Advice on going Trad recurve

thepensbybowman

New member
Hi all
Due to a shoulder issue, shooting my longbows is out for a while but I could shoot lighter bows. I fancy shooting Trad i.e. wooden riser bows and wooden arrows as it still feels basic and will give me more cast per pound drawn than a light longbow. Assuming a 28" draw 5/16" pine shafts 100gn points, 3" fletchings and a reasonable loose, what sort of poundage do you think I would need to keep the point of aim on or below the target up to 60 yards? I know that not all bows (or archers)are equal, but I would appreciate your thoughts.
 

BillM

Member
The person I mostly go round the field course with shoots a trad bow of about 34# and gets to the target which has a max distance of 50m. I don't know if he is p.o.g. at that distance but even having to aim slightly above the target shouldn't be a problem. I shoot a Horsebow of about 50# and am generally below the gold at 50m but use 11/32" shafts with a spine of 49# and 4" fletches being the best suited. My only suggestion is to find someone who has a bow of about 34# and ask to try it. That might be heavy for you depending on the extent of your problem. Hope that helps,

BillM
 

dvd8n

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
I had a shoulder problem for a while, and I think that you are thinking about it the wrong way. I think that you need to identify the poundage that you can manage without aggravating your injury (which is likely to be quite low, lower than you imagine, maybe low #20s) and just going with the sight marks that gives you. If you need to skip a target or shoot from the blue peg then accept it until you recover. It's not worth risking permanent injury.
 

thepensbybowman

New member
Thanks guys, that has given me something to ponder!
Dvd8n, I take your point and am balancing this with the fact that it is my bow shoulder and I have been experimenting with what is comfortable. Given that I mainly shoot target, (usually 12 dozen rounds, with 55-60lb longbows) field rounds should give me a lot less trouble especially if I can score from the red peg (wishful thinking) That should mean that I am shooting less than half my normal arrows at around half my poundage. I will also be looking for a bow with as little hand shock as possible.

Billm, I am probably looking at a bow around that weight, so that is really useful. I don't mind shooting some of the targets underhand ;-)

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks guys, that has given me something to ponder!
Dvd8n, I take your point and am balancing this with the fact that it is my bow shoulder and I have been experimenting with what is comfortable. Given that I mainly shoot target, (usually 12 dozen rounds, with 55-60lb longbows) field rounds should give me a lot less trouble especially if I can score from the red peg (wishful thinking) That should mean that I am shooting less than half my normal arrows at around half my poundage. I will also be looking for a bow with as little hand shock as possible.

Billm, I am probably looking at a bow around that weight, so that is really useful. I don't mind shooting some of the targets underhand ;-)
 

BillM

Member
[QUOTE = especially if I can score from the red peg (wishful thinking QUOTE]

As long as you remember, TRAD normally shoots from the BLUE peg so a bit nearer the target. That's where we shoot from at the Inverawe course (WA Rules).

BillM
 

Marcus37

New member
Hi all Due to a shoulder issue.
I can sympathise with you at the moment as I have shoulder injury that just won't seem to sort it's self out and I am unable to shoot my much beloved compound bows, so I to am shooting trad recurve as they weigh nothing, but are longbows really heavy enough to have this issue with?, having never shot one I have no idea.
 

thepensbybowman

New member
Hi Marcus - it is the draw weights involved and a lack of stability in the bow shoulder when using my longbows, plus I can't actually hold a pint at full extension. I have just bought a Bearpaw Hopi 30lb draw weight and am loving shooting it, and have learned to drink right handed!
 

Marcus37

New member
have learned to drink right handed!
That's the important thing :D

Trad Recurve bows are great to shoot I agree, we have so much scope to develop our own shooting style, and some of the newest ones are hitting 207FPS @ 50lb which is crazy for a trad bow, one of them is the Timber Creek Diamondback and that is a take down 62".

What style are you useing? I much prefer the Hill style instinctive/split vision over the typical 3 under arrow under eye style.
 

thepensbybowman

New member
I am shooting it split fingered in the Hill style instinctive/split vision similar to how I shot my longbows for field. All good so far up to about 15-20m, and I am hoping to get out and play Weds/Thurs, being careful not to overdo it. I have to say that after my longbows for so long, the Bearpaw Hopi @ 30lb is so comfortable to draw and hold.
 

Marcus37

New member
I am shooting it split fingered in the Hill style instinctive/split vision similar to how I shot my longbows for field. All good so far up to about 15-20m, and I am hoping to get out and play Weds/Thurs, being careful not to overdo it. I have to say that after my longbows for so long, the Bearpaw Hopi @ 30lb is so comfortable to draw and hold.
The same style as me then, I do get some strange looks from the target recurve guys at times :) as this style is not the norm at my club.
I'm still getting started really with this type or shooting, I'm still quite inconsistent at 20 yards at the moment but I'm getting there, and this style definitely requires a lot of practice and did feel a little strange for the first few ends.
30lb is a good place to be really, I'm shooting 33lb @ 30" draw due to stacking Its a nice weight that comes off the fingers well but i can shoot 100 arrows a time with little trouble.
 

thepensbybowman

New member
Marcus, I managed to get out Thurs to do some clout tuition and took my little 30lb bow along for a laugh to see how far it would send a wooden arrow. To my genuine surprise it was sending a 450gn shaft over 180 yards. Also went into the woods at the weekend and shot 2 x 36 target NFAS course. Brilliant trajectory from the bow, just need to practice now.
 

Marcus37

New member
Marcus, I managed to get out Thurs to do some clout tuition and took my little 30lb bow along for a laugh to see how far it would send a wooden arrow. To my genuine surprise it was sending a 450gn shaft over 180 yards. Also went into the woods at the weekend and shot 2 x 36 target NFAS course. Brilliant trajectory from the bow, just need to practice now.
That's awesome, I have not been out much over the last week due to weather, but aim to this afternoon.
I have been playing around with a Olympic recurve set up that I have been loaned by my club to see if I like it. There is a lot of similar things between compound and target recurve, but it's more demanding than I expected compared to traditional and compound as form is much more critical.
I do love my traditional snap shooting instinctive but I'm going to put some time in to Olympic between now and the end of season just to see how good I can get, just for fun
 
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