Womens Recurve Help!!!
Equipment
Good Morning Gents,
My oldest daughter just told me she is interested in getting a recurve (Her First). She is about 5'4" tall and around 125-130lbs. medium build. She lives in another state and I was thinking of surprising her with one. Do you guys have any suggestions on length, weight, type etc...
Thanks for the help!
Scar.
Well, I hope she isn't aware of the internet ;)
LOL! I told her that she should check out YouTube and watch some videos on recurve shooting.
Lots of good choices out there and it is a big plus that she is 5'4" as she probably has a 26" or so draw length, and can shoot a shorter bow with no issues. I would take a look on ebay and keep as my number one consideration having a draw weight of 30# or less. Better to learn to shoot with a bow that is easily held and not fighting to pull and hold. You can always sell it later and get a heavier one, or get a takedown and replace limbs. I would think an ideal bow for her would be 58" AMO length, although she definitely could shoot bows probably going down to 52" (or shoot longer than 58, too).
I'd also recommend buying used at first. Bear Grizzly's are mostly 58" length (there were a few years in the 60's that they came in a 56" length) and are very numerous so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a light weight one, and you won't spend an arm and a leg to get a good one.
For a takedown, the Samick Sage is a good entry bow that is popular and should have light limbs available. It is longer at 62", but that should only be a negative if your daughter finds it too heavy to hold up easily.
Take a look on ebay, pick out a couple that you think would work and come back on here and we can give you the plus and minus of each. Good Luck!
At her size for a beginner I think 30# is a reasonable draw weight. You'll want to purchase a 35# bow. The draw weight is measured at 28" length but she won't draw 28", she'll draw about 26" so she'll pull it to about 30#. This is a good draw weight that will allow her to shoot 50-100 arrows at a time instead of wearing out too fast.
As for length, most any bow will work fine for her. For men 60" is a common size for hunters but target shooter typically prefer 64" or more. Any bow over 58" or more will work well.
I would suggest a bow that will appeal to her. Nobody likes ugly bows. And there is no reason to spend a lot of money on her first bow. There are lots of choices for inexpensive recurves such as: Samick Sage, Martin Poplar, and others.
Don't forget that she needs arrows with feathers - not vanes.
Thanks MN! I will do that.
Have a great morning.
Scar.
Great advice above here for you Scar.
A "pretty" bow is a big thing to keep in mind for a young lady. She will enjoy spending more time with a bow that looks good rather than just a plain-Jane one.
Those Samick's are really good bows for the money and they make a lot of different kinds of bows. You should have a decent idea as to what she likes as far as "pretty". 30# to 40# should be reasonable for her to shoot well - maybe to the higher end if she is athletic, but the lower weight bows are better to learn good shooting form with.
A take-down is a great choice because she can get heavier limbs in the future if she wants to work up to hunting weights and still have a lighter set that will be better for target shooting.
So 3 Rivers has a complete package for the Samick Sage for about 289.00. it looks like a good setup with the ability to change limbs as she grows... I was thinking 30 or 35lb limbs. Thanks Guys! Scar.
Go to flea bay and buy one of the cnc ILF risers. Get a set of 28# limbs as they will be a bit heavier on the riser, but with her draw she will end up with around 30# draw weight. get her some 1616 or 1716's and leave them long and 100 grain point. You can get a set of cheap ILF limbs for 69-99 bucks and a dozen arrows for 40 bucks. You will have less then 300 invested and if she does not like it, sell and hardly loose any money. You will have a bow that is easily tunable and that she can grow with and change limbs and a lot easier then the Sage. Scooby
Scooby,
Would you recommend a 17" riser if I went that route, and what limbs are good from ebay?
I would buy the riser from ebay and yes 17" remember you will gain about a pound for every inch under 25"s so 28# limbs would be 36#s at 28"s. So at 26" draw you would look at around 30#s or so. I would buy limbs from Alternative archery services out of the UK. Sebastian Flute or a number of others from $50 to 100 bucks. I like the Flute Glass/foam limbs for around 75 bucks. Most any ILF will perform pretty good ecsp. for a beginner. Scooby
Please tell her to watch the video called The Push on YouTube and see if there is a place she can get some coaching!!!! Sammick Sage and have it packaged with a good string when she gets it, either that or one of the entry level Olympic style ILF bows. Her physical size is of less importance than her physical strength in deciding the draw weight, she likely won't be pulling the full rated at 28" draw that the bow will be marked at so keep that in mind!!!! For every inch less than 28" she draws it's a couple pounds of draw weight. It really really would be best to get her a gift certificate to a place she can go shoot a few if that's possible!!
Thank you so much for the all the info, a lot to consider! I truly appreciate all the input!
Scar.
Check out RMSGear Bows, have many for sale recurve/longbow with the pics and customer service is very good, be a good reference point to start on.
40 pounds at 28", with that poundage, she'll likely pull somewhere in the 30s range enough for deer...
Air disc shot at P & Y Summer event...
Air disc shot at P & Y Summer event...
Samicks are pretty decent bows. You could probably find a low poundage recurve at a garage sale or estate sale as well. Necedah, Shakespere or Bear Cub, LiI Bear.
I picked up a combination recurve/longbow Cabelas' Shadow for 1/2 price in the bargain cave cause it was missing a string. She shot that a lot when the Hunger Games movies were so popular.
Got pretty good with the air disc shooting
you've gotten good advice. if you aren't a stickbow shooter, find her one locally as a form coach and mentor, and go to some shoots/gatherings
Tony, Very Impressive!!!
Fuzzy, I shot them for a long time, and I was taught by an Olympic archer. I know the basics and can teach her and I am then going to let her have a little fun with it:)
Thanks Gents!
I kinda date around a lot and gals likes to shoot with me so I have a 56" 43#@28" Morrison I keep for the ladies. No gal has ever had a problem pulling it. And according to a lot of guys on Leatherwall, that bow will shoot clean through anything that walks in North America! (Just go to Leatherwall and ask them hahaha) The most important thing, arm guards. Gals tend to invent their arm and get string slap bad all up and down their bow arm. I have an Allen arm guard that just about covers their whole arm. It's camo so they feel tougher as well.
scar finga I have already been thru this with wife and two daughters. Mnrazorhead gave reply I would have given exactly, except he done better job putting it in type than I ever could. Do not forget arm guard. killinstuff nailed it.
