[Old Sarge]

Guys I'm thinking about getting a recurve for shooting barebow NFAA and 3D tournaments. I have a lot of barebow experience with barebow compounds and traditional type recurves. I shot both of these at a fairly high level for many years and am currently shooting compounds. The problem is my right shoulder isn't what it once was and if i get a recurve for barebow I'm wondering how light a weight I can get and still get to the 80 yard NFAA target while shooting at a reasonable elevation. I'm pretty sure I can handle something around 30lbs max for the 112 arrows required but honestly would like to buy something lighter if it will work. Do you think that 24-26 lb limbs will allow me to shoot 3D and NFAA barbow reasonably well? If not what weight would you advise?

Thanks

 

[nuts&bolts]

Guys I'm thinking about getting a recurve for shooting barebow NFAA and 3D tournaments. I have a lot of barebow experience with barebow compounds and traditional type recurves. I shot both of these at a fairly high level for many years and am currently shooting compounds. The problem is my right shoulder isn't what it once was and if i get a recurve for barebow I'm wondering how light a weight I can get and still get to the 80 yard NFAA target while shooting at a reasonable elevation. I'm pretty sure I can handle something around 30lbs max for the 112 arrows required but honestly would like to buy something lighter if it will work. Do you think that 24-26 lb limbs will allow me to shoot 3D and NFAA barbow reasonably well? If not what weight would you advise?

Thanks

Hello Old Sarge:

My wife has a set of 30 lb limbs on her wooden, 3-piece recurve bow,
and she shoots lightweight carbon arrows, barebow style.

With a 24-inch draw length,
she has a 70 yard point on distance.

She has to shoot a pretty high arc,
but she can hit over the 80 yard target bale on a field archery course.


So,
if your draw length is over 24-inches,
then a 30 lb set of limbs should work ok.

Not great, but ok.

 

[jmvargas]

may i also suggest that you look at the mckinney II arrows...they are the lightest world class arrows currently available and are specifically targetted at archers with a short draw or have light poundages to enable them to reach the longer distances....

 

[pilotmill]

bow weight

you didnt say what your draw length is so I assume that your looking at a pull weight at your fingers of 24-26. Just remember that if your draw is shorter than 28 the limbs are going to be lower in weight at your draw length and of course greater at longer than 28. The newer limbs store and cast much better than the old stuff so I would look at some carbon/foam limbs. Proper tuning and good carbon arrows I think you would be fine. Only 2 shots at 80. Best of luck, I know the shoulder pain thing and have to keep my weight down also. You may want to check out some of the speciality exercises for shoulder and rotator cuff muscles also, some good info out there and it seems to help me. Gar.

 

[bradd7]

I have 32lbs on the fingers and shoot full length Easton Redlines, which are the next in lightness to McKinneys. They are full length so that I could use them for 3D and reduce the GAP. I have a point on of 60 meters but if I cut them to the right length of 29" I am sure that I could get another 10 meters for a point on of 70...which is the max distance for the Masters Divisions here in Canada.

 

[Old Sarge]

Thanks guys, you answered my second question as well about which arrows to try. I appreciate your help. My dl is 28" so from your responses I think 30 lbs will get me there, maybe even 28lb. Now if I can just find somthing on the very bottom of the riser to gap off of for the 80.......Ha HA!

Thanks,
Bill

 

[bradd7]

Bill...yes there will be an arc but you will be surprised at how flat these light, little arrows can fly! I'll bet with 30lbs you will be only point-gapping a ring or two above center at 80 yards! With long limbs, and if you find the preload sweet spot on the bow, 30lbs will feel like 20 when you draw and hold.

 

[Old Sarge]

OK Brad, I've been around archery forever but never heard about the "pre-load sweet spot" on the bow. Especially to make it feel lighter. Please explain that concept to me. I love to learn new stuff.

 

[bradd7]

For every set of limbs there is a sweet spot where the limbs bend through the draw curve as even as possible. On most bows with adjustable limbs we can access this sweet spot (we talk about the Das having this a lot) where this draw curve is as smooth as silk all the way from start to finish. Sometimes the all of the draw weight will be at the start of the draw, making it harder to start, and other times you will feel the weight at the very end of the draw, making it harder to hold or get through a clicker. The preloads at the start or finish of the draw make the bow 'seem' heavier. The trick is to find the spot (limbs in or out) that is best for the limbs where these loads are evenly distributed. The then, because of the smoothness and load distribution, the bow feel much lighter to draw, and easier at the shot.

It is a place where, when you turn the limb bolts out, the draw weight doesn't change but the 'feel' of the draw does. You start with the limbs cranked all the way in then start turning them out equally (to maintain the same tiller) in 1/4" increments.

 

[Floxter]

I'm sure you've thought of this, but just in case you've overlooked it, NFAA barebow style allows face and stringwalking. With an under the chin anchor you should have no trouble making the distance and being point on at 80yrds with the proper arrow @ 30#.

 

[Old Sarge]

Bradd and Floxter, thanks for your reply's. Bradd that is great info and something I never knew. When I get my new bow I will have to play with that til I get to the sweet spot.

Floxter, yes I've thought about stringwalking, that's how I shot barebow compound for a long time. I've never facewalked but that may be an option. I was planning on working out the crawls up to my point on then just gap the rest. Facewalking could make that easier I guess. I'll play around with that once I get the bow set up.
Thanks.