Recurve vs Longbow?

[Doublegun]

Design differences aside, what are the differences between shooting a longbow vs a recurve?  Performance? Forgiveness? Etc?

Thank you,

JDG

[The Whittler]

I don't find one being more forgiving then the other, it's all in the shooter. They may look different but each does the same thing fling an arrow. But everyone has their preferences.

[Gdpolk]

In general recurves will:

• have a higher wrist angle
• have more mass
• be more efficient per pound
• be slightly more consistent in hold for most people when in proper form
• be shorter

In general, longbows will:

• be more forgiving of form, especially when hunting and NOT using proper form for all shots
• be more quiet without string slap
• have a deeper pitch to the shot
• be more stable (which causes improved forgiveness)
• be less susceptible to grasses/twigs getting caught between the string and limbs when hunting

These are of course generalizations and there are always exceptions to the rules.  Honestly I feel recurves are slightly preferable for target/range work and longbows are slightly preferable for the field.  Neither are right or wrong, they are just a little different designs that work slightly differently.

[Zwickey-Fever]

In general recurves will:

• have a higher wrist angle
• have more mass
• be more efficient per pound
• be slightly more consistent in hold for most people when in proper form
• be shorter

In general, longbows will:

• be more forgiving of form, especially when hunting and NOT using proper form for all shots
• be more quiet without string slap
• have a deeper pitch to the shot
• be more stable (which causes improved forgiveness)
• be less susceptible to grasses/twigs getting caught between the string and limbs when hunting

These are of course generalizations and there are always exceptions to the rules.  Honestly I feel recurves are slightly preferable for target/range work and longbows are slightly preferable for the field.  Neither are right or wrong, they are just a little different designs that work slightly differently.

X's 2 but I believe you can get a little more speed out of a recurve but remember, speed doesn't kill. Long bows you can get whisper quiet. Its all about personal preference. For me, I just prefer recurves because the high wrist grip feels more comfortable to me.

[jsweka]

Longbows make you look cool 

[Dave Bulla]

Used to be recurves were generally faster but could be finicky. Longbows were quieter but shot heavy arrows really well.  These days, with string developments and changes in bow designs, the top longbows run pretty much neck in neck with the top recurves for speed.  I still think the average longbow is quieter than the average recurve but both can be setup pretty quiet.  I probably would also say I prefer the heel down grip of the longbow over a high wristed recurve grip but lower/medium type recurve grips are quite comfortable.  This year, for the first time I am shooting a recurve instead of my usual longbow.  It's an older Wilson Brothers Black Widow that formerly belonged to my best friend and amazingly I'm shooting better than ever with it.

I guess bottom line, find one you just feel really good about then take the time to really match the right arrows, point weight, brace height etc to get everything flying perfect and either type will get the job done.

Read that last sentence again... Take the time to tune your setup, match the right arrow spine, point weight, shaft length etc etc. Those simple steps will make or break your setup regardless of the type bow you decide to shoot.

[Wudstix]

In general recurves will:

• have a higher wrist angle
• have more mass
• be more efficient per pound
• be slightly more consistent in hold for most people when in proper form
• be shorter

In general, longbows will:

• be more forgiving of form, especially when hunting and NOT using proper form for all shots
• be more quiet without string slap
• have a deeper pitch to the shot
• be more stable (which causes improved forgiveness)
• be less susceptible to grasses/twigs getting caught between the string and limbs when hunting

These are of course generalizations and there are always exceptions to the rules.  Honestly I feel recurves are slightly preferable for target/range work and longbows are slightly preferable for the field.  Neither are right or wrong, they are just a little different designs that work slightly differently.

X's 2 but you can a little more speed out of a recurve but remember, speed doesn't kill. Long bows you can get whisper quiet.  Its all about personal preference.  For me, I just prefer recurves because the high wrist grip feels more comfortable to me.

These are indeed generalizations.  My recurves and longbows are generally equal in weight, one longbow (BR 21st Century clone) is the heaviest bow I have.  BR 50's style recurve is "longbow like" in weight.  As you see in my signature my top four bows are all about the same length.  All told the BR recurve is probably the "slowest" of the crowd.  Possibly due to non-FF string.  Which parent can pick a favorite child.  It's like that with bows.  They all performance slightly different based on their design, weight and the quiver that I have on them.  The fastest is probably the BR LB, but this has not been chrono-graphed it just feels faster.  MOAB with the pistol grip is amazing.  The last two recurves have not been shot to get any feel for where they fit in.  With all the different designs of LB that approximate recurve grips and the improvement in laminations.  As G. Fred put it may R/D longbows are just straight limbed recurves.  Taking the advantages of both bows and shining.

[jess stuart]

Generally longbows are quieter, recurves have a little more mass weight.  There doesn't have to be any real performance differences in terms of speed.  Longbows are overall probably a better hunting option and naturally I prefer a recurve.  Go figure.  Either works great when properly set up.

[McDave]

Recurves are susceptible to limb twist, longbows generally are not.

Recurves can be designed to gain more weight per inch in the earlier part of the draw, and less weight per inch toward the end of the draw.  Longbows generally gain weight in equal increments throughout the draw, or perhaps slightly more per inch toward the end of the draw.  This makes a recurve more pleasant to shoot for me, but many others prefer the force/draw characteristics of the longbow.

While some individual longbows may be faster than some individual recurves that seem to be designed to the same specs, recurves have an innate speed advantage due to the energy stored in the recurved part of the limbs.

For the same reason, longbows have an innate quietness advantage, because of limb slap noise the string makes where it touches a recurve's limbs.

[Gdpolk]

As G. Fred put it may R/D longbows are just straight limbed recurves.  Taking the advantages of both bows and shining.

I've never heard that quote but in all honesty it makes a lot of sense. My top preference for hunting has always been an efficient R/D laminated longbow because it does truly get the most desirable features of everything.

[Crooked Stic]

What Fred said is true and you can put any kind of grip on them you want. Up close a guy should be able to shoot both as well provided the grip is close to the same. As you back up trajectory come into the picture.

[Sam McMichael]

I have shot the longbow almost exclusively for a long time now and prefer it quite strongly. To me, it seems to pull smoothly without finger pinch, but in all honesty, it may be as simple as the fact that I have shot it for so long that I am very used to it. Most of archery gear selection comes down to personal preference, which is a perfectly sound basis for making a choice. The bottom line is whether or not you can put the arrow where you want it to go.

[Wudstix]

GDP;
I mentioned it to him at PBS-San Antonio that my MOAB was a 'straight limbed recurve', and he said "it is amazing how things you say come back to you."  It hits pretty close to the truth.  Can't remember where he wrote it.

[NY Yankee]

Dont forget the 50's style recurves. One-piece bows with thin lightweight risers. Best of both worlds.

[Bisch]

Personal preference!!!!

I'm a longbow guy!

Bisch


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[Wudstix]

NYY;
Big River recurve is light as a longbow.  50's style.  Recurves are not always heavier in mass weight.

[M60gunner]

I like them both, but the last years I use my Wes Wallace LB for hunting. It is just so quiet with my heavy wood arrows. I do use it with lighter arrows for 3D and "shooting". Last 3D I used both a recurve and my LB. Shot one course with each bow. It was a "fun" shoot so no real rules to follow. Out of 40 targets I missed 2, one with each bow.
Doug Kittridge wrote an article many years ago comparing LB and recurves. Times have changed and materials have improved like strings mentioned already. What he claimed in those days like needing 10# more in a LB to equal a recurve doesn't apply these days with 99% of the bows available. One of our sponsors here claims their LB's shoot as fast as their recurves.
My personal preference between the two, what I have the urge to shoot on a given day.

[Wudstix]

Bows are allot like cars and women, get the one you like!

[matt steed]

Doublegun, you just have to shoot both and see which one you like. I go back and forth between the two and I like both. But for hunting, I personally like the way a Longbow handles for me. The Longbow hunts smoother, and I like the simplicity of stringing and unstringing it.

Just for comparison, I shot my 50# Blackwidow Ironwood recurve through a chronograph with a 590 grain arrow, it shot an average speed of 180fps.
I then shot my 52# Pronghorn Longbow with same arrow, it averaged 178 FPS.

So there really isn't much difference in performance as for as speed goes.

If you can't decide, the best thing to do is buy one of each.