recurve vs long bow

RescueRiley

RescueRiley

Joined
Mar 22, 2006
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I notice there seems to be some folks who prefer one to the other, my only experience is with recurves and compounds (limited in both) I was wondering if using a longbow changes your fundamentals at all and what the pros and cons of a recurve or a longbow are in relation to eachother, I'm also curious if anyone knows whether the viper or viper deluxe would make a decent starter longbow, Thanks.
 
Check out tradgang.com and do a search. This is one of those "tastes great/less filling" kind of debates! :) There are those who say the longbow is more forgiving and vice versa and with these new "hybrids" that are as much one as they are the other, it gets even more complicated! I have both and love both. A recurve will generally be faster than an "old style" Howard Hill type bow. Many believe the recurve to be the most efficient design for speed, hard hitting and maneuverability. I have taken some nice animals with mine including my second and pretty agressive bear this year. The Viper is fine, have someone critique your form so as not to develope bad habits. I hope this was helpful.

Steve
 
The Martin Viper is a reflexed/deflexed R/D style of longbow, which is actually a flatbow and is close to the recurve in performance and they are asking a whole bunch of simolians for that bow. Probably because it's a very popular design. As far as being a good starter bow.... That depends on you and how much effort you put into it, but like I stated, it is a lot of money and if you've got it to spend, go for it. However, if you want the best bow for your money, look around first.

I feel that there are better bows on the market that are the same, or even less money than a Martin. In all fairness to the Martin product, I've never handled or shot the Viper, so I can't comment one way or the other as to how fine a bow it might be, or might not be. However, I've shot Martin bows for a lot of years and even own one, a Hunter recurve and they have a tendency to stack weight and can have considerable handshock, which can be gotten used to, but for a beginner shooter, I would recommend a smooth shooter so you aren't battling anything when you learn to shoot. Their bows have a tendency to be fast too, but fast isn't as important as accuracy.

The one bow that I have owned and enjoyed very much was the Chek-Mate (Canadian made) Crusader take down longbow. The smoothest, most forgiving bow that I've shot, ever and there was zero noticeable handshock. Oh, it was fast too for a 55# longbow and very accurate in my hands. Got rid of it and several other bows because I damaged my shoulder lifting and couldn't shoot them anymore. Now that I'm on the mend and can almost afford it, I'll be getting another Crusader take down.
 
Both fine shooting instruments. You won't go wrong with either. I started with a longbow and got very good results, then i switched to the curve and also have had fine results. Point is its up to the person behind the stick steering. Enough time and practice and you can be there with either. Longbow is correct Chekmate makes a decent product, I own one and Martin is an industry leader. On a side note, I rarely tried shooting friends compounds, I remember one friend letting me try his and both shots that I took at 30 yards hit the bull, so I handed it back to him. He replied 'How did you do that?' LOL

TS
 
RescueRiley said:
I notice there seems to be some folks who prefer one to the other, my only experience is with recurves and compounds (limited in both) I was wondering if using a longbow changes your fundamentals at all and what the pros and cons of a recurve or a longbow are in relation to eachother, I'm also curious if anyone knows whether the viper or viper deluxe would make a decent starter longbow, Thanks.
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I don't have one at this time, i have two cross-bows. But i do like a recurvebow. Your friend at the post Donald S.
 
Sorry for the confusion I wasn't refering to the martin viper but the significantly cheaper internature viper longbow... but thanks for the help so far if I go for it would #45 be enough for gen purpose target shooting and eventual hunting?
 
For me it's a matter of shooting style. I shoot a Bear B mag riser take-down with a high wrist grip, it's more comfy to me. A long bow is generally a low wrist grip and not as comfy for me to shoot. I'm sure that I could get used to it, but I like my recurve just fine.:thumbup:
 
i just got the 55# viper deluxe, my first bow. i like it, though i haven't shot it much yet. friday i'm going to the range, at home i only have a few yards and shoot at tied up stacks of newspaper. it's a little harder to shoot than my friend's 55# takedown recurve, that bow shot pretty intuitively and comfortably. i'll report back after i really try it out. I'm hoping i don't end up wishing i went with a recurve, though i do like that check mate raven.
 
I'd like to interject something from an amateur, my favorite bow right now is an old second-hand recurve, a Ben Pearson Cougar 7050, 45 lb, 28 by 62". It suits me and shoots as well as I can. I also have a couple of solid fiberglass bows...the kind that come in funky colors (they can easily be dyed brown or black with alcohol-based leather dye). I can bend them back to incredible contortions and they will still fling an arrow down range. These can be found for under $30 at yard sales and the bay, but they do the job.

I think a bow is a tool for propulsion, once the arrow is loosed it is on it's own. So yes, there is a fine balance between bow and arrow. That's for expert archers. I admire good archery, but sometimes I wonder if we worry too much? Like rifle shooting, I can get involved in ballistics, but often I just shoot for the hell and fun of it.

I guess my question is, can we get overly concerned about ballistics in a survival situation? I can make a bow out of a sapling and an arrow out of anything straight, and I think my effective range will be about 15 yards.

With anything, like a bow, regardless of its quality, I think the issue is practice, practice, practice.
 
RescueRiley said:
Sorry for the confusion I wasn't refering to the martin viper but the significantly cheaper internature viper longbow... but thanks for the help so far if I go for it would #45 be enough for gen purpose target shooting and eventual hunting?
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Oops.... probably my fault for not verifying the maker.

I'm sorry, but after doing a bit of looking at the bow, I honestly wouldn't feel right recommending it to you. It's a quarter the price of a decent R/D longbow and as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. Plus, if it's imported from China, I wouldn't trust it not to blow on you.

What I would recommend is getting a good used recurve that pulls 35-45# at your draw length.

BTW, which of your eyes is the dominant eye?
Are you left handed?
 
RescueRiley said:
Thanks guys, I'm roght handed and right hand dominant
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The one site that I went into only carried the bow in a left hand version and if they meant that you hold the bow in your left hand, I wouldn't buy from them LOL.

Go to one of the many traditional archery/bowhunting forums and ask their opinion on where to get a good used recurve that you can trust. They will give you the straight dope about the viper as well.
 
rr-- lots of great info for you here....:thumbup: i think the vioer would make a nice beginner bow.... i know w few folks who started shooting with those too...

i think, if you get a chance, you should try and shoot both the longbow and recurve..... i started shooting a recurve a 45# ben pearson and have long since swithed over to longbows....:D
 
Thanks guys, I appreciate the help I might give it a try for the cost it's worth the shot....Mike I was shooting my buddies recurve for a while till I got mine back fromo my brother however when I got it back the limbs where twisted I'll twist 'em back but it gave me an excuse to start thinking about a long bow, I'' probably go with a #50 as I hear the vipers typically run a little lower than thier weight, and I have a 26 inch draw as it is... so when all is said and done I'll still pull between 42 and 45 lbs...I joined trad gang.com and asked about the viper most seemed to agree that is a decent solid bow for the money...most suggest that I look for a used custom bow (but that will come later I think) I've done a fair amnt of shooting with an internature recurve and was fairly impressed with it...and for the price if it peeters out after a year of me enjoying the heck out of it it was worth it...But we'll see for sure when I get it. Thanks again
 
longbow002.jpg


You could try building it your self. Thats what I do.
 
I currently am getting back into traditional and primitive archery. I sold my Palmer recurve about 4 years ago as I had not shot it in several years. WISH I still had it. It was a sweet shooter and FAST!!

I am shooting my old #45 Ben Person currently and have a Howard Hill Longbow on the way.

Most of the publications say that the recurves are faster and a little more forgiving to shoot. The reflex deflex long bows seem to have changed some of that though..

See if you can find a recurve in a pawn shop if you are on a budget. Many times you can pick up good older bows very inexpensively and tune them up. Watch for limb delamination and twist.

Do as much research as you can if you are getting into it for the first time. Traditional Bow Hunter magazine is a good one as is primitive archer. You can usually find them on the news stand.

I would recommend getting a Three Rivers Archery catalog. They have been in the business a LONG time and are very reputable.

I would also recommend getting a copy of Fred Asbell's book Instinctive Shooting. Three Rivers sells it. Get it before you buy a bow and read it a couple of times. It might change the way you look at bows.

As important as the bow is good arrows are more important! Get quality wooden arrows. They aren't cheap, but they last pretty well (much better than alum. in my opinion). Three Rivers has good arrows at a reasonable price. Get them spined to your weight at draw and you will be happy.

Tom
 
Well after reading several online reviews, and posts on the topic I posted ofer at tradgang I decided to go for it I'll give an upate after it arrives and I get acquainted with it. THanks for all the help.
 
RR,

You mentioned you were right handed, but Longbow was asking which EYE was dominant as well! Your dominant EYE has more to do with your shooting than your dominant hand. My son is right handed BUT LEFT EYE dominant. Accordingly, he shoots everything LEFT handed.

Also, the main differences in longbows and recurves is the wrist position of your bow hand. High wrist and low wrist drastically changes how you shoot and when shooting instinctively, low wrist is easier to adapt to.

Good luck!
 
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