Serious Question...Compound and Recurve

[PRB]

What is the advantages of a compound crossbow over a recurve limb crossbow ?
This question is for my personal benefit only.
First off Im not trying to disrespect anyones choice of bow. Also I know there are some of you on here that own Excalibur crossbows but also own a compound crossbow and like it just as much if not more.
Please no bashing
Seriously though I know one advantage is that the compound bows are more compact. I believe this is some advantage when walking through the thick woods ect...I dont do that so Im not experienced with that.
I also know some crossbows are somewhat quieter than others but are still loud enough for a deer to hear. So thats not a factor for me.
Are some of the compounds made with "let off" thus causing easier wear on the string and serving ? For me its also not if the manufacturer does or does not implement a dryfire mechanism.
So other than being more compact and the other things Ive mentioned then what are the advantages ?
Sorry if the answer is not obvious for me but the question is serious and not a competition of who's is better or not. Im also asking becuase I was asked this question and I was not really sure of the answer other than what I mentioned above and told the guy that I would try and find out the pros and cons.
Thanks

[xeon]

Im thinking that it would be in most everyones interest to make a comparison chart and make it a page on the main excalibur website. I know when I was purchasing a crossbow, I was having a ton of mixed feelings on the Horton or Excalibur. I didnt choose the Horton because I put my finger above the string, and I was pissed off at it. Otherwise, Id still be thinking. And the Horton has a gay stock that you cant grip. The main points I put in !...!

Recurve ADV:
-Simple
-No Moving Parts
-!REPLACE STRING YOURSELF!

Recurve DISADV:
-Longer Limbs
-No Let Off
-Less 'Cool' looking

Compound ADV
-Let-Off
-Shorter Limbs
-Nicer Look
-Modern Hunting Compounds Shoot Faster (Stryker?)

Compound DISADV:
-Moving Parts
-Need To Bring to Bow Shop for Strings
-!HEAVYER THAN RECURVES!


!!!!KEEP ADDING TO THE LIST!!!!

[spitfire125]

Well I have owned both compound and recurve.I will never again own a compound crossbow,Not only does the string let go but the cables too.I do have to admit they are quieter than a recurve bow.
But what happened today proves why i stand by my excalibur exocet 200.With deer season now closed for another year its time to prepare for the up coming 3D target season, which my dad and I have been doing for quite a few years now.My dad hunts with the exocet, and shoots 3D's with his phoenix.My dad got the phoenix out yesterday to restring it and notice that his right limb had a 2.5 inch split in it.Well you say "that happens once in awhile".Well folks this is the the 3rd time this has happened to this bow.So today we took the trip to kitchener from
Woodstock to see Mr. Troughbridge.They let us sit in their beautiful board room and admire the different animal mounts and a variety of RECURVE crossbows. Mr. Troughbridge was very apoligetic and went to the back and got not one new limb but two brand new limbs free of charge , plus he gave us a couple of complimentary hats.Thanks Again Mr .Troughbridge!
It takes about 10 min. to replace both limbs on a recurve crossbow.Im not sure how long it would take on a compound crossbow but im sure it would have to be alot longer.
If you blow a string on a 3D course, well all you have to do is resting the bow with a new string.
If you blow a string on a compound crossbow, well you better have a bow press with you to restring that bow and you will likely encounter some damage to your cables ,limbs ,and maybe your cams.

RECURVE ALL THE WAY!!!!!!

[taureau noir]

I've been bowhunting for over 46 years and a recurve bow versus a compound bow is the same as crossbows.
A recurve crossbow is simple, faster,easier to replace a string in the wood,while a damage string mean stopping hunting to go back to the pro-shop to have the string replace.Compound crossbows has axle shims weakeness,and tension stay on at all time unless you have the string remove by a pro-shop.
Ihad coumpound and recurved bows and a light recurve is easier to hunt with.
Just my 2 cents.
Taureau noir

[Digger]

I have owned both styles of xbows. I find recurves better because of ease of use , less maintanence, and less weight. They also take a lighter bolt for more speed. I only have my Excalibur Paradox and Ten Point Titan to class them against and other than the compounds being heavier and less maintenace than I can preform, I found them both accurate and easy to cock.

[shurite44]

My fist xbow was a compound, a Barnett revolution. Not as accurate as I thought it should be, the bolt retainer was flimsy, bolts would fall out of it and the quiver. It shot very hard though. I dry fired it one time and it blew up. Barnett did have excellent service, did not charge me for new limbs and strings and had it back in a week.

Then I bought a used exomag and I sold the Barnett on ebay. Barnett held it's value, I got more than I paid for it I believe. The exomag is better quality in all aspects and the recurve is great because of the simplicity. I don't notice the difference in width really with it cocked, I am sure it is wider but does not seem to hamper me.

I also have a maxpoint like the excal paradox compound xbow. I really like it, just like shooting the exomag really, but it is balanced a little better. I shoot a 460 grain total weight carbon bolt with a four bladed 125 grain muzzy. Very accurate, almost as accurate as the exomag I would say. If I had the varizone on it I bet it would be just as accurate. I think it is the hardest shooting xbow I have shot. And the Barnett shot very hard, but the maxpoint seems to bury the bolts a little deeper, than it or the exomag.

I bought my son a vixen and it is a dream to shoot and carry. Best choice for a stalking deer xbow I think.

If I had to choose I will vote recurve, the benefits of the recurve outweigh the benefits of the compound in my opinion.

If I ever get another compound it will be a ten point, maybe the slider, I almost bought one for my son but I got a better deal on the vixen.

I should add I am a novice to the xbow, so take that with the advice.

[saxman]

I have only owned 2 crossbows.The first was a Barnett Quad 400 I had trouble with the dealer in setting it up because I traded a compound bow that I had won from Buckmasters for it,he gave me mixed parts,the scope was crooked and the x bow was used,once I got all that worked out and got a new Barnett with new parts I started shooting and looking at this forum and reading abot x bows so I wondered If I could sell the Barnett while it was new and get an Excal,so thats what I did,I put it on E bay and sold it to a lady who was buying it for her boyfriend.Two days later I get an e mail that the Barnett has exploded and parts went everywhere,the guy was not hurt thank God.I got them in touch with Barnett and they sent them a new bow which I told them to sell and they did and bought and Excal.
So I guess I'm saying the compounds scare me and I have had no trouble with the Excal.

[bait pile willie]

I have owned a 10 pt(called HUNTER) then, exocet,sold them both easily,and bought a vixen deluxe. no problems with any of them most adv. and disadv. already stated,except the hunter had a dry fire feature,with all the threads on here a few months ago may nt be such a bad idea on a crossbow. but it would drive the price up ,along with the weight.if you have to shoot it off to let it down in rocky ground or frozen ground its hard on the arrows.I would only buy a top end compound bow,I have hear to many problems about some of the cheaper compounds.have you noticed horton and 10 pt. removed their 330 fps from the marketplace.

[shurite44]

I would not judge all compounds using Barnett as the yardstick. I think ten point is especially a good xbow. Barnett's are basically junk. Saxman my experience with barnett is very similar to yours, LOL.

[golfcat]

One of the other disadvantages for me was the difficulty in cocking the compounds. In Oklahoma the only way you can legally shoot a crossbow is if you are physically handicapped in some way. With the recurve I can cock it with the string cocker because it starts out at a low poundage and then ramps up. With the compound it starts out high and then drops at the breakover. For my situation I could not physically cock the compound without going to a crank style cocker. More money, more stuff to break or lose.

The rest of the advantage/disadvantages are pretty much already listed. I really like the idea that I can restring my own without having to deal with the local archery shop, who I consider to be a bunch of elitist jerks, that sort of look down on crossbow hunters in general, regardless of the handicap. As I write this I also remembered I didn't like them when I could still shoot a vert bow.

Roger

[Matthias72]

Not all Compund crossbows need a local archery shop to change string:
New Stryker crossbow has a system with a cable "similar" with Excalibur system.
And if you have an Horton crossbow or every kind of others "one limb" crossbows, you can change string easily making a system like this one:

two alluminum (in red) shafts and a string with a correct lenght.

[GaryL]

All post above pretty much answer your questions PRB. The big disadvantage with Stryker and TenPoint I now see is the PRICE RANGE as I am on a FIXED INCOME, however if I wanted one I would fine the way EH!!

The newer compounds do peak my interest very much I must admit

[rutman]

I'll take any crossbow as long as it has excaliburs trigger mech.

[GaryL]

Well fellows got to admit this is well sorta a nice feature!!



Stryker
175lb draw weight - 425 grain bolt - 405 feet per second - package inc. multiple reticle red-dot 1 x 30 scope, 4 425gr bolts, hard carrying case, detachable sling, black 4 bolt hip quiver, extra string & string changer - camo finish

$1575.00 plus or minus a little depending on whom you buy it from ....

I'm still a die-hard EXCALIBUR FAN ....

[PRB]

Excellent
Thank you all very much for your answers. And good ones at that I have printed this page for a reference. I also have been educated on a couple of other aspects I didnt think of.
Thanks again.