Bit of advice?

[Aimless]

Hey guys, long time no talk. I'm sort of back in the market for a recurve and should have a fair bit of money (selling off a lot of stuff, if everything goes for a reasonably alright price I might have anywhere between 500-1k on me! Not sure if I wanna spend it all on a bow :P)

Anyway... I don't know a whole lot about traditional bows, never really shot any, though I've read volume 1 of the trad. bowyer's bible (I stopped there 'cause most of it went right over my head :P).

I've been eyeing off one of these horsebows from wildwood archery, something like this: http://www.wildwoodarchery.com.au/mongol_bow.shtml
I reckon they look really nifty, though I sorta remember something in the book saying that horse bows usually stack pretty badly.

So - do you think those would be alright? Or would I be better off getting a more modern one piece or takedown recurve?

Any reccomendations for those? :P

edit:

I should say I'll pretty much exclusively be using it for target shooting, but who knows - just want something that's fun to shoot and will last a fair while. Don't mind if it's an older model.

[Glenn]

I don't know much about these bows but I have seen them a fair bit, and people who have them seem to like them, but if I were you and you are going to use a recurve for target shooting I would be looking at a recurve on the longer side, 60" to 66" long. Before buying a bow I would advise you to go to an an archery club and not a shop that is shooting the style of targets you want to shoot and try different bows and see what you like and what suits you best. It might save you lots of dollars in the long run. All to often people buy bows that just aren't suited to them and the type of archery they want to do and waste lots of money buying a bow that will neve suit them. Good luck on what ever you choose...Glenn...

[perry]

Now days $500 gets you a very good bow - $1000 may not get you a $500 better bow but pretty wood and a gloss finish which does not get the arrows down range any better .
Horse bows are very popular at the moment but are a finicky thing generally to shoot . I think you may get more use on the range or out hunting out of a one piece or takedown recurve or longbow .
I recommend a 62" to 64 " recurve about 45 # to 50 # which is a draw weight you will work into quickly and will be able to shoot well enough initially so as not to form bad habits by struggling with a heavier bow
There are dozens of good bows in your price range , I just bought a Rivers Edge Arroyo static recurve 43# - wonderfull bow cost me $595 aust including postage to get it here from the states . Samick and Martin are shop bows that are good value , on a Aussie note there' Norseman Longbows[Nick Lintern ] Frisky Bows [Arthur Fisk ] recurves and longbows , Beaver Bows [Frank Searle ] recurves and longbows , I could go on lots of them out there . Glenns advice is sound go to a club first and speak to the recurve and longbow shooters , get advice , shoot there bows Trad people are a helpfull bunch . regards Perry

[woody]

I would think that if horse bows were good performers, Martin Archery. Ben Pearson or Bear Archery would have been building them back in the 60's and 70's.

They are a very old design, recently " rediscovered"

[Aimless]

Sounds like sound advice, never been to a range but I might have a go if you think it'd do me some good. The guy at the store I go to is always a great help as well, set me up with my first compound kit and I'm still using that :P

Can't tell you what I'm able to draw with my compound because it's been near on a year and a half since I got it (I think) and I've never bothered checking... Probably need to get it lengthened and the poundage up a bit as well.

What are everyone's personal favourites for recurves?

[Glenn]

Favorite bows are a personal thing, what suits one archer will or may not suit the next. You really will do well to try and shoot as many as you can, when you shoot the right bow you know will it straight away, a bit of advice don't overbow yourself...Glenn...

[wayoutwest]

have a look in classifieds at recurves that jeffro is selling!