All things being equal and they rarely ever are which would cast arrows faster a recurve or long bow ?
It all depends on the design of said recurve or longbow.
Bisch
A good test would be to shoot an ILF with the same brand and poundage recurve limbs and longbow limbs. Same riser and arrow.
I believe a recuve stores a little more energy pound for pound but really not sure.
It can depend on recently made bows or "vintage " ones. If "vintage " recurves would be my choice of speed. R/D LB's changed that IMO.
Vol. 1 of the Traditional Bowyer's Bible is an awesome read and would answer so many questions in addition to this question. "Generally" one would surmise that a recurve would be quicker/more efficient...but as previously stated there is much nuance in design at play here and today's hybrid longbows throw a wrench in the discussion to some degree. Again, TBB Vol.1 is a great resource.
My fastest recurve is a couple of fps faster than my fastest D and R. Not a whole lot of difference. However if you go to a Hill style bow there is a lot of difference in speed.
Not enough to make a difference at normal hunting ranges IMHO though.
Where the big difference come into effect is if you want to shoot a lighter weight bow and have good penetrating power. I think that other than that speed is overrated up to 25 yards trajectory wise,
Along with many others I will take quietness and a really good shooting bow over a super fast bow that is loud or has poor shooting qualities.
but will also always take the fastest bow I can get that has great shooting qualities.
When choosing a longbow vs recurve. I love them both and have both. The longbow is a lot simpler though because you do not need a stringer and have way fewer problems with things such as limb twist ect.
I would tend to shoose the mild D and R longbow as the best of both worlds. I call them the ultimate hunting bow.
God bless, Steve
^^^ What Steve said for me!
A well designed recurve will usually out perform (as far as speed) a well designed longbow.
You can add variables and what-ifs all day long, and I'm sure people will. But the simple answer to your question is a recurve
I can't remember where I read it or I would post a link, but I read once where a guy tested this theory. He shot several different bows, but they were all in pairs of one recurve and one longbow of the same draw weight. He shot a variety of arrow weights from around 8 grains/# up to around 16-17 grains/#. At the lighter arrow weights, the recurves shot faster than the longbows at every draw weight. As the arrow weight went up, the gap narrowed. At the heaviest arrow weights, the speed was almost equal with the longbow actually passing the recurves in a couple of the equal weight pairs. I'm not sure how well the test was carried out or how accurate the data was, but it would suggest that longbows achieve their best efficiency with heavier arrows than a recurve. I guess you'd still say the recurve is faster, but maybe not necessarily more powerful as far as energy/penetration goes. It's all in finding the best combination for a particular bow.
Matt, I have observed that very phenomena when comparing ASL styles with recurves. Generally the ASL shines with heavy (especially very heavy) arrows.
The static recurve seemed to me to be right behind the ASLs with heavy arrows, but that was with a sample of one.
With all things being equal, which they rarely are, which is faster? a car or a pick up truck? :dunno:
It all depends. I have been in some really quick Pickups and some really quick cars. I would have to say when you really got up to top speeds my 65 GTO was pretty quick. The new Challengers might be a tad bit quicker though. LOL. But put a car and a pickup on a deep rutted mud track and see which one is fastest.
There seems to be a purpose and a place where speed doesn't matter as much as what you are going to do with it.
HMMM
I may become a philosopher . Hey!!
God bless, Steve
Overall a recurve is quicker unless it isn't.
All things being equal, they should be about the same.
QuoteOriginally posted by Arrowcraft:
All things being equal and they rarely ever are which would cast arrows faster a recurve or long bow ?
Definately a recurve. But if you include reflex/deflex American flatbows in with the longbow definition it narrows the difference to nothing. ;)
QuoteOriginally posted by WESTBROOK:
All things being equal, they should be about the same.
'Cept, they never seem to be equal. :)
In 1977, the fastest production vehicle built in the USA was a Chevrolet 1/2 ton pickup with a .454 under the Hood.
Regarding to arrow speed I found interesting some datas I got.
I just received a heavier set of limbs for a coming BIG exotic game this summer. I play around set up to assess "real " performance out of my bow and shooting.
I found an arrow that fly very well for me and allow me shooting out to 30-35yards with good confidence. Bow is 65# at 31" and as I draw a tad further I am getting 67# on my digital scale.
I tested 2 set up and will end with the " lighter" 800 gr plus a little external footing
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/4AD0FC19-4EDA-4338-8AAA-7B626F5245CC_zpsxnpjnepq.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/4AD0FC19-4EDA-4338-8AAA-7B626F5245CC_zpsxnpjnepq.jpg.html)
GT big game 100 shaft for both
Brass inserts, point and matching broadheads will be from Tuffheads
First set up 200 gr solid glue in brass insert and 225 gr point: very tough combo
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/C47A0BF9-F263-42D7-8BC8-BCE29C3E7B1D_zps0q5v0sus.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/C47A0BF9-F263-42D7-8BC8-BCE29C3E7B1D_zps0q5v0sus.jpg.html)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/09ABCA8F-FAA4-4167-B9C8-08A7EAA81B69_zpstaj08olp.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/09ABCA8F-FAA4-4167-B9C8-08A7EAA81B69_zpstaj08olp.jpg.html)
Second set up : 50 gr brass insert 100 gr steel adaptator 300 gr point : less strong as 50 gr brass insert is the weak part
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/23C8B415-DFDA-47E8-BBFF-F600454F3F21_zpskvwnhwe7.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/23C8B415-DFDA-47E8-BBFF-F600454F3F21_zpskvwnhwe7.jpg.html)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/14558211-47A3-4DDE-A4D0-2CA8179970AD_zpskkishrur.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/14558211-47A3-4DDE-A4D0-2CA8179970AD_zpskkishrur.jpg.html)
Here are datas from shooting 12 yard to a small spot and hitting chrono 1 yard in front of bow
2 cold shot ( no warm up) in a row
It is very important if you want to assess YOUR arrow speed from a bow and arrow combo to shoot it without any warm up ( the way you will be when that BIG boy will come :D )
Light 801 gr set up
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/AC732964-D1B5-4CD4-8869-7A6BF4A0FB8C_zpsz4qddek0.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/AC732964-D1B5-4CD4-8869-7A6BF4A0FB8C_zpsz4qddek0.jpg.html)
Heavier 829 gr.
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/02ABE5B4-B212-443E-838F-A35FC78BD479_zps5q1ruzoe.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/02ABE5B4-B212-443E-838F-A35FC78BD479_zps5q1ruzoe.jpg.html)
Bow is in ready to hunt set up ( brace height, wool string wrap and string silencer, bow tip rubber protection, bow quiver on) and yet very quiet. Pierre from SBDbowstring made me a wonderful 14 stands string.
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/B6861C45-3F2B-4299-9388-55534BCEB667_zpszbqtzd7k.jpg) (http://s758.photobucket.com/user/hybridbowhunter/media/B6861C45-3F2B-4299-9388-55534BCEB667_zpszbqtzd7k.jpg.html)
And believe me, after playing like this with a lot of bows from famous bowyers names, getting that way ( hand shot, cold shot, accurate shot, bow in hunting setting) 189 fps out of a 67-68# bow with a 800 gr arrow is A LOT of bow performance
QuoteOriginally posted by hybridbow hunter:
And believe me, after playing like this with a lot of bows from famous bowyers names, getting that way ( hand shot, cold shot, accurate shot, bow in hunting setting) 189 fps out of a 67-68# bow with a 800 gr arrow is A LOT of bow performance
You can hunt anything on this planet, with confidence, with that setup!!!
Bisch
Hi Laurent
you keep your old set of limbs ?
Spitz
QuoteOriginally posted by hybridbow hunter:
And believe me, after playing like this with a lot of bows from famous bowyers names, getting that way ( hand shot, cold shot, accurate shot, bow in hunting setting) 189 fps out of a 67-68# bow with a 800 gr arrow is A LOT of bow performance
Gotta love a 31+" draw lots of stored energy there. I need an arm stretcher.
Hello Luc
Yes I keep them all. The 61# set will be my back up set.
Cory, yes my long draw give me 10-12 fps increase in speed for same gpp arrow. 830 gr is 12.4 gpp for my bow and it flies @ 186 fps. All my other bows shot at that ratio in same conditions are in the low to mid 170's fps for the fastest glass recurve or hybrid LB I own and in the low 160 fps for the medium R/D longbows.
Kirk said which is faster a car or a pickup truck. That all depends what it is pulling some would add. Some pickups have a governor in them. We have done some nonscientific comparisons to see how much arrow weight affected different bows in grains per pounds. A thick cored longbow does not slow down or speed up as much with arrow weight changes as a narrow tipped recurve that we had. However, the narrow tipped recurve was the fastest bow of the group. The span was not all that wide. Our longbows are on the quick side for Hill style and mild R/D bows and I think some of the recurves may have been on the slower side. Oh, the fast bow, a Grooves Spitfire.
Take two Identical bows of Identical weight and length and same strings and everything exactly the same except one is of a better design and is more efficient.
In controlled testing using a Hooter shooter or equivilant with mechanical release and same arrow. Test them at exactly the same draw length.
The more efficient bow will have more speed with that given arrow.
Now up the weight of the arrow and as the bows approach their maximum efficiency because of the added arrow weight the speeds differential will be closer.
This leads some that believe that a slow bow will cast a heavier arrow faster. In fact it is using more of the stored energy.
The slower bow may actually come close to shooting the heavy arrow as fast as the more efficient bow it will never shoot that arrow as fast or faster than the more efficient bow.
This is not a theory. It is a fact proven over and over under scientific testing.
God bless, Steve
We found the same thing. If a bow is faster at 9 grain per pound, it will still be faster at 11 grains per pound. The only thing we saw of any importance was that some bows show less variations in arrow speeds with heavier and lighter arrows, and some faster bows that shoot moderate weight arrows very fast show more difference from throwing a heavy arrow in the mix. That could be important to those with very fast bows, to make sure all of the arrows are identical, and at the same time let slower shooting longbow shooters know that they can have a lighter weight small game arrow in the quiver and maybe get by with an accurate shot at a rabbit or two during deer season. A fast bow that could shoot heavier arrows and lighter arrows in a closer span at a 28" or less draw like a Hill style bow, that would be interesting and very tempting.
The fastest bow that I own is a static tip
DDave