Light Draw Bows

[nparks]

So I'm looking at getting a couple of bows, one for my mom and the other for my girlfriend.. I'll probably purchase used and have been looking through the classifieds and all over the net but I was just wondering what kind of bows you guys with shorter draws and or lighter weights have had good luck with. I don't have any experience with 30-45 pound bows really and I just want whatever they get to be something easy to shoot and that will do a fair enough job of slingin' that arrow out there. Any reccomendations? -Nick

[Rob DiStefano]

Used 40-45# trad bows aren't that hard to find, 30-40 will be more difficult.  

Best to first find out what's yer mom and g/f's draw length and work from there.  

Shorter draw lengths will prefer shorter bows for better performance, and the lighweight recurves seem to offer overall better arra speeds.

It's also gonna mean matching up arras that'll offer decent performance with those light bows.

For all of the above, been there and done that with my adult kids and found it wasn't all that easy finding the proper trad gear used.  

FWIW, I just ordered a Dryad GBB, 62" r/d and 35# @ 28", for my youngest adult daughter (she's 38 and draws 28" with her vintage Browning Wasp) and that's gonna work out just fine for her I'm sure.  Besides, Dad gets to finish and set it all up for her.   :D

[Shifting Shadow]

nparks, there are some used bows for sale on our classifieds, you know, Bears, Pearsons, etc. that are light draw weight bows and may do the trick. If you don't mind a metal handle, the Quinn Stallion is excellent for a light poundage bow. I have one that is 37# @ 28" and shoots well. We are having a big 3D shoot March 14, 15 and 16 in Jamestown, North Dakota, at the Civic Center. Come if you can. You can shoot the Stallion.

[R H Clark]

How much do you want to spend?
Do you want a cheaper, older wood riser or a new metal riser?

The main thing is to get arrows to match whatever you choose.Don't set them up with a light weight bow with arrows too stiff.

[Rob DiStefano]

Almost all of the older "vintage" trad bows can't use modern fiber bowstrings and that fact is another limit for light draw weights.  

I think the best buys for a new recurve bow in the 30-35# @ 28" range would be a Chek-Mate 60" Falcon or 64" King's Pawn (both sell at $265) or a 60" Martin X-200 recurve (typically found for less than $300).  These are all quality bows.

There's a glut of Asian recurves and longbows to check out in the 30-40# range, too.

Haven't found any new hybrid r/d longbows for cheap 'til Mike offered up the GBB for sale at $250/shipped.

[nparks]

Thanks for the help everyone. I think I'm going to try and find a newer-used bow for them. Shifting Shadow, thanks for the offer and hopefully I'll make it..I'm a lefty though but I'm sure my Mom would enjoy trying it however. Thanks again guys!