Traditional Recurve Bows

[Lodge2004]

A few months ago I purchased an inexpesive bow for my 8yr old daughter and have been having fun shooting it with her in the back yard. Now I'm interested in getting a "real" one for myself. Being a history buff and since I'm only doing this for fun, I'd really like to get something different from what's available at the local sporting goods store. Have been looking at horsebows on-line. It seems like all of them are made overseas and the ordering/purchase process is not easy to figure out. Also, the prices are all over the place (reminds me of trying to buy a mattress).

Anybody out there have any experience with traditional recurve bows (i.e. mongolian, hungarian, korean, etc..)? Looking for advice as to quality of the different models, what are reasonable prices and where to find.

[Dragonfighter]

A few months ago I purchased an inexpesive bow for my 8yr old daughter and have been having fun shooting it with her in the back yard. Now I'm interested in getting a "real" one for myself. Being a history buff and since I'm only doing this for fun, I'd really like to get something different from what's available at the local sporting goods store. Have been looking at horsebows on-line. It seems like all of them are made overseas and the ordering/purchase process is not easy to figure out. Also, the prices are all over the place (reminds me of trying to buy a mattress).

Anybody out there have any experience with traditional recurve bows (i.e. mongolian, hungarian, korean, etc..)? Looking for advice as to quality of the different models, what are reasonable prices and where to find.

How traditional do you want? A good American made longbow will run you $250-500 new (I'm assuming we're not talking target bows here). I would not buy a foreign made bow...period. But

There are a ton of recurves out there that have synthetic combinations of frame and limbs. I'm a wood type guy. If I'm shooting space age polymers and alloys, I might as well get a compound. I have a Bear 50# recurve that I've owned for a long time (26 years maybe?). Hadn't strung it in a couple of years but it is all wood and is comparable to the Kodiak Magnum. I hadn't bow hunted in probably twenty years but it would sling 'em out there. Probably would have done better if I was a decent shot. Bears are built in Michigan.

I found a Kodiak magnum on Craigslist for $150 dollars. They are around $400 new.

Now if you reeeeaaalllly want traditional:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWVrNbEMqRg

[woodsong]

Ebay