That is the question, or at least that is my question. How many prefer take down bows to one peice and how often does the take down feature come in handy for you? I am contemplating whether or not to have an upcoming bow order be a T/D or not. the Cons for it so far are just additional cost, the Pros are easier transport if i haul it around, it can break down and fit in a back wuiver or pack for hauling to or from somewhere, etc etc. Just wondering who likes that feature.
And if you want to post a pic of your T/Ds id love to see some bow porn :)
thanks
Fin
I prefer a one piece for hunting. I have two take-down recurves. One, a Quinn, I only took apart twice in order to swab limbs. The other is an ILF set-up that I only took down one time. My other bows are one piece.
I like the look of one piece bows. Of course T/D save a lot of space in transporting or shipping, but I want to suffer for tradition :archer: However, there's the option of T/D 2 pieces longbows. It looks and feels like a one piece bow when it's assembled.
2 pc longbow, fast to put together, handy when you want to travel or stuff in in a backpack for a climb, and you can't tell most of them are 2pcs once they are together, especially the carbon sleeve type
eg: Big Jim Buff or Thunder Child
The weight and the bigger grip of the 3 piece takedown fits me better. Can not get as stable a shot with the very light one piece longbows. Some like the air weight one pieces better. If you sell or transport the bow 3 piece is a definite plus. One opinion. Roy
I like the 2 pc using either the robertson take-down system or the great northern jack knife. They shoot and feel like a single piece bow, but I can take them apart to travel. Best of both worlds.
I have had both, but I chose them for how they fit me and how they shot. If you are one of those guys who are fortunate enough to have hunting land in your back yard, then a takedown isnt much of an advantage. if you have to fly alot or pack a vehicle for a long trip a takedown can be handy.
I am with UB, take down for ease of transport on a plane, placed in my duffel and checked, no second bag fee and its well padded.
I use the TD feature on my bows a few times a year, like when traveling to a shoot by car. I also store the ones that aren't in use taken down.
I like the 2 pc for travel, so much easier to load a 34" long bundle. Instead of a 68" tube. A lot easier to pack on a small plane.
I prefer the three piece Morrisons. They are handier for transport and the extra weight of a three piece seems to help my shooting a little.
I like both take down and one piece bows.
I will say this. I do like the added physical weight of the riser in a take down. It helps to steady a shot in a stiff crosswind.
I have a 3 pc. recurve and many longbows. I hardly ever take down the recurve. It is easier to travel on a plane with a take-down, but I rarely ever do that.
I prefer TD recurves in most brands. I like them because of appearance and greater weight. I rarely take them apart but it is nice to know I can switch out limbs or pack for certain travel if needed.
For example, I like the 2-piece Blacktail (Snakebit) better than the 1-piece. You can see these two bows at the bottom. Someone else owns the 1-piece Elite VL now.
I have three widows; 2 TD and one PAX. I prefer the PA (one-piece) because it is more graceful looking, I like the feel, and the smoothness of the limb action.
Here are a couple pictures. The pair of bows illustrates a Predator Anniversary (TD) on top and the PAX on the bottom. The 'skull' picture is a Schafer TD.
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae50/bowwild/New%20Silvertip/LRBearSchaferBlue.jpg)
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae50/bowwild/Widow%20PA/WidowFullWindowView.jpg)
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae50/bowwild/Snakebit/LRRRiserTree.jpg)
(http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae50/bowwild/LRBTWindowClose-UP.jpg)
I have a T/D recurve and 3 one piece long bows.
I have bought and sold many one piece bows. I like the looks of them but I simply don't shoot them as consistent as I do my 3 piece TD's. I need the added mass. If I don't perfectly follow through with the one pieces I get bad groups.
As far as the TD feature. Here in KY it really isn't needed for hunting but when going on a trip for 3-D shoot or something and you have a truck full of guys it is very handy.
I love the idea of the take-down bow...so all of the first bows I got were take-down. Problem is, once I assembled them, I never took them down again until it came time to sell them for the next bow.
I've been shooting a couple of short one piece recurves for the last few months and I'm really liking the simplicity of their design....but I really do miss the mass weight in the riser. To help with that I always keep a loaded great northern strap on quiver on the bow.
I now require a TD. I hunt on fly away trips every year and shipping my old one peice longbow was a nightmare! I tried everything and it was all a hassle.
Last year I got a new Bear TD and absolutely love it! Fred had the right idea with no tools. I take it down almost every day since I have a jeep wrangler and the 60 bow is too long to easily transport.
I love the longbow and shoot it better, but being able to transport the thing and shoot it more often was key for me!
(http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr180/two4hooking/cold.jpg)
I prefer the take down so i have the option to travel. I dont do it a lot but when i do its nice to be able to pack my bow in my luggage.
I love my Bob Sarrels Blueridge takedown longbow so much I almost never shoot any of my other bows anymore! The takedown feature come in handy when I travel with the bow which is maybe once or twice a year. Other than that it is just like a one piece and I keep it in a bow sock.
Bisch
Yup. Take Down for travel. It just takes up less room. The added mass is helpful in accuracy also.
I do have to admit; one of the bows I shot the best was a one piece Great Northern Super Ghost though.
I think both have there place, Take downs and one piece so you should have both ....or maybe a couple of each...LOL!
When I ordered my Great Northern Critter Gitter last spring, I thought about adding the jackknife takedown option to the order. But to save money, I went with a one piece. I absolutely LOVE my bow, but wish I had gone with the takedown. I plan on doing a few fly in hunts within the next 2-5 years and the one piece will be a pain. Not impossible to deal with mind you, just not as easy as a takedown would be.
I had the lower tip of a one piece hit a rock and break once when shooting. Since then all my bows have been 3 piece takedowns.
Takedown bow gets my vote for ease of transport, plus the option of getting an extra set of limbs in case of damage (as last arrow mentioned above) or if I want another weight bow it's cheaper to buy a set of limbs then a whole new bow.
Some one piece bows look great, but are not practical for me.
Just some food for thought and from someone that has very limited exposure to takedowns other than having shot several that I had varying opinions on, when you add parts you add possibility of failure, I have read several "mainstream" bowhunting magazine stories where the person had to set out a day of a hunt because of a mechanical problem, given these were compound hunters, but a day was lost due to a multi-component piece of equipment however as was stated if you snap a limb in half you can still come out with a shootable bow if you have a take-down, a one piece could be salvaged but far more work would be involved, as to the take-downs I have shot for the most part they were smooth ,quiet and dead in the hand on release,but a few have been noisy at draw,slightly whip-ended on release or in one case with a 2 piece longbow I could feel the hinging action in the handle on release,for me and this is strictly my opinion,it comes down to why I do what I do and it's simplicity,it doesn't get much simpler than a stick with a string on it,I'm not dead set against take-downs either as I own a 62# Hatfield takedown but it has a very specific use,if I traveled a lot to hunt,yes I would probably have several takedowns but, and again this is just me I would also have multiple sets of limbs for them,one piece bows can be inconvenient to transport, hunt in a stand with and store, but I don't think convenience is a huge part of traditional shooting, hope I didn't step on any toes and I have met very few bows I didn't like do what's best for you.
I bought a 3 piece RER for the simple fact of how easy it is to travel and how nice it shoots, but then I shot a Two Tracks Ambush.
The Ambush fits snugly inside a hard sided golfclub case and is a dream to shoot. I took both to Texas this past November and the RER was first string. (pardon the pun)
This next trip to Kauai, the Ambush is getting first string. That alone tells you how easily a 1 piece bow can travel.
Thanks guys,
I should have mentioned it was a 2pc LongBow in question from Bama Bows. It wont be my hunting bow as i have a heavier bow coming for that, but i want to stump with it and hunt small game etc so maybe it would be better to get a T/D to pack easier.
thanks
I have a Shrew 2pc take down and my son the identical bow in a one piece. There is no performance difference at all between the two. When it comes to travelling by truck or car, especially with some not so careful hunting buddies. I really prefer the TD stored away safely in a hard case compared to the one piece.
I like the 3-piece takedown because I CAN take it down. I never do . . . but I can.
More importantly, I like the extra weight that a takedown sports compared to a one-piece. It's not much weight, but it's enough to provide stability on the shot. For me, it works. For you????
Mark
The first bow I bought myself was a 3 piece bob lee recurve, I thought it would make moving about so much easier. I underestimated how much time it takes me to remove and install the limbs. I now have a whip with the bow bolt and its extremely easy to use, I cant imagine wanting a lighter bow, it costs a little more but to me its extremely handy. the bow breaks down to the approximate length of my arrows, thats priceless.
I love 1 piece bows, but if I'm going to travel by plane, it will be with a takedown only.
Been there done that......sooooooo much more enjoyable with a bow I can stuff in my luggage.
I have one piece bows, a 3 piece Pronghorn, and a 2 piece Big Jim. You can't tell the Big Jim from a one piece by looking at it. I hardly ever break it down, but I could if space dictated. A bit more money for a bit more function.
To take down or not to take down
that is the question
whether 'tis nobler in the mind
to suffer the inconvenience of
one piece bows...
Couldn't resist!
QuoteOriginally posted by Jake Diebolt:
To take down or not to take down
that is the question
whether 'tis nobler in the mind
to suffer the inconvenience of
one piece bows...
Couldn't resist!
winning :biglaugh:
Even though I don't travel by plane a much as I used to, I still prefer a take-down. If I'm traveling in a packed car, I can make it fit; it is less likely to get slammed in a door, too.
Easier to store at home, or take apart and put in a pack, for hiking or biking or riding.
I most prefer the no-tools 2-piece, though I have a 3-piece as well.
I prefer a one piece but take downs are really convenient for air travel especially with baggage fees these days.
I have owned multiple bows of both types and think interchangeable limbs are overrated. A set of limbs is darn near the cost of a new (or at least used) bow. That was one of my reasons for thinking I needed a take down before.
I never took my bows down unless it was for air travel.
i prefer a take down for travel and extra mass weight
I think one advantage to a 3 piece TD besides the ability to transport easier by bike.horse or plane etc is gonna be the ability to replace a damaged limb and or have a backup set ready to go if you damage a set
Another is the option to get multiple sets of limbs of possibly different lengths and poundages for different applications.Like hunting diffent sized game deer/capebuffalo or 3-D shooting with longer lighter limbs or form work.
I think an ILF 3 piece is gonna be the most versatile rig you could own if you only had one bow.With the poundage,limb angle and tiller adjustments that are available.A plethora of limbs are also available from many bowyers to go with the riser of your choice.Many new superb limbs have come out recently as well that just adds to the attraction of the ILF and limbs swap out easliy for travel/packability.
If I could only have one bow it would be a 3 piece for those reasons.
I do love one piece and 2 PC. bows as well.The 3 piece is unbeatable for overall versatlity though and transport.
Advantages of the TD have all been stated. I couldn't live without several of each. In the end it's just your personal choice but........ since you asked for some bow porn, here's my new Wes Wallace Mentor. The big problem with it is the doc says I can't shoot for at least 4 more weeks due to some recent surgery. I can't think of anything I miss more right now than to be just shooting my bows. Had to throw in the tip picture to give you the whole effect.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/Hatrick/Mentor/mentor001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/Hatrick/Mentor/mentor004.jpg)
The only reason I wanted a takedown recurve was so I could use a Selway limb bolt quiver. Absolutely rock solid and quiet like no strap on could ever be.
I took it apart one time in two years just to see how it worked.
Other than that I prefer a one piece for cosmetics and lighter weight.
I dont at all like the looks of one piece bows. All takedowns here. I like the extra mass and being able to change limbs if I want, but I almost never take them down.
I collect one piece bow of the 60's and 70's and buy modern TDs.