Whats the best long bow for a beginer? I was looking at the Bear Montana but alot of you dont like the grip, how about Aim Viper deluxe or Martin Stick. I have a 30" draw and was looking at pulling around 50#s

I didn't really care for the Montana's grip, but I didn't really hate it either. It felt kinda square and 'boxy', but after a few shots I learned that I could put that edge down the lifeline in my palm and it made for a pretty consistent grip. I guess you'd have to file it under personal preference. They might have even changed the grip by now, because I haven't shot one in several years.

I'd go with the Samick Viper over the Martin Stick. Nothing really wrong with the Stick, if you like that style bow, but I'd prefer the Viper. It's a very good bow for the money. If it was me and I had a little extra cash, I'd spring for the Viper Delux instead of the plain Viper. Nicer looking and the one I shot felt a little smoother than the plain one.

Keep an eye open on the classifieds. You can often find some really nice, barely shot custom longbows for around $300 on the second hand market.

Keep in mind that your draw length will likely be 1-2" shorter with a longbow than it is with a compound.

Why well I have a shorter draw with a long bow

It's not definite that you'll have a shorter draw length, depending on your compound shootin' form, but it's likely. For one thing, you don't have letoff with the longbow. 50 pounds of draw weight at full draw will compress the bones in the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints a lot more than holding 15 pounds with the compound. You won't be stretching into your anchor like you do with the compound. Most people use a more closed stance and lean into the shot when shooting a longbow, as opposed to the open, upright stance most compound shooters use, and that also shortens the draw length.

Another point is the depth of the riser, from the low point in the grip to the back of the bow, is shorter with almost all conventional longbows than it is with most compounds and conventional recurves. AMO draw length is the distance at full draw from the string to the low point of the grip, plus 1.75". Most longbows measure less than 1 3/4" from the low point of the grip to the back of the bow. One can generally use a shorter arrow with the longbow than he can with a recurve. (Can't say that about compounds because most folks are using arrows short enough to pull the arrow point well into the sight window.)

It's hard to make any hard fast rule on that point between recurves and longbows nowadays because there are so many styles and blends of styles with longbows and recurves now. We've got recurves with longbow risers, longbows with recurve risers. Don't know whether to call 'em longcurves or rebows. Anyway, that's why I spoke of conventional recurves and longbows.

Again, a lot depends on your shooting style with the compound more than anything else. For me, my draw length with a compound is 33". With a recurve it's 32". 31" with a longbow.

200-300, jeesh thats about most of my bows.

Just picked up another one that arrived yesterday, a sovereign sonoran in BRAND NEW SHAPE for 275 after shipping. There is litteraly not a mark on this bow.

I wouldn't buy any of those bows. Havent shot the bear but once or twice, I have shot the aims, everyone of them kicks like a mule and not a single one was enjoyable to shoot, not to mention the poor craftsmen ship on the AIM bows. Ya ya I know the hype the olypmic shooters use them. My guess is they are getting top of the line specialty bows as I am surely not seeing it on the shelves or in guys hands. Two shops were selling them and it was nothing short of nightmares. Mixed and matched limbs, missed weights, etc.

I'd HIGHLY recommend watching the classifieds. There are lots of used bows out there for great prices. I've even managed to find some hold sweet shooting fairly straight longbows for under 200 bucks.

I bought a viber delux as my first long bow and the bow seems OK.

I am taking up archery for the second time. This time I decided to go instinctive and loose all the bells and whistles. I got a light PSE recurve and, after reading Asbell and Conrads' books, I doctered it up to shoot off the shelf. I was doing OK. But those darn books got me to thinking about a long bow. So after doing all the research I could on the net ( I am living in the DC area and don't have a very good pro shop near by) I bought a 45 # Viper Delux. I draw it about 30" which is a coupe of inches less than my compound draw. Yes, it did have a slight delamination where they ground out the sight window, but it hasn't gotten any worse. Does anyone know where these bows are made, by the way?

I don't think I would advise anyone to get a longbow, and at the same time I'm already adicted to it. I don't shoot it worth a darn yet and I'm not sure I ever will. But, there is just something about it that won't let me put it in the closet and walk away. The one good arrow out of three or four that I shoot is a pure joy. So I keep trying. It is very frustrating at times and I am pretty sure a recurve is a lot easier to shoot.

You probably can get a lot better used long bow than a new viper, but on the other hand you can probly get a lot worse one too. I bought my Viper from Cabela's so I knew I could return it if I got stung. It seems to be a good choice for me for a first long bow. I look forward to a better one when I know more about what I am doing.

I do beleave they are made in Korea. At lest that is what I was told

Thanks, I am thinking about a Martin Vision for my next bow. Any suggestions for on line stores? I have found a few that will sell it for about $400 but I have never delt with them. The 45# Viper I am shooting now draws about 50# at my 30" draw length. I am considering going up to 55# for the Vision which I figure will give me about a 60# pull. Do you think that is too big a jump? I can shoot around around 50 arrows with the Viper at 6 or 8 per round before I begin to tire a little. I am mostly shooting at about 20 yards trying to get my form right and consistant groups before I start roving around and shooting at various yardages. Any helpful comments will be appreciated. Thanks again.

Al

I think the weight jump will be to much, 55# would be more like it. Can't help you on a place to buy, but you can't go wrong with a Vision very nice bow. I just got a new Savannah from 3 Rivers, shoots real nice.

10# is a big jump, and the Vision is probably going to stack a bit at a 30" draw (the one or two I have shot did--I drew them between 30-31"). Just my opinion, but the Vision is one of those longbows that makes me think "why not just get a recurve?". To me if feels (recurve riser) and shoots like a recurve to the point that if I was blindfolded I wouldn't think for a minute I was shooting a longbow. I not the type that thinks if it's not a Hill style it's not a longbow either--far from it. The price is in the range of some great shooting custom longbows too. Probably a great bow in some folk's hands, but there are better choices out there IMO.

Chad