Bought a used recurve bow

[onegunshort]

I am not an experienced archer, haven't even used a bow in years, but for a long time I've wanted to get a recurve so I've been keeping an eye out at yard sales, antique stores, etc. Yesterday at the gun store, back in the corner with the interesting misc. items there was a 55 lbs. and 66" length laminated wood bow. It looked like it had seen better days and the price was $50. Today I went back to look again and I noticed the apparent damage was mostly grime and crud that had accumulated over the years. So I brought it home and strung it up and everything looked nice and straight and free of damage. I cleaned it up and gave it a wax and it looks pretty darn good. From what I can tell it was made about '67. So what do you think?

This last picture is a bit distorted because I used a photostitch program to put 2 photos together.

 

[USAF385]

Nice find.

I'm actually very big into bows. I own a few Fred Bear Recurves and a Bear Archery. I don't hunt but I do a lot of target shooting.

I never got into compounds... I kind of feel like recurves are the revolvers of bows.

 

[Texas Star]

What make is this bow? That logo looks familiar, but I haven't seen many bows in years. Interesting post!

What length of arrow do you use? Aluminum or fiberglass or graphite arrows? How far out is a bow of that draw weight effective on men or deer?

Do you think it has the range/cast of the English longbows that so decimated the French knights at battles like Agincourt, Crecy, and Potiers? I think the Mongol and Turkish bows were also effective at several hundred yards.

I'd bet that this one will kill venison as dead as my .270 will...

T-Star

 

[reddogge]

Nice Ben Pearson Pinto. I've returned to recurves from the compound ages but originally was a longbow/recurve guy in the 60s.

55# is a bit stout if you haven't shot a recurve for a while so you'll have to work your way into it and try not to establish too many bad habits. You may find out you are overbowed temporarily and drop down in weight to get your form and the basics down. Maybe pick up a 40# at another yard sale.

Be sure to use a stringer to string it. Many accidents happen and bows and eyes get ruined by not using one.

 

[4406v]

I agree with Reddogge 55# is alot of bow to start with.That is kind of a "rare" bow in that it is a 66" target length bow with a 55# hunting weight draw.Look for a 40-45 # bow to learn proper form.You could probably shoot a 2016 aluminum cut 29" long out of both bows provided you don't have a draw length longer than 28".I shoot and hunt with recurves and find them challenging.

 

[Pasifikawv]

Nice find... A Ben Pearson is such good condition for $50 is a steal....

55# @28" is a pretty heavy draw. If you have a longer draw, you will be holding even more weight. At the end of the pull, you will be adding about 2 or 3 lbs per inch over the standard 28".

Make sure the arrows you purchase are nocked and fletched for the rest. You want one feather/vane perpendicular to the string facing away from the handle when nocked. If the nock/vane arrangement is such that a vane is perpendicular and facing in toward the handle, it will knock your arrow off target when passing the rest on the handle. You may even notice the arrow going sideways in flight before straigtening back out. Unlike many compound bows with their fancy gagetry and slit rests that allow the feather/vane to pass by thru the slit opening, your recurve with a standard rest will require that the fletching not bounce off the handle when released.

Now that you have a decent recurve, try some "bare" bow shooting - often confused/combined with instinctive shooting. Barebow means little or no shooting aids. No fancy sights or releases. Just bow, string, nock, arrow, finget tips/tab, arm guard.

For #55 @ 28" I would recommend an alum arrow (either 20-18 or 20-20) cut about 1" to 1 1/2" longer than your natural draw length. Go with the plastic vanes for durability as it will take much practice

When if comes time for practice, choose a feild tip that is the same weight as the broad head you intend to use - if you will hunt with it. Even if you don't hunt with it, it will give you hours of enjoyment. Barebow with a recurve is tons of fun. Goes hand in hand with feild archery...

Congrats on your find and ENJOY!!!

 

[walkinghorse]

"...Go with the plastic vanes for durability as it will take much practice."

Interesting. Even with the cock vane perpendicular to the bow the other 2 vanes will need to compress as they pass the bow, creating potential problems as you state. I have always read/heard/found that you need to use feathers with conventional archery. Any sources for your statement on vanes?

I found this one, and as many things there is some agruement for both sides
http://books.google.com/books?id=_0...ciaBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10

Good advise on building up your arm and shoulder with a lower weight bow. I use a 35# Wing to start up the season with and go to a 50# Howett Hunter. Also as I have a 31" draw my pull weights are actually higher.


Some archery links http://www.shanepotter.com/links.htm

 

[reddogge]

Basically that bow has a raised rest so you can shoot vanes with it although feathers will be a little more forgiving and traditional looking. The cock feather orientation shouldn't matter too much as the arrow is flexing around the bow so shouldn't hit anything as it passes the rest area. Known as the "archer's paradox".

 

[Pasifikawv]

Nice work walkinghorse... I should have been more clear...

Ususally, feathers are FAR superior - but not nearly as durable and more expensive. As one gets better and better - and especially if you dabble in shooting competition - you should switch to feathers.

For the beginner: I recommend vanes to start out. Yes, there will be some "kick" with feathers or vanes as the arrow passes the rest, but a beginner should focus more on technique and keeping a general group. The arrows and flethcing will take a beating during many rounds of practice and feathers just don't hold up... Plus, some of the soft polymers used in today's vanes are not only durable, but almost (not quite) comparable in consistency to feathers... Dollar to dollar and getting more use from the arrow before needing to re-fletch, I recommend vanes. If you do want to start out with feathers, get a gig, fletch-lite, and some exta feathers so you can re-fletch your own arrows.

My only source is/was my father.... second from right... seen here with the other 1969 world champs from the various categories. Dad took the top spot in Field -Barebow. Finished 4th in '70 but held the VA state title from '67-70. My sis took the womens VA top spot in '70 (I think-coulda been '71).

He used a Black Widow for the '69 VA State and World title, but also used a Bear for some of his other VA state titles... My sis used a Bear...

I shoot a recurve my dad made... I'm not very good, however. In this regard, the apple took a HUGE roll down hill.....

 

[Pasifikawv]

Basically that bow has a raised rest so you can shoot vanes with it although feathers will be a little more forgiving and traditional looking. The cock feather orientation shouldn't matter too much as the arrow is flexing around the bow so shouldn't hit anything as it passes the rest area. Known as the "archer's paradox".

Nicely done...

The photo does show a rest rather than shooting off the shelf with only felt pads. Without a rest, feathers are much better. With a rest - little difference, but feathers still better. The fletching can sometimes make contact the rest - especially if the cock vane is pointed inward toward the handle/shelf.

IMHO, a novice is better served spending more time shooting with vanes than more time re-fletching feathers. But then again, if money is no object, buy a boat load of arrows with feather fletching and pay someone else to patch 'em up....

 

[mtb1bkr]

My former boss used a Black Widow bare recurve for hunting. It was deadly accurate with it too. I used to go out back of the shop as all the bow hunters were gearing up for archery season. All but my boss were compound shooters. They would get up there and take what seemed like two minutes to get aimed correctly and fire one arrow. Then, my boss would walk up with 4 arrows in his quiver and launch them all in half the time it took the rest of the guys to shoot one. They would always hit in the kill zone and very close to each other. He was amazing with that thing. He was one of those mountain men guys who built his own long rifle.

Bill

 

[Rikkn]

Beautiful Pearson !!! I love recurves. Back in the mid 70's I shot Junior Olympic Archery in Western NY, I used to laugh at the guys with their target bows with special sights and balances hanging off them. I used a Damon-Howatt, which was considered the Caddilac of recurves, with a Browning sight, and won more than I lost.

 

[onegunshort]

Thanks for the tips, the local sport shop can match up new arrows to the bow, he was a little surprised when I told him it was 55 lbs. What would you suggest as far as arrow shaft and point selection? He said the only arrows he had in stock were easton 2219 but he wanted me to call back later so he could find out if they would be a good choice. What is a good price? He quoted $70 for a dozen fletched 2219's.

 

[reddogge]

The 2219s will be very stiff and heavy for that bow and are for bows of 70-75#. You should be looking for 2215, 2314 for target shooting or 2117, 2216 for hunting and penetration. Try to Google 3 Rivers Archery or Kustom King Archery to see what they have to offer. You need to know what your draw length is though measured from inside the nock to the back of the bow (the side that faces the target) and add and inch to that. Recurves are pretty tolerant to spine variations and weights but some arrows will perform better than others out of your bow.

 

[Pasifikawv]

...Try to Google 3 Rivers Archery or Kustom King Archery to see what they have to offer. .....

+1

Both are very good resources for the "traditional" archer....

 

[jrm53]

Pinto bow

My first recurve was a Pearson Cougar from Wal Mart in the fall of 1964 for 16.00 I hunted hard for about 4 years, got rabbit, squirrel and 1 Quail no deer. I have purchased several over the years, Black Widow, Pearson, Shakespear, Bear. Always wanted a Herters but could never find one. You will enjoy the Pinto, you will want to use an arm guard because some times the string will hit the inside of your arm. Good Luck with it. Jeff

 

[onegunshort]

Been shooting it a little bit. Put on a new string and got some arrows. So far I'm grouping about 20" at 10 yards, definitely need a lot more practice before I increase the distance. I'm not worried about accuracy yet, but the major caveat, like most of you have already said, is the weight of the bow. 55# is a bit much for starting out, makes it tough to shoot for very long and it's harder to execute proper technique. I can shoot 3 sets of 12 before my left arm has a hard time holding the bow steady. The wobbly arm causes some unique fliers when the arrow falls off the rest. I bought an arm guard but I haven't used it yet, so far it hasn't slapped my forearm. it's fun though, I'm going to keep at it.