recurve

[Illhunter]

I am looking for a recurve probably one peice  may consider t/d want #45 and have not really thought about length any suggestions would be appreciated.

Terry

[jgalar]

I have a 45lb PSE Impala. For an inexpensive take down it shoots very well.

[theoldarcher]

See discussions under Black Widow thread.

Length of recurve will best be determined by you actually pulling and shooting as many as you can get your hands on.  My preference is 60", but that works best for me.  As far as a one-piece or a take-down, again that is a personal preference, but overall, you will find one-piece recurve bows to be lighter in mass weight and most take-down models heavier.  Some folks like the stability of the heavier t/d.  I have, shoot, and hunt with both.  My travel bow is a 60#, 60" t/d CariBow with two sets of limbs set up exactly the same (on a wilderness trip, you are much more apt to break a limb than the riser, thus two sets of limbs).  This rig fits into a box: two sets of limbs, riser, Great Northern Strap-on quiver, Allen wrench, limb bolts, bow square, string wax, stringer, 18 arrows, broadheads in a plastic holder, 4 jusd points in another holder, and feather water proof powder.  The box can be wrapped in a sleeping bag and shoved into a military-style duffel surrounded by clothes, and thrown on a plane with no problems.   One piece bows are a little harder to travel with, although you would be surprised what you can do with pvc pipe!  :-)

Lots of personal preferences come into play with something as personal as a bow.  Shoot lots of them in lots of styles: one will whisper to you!

Arch

[Graybeard]

As already stated it is a very personal matter what works best for each. I prefer 58" to 62" in length but within that range it seems to matter little to me. I have an old solid fiberglass Ben Pearson I bought when I was 12 years old in fact went to town on my birthday and bought it for myself with money I'd saved up from selling scrap iron, drink bottles for the deposit and doing some grass cutting. I spent all my money on the bow and a few arrows and had to walk the 4-5 miles or so back home with it as I had no money left for bus fare. That was about 50-1/2 years ago now.

I think I've got a couple others that are wood laminates still around from long ago as well but not nearly that long ago. One is a 45 and the other I think a 50. These days my arthritis and bum shoulder won't let me pull them and shoot any longer so they don't get much use. I'm far more accurate with a compound and sights or was when I could still use a bow but I learned as a boy to shoot instinctively without sights and can still put it where it needs to go to about 20 yards that way or could as I say when I could still pull a bow and hold it.

I love the light weight of a one piece bow and really do hate those take downs but it's a personal thing and only you can decide which is right for you. If you'll travel by plane with it then you really have no choice I guess but a take down.

[Davemuzz]

I cut my teeth learning to bow hunt with a Shakespeare 45# 52" recurve.  That bow still sits in my closet and every once in a while I pull it out, look at the old circular sites that are still mounted on it, smile and put it back. Very light weight bow. I started hunting with wooden arrows (bot 'em didn't make 'em) then fiberglass came out, if I remember right...and not long after (thank goodness) aluminum was introduced.

Those were good days!!!

[Illhunter]

I have shot both take down and one piece. I like the lightweight of the one piece bow but like the easy transport of take down. I am going to try and get out to do some shooting at a few bow shops and see what feels right which i will do because with my compound i bought something to quickly and didn't try much else now wish i had since i want a different one of those to but will definitely get out and do some shooting there are a few shops around me that sell recurves. one more quick question though as far as arrows go which is better wood, aluminum, or carbon. I have both right now and maybe will check with shop to but you all are full of knowledge maybe you all can help. thanks


Terry

[Davemuzz]

A bow shop will match the arrow you need with the bow that you shoot. (They have the Mfg. published charts on which arrows to match with what pound of bows).

But to answer your question, I prefer carbon. Carbon arrows when bent, come back to their original position. Wood is subject to the elements of rain and humidity. Many hunters prefer aluminum for the speed, but when they get bent, they stay that way forever.

There's a trade off between speed and inertia of the arrow. Light 'n fast doesn't mean that's the best. You want fast, but you also want a heavy enough arrow that will penetrate the game animal with force. An exaggerated example would be would you rather get hit by a bicycle going 20  mph, or a cement truck going 20 mph? Yeah...the bike. So, if your bow can launch the "cement truck" arrow, then that's the arrow that you want to buy as it will continue to penetrate where the "bicycle" may only go deep enough to give you an blood trail that will eventually dry up.

This is where "the arrow charts" come into play. The arrow engineers have worked up this stuff and made a nice tidy little chart for you.

MHO

Dave   

[Illhunter]

thanks for the info i am sure that they can help and even have new bow shop not to far away don't know if they sell recurves but will check it out.

[Graybeard]

I cut my teeth learning to bow hunt with a Shakespeare 45# 52" recurve.  That bow still sits in my closet and every once in a while I pull it out, look at the old circular sites that are still mounted on it, smile and put it back. Very light weight bow. I started hunting with wooden arrows (bot 'em didn't make 'em) then fiberglass came out, if I remember right...and not long after (thank goodness) aluminum was introduced.

Those were good days!!!

I have one of those same bows Dave. I picked it up second hand from a hunting buddy many many years ago, sold it to my best friend quite a few years ago. He was the cousin of the fellow who bought it originally and they used to shoot together and he wanted his cousin's bow so I let him have it. When he died I got it back. His step son had added a quiver that used wood screws to hold it on so I've not shot it since getting it back but it is in my collection.

[teddy12b]

Growing up I found an old bow in the attic.  This thing was no more than a curved stick with a notch out for an arrow.  I practiced with that thing all the time until I could hit a pop can consistantly at about 20 yards.  A year or two ago I bought another "simple stick" type bow on ebay that was a custom longbow.  I'd take a look there if you're interested in something like that.  The one I bought has a 70# draw and I use it as a male grunting contest when the guys come over.  Shoots pretty good, but not nearly as good as I remember I used to be.  It was less than $100 on ebay and I think they still have custom longbows on there.

[Davemuzz]

Bill,

I shot my first "arrowed" deer with that bow. I had these clip on rubber type quivers that I used so they wouldn't harm the bow wood. The only holes I ever put in it was when I put a sight on it. My hunting buddy had to talk me into mounting a sight. I can remember not wanting to put one on 'cause I shot it well enough and didn't want to drill a hole in the bow! Well, I ended up with 2 small holes in the bow and that sight is still on it.

I can remember standing 20 yards away from a hay bail for hours on end shooting at targets. At one point, me and my buddy got to where we would put 4 arrows into a frozen orange juice container at 20 yards.

Youth....problem is it's wasted on the young

Dave

[Graybeard]

Back when I was driving a new '83 Chevy Silverado I had a similar set up with mine and no broadhead covers. I had a camper shell on the back of the Chevy. I laid my bow down in back in the dark one morning with the broadheads facing the cab of truck. Unknown to me my son reversed it so the broadheads were pointing at the tailgate.

Like a dummy I climbed in the bed in the dark with no flashlight to get my bow. I rammed my hand into the quiver full of broadheads and sliced me big time. I wrapped it in heavy duty paper towels, stuck the hand out the window in the freezing air and made record time getting to the Hospital Emergency Room. That was a kinda short hunt that day. I survived it but never again used that bow and that quiver set up with no broad head covers. I also never reached for a bow again without using a flashlight.

[Davemuzz]

  Yeah, ya know, I forgot about those days of 4 unprotected broadheads sticking "out there" with no cover of any sort on 'em. Always said\thought "gotta watch those" but never really thought of the inherent danger of walking around the woods with those razor tips exposed.

Jammin your hand in 'em will certanily get your attention! That's a blood trail you really don't want to remember.

Dave