I am in the market for a short recurve.  I have lots of other bows, but not a short recurve.  Would like to try one out, and I have a 29 inch draw.  Please give me some of your experiences with some of the 52 inch bows out there.

Here are the ones I am aware of:
Toelke
Fedora Stalker
Checkmate Raven
Sheepeater Spirit
Lone Wolf Banshee
Kodiak Magnum
Cascade TD's
Jack Kempf Stealth

Any others?

Thanks,
Brett

A 52 inch Saluki "Turk" would be a great choice. I have one myself and I know that it will be very smooth at your draw AND beyond. Plus, it's a great performer!

Good luck with your choice.

/ Paul

I have a K-Mag that I got as a dedicated ground blind bow.  Great little bow, but pricey for a production bow. I traded a rifle for mine, so this wasn't a big deal.  It begins to stack as soon as the draw passes 28".  I draw 28.5, and know the second I pass 28.

Although it's 56", You might also look at the Chek Mate Hunter 56.  I have one and absolutely love it.  It's my go-to brush/ground blind bow.  My only bellyache is that the sight window could stand to be a bit bigger.

Were I to get another short bow, I would look at a a CM Raven or Lee 54" Hunter...

get a 60's or 70's bear k-mag much better than todays version you can pic up a nice one on a popular auction site e##Y for $150 +-

I'll second the 52" Saluki Turk. I just got one last week. At first I was a bit leery of such a short bow but after a short shooting session I was impressed with how it performed. I also draw 29". No stack no pinch.

Martin

If you ask that question to my 11 year old, it is hands down the K-Mag he just got at the Joan Leonard Memorial Bunny Hunt.....

I haven't shot one, but having owned and shot his Kywk Styk, I'd have to believe that Kempf's Stealth would be a pretty good shooter too.

David

I have a Sheepeater Obsidian and it is one I've kept. 29" draw with it isn't a problem.

The Sheepeater Obsidian is the only bow on your list I've held in hand, but once I got it, I stopped my search in the "short bow market."  Like you and the V-ster, I draw 29," and the Sheepeeater handles it very nicely for such a compact bow.  At hunting ranges, I find it hard-hitting, accurate, and really FUN!  It's a wonderfully light, compact, and powerful little package.  

I'd really recommend this for your short list for consideration.  Best wishes on your decision!

Daryl

I just recieved a Sovereign Ballistik 52" and love it.  It is light, smooth and fast.

I've got a half dozen Cascade 52" Magnums that have taken at least 30 deer and coyotes, with a 30" draw and shooting 66-70#.Great bows and Steve Gorr is great to work with-www.cascade bow.com

try a korean hwarang 25 bow.
Best bow I ever owned (I own 16 longbows and recurves: Morrisons,WAPITIS,Palouse,Shrew,Ballistik..)

take a look at the famous search engine and type in korean archery and take the top hit...then look at the site for equipment...
You may look at the slightly longer version(50")or so

If you can get ahold of a 52" G&L Archery Viper recurve you will be hard pressed to beat it.

I will post my experiances and hope it will help. I have a 1970 K-mag and a 2007 K-mag both are 45# I looked under the arrow plate. Both zip a 1916 at 30" with my 29" draw and I have to be honest I cant tell the differance between the two bows. Both are braced at 8 3/8." I will say the 1970 is a more beautiful bow, but other than the grip on the 1970 as just a little more meat in the throat area of the grip the performance is the same for me. Finger pinch is not there for me at this draw lenght. Hope this helps, good luck. Oh, by the way I just was crusing the classifieds and someone has a recent production K-mag listed in the classifieds I think for 280.00 and its 45@28. I did have some arrow proporating when I had arrows with 5" Parabolic feathers on then. I switched to 5" shield and it went away.

i have owned the banshee and the obsidian,and know they will draw to 30 plus inch's with no problems.and are excellent bows.craftsmanship and performance wise.regards,robert      

how long is a sheapeater, and what is the wait like for one?

Find yourself and old Brownong Nomad Stalker(70's) these bows perform with the best of todays bows, or any older browning that was 54"s or less. Shawn

I only have the cascade and the obsidian...I like em both a lot...just got the obsidian a month or two ago...that sucker is short (like less than 48" strung!) fast! and light...real light. Did I say pointable? yup. I like it a lot. I am hoping it makes ME a sheepeater!

I would have to say the 52 inch fedora or the sheepeater!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to my lack of patience, I have been on eb@@ bidding for old Bear Kodiak Magnums.  I guess I could get one for less than $200 and determine whether or not I like short bows anyway.  

Whad do you guys think of the Fedora grip, and is it any different than the Toelke grip???

Brett

The fedora and the tolke are about the same he went to school at fedoras. I own fedoras and can say there grip is great and impossible to torque!