2 piece vs 3 piece longbow

kahunter · April 14, 2010, 09:48:00 PM

What are your thoughts on these? I have always wanted a take-down bow. I like the look of 2 piece better, but dont' have any experience with either.

Who makes a good 2 piece longbow?

Bjorn · April 14, 2010, 09:53:00 PM

There are several........Ron Laclair's Schrew is a good one. Dick Robertson makes a 2 pc as well.
Do some research on your own.

Curveman · April 14, 2010, 09:55:00 PM

Border Griffon GL. Best two piece in my opinion. Fast, stable, looks like a real longbow!

30coupe · April 14, 2010, 10:00:00 PM

I haven't used a two piece, but I do have a three piece. I think the only real difference is in how compact they are when taken down. My three piece shoots just like any other longbow as far as I can tell. I have a Kota Prairie Nomad and it is a great shooter, smooth, quiet, and accurate.

The only problem I can see with either is the greater potential for damage/wear in the assembly system over a one-piece bow. That is just something one has to accept as the price of portability I guess. A lot would depend on the system one chooses I suspect, especially with a two piece. I did see one Black Widow longbow with phenolic in the riser that came apart. I don't know the story behind it, but I was glad it happened when someone else was holding it! I don't mean to condemn BW's system. It just happened to be the one I saw.

LongStick64 · April 14, 2010, 10:03:00 PM

2 piece, simpler and for me less to worry about about. With a two piece less chances to crack limb finish by overtighten limb bolts.

pdk25 · April 14, 2010, 10:17:00 PM

I've got a 2 piece RER vortex with the bowbolt, but Kevin doesn't use them anymore. The shrew and griffin both use the bowbolt. I also have a Great Northern critter gitter with the jack-knife takedown system. Pretty slick, and it wrote the book on fast assembly.

David Sapp · April 14, 2010, 10:22:00 PM

Great Northern makes a fantastic folding system called the Jack Knife. I have it on a couple Critter Gitters and a Critter Gitter Special. Very slick, no parts to ever lose, and compact. It can go from folded to ready to shoot in 10 seconds or less.

Gerardo · April 14, 2010, 10:26:00 PM

I prefer the 2 pcs vs the 3 pcs, have tried the bow bolt which asembles pretty fast, treadway TD system is pretty nice but there is still one screw to worry about

Bowferd · April 14, 2010, 10:30:00 PM

2 pc. here. Have tried both and prefer the simplicity and feel of the 2 piece.
Some prefer the mass of the 3 pc. riser.

kadbow · April 14, 2010, 10:41:00 PM

I like the two piece. I have one shrew and another on the way soon. Toelke whip is a nice two piece too.

amar911 · April 15, 2010, 01:47:00 AM

Both are great and have their own advantages and disadvantages. I have a number of each. Like some other folks here, I highly recommend a Shrew with the Bow Bolt. It has all the wonderful characteristics of a one piece Shrew with the versatility of a takedown bow. A Holm-Made Osprey is another excellent bow that can be ordered with a Bow Bolt. The three piece longbows are heavier, bulkier and not as much fun to carry around, but that extra weight and bulk tends to make them more stable and therefore easier to shoot well. I have Brackenburys, Morrisons, and other less well known three piece longbows and like them all very much. I'm glad I don't have to pick just one type!

If you think you would like a two piece better, go for it. I doubt you will be sorry - at least with a Shrew or a Holm-Made. I have never shot one of Big Jim's bows, but they do look nice and those who have shot them all seem to say good things about Jim's bows. The socket connection Jim uses appears to work very well. I would love to shoot one of those bows.

Allan

Allan

Rob DiStefano · April 15, 2010, 06:22:00 AM

imo ...

the only advantages for a 3pc bow is the smaller break down size and the added physical mass weight due to the limb couplings. in terms of disadvantages: they're heavy and they don't at all look like a 1pc bow.

for the very most part, 2pc longbows/recurves look like they're 1pc, and are typically only 4 to 8 ounces more in mass weight than a 1pc.

2pc stick bows just look nicer.

having tried bows with a sleeve, bow-bolt, latch and the connexion hinge systems - the connexion hinge is by far the better joining system, imho.

ymmv.

James Wrenn · April 15, 2010, 06:27:00 AM

Well I have both but I don't really consider a 3 piece a longbow.Longbows come only in one and two piece bows.My 3pc "hybrids,flatbows or semi recurves" shoot very well but I am more of a longbow guy so go with the 2pc in a td.

kahunter · April 15, 2010, 06:41:00 AM

2 piece it is! It sounds like the connexion hings is the favorite system of those that have tried it. That certainly narrows it down.

So what is your favorite length in a longbow? I am thinking something a tad shorter since I have a short draw?

Rob DiStefano · April 15, 2010, 06:55:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by kahunter:
2 piece it is! It sounds like the connexion hings is the favorite system of those that have tried it. That certainly narrows it down.

So what is your favorite length in a longbow? I am thinking something a tad shorter since I have a short draw?

i have a 29" draw length. for tree and blind hunting, my mohawk is 62". for ground hunting spot 'n' stalk, longer is better, 66" or 68".

bottom line is that you need to try out different length bows before making a bow length decision.

Bob Miller · April 15, 2010, 07:14:00 AM

BlackWidow!

James Wrenn · April 15, 2010, 08:22:00 AM

I like 66-70" bows best myself.I only draw 27 on a good day but hate any finger pinch.My 3d bows are a modified 70" 21st Century and a 70" bamboo/osage for shooting primitive class.Both perform as well as any shorter bow I have shot so I don't lose anything by not having the pinch. I do have some shorter 62" bows if hunting out of enclosed blinds however but most times just use a 60" recurve for that.jmo

Ragnarok Forge · April 15, 2010, 10:58:00 AM

2 piece - Mine is a Wes Wallace Royal. I like my longbows to look like they are just one piece.

Curveman · April 15, 2010, 12:23:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by James Wrenn:
Well I have both but I don't really consider a 3 piece a longbow.Longbows come only in one and two piece bows.My 3pc "hybrids,flatbows or semi recurves" shoot very well but I am more of a longbow guy so go with the 2pc in a td.

Ditto!

Curveman · April 15, 2010, 12:29:00 PM

Having hunted for years with a 60" recurve, I have had zero problems hunting from a treestand or blind with my 64" longbow beyond maybe a little extra trimming or care with the shot a little. I would hunt with my recurve were I to hunt from a smallish blind.
I like the sleeve system the best as I trust it more but I'm not aware of any proven reliability data for any of the systems-all the info that I have pro or con is just anecdotal.