Even in this age of high-end compound bows, a traditional recurve bow is still a popular option for target archery and hunting.
Even though it is smaller, it is more efficient than straight-limbed bows like longbows. Many archers prefer traditional archery, relying only on instinct and focus instead of using sight and other aids.
In this post, I will explain how a recurve bow works and what makes it more efficient than the other bow types.
First, let’s go over the key components of a recurve bow and their characteristics.
Parts of a recurve bow
A recurve bow has three parts: the riser, i.e., the handle, the limbs, and the bowstring. You can also add accessories of your choice, like sights, arrow rests, clickers, and more.
The riser
It is the central part of the bow that an archer holds.
Traditional recurve bows, like our Mongolian recurve bow, have wooden risers. Modern options, such as our black hunter takedown recurve bow, have metal or carbon fiber risers for extra durability.
Functions of a riser
- It serves as a connecting piece for the upper and lower limbs and houses important accessories such as sights and arrow rests.
- It helps distribute the force evenly when drawing and shooting the recurve bow.
- It helps transfer the energy stored in the limbs to the arrows.
The next important component of a recurve bow is its limbs.
Limbs of a recurve bow
The limbs of a recurve bow curve away from the archer, which makes it unique. While the upper and lower limbs look almost the same, they often have slightly different draw weights, with the lower limb being heavier to balance out the bow when shooting.
When you draw the bow, the limbs begin to bend, making a number ‘3’ shape.
The bow’s reflexed limbs make it powerful enough to shoot up to 400 yards, although the effective range is around 55 yards.
Here’s why the recurved limbs are highly effective and powerful.
The energy storage mechanism of a recurve bow
To draw the bow, you need to apply force to the string. This force also pulls the limbs towards the archer, causing them to bend or flex.
The bent limbs store more potential energy, which varies depending on the limb’s draw weight and draw length.
- The more the draw weight, the more force you have to apply to draw the bow, and the more potential energy will be stored.
- The longer the draw length, the more distance you need to pull it, and the more energy will be stored.
When you release the bowstring, the stored potential energy gets converted to kinetic energy. Due to this efficient energy storage, the arrow is more likely to travel faster and farther than other bows.
Now, let’s learn about the third component of a recurve bow.
Bowstring of a recurve bow
Bowstrings are made of durable but stretchable materials like Dacron, Fast Flight, Vectran, and more.
The string plays a major role in transferring the stored energy from the limbs to the arrow, thereby propelling it forward. High-quality strings can reduce vibration and improve the accuracy of the shots.
Now that we have explored the components let’s understand how a recurve bow works.
The working mechanism of a recurve bow
As I said in the beginning, a recurve bow works by storing potential energy in its curved limbs and releasing it to shoot an arrow.
The process remains the same for straight-limbed bows like a longbow. But, the recurved limbs need more energy to be drawn, so they store more enegy than the other ones.
Let’s understand this in detail.
Energy storage in a recurve bow
The limbs of the recurve bows are designed to bend significantly when the bow is drawn. This significant bending increases the tension in them.
The limbs of the longbows bend, too, but they do not store energy as efficiently as the recurved ones.
For a more comprehensive comparison, you can read my article on recurve bow versus longbow.
Here are four things you must know to understand what makes recurve bow a popular choice for a fast-paced shooting environment.
- Recurve bow limbs are made of highly flexible materials like wood composite, fiberglass or carbon. Their flexibility allows the limbs to store more energy than straight-limbed bows.
- The more the draw length, the more the limbs bend and the more energy they store.
- The amount of energy stored directly depends on how much the limbs are bent. That’s why the bow is at its maximum potential at full draw.
- When you release the string, the limbs snap forward, converting potential energy to kinetic energy almost instantly. This helps the arrows travel fast and in a flatter trajectory ( I have explained this below).
Now that we have understood the concept behind recurve bows’ unique reflexed design let’s evaluate their benefits and limitations.
Advantages of a recurve bow
Here are some of the primary reasons why recurve bows appeal to both beginners and advanced archers.
Efficient energy transfer
I have already explained this above.
When the archer pulls the string back for drawing, he creates tension in the limbs. This tension is significantly more than what other types of bows get. And, the more the tension, the more efficient the energy transfer.
Flatter trajectory
As obvious from its name, a flatter trajectory means the arrow travels rather directly toward the target in an almost straight line instead of traveling in an arc.
Here are the three benefits of a flatter trajectory.
- Arrows traveling in flatter trajectories are less affected by gravity and wind.
- Even if you miscalculate the distance, the arrow is more likely to hit the target due to the arrow’s speed.
- The arrow will travel faster, which is especially helpful for hunting.
Better accuracy
A flatter trajectory gives better accuracy.
Moreover, recurve bows give a more organic shooting experience. The release is much smoother, which minimizes disruptions and bow torque.
Easier to carry
Recurve bows are shorter than longbows and less complex than compound bows. They are easier to handle and carry, especially during hunting.
Easier to maintain
Recurve bows are less expensive than compound bows. Plus, they do not have any mechanical parts, such as cable slides. This means recurve bows require less maintenance than compound bows.
With all these advantages come some minor drawbacks that you should know before you buy a recurve bow.
Drawbacks of a recurve bow
Despite their simple construction, recurve bows are rather more challenging to use. Let’s see how.
Requires upper body strength
Compound bows have several aids and mechanical systems that reduce the archer’s load when holding a fully drawn bow. Recurve bows, however, do not offer any such benefit. You have to use your own strength to draw the bow and shoot the arrow. If you are strong enough to handle the draw weight, you might lose your balance.
Just in case you don’t know, draw weight refers to the amount of force an archer needs to apply to pull the string to a full draw.
Challenging to master
As I said above, traditional recurve bows do not come with many aids. You can add sights, but you still need to trust your intuition and judgment. This could be pretty challenging initially, but with time, you will acquire the intuitive skills required for mastering recurve bow archery.
Wrap up
A recurve bow’s simplicity, along with exceptional energy efficiency, makes it a versatile option for beginners, recreational archers, as well as those into competitive archery.
Remember, you need to get a bow that fits you. Here’s how you can find out the best size for your recurve bow. In case you are interested in buying one, do check out my list of best recurve bows for beginners.
