Longbow vs Recurve

[itsgood1308]

My google searching has turned up a little short on this matter. Other than the obvious differences in physical appearance....what are the drawbacks/benefits of Recurves vs longbows. Where does one excell and the other fall short. I'm having a hard time deciding which direction I'd like to go first in traditional.

[Buff]

Every one is differant but my take is ......
I shoot a recurve better. Im not sure whether is is the grip design or just that it is heavier but If I take both to a 3-D shoot I will always shot 10 or 15 points higher with the recurve

[BowBuddy]

A longbow is quieter, I don't shoot either better

[TWP]

Look up hybrid longbows or extreme reflex/deflex longbows. That will really get your head spinning. Ha ha ha

Recurves are usual heavier mass weight and easier for me to keep on point. That said, I'm looking very hard at a Poison Dart or Spirit longbow from RMSGear. Shot a couple a little while back, I didn't shoot as well, BUT so light in the hand, beautiful and quiet!!! Call any of the guys at RMSGear and ask them to send you a couple of bows. Recurve and longbow, they will let you try them out. Ask for Tommy, Tom or Danny, and tell them Trevor sent you.

Otherwise, get to a shoot and fling a few. Folks love showing off their bows. I know I do.

[killerbee]

I shoot a static tip recurve now.....it has a phenolic riser and has good mass. It is long bow quite! I also shoot a recurve better so it works well for me.

[coop]

With todays designs I really don't think one will consistently out preform the other. I personally shoot my longbows and recurves about the same. With the old style longbows this was not the case.

I believe longbows may be a little tougher when it comes to mishandling than a recurve. Example: stringing and unstringing if done improperly will be more likely to twist a recurve limb than a longbow. Leaning a bow against the wall or a tree will likely damage the recurve easier than a long bow simply because of the limb thickness differences.

If both are properly taken care of I believe it will ultimately come down to which ever you like or prefer the best. I really don't think there is enough difference between them to matter.

Just my opinion,

JC

[Dry Bones]

Just my two cents, but even with today's materials, if you look at the stored energy and ability of design, the recurve ( in most cases), is more efficient then the longbow when looking at draw weight to arrow performance. That being said, there are some really awesome longbows out there, and with the right arrow and set-up, hold their own in any match. I like the ability of most recurves, but not a fan of the high wrist grip, even when planed out a little. I prefer the old style grips of the 50's. The hybrids throw all that in the trash though, and it becomes about personal taste.
The best looking longbow I had was made by Steve Abbott, the best shooting was a Bear Montana.
As for recurves, a solid performing bow with some class is my bow made by Roland Jenkins, but hands down the Northwind bow out of NewYork (which also has the straight grip) shoots better for me.
So maybe my 2 cents turned into a dollar worth, but just trying to give you a little information.

[trad"Doc"53]

I don't think there is a "better" bow. There will be a bow you pick up one day that will be "the bow" that you have been looking for. Though I never thought I would ever shoot a longbow, I have grown to like them as well as any recurve. I finally got what I was looking for which was a riser with recurve limbs as well as longbow limbs for it. Now I have the exact same grip on either set up which allows me to shoot either one as well as the other. In fact, I may be leaning more towards the longbow limbs now rather than the recurve. I feel that the longbow limbs perform just as well if not a bit better than the recurve ones. It always seems to go back to personal preference.

[LAW]

I have both shoot one just as bad as the other, that said go to Bob Sarrels and he will have about 30 for you to try out. Or contact me I have a recurve for sale.

[Bisch]

I have both, but prefer the lonhbow for 2 main reasons:

1. Longbows go "thud", recurves go "twang". I'm not going to get in the arguement trying to say either one is louder, but they are different sounds, and I like the sound of a lonhbow better!

2. You really should use a steinger with a recurve, and you don't need to with a lonhbow. I hate stringers, so he lonhbow is better for me!

It is really all personal preference; what fits you and your style best!

Bisch

[strigif0rm3s]

I don't think there is a "better" bow. There will be a bow you pick up one day that will be "the bow" that you have been looking for.

+1 I call that my "Soul Bow"
For me it was 2 bows, one in each category (longbow and recurve) made to feel the same and shoot the same arrows.
Dan Toelke (montanabows.com) made me a Whip longbow and a Chinook recurve.
I love them bow and they are both my "SOUL BOWS"!

[ghostgoblin22]

longbow's are quieter naturally, but tend to be a tad slower than most popular recurves.....but not by much, and i have recurves just as quiet as longbows', the grips are different, i prefer a recurve grip, but to be honest its all personal preference just like everyone has said already

[TxNurse]

One other consideration is whether you shoot out of a blind. It is easier to find a blind where you can use a recurve.

[El Paisano]

I like the sound of the longbow and the ease of getting through the brush.
On the other hand, I have a custom grip on my Bob Lee TD recurve that is perfect and I do seem to shoot a little tighter with it.

[spidermonkey]

I kinda feel weird sayin this, but I like a longbow better for the same reasons Bisch said... Every recurve I've shot it's like I can can feel the oscillation of the limbs on release, whereas with the longbow, I feel just one singular thump at release. Not a game changer reason to like one over the other, just my preference, like has already been said. Haven't shot a recurve enough to know if I can be a better shot with one, kinda just fine/content with my longbows. Don't have a hankerin to change since I'm happy where I'm at. God Bless, Rusty