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Is a longbow good for beginners?

Author

Rachel Ellis

Published Jan 07, 2026

An English Longbow is the most basic (and the most fun) form of archery you can enjoy. A simple stick and string that utilises the archers' skill and instincts. It's the most challenging but also the most rewarding of the bow types. Each bow is unique with no two bows alike.

Which is easier to shoot recurve or longbow?

Longbows are generally more forgiving than recurves, largely because the grip design and straight limbs make torquing the bow more difficult.

Is a longbow easy to use?

Longbows are just all around more gentle on your fingers and your joints than most other types of bows, which makes them easier for most newbie archers to learn how to shoot. On the downside, longbows can have more “hand shock” than most other types of bows.

Is a longbow hard to shoot?

Generally, the more "traditional" style long bows, that is D limb bows, with no relfex/deflex and with relatively straight grips and that are not cut very close to center are harder for most people to learn to shoot.

What type of bow should a beginner use?

​The best type of bow for a beginner is a recurve bow. This will enable you to learn the basics of archery with the most versatile and cost effective type of bow before you consider getting a more expensive compound.

19 related questions found

Can you teach yourself archery?

It's a question that we get all the time: Can archery be self taught? The simple answer is yes, archery can be self taught if you study everything that you can, ask experienced archers for help, constantly strive to perfect your form, put in a lot of practice and keep safety as your number one priority at all times.

How much should I spend on my first bow?

Set a Budget

Many compound bows cost over $1,000, but Wenberg said you'll find high-quality bows for under $500. A more expensive bow won't necessarily make you more accurate. In fact, some faster, more expensive bows give beginners trouble.

Are longbows powerful?

The best longbows were made of yew, might have required a force of as much as 150 to 180 pounds (70 to 80 kg) to draw, and shot arrows a cloth yard (about 37 inches, or 94 cm) long, with an effective range of some 450 to 1,000 feet (140 to 300 metres) depending on the weight of the arrow.

Are longbows heavy?

The longbow is a martial-ranged weapon that deals 1d8 piercing damage, costs 50 gp, and weighs about 2 lbs. In appearance, it is a bow roughly 6 ft.

How long will a longbow last?

A properly maintained longbow with regular restringing can last as long as your body can use the bow, with the average around 20 to 30 years, and it will still be in good enough condition to pass on to someone else. The life of a longbow ends because of: Mechanical Damage – Broken tips and cracks in the body.

What's better recurve or longbow?

Recurve bows draw more smoothly, in general, but bow designs play significant roles in how they draw. Well-designed longbows can be incredibly smooth, especially if their length matches the archer's draw length. Taller archers, for example, find longer bows smoother to draw than shorter bows.

What's better recurve bow or longbow?

Recurve bows: Recurve bows shoot faster and more powerfully than a long bow because of the number-three shape. At the tips, the bow curves out toward the target. The draw length on a recurve bow is more important than on a longbow. A traditional bow's bowstring can be drawn back as far as you are able to pull it.

What is the easiest bow to shoot?

Compound Bow

Compound bows are a compromise between recurves and crossbows, in that they're easier to shoot than recurves and more challenging than crossbows.

Can you hunt with a longbow?

If you're looking for a real challenge, try deer hunting with a longbow — where 20 yards is a long shot. It'll push your woodsmanship to the limits and make you a better hunter. A stick and a string — the only things standing between a traditional archery hunter and harvesting a whitetail.

What size longbow do I need?

What size longbow do I need? A longbow should fit to your height plus a couple of inches as a rough guide. If you shoot one that is too short, you will find the bow won't feel smooth to draw. Too long and there is a waste of energy with the extra height of the limbs at full draw.

What is better crossbow or longbow?

In fact, during field-battles the longbow had a clear advantage over its counterpart. Not only could a longbow fire further than a crossbow – at least until the latter half of the 14th century – but a longbowman's average rate of fire was significantly greater than that of a crossbowman.

Can gnome use longbow?

The loading characteristic means you can only fire once per round. This means that if you are a gnome or halfling ranged character, you must take the Crossbow Expert feat in order to put out 1d8 (longbow) base damage more than once per round.

What country used the longbow first?

The longbow was invented by the Celts in Wales around 1180 C.E. but was not really used by the English military until the 1300s. The longbow is an incredibly strong piece of wood roughly 6 feet tall and 5/8 inch wide.

How far does a longbow shoot?

Modern longbows have a useful range up to 180 m (200 yd). A 667 N (150 lbf) Mary Rose replica longbow was able to shoot a 53.6 g (1.9 oz) arrow 328 m (360 yd) and a 95.9 g (3.3 oz) a distance of 249.9 m (272 yd). A flight arrow of a professional archer of Edward III's time would reach 400 yds.

What weight longbow should I get?

If you're used to shooting a compound bow, I advise that you start out with a traditional bow 15 pounds lighter than the peak weight of your compound. For example, if you're comfortably shooting a 65-pound compound, I would suggest a 50-pound longbow or recurve at your draw.

When did armies stop using the longbow?

In the 16th century the handgun replaced the longbow. The first handguns were primitive but they gradually improved and by the 1580s the longbow was obsolete. The English navy officially stopped using the longbow in 1595. The last battle to involve the longbow was Tippermuir in Scotland in 1644.

What does a longbow look like?

A longbow (known as warbow in its time, in contrast to a hunting bow) is a type of tall bow that makes a fairly long draw possible. A longbow is not significantly recurved. Its limbs are relatively narrow and are circular or D-shaped in cross section.

How much is a beginner bow?

If you're interested in comparing lower-priced compound bows for beginners, many people recommend that you stick to a budget of between $150 to $400 to make sure you're getting a bow that's worth your money.

How do I know my draw weight?

The draw weight is marked on the bow's lower limb with the pound sign (#),such as 35# @ 28”. That translates to 35 pounds of draw weight at a 28-inch draw length. Here's an example to help understand how draw weight varies with draw length.

What is a good price for a bow?

A huge number of bows cost between $500 and $700. Most bow manufacturers make a lower end model or kit that costs around $600. And, the flagship bows from a couple years back usually resell around this price as well. Search for used bows that have had good reviews like the Hoyt Defiant or Mathews Halon.