Recurve bow and longbow represent the most common types of bows seen in the hands of horseback archers today.
You can easily spot the recurve bow by taking a look at the end of the bow limbs or limb tips, which curve away toward the target away from the archer.
In some cases, there is a little to no difference between the static and working recurve bow. But before we conclude, let’s take a look more in-depth at each of these bows.
Longer and Shorter Bow
Although it is not always but almost all longer bows are static recurves while shorter bows can be either working or static recurves.
The main difference between the working and static recurve can be seen clearly at the end of the bow limbs.
When the working recurve bow is drawn, the limb tips uncurl, meanwhile on the static recurve bow, when drawn, even though the limb itself bends but the limb tips of the bow remain to stay still.
Storing More Energy
The main advantage of static recurves over working recurves is that they usually store more energy (than working recurves) and reduces stack [em dash]-the feeling where the bow suddenly become harder toward the end of the draw.
There are various factors that cause static recurves to store more energy such as a change in string angle, a change in limb length, and so forth.
They are both a good thing essentially because the more energy that the bow is able to store the more power it has to push the arrow, and the less “stack” the bow is, the more smooth your shooting will be.
On the other hand, as the static recurve is designed to unbend, it has a heavier rigid limb tip than limb tip of the working recurve which means that the static recurve has more mass in the limb, and more mass means the slower the arrow flight.
All of these means that static recurves have a poorer performance at low draw weight. So if you are considering a static recurve bow over a working recurve, then you might want to consider the static recurve bow with a lighter mass in the rigid part of the limb tip
Some of The Most Notable Static and Working Recurves
An example of a working recurve bow is the Samick SKB which you can get at around $160 while the Grozer Turkish, and a Hungarian style horsebow are two of the most notable example of working recurves.
Also read: Best Recurve Bow