Hi All, without mentioning the bowyer, the company ect. Describe to me the characteristics of what you think is the perfect recurve bow.
(and there's no such thing as a perfect recurve bow, isn't a good answer, I already know that, I just want your opinions as hardcore trad bow hunters)
Short yet forgiving limbs that dont stack are most important to me! Compactness and shootability are my big concerns.
For Hunting:
-58"
-50#
-Gains 2-2.5#'s per inch from 26-28" draw
-Medium Grip that is 4.5" circumference at the throat
-Heavy Riser
-Grip is Medium with flat palm
-Shoots about 170-180 FPS at 10GPP
-Can be silenced to dull thud with 1 set of whiskers
-Of course it will be LH
LOL...I'll agree with Roy....it's gotta be a lefty.
Mine would be...
3 pc takedown anywhere from 56" to 62"
I'm a sucker for belly mt'd limbs, but doesn't have to have them.
52#-54# @ 28"
Smaller sized low to medium wrist grip
Smooth as a baby's butt on the draw
Quiet
Fast
Cut 3/16" past center
Oh! and hits where I look!
The one I've never had.
I prefer 64"
Fast
Smooth to 30"
Large sight window
Around 3 pounds
Slim to medium riser with long gradual trans. to limbs.
One piece
3/16" to 5/16" past center
Thumb grove and palm swell
I say anywhere from 58-62"s, has to be quiet without having to add a ton to the string or limbs.(maybe some bowhush) Static tips and smooth drawing, either foam or bamboo cores and fairly quick, but quiet trumps quick as long as it ain't a dog. Also a fairly large sight widow at least 3"s and a riser around 15"s or so, grip that can be made to what I want, not some standard grip for everyone. It should be stable and have no handshock either. I should add either a one-piece or a 3 piece T/D is fine as long as there is some weight to the riser(heavy woods help in a one-piece.) I lately prefer a one-piece. Shawn
As far as something you can quantify, smooth draw without stacking for longer draws. Longer length bows also seem to be more forgiving for me.
But the most important ingredient is the grip. Some just fit better than others, and not everyone will like the same grip. What works for one person will stink for another.
My special Korean Mughal hybrid currently in the works. Press is ready, soon.
Compact, feather lite and well balanced.
As per Bowwild,(lefty part, too) adding make it a one-piece, static tipped and cut somewhere past center.
Not that I know about static tips, but they seem to be the next big thing...
A longbow!!! :thumbsup:
I'm pretty easy to cater to. I'm short with a short draw so all this stacking stuff is Greek to me. I like short bows, 52" to 56" seems to be the sweet spot for my preferences. I like a pretty slim medium to high wrist grip, cut to center shelf, fast flight capable, and dark glass on the back with a matte finish. I do enjoy the look of my bows and don't like to have to cover them for hunting.
Bear TD TYPE I or II, with that rest cut low so it is easier to "point and shoot", and the original white tip limbs, that were stable and had good speed. Low wrist, narrow handle to reduce torque. Matt finish, and 58 - 62", 55-65#. Just look at Fred's original TD.
2X what Whip said...it's all about the grip.
Deflexed Riser around 19",sight window 3" or more(the straight part),grip that fit my hand.
Limbs:very good stability (verticaly and horizontaly)
All in TD 3pieces,fast,quiet,no vibrations , no hand shock and dont stack at my draw
Bowild just described my RER "XR" to a tee.
Irv Eichorst
www.truesouthadventures.com (http://www.truesouthadventures.com)
Well Mike, you mentioned on the *********** that I gave you the kind of information that you wanted about longbows so I hope you will cut me a little slack on here about recurves...one could do a lot worse than a 1960 Kodiak...I, and a lot of other people, think Bear Archery just might have got it right with that one...they actually think enough of that basic design that the current Kodiak is a '59 replica (and I still say that bow, because of the glass riser and tip overlays, is as much '60 as '59)
DDave
Fast , quiet , and with a draw increase of 1.5 lbs. / in. from 26 to 30 in.
Yeah Dave, I designed my 60" "retro" recurve with the profile in mind somewhere inline with an old Kodiak and the Ben Person Cougar.
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f301/jillanmike/retro60_zpsf710d157.jpg) (http://s50.photobucket.com/user/jillanmike/media/retro60_zpsf710d157.jpg.html)
I like 58" and 60" bows, in the 50 to 60# range. Quiet, and smooth drawing. I'm not big on speed. I prefer mass weight in the riser, although, I've been liking 50's style recurves lately. I need the shelf to be close to my hand. I have a high anchor, so look for a short sight window, that also gives me a few more inches of working limb. I'm not picky on grip because for some reason, they all seem to feel good to me. I guess a few may feel better than others though.
58" for all around hunting, but mostly from stands and blinds. I would want it to draw to 30 with no stack, 4" site window before it starts to angle out the side, quiet, quick, decent mass, grip on the low side and with a positive pressure point rather than one that fills the hand, and very stable limbs. I also like a narrower shelf; too many bows have a way wider shelf that I need and it just gets in the way. A TD is a plus and I like a narrower limb and more slender riser when possible in a TD so it has more the feel of a 1 pc.
I have yet to find the just right grip in a quiet bow with the site window I want in a bow under 60".
I have a couple of River Runners by Chad Holm.....nice bows. I also have a Zipper ILF with Dyrad Static recurve limbs that I grown really fond of....it's 42# @ 29" 62" long, works great for 3-D and working on my form......which seems to always need work....lol! I really like the bows that have that 50's look to them, my Kota "Killum" come to mind! So many bows........ :dunno:
54" with the grip and speed of a Centaur, smooth out to 29" with no finger pinch.
Question for Mike. If you were to attempt to optimize your "retro" recurve for a 26" maximum draw what would you need to do?
for me its 62 inches
52lbs
with a low checkerd grip
maybe a little horn on the tips
an has a lot of zip
What Hoyt said and left handed.
A 62-64" recurve can be just fabulous. I prefer a heavier riser.
I HAD the perfect recurve (a take down) until I stepped on one of the limbs after tripping while stepping off my climbing stand :-(
I sent it back to the boyer for a new set of limbs. But the design changed and after getting it back it just was not the same bow.
Why do I have to be so clumsy?
If I could just get a certain bow I own a tad bit more quiet, I'd have the perfect hunting curve for me.
Low to medium grip. Enough mass in the riser for stability. Very smooth and quiet. Fast and beautiful.
the grip is the most important part, get a good fit on the grip and the rest will fall into place. that is after you straighten the limbs out to make it a longbow!
1. Grip. Most important in my book. High wrist(straight wrist), good palm swell.
2. Smooth and quiet.
3. Fast enough.
4. Enough weight in the riser to make it stable.
5. I prefer one piece.
The grip is important to me, I like a grip that my hand melts into easily and gives very little room for being a little this way or that. I like a relatively thin grip. Of all the bows I've had my favorite grip is what's on my Blacktails followed closely by my Silvertip (sorry to mention brands). I specifically don't like a wide (side-side) grip, too easy for me to torque, nor do I like the minimal grip found on many longbows.
After grip, the bow must be quiet and have as little vibration after the shot as possible. Arrow weight and brace height play a big part in this but the bow itself should be as inherently shock and vibration free as possible.
Fit and finish...life is too short to shoot an ugly bow. Fortunately there aren't many of these, most bows are relatively well made and decently finished. Some stand out though so I look for it.
I really liked a 64" Cheeta recurve from the 60's. I liked the grip mostly, 64", 60 lbs. Gave it to my son.
Now I have a 60" 55# @28" bamboo limbs i think, not sure about the riser. I probably like this bow the best of the recurves I have had/or have.
All about the grip for me. I have tried to sell this bow a couple of times, just because I wanted to try something else; not a good idea and glad I kept it. I have been shooting it a lot lately.
Pretty sure I will never own a bow shorter than 60" again. But never say never.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd43/MnFn/apair138.jpg) (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/MnFn/media/apair138.jpg.html)
THE perfect recurve (at least for me) is Chuck Deschlers (sp?) two tracks ambush recurve! Lightning fast, short, sweet, not much handshock, no string pinch (I shoot 3 under), and the list goes on....