Longbow vs Recurve shootouts distinction, and why?...go ahead school me.

[240m3srt]

Can i ask a really stupid question? Ok here goes...

Why is there a distinction between recurves and longbows as far as a shootout/competition. I have taken a belt buckle once now in the TX Longbow shoot in 2015k)...ok so there was only a few people in my class haha but still LOL(see thats me being honest).

What have i learned from the x20 or so used recurves and longbows ive owned is this...a recurve and a longbow are just as good as each other. The minutia lies in the grips and how it fits your palm, how smooth it draws, lack of stack, overall length of bow equating to stability and shot consistency, shelf cut to center equating to less spine critical arrow which convinces you that you are a "better" archer, etc, etc... all factors which can inhibit accuracy and results yet ARE NOT based on the fact that its a recurve vs. longbow.

I am at the stage where i still buy fiberglass bows to play around with and see the differences in effeciency and design, but mostly i build all wood selfbows and sinew backed bows(NON FIBERGLAS). Heres an example of where im going with this...which is better, an English Yew Longbow or an Asiatic compoite short horsebow???? Your answer here_______......OK.....why?

My long rants brought down to one theme...all bows do something differently a bit better, ok... explain recurve advantages vs longbow advantages....and why doesnt everyone just compete trad against trad and see where the scores fall? Glass against glass, all wood against all wood, cut in shelf vs. cut in shelf, you get the idea.

Im not so sure the classes are stacked as they should be right now. Really?
You wanna compare a bow without a shelf to one with a shelf(last time i checked that was not a class distinction)...but let me tell you the results are vastly different.

Listen im not trying to argue...OK maybe i am but im concerned right now that the right questions are not being asked.. Like i said, school me you veterans This is and will always be about us learning from each other....

[Bisch]

Why is there a distinction between recurves and longbows as far as a shootout/competition.

Mainly because that way back when, when the only longbows were Hill style or English longbow style bows, recurves were generally much more efficient. Guys with longbows generally could not hang with guys with recurves. Nowadays, with R/D and hybrid longbows, there is little to no difference in a lot of longbows and recurves, so it is more on the individual shooters ability.

The same argument was had between selfbows and all wood laminated bows, and that is why in this area there ai a selfbow class and a composite class.

I like the fact that there is different classes because it gives me more opportunity to play!

Bisch

[El Paisano]

Better for What? They both have characteristics that make them better than the other at different things, and there are trade offs.

[Dry Bones]

"Mainly because that way back when, when the only longbows were Hill style or English longbow style bows, recurves were generally much more efficient."

Yes but even efficiency of stored energy does not make one shoot better than the other.?? I am now hung on using my hill style longbow for just about everything, and my recurves just set most of the time. Efficient, but just don't feel as good to me.
I have been curious of the same situation as 240m stated. not trying to argue with you Bisch, just would like to pick your brain a bit more.

[jerp]

In the old days, the difference used to be evident in the scores - at most shoots the winning recurve scores were noticably higher than the winning longbow scores. That does not seem to be the case anymore...

[Caddo]

I'd be more inclined to bet that it all started with the "Unfair Advantage" crowd. (Read BI&%hers and complainers)
"Hey, this guy is shooting a Recurve/Longbow/Self Bow, unfair advantage put 'em in a class of their own!"
"Hey, this guy is shooting Wood/Carbon/aluminum arrows, unfair advantage put 'em in a class of their own"
"Hey, this guy is shooting with sights/no sights, unfair advantage put 'em in a class of their own"
"Hey, this guy is Face walking/String walking, unfair advantage, ban them after Tar and feathering!"

[RJH1]

I like the fact that there is different classes because it gives me more opportunity to play!

Bisch

This is the best reason I know of. I hope they never combine longbow and recurve. Also some days I shoot one better and some days the other, so I see no real difference in the two.

[240m3srt]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen.

When i went to the TX State Longbow shoot i found it funny that they used that template to make sure the bow conformed. Im thinking to myself that there are certainly ways to gain advantages in 3d scores other than a bow that has a little too much reflex, slightly too much mass in the riser, etc. In my experience a recurve or a longbow CAN be better in a given persons hands, but not necessarily that it will be, and there are so many variables other than "recurve vs longbow" that account for this.

From what im gathering it sounds like the older recurves surpassed the older longbows in performance/scores, magnifying the distinction between the two. Seems that the "tradition of the shoot" remains despite effeciency and design advancements, hybrid bows, etc. Thats cool, i dont mind if it just boils down to a tradition thing.

Caddo-tar and feather and ban for string walking, now thats my kinda humor. Haha!

[JEFFRO]

the same questions were stated back in the 50's and 60's. NFAA, NFA, SOME older club's, there will always be someone saying, HEA...THEY NEED TO CHANGE.
I was suprised when we went to florida, and it was based on ARROW, if it had a plastic
nock. moderen, selfnocks primitive, no matter what bow it was shot out of...

[SwampRabbit]

No matter what... it ain't never gonna be as bad as competitive sailing. If we ever have a chance to shoot in the same group in the future, I'll tell you all about rules/classes and the ***** fests that we call regattas.

But honestly, it boils down to the competitors and their egos. In any recreational sport, when somebody cares about winning and losing so bad vs just having some fun; then rules start to grow and the number of classes expand as an solution to the grumbling and complaining.

Very rarely do you see a class open up because there were just too many participants. It does happen though sometimes in sports; but not often.

[Danielb89]

I think its all to be as fair as possible. Theres nothing wrong with it, in my opinion. You get more classes to shoot and you the host makes more money. Win-win imo.

[RickBarbee]

It's all about expanding participation.

Take a look at the ASA.
They lump all Trad shooters together into one class, regardless of equipment used.
As a direct result of that, they are lucky to have more than a dozen Trad shooters show up at even their big banner shoots.

Not knocking the ASA. Simply using their format as an example.

Rick

[SwampRabbit]

It's all about expanding participation.

Take a look at the ASA.
They lump all Trad shooters together into one class, regardless of equipment used.
As a direct result of that, they are lucky to have more than a dozen Trad shooters show up at even their big banner shoots.

Not knocking the ASA. Simply using their format as an example.

Rick

ASA is probably a good example of logistics. For better or worse, they have defined who they are. Managing more classes in an area like that won't likely pay off for them, especially if other organizations have picked up the slack.

Creating or combing classes is always an experiment. Factors such as regional preferences, etc play a big role.

I have had participated in a number of organized niche recreational competitive sports over my lifetime (cycling, sailing, etc) and the theme is almost always the same.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

[Selfbowman]

It's the monkey behind the string. Rusty shoots close to the same scores with his selfbow as longbow and recurves. Yes Rusty I guess I compared you to a good shooting monkey.
You and # 2. Arvin