What types of bow are there

These types of bows are classified as a bow that has the tips of its limbs curving away from the archer. A recurve can be a self bow or a composite bow. Recurves were used in ancient and medieval times all the way up until modern times. There is a modern Olympic archery event for recurve bows. Below is an image from the Bayeaux Tapestry depicting the Norman conquest of England in The Normans fielded many archers for the invasion. Their bows have the characteristics of recurves, with the tips clearly bent forwards.

The image below left is of a Fred Bear recurve bow designed in the mids. The image on the right is a modern Olympic recurve. In both cases, note the curvature of the tips of the bows. Many modern recurves are built in this fashion. These particular types of bows are constructed with limbs that curve away from the archer. An extreme reflex allows a much smaller bow to achieve a higher draw weight than a larger bow that does not have a reflexed shape. A good example of a reflex bow is a traditional Korean bow [ Traditional Korean Archery] , known as a Gakgung.

A horsebow is a bow traditionally used in horseback archery. See this article on horsebows for more information. Real horn from animals buffalo, goats as well as animal sinew is used in the construction.

Because of the intricacies and time involved in the building of some hornbows, they can cost several thousands of dollars. These types of bows are usually considered high end. These types of bows are made out of several layers bound together with adhesives. The term laminate or laminated bows usually refers to bows made of wood, fiberglass and other modern substances.

In general, traditional composite bows are not classified as laminated bows. Below are several images of laminated bows made by Jackal Archery in Hungary. They are made from several layers of bamboo and a layer of fiberglass on the back of the bow. The bow on the left is one of Turkish design while the one on the right is an asymmetrical Hun bow.

The 4 bow types in modern archery are recurve bow, compound bow, longbow and finally the crossbow. The aim of this article is to teach you more about the different bows, you will then hopefully find the type that is most suitable for you and for your needs. For example if you are interested in traditional archery then you are not going to want to get a crossbow.

Below you will find more detail on the different types of bows, along with the pros and cons of each bow. Once you know about the bows, you can then continue to read on to learn more about terminology, what they are made from and also some tips on working out which is the best bow for you. Many people mistake recurve bows with long bows, as they are very similar.

The difference however is the limbs on the bow are curved. These bows are designed to store more energy and shoot the arrows further and with more force because of the curves. As the bow is drawn the limbs curve away from you. It is also common to get a recurve confused with a compound bow, due to all of the additional things that can be attached such as sights, arrow rests, stabilizers etc. There are two types of recurve bow, the modern recurve and the traditional recurve.

Traditional recurve bows are made from a single piece of wood, every much what you would see in medieval films. A modern recurve bow is the same shape, however the limbs of the bow are detachable and thus it can be packed away for ease.

These bows are often called takedown recurves. The riser on a recurve bow which is what the arrow rests on and the limbs attach to is often made ut of some form of metal such as aluminum and carbon fiber.

Have you seen someone shooting a bow that looks like something from a sci fi film? They were probably shooting a compound bow. They are a lot more complex in their design and also tend to offer more accurate and more powerful shots. It uses cams or wheels at the top of each limb, a pulley connects the two. This is when the cams take over and the weight of holding the string drawn is taken away.

This is a big advantage when bow hunting as it means you can aim at your target or move with the bow fully drawn. Whenever you see a medieval film, such as Robin Hood you will probably be looking at them using a Longbow. They were the go to bow for the English soldiers, this was up until the discovering of firearms. The wood they are made from is normally yew or elm, although modern ones are normally laminated as this helps to strengthen them.

Longbows also have the typical bow look in that they are the well-known D shape. Interestingly they are much bigger than standard recurve bows, they are often the same size as a 5 foot archer! Unlike bows they use smaller arrows that are often called bolts. To use you simply need to pull back the string and latch it into place, position the bolt and then pull the trigger to shoot the bolt at your target. Many crossbows do require you to hold it with both hands, with one on the trigger and the other on the shaft.

There are some smaller ones that only require you to hold them with one hand. When the archer draws the bow back, the recurve limbs arc away from the body and help enable the bow to force more energy into the arrow being fired. Both the design and the size of a recurve bow are an asset for an archer shooting from dense terrain, in the saddle, or from inside a blind. One of the most striking differences between a recurve bow and the other three varieties of bow is not what is has, but what it does not have.

While other compound and crossbows are often sold in basic form, they are designed for accessories to also be purchased and attached — not so with a recurve bow. Even with the what some folks would deem limitations, the recurve bow remains extremely popular with hunters because of their ultra quiet shooting style and amazing ease of use.

The only downside of a recurve bows involves its lack of adjustability — the draw weight cannot be adjusted because the bow is not designed to be altered. This bow has a whole lot of moving parts — and that is exactly why some hunters are so enamored with the compound bow. It has rapid fire capabilities and effective when aimed.

The compound bow has not been around nearly as long as the recurve bow, but is still a population target training and competition bow. This variety of bow boasts a levering system that enhances its quick and highly accurate firing mechanism — as well as a detailed cable and pulley system. But, a compound bow can be more than a big challenging for a novice or less physically able person top shoot because of the magnitude of strength necessary to master its draw weight to pull the arrow back.

Aiming a compound bow also requires more strength before arrow releases than a recurve bow. The multiple moving parts on this style of bow make it a more maintenance intensive bow than the recurve. Many hunters and trainers believe that a compound box is more adept at taking down large animals and agile deer than a recurve bow. When using a recurve bow, the harvesting of deer or large animals is typically only possible if the person using the bow is strong enough and quick enough to fire the arrow with the maximum amount of pressure.

A compound bow can be adjusted with custom weights to enhance its versatility — allowing even less strong archers to take down a large animal. Compound bows come in an array of sizes and draw weights, allowing the purchaser to get the perfect fit to suit their strength and size. A compound bow is generally created out of lightweight material like fiberglass, carbon composites, or aluminum.

The cam reduces the level of force an archer must use to draw back the arrow — effectively allowing them to retain it in a stable position longer to aim before shooting. Unlike a recurve bow, the compound bow is explicitly designed for the addition of accessories. Sight pins are probably the most popular accessories for this type of bow.

The pins permit the archer to aim more accurately for extended yardage. The sight pin also enables an archer to better determine how much draw weight is needed to release the arrow to hit the desired target at a specific distance. A traditional or long bow is definitely the most challenging of all bow types to operate when hunting wild game.

This extremely simplistic bow boasts just two pieces — the bow itself and the string. In modern times, the traditional bow is primarily used for competition shooting, but it can also be used for hunting. Even traditionalists who use it for hunting do no frequently hunt large game with the long bow — although it can be done depending upon the strength and skill or the archer.

A heavier draw weight must be used when hunting than during archery contests. You can make a straight bow yourself or purchase one at a store or online. Like the recurve bow, the traditional bow is now designed for any accessories to be added. This means the drawing, aiming, and firing are done entirely manually. The act of drawing the bow is not complicated, but it does require strength. Drawing a straight bow requires turning the arch of the bow curve toward you while holding the arrow between your fingers on the bow.

Traditional bows are commonly made of wood but can also be found made of fiberglass composite materials. The biggest challenge when shooting a traditional bow relates to the high draw weight the archer must manipulate when pulling the string backwards.

When the string is released improperly, the welt on your arm can be substantial. A crossbow looks and acts more like a firearm than a bow. Many die-hard archers — especially men, look down upon the compound bow because of its highly automated shooting style… they consider it breaking the rules.

Crossbows are primarily used for hunting, but have also been used in archery competitions. A trigger is squeezed to release both the string and the arrow on a crossbow. Fans of crossbows rave about the high level of accuracy and quietness they possess. Being able to fire quietly, accurately, and rapidly is definitely a benefit when either hunting or using the bow for self-defense.

Being able to fire a bolt a great distance is also advantageous when hunting wild game so spooking your prey can be avoided. Crossbows are lightweight and small, making them more portable and easy to manage when traversing rough terrain.

The limbs on this type of bow are smaller than those on a long bow, recurve bow, or a compound bow. Like compound bows, accessories can be mounted to a crossbow to enhance drawing, aiming, or firing.

This type of bow is made to be taken apart quickly and easily for transportation. While it is a good hunting bow, nothing about its design gives it an edge over other more popular styles of hunting bows. Typically, recurve bows also have bottom and top limbs that can be removed after the string is also taken off so it too can be broken down into three pieces for easy transport.

A barebow is a type of archery bow that does not have either a sight or a stabilizer. These bows are often used for competition shooting, and are similar in size and shape to many modern bow varieties but do not boast modern shooting aids like a sight, stabilizer, or clicker — for example.

Some barbows do have weights to a riser. Fans of barbows are traditional archers who are highly skilled and can aim and fire instinctively. This type of traditional archery bow is comprised of a single piece of wood. This style of bow can also include long bows and flat bows. Mounted archers used this style of specialized traditional recurve barebow because of its weight, size, and easy maneuverability while on horseback.