For all the recurve shooters....why?

threeunder · April 05, 2015, 08:11:00 PM

Okay guys.

I'm thinking I may get rid of all my recurves. Really having a hard time picking one up over a longbow when it comes to hunting. I don't shoot 3D or anything. Really just hunt.
Over the past year or 2, I've dabbled in Recurves. Also delt with twisted limbs and torquing issues.

Looking for reasons not to get rid of most of my recurves and reinvest that money on a couple of longbows and some hunts.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Biathlonman · April 05, 2015, 08:18:00 PM

Nothing wrong with your approach especially the spending money on memories. I shoot 50's style curves. Not yet found a longbow with the good manners and performance of my recurves and I've tried more then a few. Whatever turns you on, you don't have to make us happy!

dbd870 · April 05, 2015, 08:23:00 PM

I've only shot 2 long bows, both high end custom ones and really hated them both. You sound like you are just the opposite - don't see anything wrong with that. Shoot what you enjoy

Robert Armstrong · April 05, 2015, 08:31:00 PM

Save a couple to get someone new started in shooting. 2 years ago my nephew wanted to give it a try and it was well worth giving a bow away. I was with him when he took his first deer and that was cool. Also just got a friend started who could not afford a bow at this time. Sometimes the worth of a bow is greater than money.

The Night Stalker · April 05, 2015, 08:35:00 PM

I shoot both but lately I tend to lean more towards the longbow for the reason of weight. It is easier for me to carry the longbow in the elk woods for that 10 days each year when every ounce counts. My favorites are the Centaur and the A&H.

I would keep a recurve, every once in a while you want to shoot something different .

LongStick64 · April 05, 2015, 08:35:00 PM

I've been back and forth with the same issue but in reverse. Longbows always appealed to me with their simple lines but my shooting was always better with a recurve. We are all wired different and that difference is what makes the challenge of finding what works for us so frustrating at times.

Bladepeek · April 05, 2015, 08:54:00 PM

I like 'em both and am at a point where, if I want to get another bow, I have to sell one of the existing ones. Can't pick one I'm willing to part with.

Bowwild · April 05, 2015, 08:55:00 PM

This is one of the most basic decisions for me. I would still be shooting compounds if not for the beautiful lines of recurves.

I choose a recurve over the longbow for nostalgic and aesthetic reasons. As a matter of fact, I like the more massive (relatively speaking)recurve risers than say the "50's" style.

For me this is primarily because of the amount of beautiful wood that can be in the riser and limb veneers. Secondarily it is the mass in the bow. I like a heavier bow.

I know some prefer the LB as much as I prefer the recurve and that is terrific.

The last thing I want to do is offend here but I am drawn so strongly to the recurve that I:

1. Won't even open a thread about longbows.
2. I won't open a classified about longbows.
3. Revealing my nearly irrational position, I won't shoot a LB for fear I might like it. If a longbow cut my groups in half, I still wouldn't shoot it. I will never know.

My apologies to the LB folks.

April 05, 2015, 08:55:00 PM

The only reason I own a recurve is to be able to shoot another class at the 3D shoots!

Bisch

Cavscout9753 · April 05, 2015, 08:57:00 PM

Nothing wrong with picking up a long bow over a recurve. I've settled on AFL long bows but I too keep some recurves waiting to go to a good cause. I did find that for myself, I had to devote myself to the longbow (Hill style not R/D's) in order to see and maintain progress with them. Once the longbow clicks, you may find them hard to turn away from. But, everyone is different and there is no "better" or "worse" style bow - some just work better for different people.

Cootling · April 05, 2015, 08:58:00 PM

I can't think of a single reason to shoot a recurve if you feel more like shooting a longbow.

Myself, I keep a favorite of each around and switch the one that is my "main bow" back and forth, every couple of years. No problems with durability (knock on wood) or performance with either style.

nineworlds9 · April 05, 2015, 09:22:00 PM

I like all styles of bows but will always style myself a longbow and hybrid-man. I like the lovely curves of a nicely styled recurve and the different draw feel is neat, as well as the raw speed and power of some of the more aggressive ones.

For me to keep a recurve for any length of time requires it to be pretty special, aka a good all-rounder, with the right balance of ease of shooting/smoothness, speed and above all quiet relative sound level.

So far only a few recurves have fulfilled this for me. I won't rank them them but I will say the Chinook, Rose Oak Heritage, and Bob Lee are my overall favorites for being well rounded. Some are faster, some are arguably prettier.

Toelke Chinook
(by far the quietest recurve I have ever shot, just a joy to shoot with classic 50's styling, and with a more longbow style grip it bridges the gap for those on the fence IMHO. I hope to own a 2pc someday)

Rose Oak Heritage
(New model from Brandon. Wow. Just wow.)

Bob Lee
(just a sweet all-rounder that is one of the best balanced (shooting qualities) recurve bows available IMHO and the legacy is obvious)

Whippenstick Phoenix
(brutal performance, very quiet, craftsmanship to rival all others)

Schafer Silvertip double-carbon
(just a superlative hunting weapon)

Robertson Fatal Styk
(possibly the best standard pistol grip on a recurve I've ever felt, prolly tied with the Bob Lee)

RER XR
(right up there too, really really sweet and very quiet)

Saluki Ibex
(pound for pound the blazingest leanest lightest nasty shooting machine I've sampled, unconventional and not for the casual shooter, a real Ferrari)

Java Man Helms Deep
(Short and made to hunt!)

Cari-bow Tuktu EX
(Classic and radical all at once, a real shooter)

Habu Vyperkahn
(the real Rolls Royce of the group and truly a special shooting experience, IMHO much like the Saluki, a bow you need to try before you die!)

Wudstix · April 05, 2015, 09:58:00 PM

See my specs at bottom. Recurve is just about a 3-D ride only anymore. May hunt it some this year.

halfseminole · April 05, 2015, 10:27:00 PM

I like the ease of long draw from my static recurves. I own a long bow, but it's not my favorite.

JD Page 1965 · April 05, 2015, 10:31:00 PM

Never shot anything better than my Schafer ST Recurve! To each his own..

Pointer · April 05, 2015, 10:34:00 PM

I don't get it...why keep bows you don't want? Shoot what you shoot best and why care what anyone else thinks? I shoot both but prefer recurves because I tend to shoot them better.

R. W. Mackey · April 05, 2015, 10:41:00 PM

Totally worthless, you need to get rid of all those ugly, slow,
Pathetically noisy and totally unforgiving monstrosities. Just
Give me first choice when you do.

RW

Bud B. · April 05, 2015, 10:58:00 PM

Yeah...they're no good. Get rid of'em!

(you're a lefty...right?

)

MnFn · April 05, 2015, 11:09:00 PM

Like my Blacktail recurve, but I have a Liberty longbow that promises to be a great shooter when I find the right arrow and devote enough time to it.

So far the Blacktail is my favorite.

M60gunner · April 05, 2015, 11:21:00 PM

I say what ever trips your trigger. Only I would wait and see if used prices go up a little. I like shooting bows. I have only recently had an issue shooting a bow. My ASL has some thump in it (shock) that has started to bother my hand, darn old age, so am shooting my recurves more. If I was down to only one bow and one use (say hunting) I would lose interest in archery.