sights, elevated rest - you name it. I've had several, liked them but never kept them

WinterHawk- sleeper bow, the one I had was bamboo limbed, very nice price, very good shooting bow, kinda like ChekMate

Bob Lee - the ones I had were plain jane, but shooting bows. Didn't fit me, some people love 'em, nothing bad to say about them

Fedora - I had a shorty, like 56" and the craftsmanship was very nice. I remember it being a nice bow, nothing WOW and nothing UGGHH either

Great Plains - pretty bows, not Widow/Silvertip level, but nice.

Hornes - I like the grips on these bows, I like the combo hunter (longbow/recurve limbs on same riser (Shawnee's have this too I think)) I've had several, liked them

Pronghorn - they fit like the Horne bows did, their TD longbows are nice

Robertson - I had a Vision II I think - these are very nice bows, all you could ask for in a bow.

Bill Stewart - died and gone, but the bows he made are still around. Actionwood (I hate the stuff) but very nice shooting. I'd like to have a 56" or 58" short riser model - look for these on EBAY

Sley- not made anymore, NICE bows



I've shot those are the ones that stuck out and I remember when I "buy" I look for a bow thats got a smaller grip (my small hands) is a 3 piece TD, 60" or so, and one I can turn around and resale and get my money back. Why ? Because each bow is different.

Example - I bought my first Silvertip and there was something about it - like magic is shot so well. I've had 2-3 others, and they were not like that 1st one (wish I'd never sold it) - you gotta try bows out IMO

Dangermouse

With saying smoothest it is most likelyOlympic set up, very adjustable. But the metal riser bugs alot of trad bowerys.

But alot of competitionrecurve shooters like some these bows for hunting.

DAS Kinetics

Warf by Bob Gordon

Quinn

alot of other good bows have already been posted

Javey

My favoriate recurve out of all that I have owned and shot.....Massie Archery's three piece take down....
Very smooth draw little to no stack out to 30 inches, no hand shock and
very fast...I know "fast" is relative and not what Trad Archery is about but to me that maens alot of energy transmitted to the arrow and I like that when I am shooting 700 plus grains. Its fast enough that I usually won't tell people cause they wouldn't believe me.
The bad part is that Jeff no longer makes bows...The good news is that Jim Belcher has bought all Jeff's equipment, forms and right to Massie Archery and Jeff spent qiute a bit of time with Jim teaching him how to build his bows. I have shot Jim's bows and actually have one on order...The quality and performance is still there..!!....Very sweet bows..!!
Check him out at BelcherBows.com

Brett