RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

Hey ya'll, What are the differences between the recurve and longbow as far as shooting differences, smoothness, etc. Is one easier to master than the other?

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

Hard call to make there, since nowadays there are recurves with longbow risers, longbows with recurve risers, take-down longbows that shoot/feel like recurves, etc. Basically the most forgiving bow will be one that is cut to or slightly past center, and not super short. A short speed demon is not what I would reccomend for a starter bow. The fastest bows are not as forgiving, the short bows are not as forgiving. There are bows that, in a particular class, are more forgiving than others, but generally speaking if you have a 28" draw, I'd go with a 60" recurve cut to or past center. This is a very general statement though. If you have an average draw length, look for an old Pearson, Bear, Shakespeare, etc. to get a feel for the sport and figure out what you want in your next bow (there will be a next one--lol).

Chad

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

I get more hand shock with the long bows I have shot. And their light weight makes holding your form on release a little harder.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

Common wisdom says the recurve is generally the more easy of the basic styles to learn with. But there are some guys who shoot longbows better than recurves. And, like LBR said, there are so many long-curves and re-bows - assorted hybrids of the two - that it's pretty dang hard to generalize any longer. You almost have to get down to talking about the difference between two specific brand/models of bows.

Like which is easier to learn with: a Jerry Hill Wildcat longbow or a Black Widow MAIII. Dang near everybody that's ever shot a Wildcat will answer - the MAIII. ;)

I have to admit to having a soft spot in my heart for longbows, but I shoot recurves far better. A man MUST have at least one of each, as far as I'm concerned.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

I agree with LBR and Arthur, The best thing to do is shoot both. I started with a recurve, then shot a longbow about 6 months later. and that is all I hunt and shoot now is a Longbow. just like the way they shoot and I shoot them pretty good.:)

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

Thanks everyone, I of course just started shooting trad. I am shooting a old Bear Kodiak Magnum with a slightly twisited limb, but man I love it!!! Ithink at this point ,I' m going to look into another recurve, something longer and without a cock-eyed limb. thanks again everyone.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

There are so many bowyers and stores with good bows not to mention clubs, that you shouldn't have any problem shooting both before you buy. Now that longbows are basically as fast a recurves, I prefer to shoot LBs. You need to adapt your form subtly to either one, or to different features in either one. My current longbow was built about 10 years ago by Elburg, and doesn't give much up to anyone. It never had any handshock, and it shoots nicely as long as you know how to place your hand on a low wrist grip.

Most important factor to keep the fun in it is to not fall into the overbowed trap.

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery. -- David Copperfield. Chap. xii.

Charles Dickens"

Take that quote and modify it for bow weight relative to your particular strength, and it about sums it up.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

nothing beats a hybrid longbow like an Adcock or Sley.

On your bow ... read up a bit and soak that bad boy in a tub of hot water and straighten that limb - not a big chore and might help. If Magnum then its short - like 56-58" right ? Get a bow in the 64" range and see/feel the difference !

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

Thanks for the tip on straightening the limb Stealthycat. I'll give that a try. And yeah, I can't wait to try a longer bow. I'm getting pretty good with the kodiak so maybe this will make using a longer bow even easier.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

No offence, but no way I would soak a limb in water, that is totaly destructive.

If one needs to bend either wood or glass based composites, the basic thing is heat. Trying to bend glass with heat is probably not going to work until you get to the point where the laminate would sustain damage. Wood on the other hand is often bent with heat. Water is the carier for that heat, in the case of steam bending, the water itself is basicaly a negative. Soaked in water you are getting the thing wet bit not hot. It may well swell and cause damage, or you may get away with it, but a solid rule is that when moisture elevates the wood weakens dramaticaly, so don't draw this thing until you are sure that it is back to 8%.

the twist can also be in the glue lines, which are probably waterproof glue.

The most likely reason the bow is twisted is that it got stored or strung improperly. Those are loads that can be countered simply by twisting the limb carefully in the opposite direction, perhaps repeatedly, let it rest try again.

You can shoot limbs with twists in them. Jay Barrs won the Olympic gold with a twisted riser, a bow that they couldn't sell, the limb therefore tracked like a twisted lim, the risers of the day didn't have lateral adjustments. Within certain limits, twist is oK, as long as it isn't so extreme the string will come off or not seat in the limb tip grooves.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

I prefer a recurve. I just shoot better with one.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

I understand your concern about the hot water method, Ossage, but I've come to prefer it in the past year.

I used to heat twisted limbs over a hot plate, then went to using a hair dryer on high heat and then to a heat gun to fix them. Problem with those is, if you get careless you can heat the limb unevenly or too much, break down the glue and delaminate the limb.

If the bow's finish is in good shape, the hot water method is better. There's no way you're going to get the limb too hot with hot tap water and the water heats the limb much more evenly. Even if the finish is screwed up, putting a healthy wax job on the limb before heating it will keep the water out.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

I agree hot tap water is the best way to take a twist out. The finish should not allow it to absorb water. Strung or unstrung is the question. :)

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

You have to ask yourself how the twist got in. It probably didn't happen in the bath;) It probably did happen in or around room temperature. There really isn't any reason to believe it needs something other than what got it twisted to get it twisted back.

If you are just talking about the water as a heating medium, with zerro penetration of moisture into the wood, then that certainly isn't a huge risk Arthur. But it then becomes a question of just what the heck the warm water is doing. To plasticize the wood, the glue, or the pultruded glass requires considerable heat, warm water would be all but useless. But as long as it's working why worry.

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

Recurves are shorter and easyer to draw. I like them more than longbows......

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

i shoot a 56 inch wasp recurve and i shoot a 68 inch longbow. the longbow took some getting used too and the recurve seemed easier to use at first but now i will shoot both effectively. depending on whether you shooting from a tree stand or spot and stalk or even in a ground blind would be what might help in making a decision on which to use. if you own both shoot both they will both do the trick and once you have the bows figured out it;s a lot fo fun shooting both
rob k

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

For those of you interested in the water straightening method here is an interesting cartoon:

http://www.archeryhistory.com/recurves/pics/limb.jpg

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

I used a coupld of pieces of cardboard and a big C clamp abotu 1/3 up the limb. soaked only the limb (not the riser) in hot tap water for maybe 5 minutes ? Removed, twisted that bad boy using the C clamp as a grip, immeditaly strung it and let cool. I think i did this twice before I removed all the twist - good method IMO

Adcock, Acock ACS, Sley .... very smooth shooting, no recoil bows. Don't let these guys fool you, most recurves have shock/recoil as do longbows to a higher degree. Only after shooting a really smoooooooth bow does one realize this though, huh Chad ? :)

RE: RECURVE OR LONGBOW?
 

RECURVES ARE JUST SWEETER TO SHOOT ! SPECIALLY A SCHAFER SILVERTIP. ;)