Need help chosing my first longbow. I live in a remote area and may not be able to drive several places to test shoot them all. I'm interested in the Patriot and the Tomahawk. Am I comparing apple and oranges? I say this based on the price. Both boast the reflex/deflex design which I think will help with my transition from the recurve I just sold. Any help would be great. I will be shooting #50.

I shot the Tomahawk Diamond SS this past weekend at the ATA show, it was about 57# at my draw length and I don't know if the arrows were too light or what? (The new CX Heritage 90's) but it is the only traditional bow of any kind that I have ever shot that was biting my forearm? I was stinging myself on every shot and was way out away from the string. I couldn't figure out how I was getting myself?
It shot nice tight groups and shot smooth but seemed to somehow turn in my hand at the shot and snap! I had a line of welts on my forearm. To be honest its the ONLY bow in the history of me shooting archery that has ever slapped my wrist. Compound or trad.
The bow is BEAUTIFUL, and feels like a winner......That bothered me though.

I also shot the DAS "Dalla" recurve and whoa baby, I was shooting groups that were like they were shot from a compound with sights. Slapping those same arrows together like crazy and VERY VERY smooth shooting.
Might be my next bow.[:-]

First, if you were hitting your arm you were torquing the bow (maybe not the proper word) your wrist was to straight. it wasn't the bow.

If I were going to buy another bow I would get the Tomahawk, I have seen the Patriot and didn't like it. I have gone through a few longbow in the years, and the one that I really like is the Chek-Mate Crusader.

You would think......but I absolutely wasn't. You're gonna have to just take my word for it, I know how to shoot a bow.I shoot with a very loose grip with no torque, just barely encircle the top of the grip with my thumb and index finger and no heel, and at the shot it's almost like the riser wanted to spin at the shot. No grabbing no clutching.

Those Gold Tip's I was shooting were only somewhere in the neighborhood of 420grs finished weight and I think they were just not liking that 57-58# bow very much at 30" of draw.

Going back 24yrs of shooting a bow and arrow this is the first one that has ever nipped me. EVER.

I have several recurve and longbows at home including some expensive customs and they don't come anywhere near my arm and just don't react like that one was. I was shaking my head on every shot trying to figure out what the deal was because my arm was WAY clear of the string at full draw.

I'd probably pick the Tomahawk over the Patriot, but neither one has really impressed me. Decent bows, but not exceptional IMO.

Matt, did you turn your elbow out? That's what I have to do to get my forearm out of the way when I shoot.

The only other things I can think of is maybe the Tomahawk had a low brace height and/or a dacron string on it. With that combo I'll get popped right under my watch band every time, regardless.

Chad

Chad, no joke I was trying everything to keep that thing from clipping me. I normally shoot with my elbow pretty far out and my hand on a 45 degree angle on the grip......no straight anything really.
I was trying an exaggerated elbow out to get away and it kept following me. LOL

I just measured and it was getting me a good 4" up from my watchband where there is plenty of angle away from the string. It was the weirdest thing and all I can think of was the loose grip combined with such light arrows was causing a more violent bow reaction at the shot.

I don't even so much as BRUSH even the heaviest winter clothes with any other bow I own.

Matt, I bet the handle on the Tomohawk just wasn't made for your style of shooting. I know I get popped with my HH bowsif my grip isn't just right. But on the other hand Howard Hill said if you don't get bit, your brace height is not low enough. [&:]

deroche117, those are two very different types of longbows that you are comparing. You may want to look at the differences between the types before looking at specific models.