Recurve vs Longbow question

ermont · January 25, 2012, 07:27:00 PM

This may sound like a stupid question but hear me out. Do you notice any difference in the amount of effort to draw a recurve and a longbow of the same poundage? I have an engineering background so I know 50 lbs is 50 lbs but I can swear a recurve takes much more effort for a given poundage. Please let me know what .your thoughts are. Thanks

LongStick64 · January 25, 2012, 07:33:00 PM

The problem with that thinking is that all recurves are created equally and that is far fro the truth. Try drawing an EagleWing Talon recurve, you'll swear you are drawing a much lighter bow. There are many other examples of sweet drawing recurves. It's all in the design of the recurve. Riser design, limb profile, brace height, bow length are all variables, and as such makes it very difficult to define.

mcgroundstalker · January 25, 2012, 07:35:00 PM

I'm gonna guess that a recurve will have shorter limbs and "feel" harder... Longer limbs seem to draw smother, IMO... I must add that LongStick makes some very good points.

... mike ...

ChrisM · January 25, 2012, 07:36:00 PM

A higher wrist grip on a recurve makes it seem heavier to me than a low wrist longbow. Lowwrist is just stronger for me.

Lincoln Ribeiro · January 25, 2012, 07:36:00 PM

No, 50 lbs is not just 50 lbs. It's just the weight at full draw. You have to analize the draw weight curve. I mean, the force done at each inch of the power stroke. The recurve designs give more weight in the beginning of the draw, thus the total amount of physical effort to draw up to the anchor point is bigger.

mcgroundstalker · January 25, 2012, 07:38:00 PM

See... Who said this trad stuff was simple?

... mike ...

Bill Carlsen · January 25, 2012, 07:38:00 PM

I agree...longbows seem a bit easier.

Fletcher · January 25, 2012, 07:46:00 PM

Lincoln said what I was going to. In general, recurves store more energy than longbows and you have to put that energy in.

YORNOC · January 25, 2012, 07:46:00 PM

I love longer recurves with a high wrist. 64" to 68". Easiest to shoot for me. I can shoot a 68" curve @ 55#@28" all day and enjoy it. Give me a 58",55@28" curve and its a whole different ballgame, much more difficult for me.
Everybodys different.

Orion · January 25, 2012, 07:56:00 PM

Recurves do store a little more of their energy on the front end of the draw. As they are drawn, their recurves open up facilitating a lower string angle. Both of these features lead to what should feel like a smoother draw. Recurves have always felt smoother to me, all other things being equal.

However, all other things usually aren't equal. Recurves are usually shorter, and they're usually medium or high wrist, which increases the draw length for most people so they're actually drawing more weight. Shorter bow length and more weight could lead to the perception that a recurve is less smooth.

If you compare a bunch of force draw curves for similar length and weight longbows and recurves, you'll find that the recurves build draw weight more consistently (i.e., stack less). That means they draw more smoothly. That's a fact.

ermont · January 25, 2012, 09:16:00 PM

The reasoning behind all this is that I am getting to rhe age I need to drop weight. I am looking at going from a mid 50's longbow to a high 40's recurve to keep any speed possible. What do you guys think?

John Nail · January 25, 2012, 09:19:00 PM

recurve pulls harder earlier, even if the peak weight is the same. Preload

jess stuart · January 25, 2012, 09:26:00 PM

That early draw weigth on the recurve is in a sense free horsepower, but like every other thing with bows there is a trade off. In this case early draw weight makes the bow feel heavier than a different bow with less early draw weight. You can find recurve with a soft early draw. I also like the one that has that soft feel,you give up a bit of speed but worth it to me, the trade off thing again. These are general rules and nothing is set in stone.

David Yukon · January 25, 2012, 10:39:00 PM

i'm sure that if you try a 68" long bow agains a 68" recurve, the recurve might be a little easier... but try a 60" longbow(not hybrid) agains a 60" recurve and the recurve will be a much easier bow to draw!!

Ragnarok Forge · January 26, 2012, 12:19:00 AM

Ermont, I would look at a Fox Archery Breed. It has a longbow grip on a recurve. They are a very fast bow and easy to draw.

I am pretty amazed to hear so many arguments for recurves being smoother or easier to draw than longbows. It takes more effort to pull a bow that stores more energy. Recurves store more energy than longbows. You can make a bow feel smooth or easier to draw. It doesn't change the amount of effort it takes to draw it. The Laws of Physics have not changed.

LongStick64 · January 26, 2012, 07:32:00 AM

Also the question of comparing the two becomes, are you comparing recurves to Hybrid longbows, D bows, R/D longbows, 3 piece longbows with recurve style grips, ILF longbows. You can easily argue that they don't feel equal as well.

ermont · January 26, 2012, 08:33:00 AM

I have all hybrid longbows so I am surprised there is so much difference between a hybrid and a recurve. I'll have to check out Fox Archery.

January 26, 2012, 03:57:00 PM

I think it depends on the bow and the archer. Some of the best Hill style bows are designed to hit a wall right after the targeted draw length, they will feel tighter anything past that and some a bit before. I think a low wrist bow that that is drawn with a spreading draw from underneath or a swing draw will feel easier in that portion of the draw than a high wristed bow that is drawn flat all of the way, a low wristed bow is easier to swing draw or spread draw because of the hand angle and the use of more muscle groups at the beginning of the draw. Now, if on takes a long recurve with a low wrist grip, it will pick up more weight earlier in the draw when there are large muscle groups involved and then have a flatter build up when the bow is nearing completion. I really should get a low wrist Stotler recurve by my own logic. I have a very long Bear with the low fifties grip that is 58 pounds, everyone that shoots it, argues with me about how much weight is left in that bow. I always know the answer, 58 pounds.

Smithhammer · January 26, 2012, 04:25:00 PM

What is a 'hybrid' longbow, but an attempt to incorporate the attributes which make a recurve superior?

:D

January 26, 2012, 05:39:00 PM

smith guy, I used to think the same thing, until I got my wife a Lost Creek, the bow had the length and the grip that I thought she could benefit from. I was rather surprised by her increase in arrow speed, easier accuracy and fluid shooting abilities; not to mention how many arrows she could shoot without complaining about getting tired or stiff with a heavier bow at her draw than she was used to and she gained a half inch of draw length in deal somehow.