Long Bow or Recurve?

[Kgentry]

What are you guys shooting and why?

 

[Boxerboxer]

What are you guys shooting and why?

Recurve, because that's what my dad shot when I was a kid. I'm interested in at least trying longbow since I've never shot one.

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[Felix40]

Recurve-better performance, thats the limb form I have and I don't really want to build another one, the only longbow I have ever owned was hard on strings at the limb tips so I got rid of it.

 

[Stoney920]

I’m shooting a Stalker Coyote with longbow limbs. Tried the Recurve limbs but the longbow seems to be quieter and smoother to me just my 2 cents anyway.

 

[Beendare]

I shoot an ILF recurve, LH Dryad riser, long Uukha Vx limbs, 64" [I have a 30" DL]

Recurves are generally a little easier to shoot well with less string on your fingers...but not always. The hybrid longbows are very good shooters, super light and elegant in design.

If you are shooting tourneys, there are different classes for longbow with wood arrows as their Degree of difficulty is a little higher.


What you realize with stick bows is; its more about the shooter than the bow. Your repeatable form is everything. So really it boils down to what you want to carry in the woods.

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[North Idaho Stickbow]

That’s such a hard decision! I greatly prefer a straight grip- longbow style, but a recurve is generally a lot faster at a lower poundage (talking pure asl vs pure recurve here).

I also like the hill style bow’s forgiveness of form. You can grip it like a baseball bat and rip an arrow out of it and it always goes where you’re pointing. It comes at the price of a slower arrow and an arm jolt on the release, and some extra arrow tuning.

I’m shooting a hybrid because I like both.

 

[slvrslngr]

I have both but primarily shoot a longbow. I like the light weight and simplicity plus it just feels right. And it punches well above it’s weight!

 

[oldgoat]

Yes, is the short answer! But longbows generally shine the brightest in my eyes, they are normally the quietest by far, and their limbs are much more stable with basically zero chance of limb twist. Have had a couple of recurve limbs go south on a hunt, but both times I was able to get them back straight and shooting good with no long term ill effects.

 

[sveltri]

I like both myself, but usually gravitate back to the longbow. Easier/safer to string/unstring without a stringer, use as a support when glassing, and my longbows are all quieter than my recurves.

EDIT: I am talking about hybrid longbows, never shot an ASL I could stand.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Good point on the limbs twisting. I’ve seen a couple old recurves that have had bad limbs, but never a longbow. I don’t think that ought to deter someone from a recurve though. I don’t think it’s super common.

 

[Wilderlife]

I recently sold a Bear Montana. The grip just didn't agree with me at all. Whether the grip sucked or it was more about me being used to my recurve bows are two different things, but I feel it's because of the latter.

One day I really want a proper, straight laid, D style Howard Hill longbow, but it won't be for a little while. When I started out I just figured all trad bows were similar to shoot and the different grips weren't a big deal, but they're a huge deal.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

This is going to be my next bow I think: http://www.7lakesarchery.com/recurve.html

The backwoodsman. It’s like a Hill-style recurve!

 

[Okhotnik]

This is going to be my next bow I think: http://www.7lakesarchery.com/recurve.html

The backwoodsman. It’s like a Hill-style recurve!

Look similar to Great Northern long bows

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Look similar to Great Northern long bows

Close, but the backwoodsman is a recurve!

 

[Beendare]

I also like the hill style bow’s forgiveness of form. You can grip it like a baseball bat and rip an arrow out of it and it always goes where you’re pointing. It comes at the price of a slower arrow and an arm jolt on the release, and some extra arrow tuning.

Thats^ a great description. Nothing wrong with a Hill style bow....except it might rattle a few of your fillings loose -grin.

FWIW, there is a guy in our club I shoot tourneys with that shoots a long hybrid Toelke -nice bow. He outshoots 70% of the trad guys....and 95% of the longbow with wood arrow guys. He is incredibly consistent with that bow and it is whisper quiet.


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[bjfoxhoven]

This is going to be my next bow I think: http://www.7lakesarchery.com/recurve.html

The backwoodsman. It’s like a Hill-style recurve!

I love the look of that bow.

 

[Okhotnik]

This is going to be my next bow I think: http://www.7lakesarchery.com/recurve.html

The backwoodsman. It’s like a Hill-style recurve!

Use to have the ghost recurve by great northern. I guess they don't make anymore

 

[Montana Slim]

Depends on what kind of arrows you want to shoot also...
Anything other than woodies out of a longbow (especially a 'D' of some sort) seems just wrong to me! But anything goes out of a recurve. I am particular to aluminums out of my old bears, just because thats what I started with.

Mostly fling woodies around now with longbows - it's not about speed or "performance" for me.

 

[6mm Remington]

When I got into archery I knew I wanted to shoot a recurve, or maybe a longbow. I asked a lot of experienced traditional guys what bow to get if I wanted a recurve that for the money the Martin Hunter (Damon Howatt) bow was the smoothest, most quiet bow made. I got a 60# recurve and I love that bow. With my long draw length I'm pulling about 68#.

I had to have rotator cuff surgery 3 years ago and last fall I finally healed enough that I could shoot my bow fairly well, but still not to 100%. I have to have surgery on the other shoulder as soon as the Covid 19 allows and then about 6 months later I have to have my right shoulder done again. I think if I want to continue to archery hunt I'm going to have to get a lighter weight draw bow. I'm afraid I'm going to have to sell my Martin Hunter recurve if anyone is interested in it. I live in Western Montana.

Longbow Designs

All bows come with a soft case and one bowstring. First time customers will also receive a free bowstringer! For black and brown glass bo...

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A couple years ago I bought a Toelke reflex/deflex longbow for my son as a graduation gift from college. I just HAD to shoot the darn thing and I loved it. I'm thinking that I might have to get one for me. It was a sweet shooting bow. Even with shoulders on the mend after they heal I think the 52# draw weight at 30" would be manageable as that is what my son's bow is rated at. The Toelkes are nice folks a father & son team from up in Ronan Montana who build very nice bows. They also build recurves. If you are thinking about a new traditional bow you might give these folks a look.

David

 

[Sheepdog]

Long bow for me. Just seems right. Nothing against recurved. I’ve shot them and we’ll. Just prefer my long bows.

some like blondes, some brunettes.