RECURVE OR LONG BOW?

[BASIC]

Hi,I want to start bow hunting,I was trying to decide between a compound or traditional bow,I'm going traddtional,now I have to decide between a long bow and a recurve would you please tell me some of the differences and what I should be looking for in a bow?Thanks.

[myronman3]

recurves are shorter- generally.  they are also a bit noiser than a longbow.    longbows are generally very quite.  

i currently shoot a longbow; and am looking for a nice recurve.   my advice is twofold:      

1.  handle a few of each, see which one feels better.  it really is just a matter of personal preferance in the end.  i like both.  

2.   look at some of the custom bowyers out there.  for about the same as you spend on a new compound (mid-range) you can pick up a really nice custom made bow.    if you can afford to,  i would seriously look at some custom bows.  

  here are a few links....
http://www.riversedgerecurves.com/index.htm this is the maker i am looking at for my next bow.
http://www.dwyerlongbows.com/  these guys made my longbow.  i know david and cory personally; cory is one of my brother's best friends.   and,  they make as good a bow as you can buy for the buck.  

and yet another affordable option...  http://www.recurves.com/

best of luck to you...keep us posted.

[Woodbutcher]

Myronman said it best, handle a few bows. Get the proper draw weight, and draw length, for you, and you'll be fine. 50 lbs, more or less, will work for any deer you'll see. Arrows that work out of that bow, for you, and you're in business!
 Differences, nowadays, get smaller and smaller, so how it feels in your hand, probably means the most.
 The books by G. Fred Asbel helped me alot.
 Enjoy the agony of making your choice!
                                                                 Woodbutcher

[wijim]

ive found long bows to be a bit more forgiving.  so of course i wind up shooting recurve

[crash87]

I shot a recurve most of my life, (I did do a about a 15 year stint with a compound though). I decided to try a longbow this year. My advice is the same as the rest. Try them out first, see which one feels right, then go with it. I went to the midwest traditional archers expo held in Kalamazoo MI. last Jan. I was able to try out pretty much all the custom boyers bows, but the real plus was having them answer all my quaestions. I went with a Fox longbow, built to order for me by Ron King. You'll find that these guys are serious about there chosen craft and wont give you something you dont need. Even if you dont buy from them, there happy to have you in the fraternity. If a show isnt near you, pick up a copy of traditional archery magazine. Theres a bunch of boyers in there. Call or e-mail them. They'll be more than happy to talk with you. Some will even send you a bow to try! Good Luck and have fun.   CRASH87

[Mac11700]

There are recurves and longbows...then there is the custom bows...the difference is like night & day...one of the biggest differences between the 2 is how they feel when you draw and release...and like what has already been stated...they only way to tell is for you to pull several different ones.

With most longbows..you will feel the limbs "Stack" faster than with most recurves..the reality of this is.. it feels harder to pull back quicker in the draw..most recurves aren't this way...and will feel smoother...it's because of the difference in design...some recurves are much smaller...and will cause finger pinch on the string easier than most long bows...but will allow you to shoot open hand with your bow hand...where-as most long bows will not..therefore be more accurate to the non-trained.

My preference is recurves...even though I have had a few off the shelf long bows 1 self built and 1 custom one built for me which I love...but recurves are by far.. for me..the better choice..and what I recommend for a newcomer to traditional archery..

Mac