Choosing a Recurve Bow for a Beginner- draw length and limbs

GarrettCrain

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Hello,

I am starting to get an interest in shooting a recurve bow and eventually hunting with a recurve as well.

I know very little about recurve bows and also know that comparing them to compounds would not be completely accurate.
I am not concerned with draw weight right now, I will shoot with whatever allows me to have the best form and train efficiently until stepping my way up to something I can hunt with. I am in no rush to hunt with the recurve until next year at least.

I am a 28" draw with a compound bow, 5' 10". I am mainly wondering about draw length and the length of the limbs that would be right for me?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Garrett
 

sveltri

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A 60" or 62" recurve will work well for you. I'd start at 40-45 lbs. I know it sounds light but learning proper form is much easier with lower draw weights. I'd also consider getting a starter bow that will allow to upgrade limb weights. If you stick with it you'll be upgrading the whole bow, but start cheap and work up. Spending more money on a bow will not make you a better shot.
 

Steve O

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Perfect advice. Truly you could kill a moose with 45#. Lighted is better to learn and longer is always better. Don’t go below 60”. 62 or 64” recurve is better. Stick with a recurve rather than a longbow to start. Find any “standard” used custom bow or any newer Bear/Hoyt recurve and you will be way ahead. Learn PROPER form first. Go to a COACH to learn, it will save you a lifetime of frustration.
 
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I would start with shooting about 40 pounds for your draw weight. I just started this year on a 45# at 28" bow, but I'm drawing closer to 26.5", so I should be pulling right around 40#.

Samick Sage and Fleetweed Edge are nice bows for a very affordable price, and they have replaceable limbs so you can add weight as you start to get your form dialed. I have a Fleetwood and it has been a great starter bow for me.
 

gdog

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Just got a Samick Sage myself for my first recurve. I found a great used setup with 30 & 45lb limbs. Reading a ton of posts over on archerytalk (great site to check for a used Sage for sale), I'd suggest going even lower then what has been suggested here so far if you a beginner like me (I've shot compound bows forever and current is at 70lbs). Get some 30 lb limbs and work on your technique first.
 

Beendare

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It seems to me that most guys use their first bow to jump up to something better pretty quick. In that respect, starting with a 30,35,40# cheap Samick Sage type bow is the way to go until you develop form...and a taste for what you will like to eventually shoot.

The other option is an ILF system. With those you can interchange limbs and risers in a wide variety of lengths. A 17" riser with med limbs makes a 60" bow, 17 with longs is 62", 19" riser with longs is a 64" bow...you get the idea. 60" is a good size for you....but of course you can shoot 4" on either side of that depending on the draw cycle you want.

The other advantage to an ILF system is weight range; so for example I have a Morrison wood riser with long WW Inno limbs that are rated 42# [I think] on a 25" riser [all ILF limb weights are rated for a 25" olympic style riser] I can shoot those limbs at between 46# and 54# depending on how tight the limb bolts....on the same setup. The adjustability is nice....plus you can fine tune it with the limb bolts.

So you could buy a really nice riser from Dryad or someone like that [or metal riser] and then have a cheap $60 set of starter limbs. You can get some fantastic Carbon foam limbs that just blow away the avg stick bow limbs...these range from $60- $1,000. A really good limb is about $300-400.

Heres my 2 of my 3 ILFs [I also have a Tradtech metal riser thats a great shooter....just not as pretty
2 snakes in the grass lg.jpg
 
OP
GarrettCrain

GarrettCrain

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Thank you all! I am going to do some research before jumping into a decision. This has given me a good starting point.
 

oldgoat

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You say out West for where you're located, if you're within six hours of Denver, I can't recommend enough calling rmsgear and setting up a lesson and then get down there and spend the day at the shop! But it's two weeks to elk opener, so it's pretty busy place right now!
 
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I know your question has been answered so I don't have anything to add for that, but I wanted to throw another suggestion out for the Samick Sage. I bought one several years ago and its been a great bow! I've shot some more expensive ones and liked the Sage better.
 
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In a perfect world (meaning enough cash and desire) I'd probably start you out at 35 pounds to learn nothing but form. I'd have you on a 62" or longer recurve with plenty of mass in the riser. You'd do nothing but shoot for muscle development first, and then form improvement next.

As your strength improved I would go up in limb weight by 5 pound increments until you mastered that weight. Every step would mean repeating the strengthening-and-then-form routine. Accuracy wouldn't even enter into the discussion until your form was good.

I'd likely have you stay 50-55# for a couple years until you were very comfortable, and then it would be up to you whether to advance in bow weight. I recall when many of us were shooting 60-75# bows in the '80s and did it quite well. Today there's a movement afoot to go lighter which is fine unless you feel the desire to challenge yourself with truly big animals.

Lots of smart guys on this thread and plenty of good advice!
 
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what Kevin said is spot on. Its muscle memory shooting with both your eyes closed at a blank bale at 3 yards. Shoot until you cant get it wrong this also will rapidly build your strength. five pound increments are good. I can hold my own in that 54-60 lb range i dont really feel the need to go any higher. Practice good shot placement and good sharp heads and youll kill any animal in N.A. with a 45-50lber. you dont neccessairly have to stick to a recurve either. Go with whatever feels the best in your hand and what you shoot the best. Todays hybrid longbows are just as good if not better than recurves.
 

TWP

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I know it seems overkill, but get your butt to Wheat Ridge, CO and see the folks at RMSGear. If you are truly serious about getting started they will save you a lot of money and headache. The biggest thing for you will be getting the correct set up and MORE importantly, the correct arrows. Traditional archery is hard enough, don't make it harder on yourself without a great flying arrow. Seriously, an improperly tuned bow/arrow combo will make you quit this silly game FAST! If you have a traditional archery club near by that can sometimes help, but a lot of guys have more bad habits, target panic, etc than you can shake a stick at. I've seen guys who have "shot trad" for 30 years who can't get to full draw and have the effective range of about 10 yards. Don't be that guy, start off right. It can be the difference between a lifetime of enjoyment and a little fad that you spent some money on and then threw in the corner of the garage.

Hello,

I am starting to get an interest in shooting a recurve bow and eventually hunting with a recurve as well.

I know very little about recurve bows and also know that comparing them to compounds would not be completely accurate.
I am not concerned with draw weight right now, I will shoot with whatever allows me to have the best form and train efficiently until stepping my way up to something I can hunt with. I am in no rush to hunt with the recurve until next year at least.

I am a 28" draw with a compound bow, 5' 10". I am mainly wondering about draw length and the length of the limbs that would be right for me?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Garrett
 

Steve O

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Yep, I’d make a weekend out of that trip to RMSG and make sure I got a couple classes in. That is a GOLDEN opportunity to start yourself on the correct path.
 

jspradley

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Another vote for the Samick Sage.. BBUUTTTT if you are close to RMSGear I'll add another to hitting them up first and getting yourself setup
 

as.ks.ak

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Lurking here because I’m in the same boat as the OP....I live in AK and don’t have access to a bow shop or anyone with any trad experience.

Thus bringing me to the situation where I’d love any advice on where to go for tips/how to/form technique examples. Would really appreciate any advice on how I can get started on my own by research etc.

Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Beendare

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Thus bringing me to the situation where I’d love any advice on where to go for tips/how to/form technique examples. Would really appreciate any advice on how I can get started on my own by research etc.

That vid, "Masters of the bare bow III" really helped get me started. Lots of good stuff on youtube, "The Push", Jeff Kavenaugh, Joe Paranee, the vids at Trad tournaments, all good....

.....but lots of crummy stuff on youtube also. If the guy shooting his stick bow is wearing a Cape, Renaissance costume...or fringed leather jacket...you probably want to skip those /grin

Note that for hunting a higher anchor point shooting 3 under is going to be more accurate at those 15-30 yd shots as it puts your eye closer to the arrow.
 
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Lots of good advise here. When you get dialed in to where you have good form and are getting stronger and feel it's time to get a serious bow for hunting here are a couple very good options. The first is a bow by Martin called the Damon Howatt Hunter. When I was researching getting my own recurve everyone I spoke to who knew a lot about different traditional bows told me that I would be hard pressed to find a better recurve even if I went with a high dollar custom made bow. I love my Martin Hunter bow and do not regret getting it one bit!

https://martinarchery.com/bows/traditional/hunter/

The next place to consider would be Toelke Archery. They build a fantastic bow. I got a reflex-deflex longbow for my son after he graduated from college. I shot that bow and it is fantastic. They also make a very good recurve called the 64 Super Static.

Toelke Traditional Archery: Recurve Designs

Hope this helps down the road.
 

GLB

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A lot of good advice here. Please start with low poundage on your first bow. It will be so much easier to learn the proper form. Also make sure your arrows are properly matched to your bow and learn how to tune it.
 
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