Recurve crossbows boast simplistic designs that have been around for many years. Due to this simplicity they have very few breakable and fragile mechanical components and therefore will experience few breakdowns and malfunctions. Recurve crossbows are designed to provide ease in mobility due to their lightweight nature. This allows a hunter to hike through the woods with an eased burden on their bodies. These bows are also incredibly accurate and powerful.
There is no knob tweaking necessary to allow your equipment to line up properly and you can easily take down big game. As with all things on the market these days, there is a plethora of designs and varying degrees of quality to choose from. Choosing the right crossbow for your purposes can be a daunting and intimidating task, especially if you are a beginner.
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What is a Recurve Crossbow?
A recurve crossbow is based on some of the oldest designs for standard recurve longbows. The term “recurve” is indicative of the small “curves” at the ends of the bow that will point away from the archer. Recurve crossbows have been around for a long time. Their design was taken from the early long bows of Egypt, Greece and China. The long bow was shortened and mounted on a handle with locks and triggers. Often times recurve crossbows were designed with hard, flexible wood. Modern recurve crossbows are now made with wood, aluminum, carbon fibre or magnesium alloy.
Recurve vs. Compound Crossbows
The biggest difference between a recurve and compound crossbow is the size and strength. Recurves have a longer bow and draw length. Because of this, recurves allow for more acceleration. The compound crossbows on the other hand are shorter and offer the advantage of reloading more quickly due to the shorter draw length.
Another mark difference between the two types is the sound that they make when fired. Recurve crossbows are louder due to their size and compounds can be quieter. This, of course, depends on the design behind your equipment. For hunting purposes, one would think that the quieter compound crossbow would be more desirable. This allows you to keep your prey at a safe distance without worrying about them discovering your presence in their territory. Contrarily, the recurve will offer more power and speed as well as longer ranges and acceleration.
Best Recurve Crossbow
1. SAS Desert Hawk 225lbs Next G1 Camo Recurve Crossbow 4×32 Scope Package
This impressive equipment boasts an impressive 4.8 star review from happy Amazon customers. The Desert Hawk has a draw weight of 225lbs and a 13 1/2 inch power stroke. The limb is made from compression moulded fibreglass with a reinforced composite stock. The crossbow comes with an auto safety cocking mechanism. Every single customer review for this crossbow is a 4 or higher. Customers are quite pleased with the quality, accuracy and draw weight. One customer does caution that it is necessary to polish the claw. If this is not done, the customer said that the strings will be easily worn out.
This attractive crossbow is economically priced and holds an impressive 4.2 star rating from happy Amazon customers. Some of the more common customer complaints for this unit are the strong kick back and cheap string hooks that ended up breaking. These unsatisfied customers were a minority with the majority of buyers being pleased with the price, high quality, power and accuracy. Many customers have used this crossbow for hunting large and small game with great success. It should be noted that the arrows that come with the unit are for practice and not for hunting large game.
The Inferno is a moderately priced crossbow kit that has earned itself a 3.7 star review rating from Amazon customers. Customers are very happy with the power packed by this crossbow, the easy to follow instructions and the accuracy. Positive reviewers did offer the following words of caution, the stock is fairly short, lock tight should be applied to all bolts on the body of the bow, the string and rail should be waxed every 10 shots or so and the 16” bolts that are included in the package seemed inadequate and it is recommended to opt for 20” carbon bolts. There was only one negative review on this product and the customer is assuming that they received a faulty unit. The customer had issues with the cocking mechanism malfunctioning.
Conclusion
Choosing a recurve crossbow is an exciting endeavour. It is important to choose a unit that can stand up to the power behind the shots. Choose a bow that is made from high quality, durable materials that are built to last. Whether you are purchasing this unit for target practice or pest control.