My first foray into trad archery was with a Northern Mist Baraga that I was given. To make a long story short, over the course of a year I never could get consistent shooting that bow. So I traded it for the recurve I have now, a Kodiak Magnum from the '60s. I shoot the K-mag fine but desperately want to go back to a longbow. My question to you all is, what bow do you recommend as the best bow for making the transition from shooting a recurve to shooting a longbow?
I don't have anybody nearby, that I know of, to shoot with. So everything I have learned to do has been thanks to your responses and the form videos posted. Thank you all in advance for any and all help/advice.
MOHAWK!
i also love the long bow but shoot a recurve best but i got a longbow (hornes)with a cross between long bow and recurve grip and i love it ! i also tried a shrew,and a bob lee long bow and shot them both well also ,
My favorite is the Chek-Mate Crusader, but you may be totally different.
The basics of shooting are the same for any bow. Get your form down, get your bow tuned, match your arrows to your bow, get a good release, etc., and you will be able to shoot anything you want accurately.
I suspect your arrows may have been too stiff,maybe why it was hard to be consistent with a longbow,just a thought.Most recurves are alittle more tolerant of arrow spine.There are plenty of excellent longbows out there.I think proper form and well tuned arrows will help get consistent with any longbow.
Keep an eye out for longbows with 'recurve' grips. I love my K-mags too, and when I started shooting longbows, I found that some bowyers put a higher wrist grip on their bows. Some make takedown bows that can use both longbow and recurve limbs. No new grip to learn!
Look at Kanatis, Shrews, Dryads and a host of others. Get out to the shoots this summer, where you can try them out to your heart's content!
Killdeer
Many bowyers offer a 'trial bow' program-BW, Fedora, Schafer, Toelke, Robertson etc. Ask them about it; typically they will want a card number for security and for you to pay shipping.
There's so many good ones you just need to try as many as you can and go with what you like the best.
QuoteOriginally posted by bolong:
There's so many good ones you just need to try as many as you can and go with what you like the best.
+1 :thumbsup:
Look at the Hi-bred style long bows... They are by far the closest to recurves [ besides the 3 piece bows that in many cases also work well with both recurve and L/B limbs ].
Gene :wavey:
I had a Martin Venom that I sold because it was too much like a recurve for my liking.
That was absolutely nothing wrong with the bow,semi pistol grip,strong R/D limbs,Fast smooth an pretty much shock free.
Just like a lot of recurves.
Good luck in your journey.
Make the drive up here to Michigan in June for comptons I bet you will find one you like before you leave
Go to the Directory and search under "South Carolina" to find a shooter close to you and contact them through P.M. Or go to the Trad Events page and look for a traditional shoot that is close to you , and then go and make new friends and try new bows. You have some BIG shoots in your area.Killie may know of some good ones in your reigion. The Compton shoot in Michigan is One of the biggest and Best shoots each year. As Bow man said, you will find something you like, but best of all, you can try any vendors bow at the event. Many top bow makers are set up for your shooting pleasure. Good luck and HAVE FUN!
Lost Creek. The grip makes it so easy to go from a recurve to a longbow.
The Baraga is a good bow, either your arrows were off or you were not using the bow properly for some reason. Longbow form has some subtle differences to pistol gripped recurve form. If you like shooting with the form that works for recurves, shoot recurves. If you wish to get into form for a bow like the Baraga, check out John Schulz on Hitting 'em like Howard Hill.
Allen,
Check out this site for people close to you. Good site. Georgia Trad Archery (http://forum.gon.com/forumdisplay.php?f=48)
Thanks for all the info folks :thumbsup: , I truly appreciate it!
Tomahawk longbows from 3Rivers !!!
I would definately try attending some local shoots. You can often times shoot some different styes of bows. Everyone has a different style and finding what you like can be a fun and lenghthy process. Maybe, the recurve is for you!
Have fun! Rod
Maybe try a Fox Archery Breed! Ive shot one and they are great bows as are the people that make them!
You need to watch that arrow spine on the longbow a lot more. They are lighter in the hand too, so you tend to want to move them around more. Also if you cant the bow, it moves the center to the right which does not happen with a recurve. Lot's of shooters say their bow shoots to the right but it's really just when they cant them. Or it could be the arrow spine too light.
these are the 3 things I pay close attention to. Steady bow, not too much cant (at least until you're hitting good and then can work on it) and the right arrow for the bow.
sam
well id definately go with a center cut hybrd no matter what boyer there r many custome boyers. but i agree with LBR.
I am obviously pretty partial to the Kanati longbows made by Jason Kendall. They would be a great way to transition. I don't think you can find a finer hunting bow. Lost Creek bows are very similar and would probably do the trick as well. Both are true bargains.
Allan,
I think part of your answer may be found in your question as to why you: "desperately want to go back to a longbow." Why? I may be completely wrong here but I suspect you may want to only transition with a hybrid then continue on to a longbow (as I define it, a "D" shape when strung, "broom handle" grip LONGbow). Those longbows do have a special feeling for some of us that a hybrid, while in many cases offering the best of both worlds, doesn't quite capture. Some of the hybrid "longbows" come VERY close to actually being recurves in my opinion. I just as soon stick to my 'curves in those instances. As one wag put it: "Hybrids are for folks who want to say they shoot a longbow without ever having to actually shoot a longbow!" :biglaugh: Part of the FUN for me of going to a longbow was in learning how to grip/shoot those old style handled bows.
Good point. Some longbows have recurve type handles and limbs with curve in them. To note, however, some curves like the Checkmate have handles much like a hybrid longbow. I think they are the closest recurve to feeling like a longbow.
go figure.
Just have fun and keep shooting.
sam
Look at one of the broader limbed 3 piece take downs. They have a little more weight, and can be a bit more forgiving. Grip is up to you - I personally like a relatively straight wrist-low grip, so I lean towards recurves with longbow grips rather than the other way around.