I know the short bow is really not a longbow so we can take that off the table. What I am trying to ask is if you have both or have had both? If you have what did you like or dislike about the short bow vs the longer bow. Speed, time to get on target, shoot where you point? Was one smoother? Did you shoot better with one or were they similiar? What do you have to say if I have missed a quality that you liked? Thanks I am getting a shorter bow the Thunderstick mag. This is why I am asking.
Do a little search. It's been discussed much before around here.
The shortest longbow I have shot is 60" Bitterroot and my draw is 29". This bow was a good shooter but the finger pinch was uncomfortable. I also had a 62" Thunderhorn and a 62" Great Northern that were good shooters and were more comfortable than the Bitterroot. Currently my shortest longbow is a 64" Navajo Stick Apache. Otherwise I like the long 70" Howard Hill style longbows.
I went from a 64" recurve to 62" Massie longbow. I now shoot a 58" Smolenski longbow. I like the shorter bows. I mostly hunt from a tree stand, their easier to manuver in the stand. My brother just received a 56" thunderstick and loves it. You won't be disapointed.
I have always shot a 66" longbow but now shoot a 64" longbow and don't see any difference.I also have a Beeler longbow that is 56" and the design of that bow is great I don;t get no finger pinch at all.it really feels like your shooting a 54" longbow.but after about 20 yards I start loosing some accurace with the shorter bow not alot but some.the shorter bow is ideal for hunting.
I've shot down to 54" bows and won't buy one under 62. I don't know exactly what it is but i can't shoot bows under 60" nearly as well as I can those over 60". I have a 29 1/2" draw length and that could have something to do with it.
Bisch
S.C. Hunter..What's your draw length and how big are your hands? Some of the guys posting above draw 29"s or more. I draw 27"s but have large hands. I think those components are the most important factors for me. I can shoot 56"s and up. I had a 56" R/D LB that shot real well for me and now I hunt mostly with a 60"? They shoot equally well, go figure?
I have large hands 8.5" tip of middle finger to crease where hand joins wrist and 10" around my palm measured midway between knuckles on back of hand and web next to my thumb. I draw a touch over 28". I shot a 58" bow one day about 6 arrows and was surprised how well I shot the bow.
My go to hunting bow is a 54" Treadway Black Forest with 4 arrow strap on quiver. I have a 27" draw. In hunting from a gound blind, tree stand, or natural blind, it is my opinion the short longbows have way more advantages than disadvantages at my draw. It is also my opinion that that inaccuracy of the shorter bow over the longer bow is minimal if any. I actually feel I shoot my 54" ad good or better than than I do most of my longer long bows. Maybe part of that reason is I truely beleive that so that is embedded in my head.
I draw 28.5 and have two mini ilf Morrison bows one longbow one recurve that are 56" and there is no better shooting bow in my opinion. The short bow less accurate thing is a myth it's all in what you like at the last 3d shoot I shot a 192 out of 200 taking first place from all the 64" shooters. Shorter risers have longer working limbs that give less finger pinch so that has not been an issue for me.
I like the short Hy-bred longbows with lots of Deflex Reflex to them. I draw 30" so 58" is the shortest I have owned for any length of time.
My favorite longbow bow on the rack right now is a 60" Hy-bred and that is my hunting bow for this year. This bow is silent and very quick that is why it is my hunting stick.
It seems that the longer they are, the more stable they become. That being said 60" seems perfect for me as a hunting bow but that is for me.
All that being said I have a 66" LB that I shot as well as any bow I have ever owned. I have tried to hunt with this bow but no go, that extra length gets in the way (For me).
For a 26.5" draw the new bow my wife is shooting, a Lost Creek NAT, is surprisingly accurate and fast. My shortest bows for my 26.25" draw are 62" Robertsons, they work good as well at that draw.
Have a 56" Shrew Classic Hunter longbow that i shoot as well as any of the Long, Longbows i have had!!
Longer = smoother, by a large margin.
Shorter limbs need to work harder to match the weight of longer limbs.
I had two bows, close to the same weight 72lbs. The longer bow drew smooth to anchor the shorter bow was a pig.
I may be on the short side but I prefer a smoother bow, therefore I go longer.
I shoot a 62" Turkey Creek and a 56" Classic Hunter with a 29 1/2" draw. I prefer the CH by a long shot, no finger pinch and just as accurate at ditances over 30 yards.
Folks are drawn to a particular style & technique & usually make it work with enough practice. Wouldn't trade my straight handle Hills for anything all over 66". A big bunch of short bow shooters may outclass me pdq. It ain't a contest.
31" draw so I dont have anything under 64" and 66" is smoother for me...also a bit more accurate
I have a 29.5" draw and shoot a 60" hybrid. Any thing under that seems uncomfortable between finger pinch and the stacking point.
I am going to use a 54" Shrew Classic Hunter this year. I have longer bows and the short bow doesn't shoot that much differently although it took a few days of shooting to get where I shoot it well. That being said, my draw length is only 26 inches and, as said before, the riser is short giving the limbs more working length. I mostly hunt from tree stands and I think that shorter bow will give me an advantage over my other bows.
The advantages of a short bow (Shrew) that shoots better than a long bow are endless.
Draw length, hand size, and bow design all play into it. You have to try stuff. I have not shot a mag very much, but I would like to spend some time with a 58" and 60". I have a 60" MOAB. I draw 29 1/2" and have zero finger pinch or stack that I can tell. The bow shoots great. I am going to look at a 62" just because I want to try one not because I think it will make much difference for hunting. Maybe longer 3D shots it would help. I don't know.
I am on the list for a 56" Shrew CH. That is a smooth shooting bow for me with no stack or pinch at all.
I used to shoot a 58" Lost Creek when my draw length was about 29" and that was a great little bow. I liked it better than the 60" Lost Creek I traded it on.
I prefer the longer bows 66# or 68#. To me, they seem to draw smoother.
I hope no one perceives this post a "long" longbow bashing. I am a longbow type of guy by choice. As I said in my post earlier my "go to hunting bow" is my 54" Treadway longbow because of the hunting advantages I feel the short longbows offer for me. Not meaning it is the only longbow I prefer to shoot. I love my longbows all the way out to my 66" Crusader. Besides, it was said when this post started that a short longbow is not really a longbow and that really really hurt. I had to say something. :)
I also feel what straitera said in his post holds alot of weight. A toast to the longbow men of Tradgang, short or long.
:thumbsup: thumbs up for my 54" Treadway Black Swamp ,
I am shooting with this longbow for the season,
For my style of hunting it really helps, ground blinds and tree stands make this bow very manueverable and very silent. I feel longer longbows may be smoother but for hunting, you just have to practice and practice with the same bow and same arrows that will really make you a more efficent hunter
I have a 28 inch draw and prefer the hybrid type longbows. My 2 favorites that I have now are both 60". I prefer them over the longer longbows.
I've got a 30" draw, and have had longbows of 68", 66", and most recently a 62" MOAB. I haven't noticed any finger pinch with any of them, and the MOAB seemed to draw much smoother. Also, when shooting the 66" and the MOAB together, the MOAB had no hand shock. I was surprised at how much more hand shock there was with the 66" longbow. Of course it could have been the particular bowyers design.
I shoot the MOAB much better, and it is noticably quicker, even at a lower weight bow.
I would say that my hands are above average. They are 2x in size and don't have any problems with finger pinch on the short bows like the forward handle style. I draw 30 + inches and like my 56" thunder child a good bit.
Bigjim
I have a 58" and a 66" A&H. The 66" is 4# lighter poundage, but shoots a little faster (4 fps) than the shorter one, even with less poundage!
The longer bow is also smoother drawing.
When I shot these bows thru the chrono I was surprised with the results. I was always told a shorter bow would be faster, not true.
Love my 54" Lost Creek NAT. Shot a black bear from my treestand last night. No contest with regards of being easier to shoot from the stand. Bows are what they are. People like what they like. I love my Lost Creek, bears dont like it as much.
QuoteOriginally posted by Cherokee Scout:
I have a 58" and a 66" A&H. The 66" is 4# lighter poundage, but shoots a little faster (4 fps) than the shorter one, even with less poundage!
The longer bow is also smoother drawing.
When I shot these bows thru the chrono I was surprised with the results. I was always told a shorter bow would be faster, not true.
Are you talking about the standard bows of those two lengths or the standard and new short design? If these are the standards, they will tell you the longer ones are the best performers. That is due to their limb design. That is not true of all bow designs.