You’re at a your local archery shop and man, that recurve looks sweet! But wait, look at that compound bow with a bit more draw weight… Hold everything, check out that crossbow! Which one should you buy? What are the pros and cons? Where do you even start?
I’ll break it down and make it easy for you to figure out exactly which type of bow is right for you…
The simple answer is that crossbows are easy for anyone to pick up and use, and they’re more powerful. While recurve and compound bows take time to learn, but are more accurate when mastered. Either are great for hunting, yet only recurve and compound bows are allowed in tournaments by most competitive archery associations.
Crossbow vs. Bow
The choice of a standard bow (recurve or compound) or a crossbow depends on you and your individual preferences, because both types have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Easy to Use
If you are moving from hunting with a rifle to bow hunting, a crossbow is more comfortable to pick up – it has a similar way of working in that you load the weapon and then choose when to fire.
If you’ve never fired a bow and are entirely new to the sport of archery, then a crossbow is easier to learn than a standard bow. A beginner can learn to fire a crossbow in about an hour. Your first lesson doesn’t mean that you’re going to be a competent marksman or woman, but you will be able to load and use a crossbow in no time.
The compound bow requires more muscle strength and balance because you use your body to draw, aim, and fire the arrow. Generally, you can expect to spend up to six weeks learning the right form. And true archers always keep learning and getting better, over many years.
The crossbow is quick to assimilate the technique, while the standard bow requires you to build muscle memory and skill to learn the basics of shooting. It takes longer with a recurve or a compound bow, but you’ll be more accurate in the long run.
For ease of initial use, the crossbow has the edge.
Physical Limitations
Conventional wisdom pronounces that crossbows are more disability-friendly than compound bows, but this is a myth. There is a national organization (Physically Challenged Bow Hunters of America) that provide adaptions and training for both the compound bow and the crossbow. In the Paralympics, all the disabled athletes compete using a recurve bow.
That being said, crossbows that feature a built in crank (automatic cocking device) require less physical strength to draw, and you can use a heavier draw weight. If your crossbow doesn’t have one, you can buy a cocking device like this one and make your bow easy to cock without straining your muscles.
Once cocked, a crossbow remains ready to fire without placing physical stress on the archer.
While a compound bow requires the archer to physically draw and notch the arrow and hold in place before firing. Some adaptions can assist with both holding and releasing the arrow.
Using a compound bow requires a level of physical fitness like lifting weights, and places a strain on the muscles and joints. If you don’t maintain the level of fitness to make using a compound bow comfortable, you may prefer to invest in a crossbow.
For people with physical limitations, either bow type can work, but many people will find crossbows have the advantage.
Hunting in the Woods
A crossbow has a compact frame, while a compound bow has a long axel to axel length. These differences may slightly favor one over the other when hiding in cramped conditions like bushes.
On the other hand, the crossbow is heavier to handle compared with a light weight recurve or compound bow and is uncomfortable to hold across your lap while sitting and waiting for something to happen.
The crossbow is slower to reload than the compound bow, and the design is noisier when the arrow releases because of the way the kinetic energy is stored. The frame of the crossbow releases energy sharply and with more force than when a compound bow releases the arrow.
All states set limitations on when and how you can use a crossbow for hunting. These regulations are different from hunting with a compound bow. The hunting seasons for crossbow are generally much shorter than those for recurve or compound bows.
If you want a bow to bring down deer and other small to medium size game, you’ll get excellent results from either a crossbow or a compound bow if you put in the time to master the skills involved.
It’s a tough choice, but for hunting the crossbow just slightly edges out over the standard bow.
Power
Both bow and crossbow are short to medium range weapons with up to a maximum accurate range of between 60-80 yards.
The limit of the power of a compound or recurve bow is your human strength. While the crossbow gives additional mechanical power that exceeds this limit.
When it comes to stopping power, the crossbow is the winner.
Safety
A crossbow is a loaded weapon with a trigger – it does have safety locks. A compound bow is only a weapon when you’re in the process of drawing and firing the arrow. So, is a standard bow safer than a crossbow?
Statistically, the level of fatal hunting accidents is around the same with compound bows and crossbows. The unsafe aspect of either weapon lies with the human who’s using it. Fatal hunting accidents from all causes (guns, tripping falling out of trees) are low – less than a hundred across the United States in any year. This result indicates that bow hunters treat their weapons with respect, and accidental discharge is rare.
Although you might feel that a crossbow being ready to fire, is inherently more dangerous than a compound bow, the evidence does not indicate that the use of a crossbow results in more accidents. In safety terms, both bows seem relatively equal if the human in charge of the weapon behaves appropriately.
As far as safety is concerned, it’s a draw between standard bows and crossbows. Remember, safety is priority number 1 in archery.
Which Bow is Right for You?
The right bow depends on exactly what you hope to gain from the sport of archery.
Compound and recurve bows require you to become technically proficient and put in the time to learn the correct form and build muscle memory. If you are interested in archery as a target sport, the compound or recurve bow gives you bragging rights for being a professional archer. Neither has the edge when it comes to target shooting.
PRO TIP: If you’re thinking about getting a compound or recurve bow, do yourself a favor and pick up one of these. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Age changes everyone – a crossbow puts less physical demand on the body in operation and may suit you better if you are beginning to feel muscular twinges and aches in your joints.
Compound / Recurve Bow Advantages:
· Quiet and stealthy.
· Lighter to carry and fire.
· Quick to reload and take a second shot.
· Better accuracy, when mastered.
· Less likely to accidentally fire.
Compound / Recurve Bow Disadvantages:
· The time needed to acquire proficiency.
· Physical limitations to draw weight on your fitness and strength levels.
· Need to maintain skill level.
Crossbow Advantages:
· Easy to learn to operate.
· Less muscular and joint strain in use.
· Compact in small spaces.
· Smooth transition from rifles.
· Ready to fire with a trigger,
· Less physical limitations.
Crossbow Disadvantages:
· Slow to reload.
· Heavy compared with a compound bow.
· Complicated unload process to remove loaded arrow at the end of the hunt.
· Relatively noisy compared with a vertical bow.
· State regulations of crossbow hunting vary widely.
People choose to buy their first bow or crossbow for many reasons. Some of the most popular are: Mastering a new skill, Physical and mental fitness, Competitive shooting and Hunting.
Mastering a New Skill
The habit of learning new skills and techniques keeps your brain and body agile. Archery has a long history. Crossbows have been around from as far back as 5BC. The simple bow as far back as the stone age. These days you can buy high tech bows and crossbows that are as accurate and deadly as firearms.
If you like challenging yourself, then take up the bow – you develop skills and technique only through patient and persistent practice. If you just want get out there and get shooting without a lot of practice, then buy a crossbow. The crossbow is quick to pick up, and you get the fun of hitting some targets (stationary or moving) in a shorter time frame.
Physical and Mental Fitness
If your goal is to improve your muscle tone and calm your mind, then the standard bow – compound or recurve is your best choice. Mastery of the compound bow requires the correct stance and physical strength – you work your upper body with the toning effect of weight training.
You need muscle power to draw the bowstring into the correct position and to hold it there while you prepare to fire. You can work your body to the edge of your physical capabilities. As you improve you can then move up to a bow with a higher draw weight.
The mental aspect of the training comes from the need to focus – a moving meditation similar to Tai Chi in bringing the bow to the firing point, stilling the mind, and releasing the arrow to find the target. When firing at the target, no archer is worrying about their quarterly sales figures.
If you are looking for an activity to give you physical fitness and stress relief, then archery for fun or competition is an excellent choice.
Competitive Sport
Archery is both an Olympic and a Paralympic sport, and if you want to take part in competitive archery, you’ll need a recurve bow.
The leading archery associations – National Field Archery Association (NFFA), Archer Shooter’s Association (ASA), and the International Bowhunters Organization (IBO) all insist on compound or recurve bows. They won’t allow crossbows in their competitions or tournaments.
If you you do want to shoot a crossbow competitively, then your alternative is the World Crossbow Shooting Association (WCSA), of which USA Crossbow Inc is a founding member.
Hunting
Despite the ruthless efficiency of rifles and shotguns, around a million American hunters prefer to hunt with a bow, and these numbers are rising.
Hunting in the woods tends to favor the compact and easy to use crossbow. The crossbow is a natural transition from a rifle with similar principles. Crossbows pack plenty of power in a straightforward technique.
Fishing with a bow or bowfishing is a popular sport in many states. If you are thinking about this sport, you’ll need a light recurve or compound bow with around 30-40lb draw weight.
How to Choose Between a Bow and a Crossbow
The best way to choose between a bow and a crossbow if you are entirely new to archery is to try both.
The compound bow takes longer to learn, so it’s best if you start lessons with a compound bow before trying a crossbow. That way round, you avoid making a choice based on the crossbow being quicker to learn.
Most stores selling bows have access to a target range so you can road test the bow or crossbow that appeals to you. Call around to the archery shops near you and try to visit as many of them that have shooting ranges as you can. That’ll give you the chance to try out as many different bows / crossbows as possible.
Trying out both types of bows over a few weeks gives you an indication of:
· Comfort – Which bow type suits you for lifting, carrying, aiming, and firing.
· Accuracy – Which bow lets you hit the target more frequently?
· Distance – What is the optimum range for the arrow with your preferred bow?
· Noise – If you’re interested in hunting, how do their noise levels compare?
Crossbows and bows are different, and what suits one archer will not suit another. Plus, your needs as an archer, hunter, and target shooter will change as you grow more proficient, and your body changes with time.
Experience using a bow is the best way to learn which type suits you. Both crossbows and compound bows are affordable for beginners. Time spent experimenting lets you buy with confidence when you decide to upgrade to a top model.