[Viper1]

cap -

Welcome -

First - STOP thinking in compound terms. Shooting form IS shooting form regardless of the bow, the details are quite different.

1. What is your HOLDING weight on the compound? If we assume a 65% let off, probably about 23#, if you have a greater let off, even less. I don't think the GM comes in less than 45# (but I could be wrong). More on that in a second.

2. If you are shooting the compound with fingers, you're be pulling close to the same draw length. If you're using a release all bets are off. You might lose a couple of inches (typical) or stay the same, or even gain (unlikely). If we assume you'll have a 31" draw with a recurve, that 45# bow will be well over 50# - too heavy to start with.

3. String action on a stickbow can be a little different than with a compound, and grip also factors in. Brace height is a mean of tuning a stickbow - and yes, we do wear armgurads. Don't worry about that - YET.

4. Evevated rests and sights are fine. Definately a plus, not a minus, unless you plan on competiting in classes that don't allow those things.

5. The eye dominance thing is highly over rated, I shoot both instinctively and with a FITA rig and am cross-eye dominant. That alone means nothing, except that there are a heck of alot of other folks doing the samething.

Bottom line - good questions, some bad assumptions. The GM is a super bow, but given the possibility of a longer draw length, might not be the best choice.

Think about something like the DAS Dalaa or Tradtech Titan. With ILF limbs the draw lenght and weight avaailable you won't have a problem. (You can convert the GM to accpet ILFs, but I'd think about that later on.)

Viper1 out.

 

[cap61]

I guess I should have included the fact that I AM a finger shooter. Won't use a release and don't want to!

Thanks for the info Viper1! Alot to figure out and think about. I only know compounds, so recurve knowledge is lacking for me! Here is some more stats about my setup I use now......Hoyt Defiant Legacy, 65lbs, 31 inch draw(fingers) 65% letoff. I use a whisker bisquit which allows me to shoot 30 inch arrows. Carbon arrows with feathers, 475 grains including the broadhead. Damscus glove. I don't know how or if this helps compute what I need to look for in a recurve. I have tried to pull back a shorter recurve and couldn't, but I don't know the poundage of the bow.

So......HELP!

ps-why not the Gamemaster to start out? I don't know about any of the other bows mentioned. ILF limbs?

 

[sdpeb1]

new shooter

You got one of the top guys in the trad community to answer your first post here, so your offf to a good start. Already shooting fingers your well on your way. The thing your probably going to hear most and Viper alluded to it, is though your shooting a 65# compound, your only holding 23# or so with the let-off. Most and I emphasize most people will suggest to start out with a very light bow, 40# or less. Two reasons 1. You can work on your form 2. you can build up your muscles. I shot a 70# compound and after shooting my first long [email protected] 43# I developed a little tendonitis in the elbow. I don't think a longer bow is easier to pull back it's just a little more stable to shoot. 62in is not short nor is it long, it's what I shoot and I like that length. Viper has a great book "shooting the stickbow" by Tony Cameron. I got one I'm giving away on a drawing tomorro. Here is the link.
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=864379
A good book like this will answer alot of your questions and you will have a quite of few if your like me. - Steve

 

[Viper1]

Cap -

Your draw lenght will probably shrink a little due to the extra weight of the stickbow. If it shrinks more than .5" give or take, something's wrong. Odds are, too much bow.

There are a number of custom and even vintage bows that will handle you're draw length, but without knowing which is which, a good ILF rig would still me my first choice, especially since the idea of a metal riser and sights doesn't bother you. Just remember that YOUR draw weight will be 6 - 8# or more than what's marked on the bow for a 28" draw.

As I said, the GM MAY be too short (it might stack) at your draw length and IIRC at it's lowest draw weight, it will still be too heavy AT YOUR DRAW.

ILF limbs are Olympic style limbs that, when matched to an ILF riser, are weight adjustable and can be gotten in base draw weights from the 20# pound range to over 50#. You can start off lighter and get heavier limbs later on. The are also super shooters.

Viper1 out.