# Effective target range for recurve?



## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

I've hit, and have seen others hit targets at 100 yards, without a sight or stabilizer.

the accuracy is nothing like 20 yards, of course, but it is possible


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## stew (Jun 15, 2005)

With the correct arrow, well tuned bow, good form and good release. I see no reason why you can't shoot targets to 50 yards or more. Will take a lot of good practice but I've seen really good archers do it. I shot 40 yards with accuracy for many years.


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## kokobridge (Feb 22, 2015)

Thinking about it some more, I guess a recurve bow is perfectly capable since inherently it enables (albeit w/ sights/stabilizers) 70m in competition. Maybe not the Sage specifically but perhaps higher end recurves in general. The accessories don't make the bow better but rather the shooter more consistent.

So, it sounds like 40-50 yards with basically a bare but well tuned bow/arrow/technique, with practice, is definitely reasonable.

But perhaps 80 yards, except for the more exceptional archers, average people will likely need some assistance with advanced rests/plungers, sights/stabilizers and/or clicker. Again, the bow may be capable but shooters will generally need some aids to be more consistently accurate.

Thanks!! This helps set expectations quite a bit. (ie - I should expect to need some accessory to maintain accuracy to go beyond 40 yards or so; with good tuning and technique, I should be able to hit 6" plates out to about 40 yards with just a bare bow).


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## Zurf (Mar 8, 2014)

In my experience, somewhere around 6 inches...


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

I've shot 70m target tourney as Recurve Barebow and Field out to 80y, it just takes more practice and time to build some confidence. I could hit at those distances with my Longbow but the Recurve, plunger, rest and Carbon arrows really helps maintain some reasonable consistency and grouping. Still no match for the good sighted Archers but good enough to earn their respect.









This is some 70m practice shots when I was trying to decide what arrows to use for 70m tourney last Summer, I went with the green fletch in the end.


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## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

kokobridge said:


> But perhaps 80 yards, except for the more exceptional archers, average people will likely need some assistance with advanced rests/plungers, sights/stabilizers and/or clicker. Again, the bow may be capable but shooters will generally need some aids to be more consistently accurate.


While longer shots do require more consistency in shot execution, particularly when it comes to release and draw length, you don't have to be that exceptional to get it in the ball park. What you do need to do is figure out an aiming relationship. I.e., for 80 yards, I line up the target roughly with the top of my hand. I say roughly, because I haven't nailed it down with my newest bow yet. I really should practice more, and at different distances, more often before it's time for Redding again 

But, if you can determine an aiming method, and keep your shots consistently, landing an arrow on an elephant at 100 yards isn't that big a deal.

Now, shooting like Steve, well, good luck, and get cracking on the practice!


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## kokobridge (Feb 22, 2015)

I'd be pretty happy with Steve's larger group at 70m. Let alone the green fletched group. 

We're not that ambitious. We just want to be able to shoot decently for a monthly outdoor course shooter - at least get it on paper at 70m, maybe even keep the arrows within the black or blue rings (on a 122cm target).

We may reach a point where we'll have to decide whether we keep to instinctive and limit our distance (based on how much time we invest in practicing - not planning to really compete, this is just a challenging, enjoyable hobby). Or if we want to give up instinctive and use aids (of course, not disregarding technique) in order to get on paper at 70m.

Sounds like there may be an aiming method (tbd) that we can use to get out to 70m assuming we have the technique to back it up. Getting on paper shooting instinctively at 70m. That sounds promising.


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

All those little things that you get away with at 20 yards will be magnified as the range increased. If you can keep all your arrows on a regular nfaa target face at 40 yards you will be doing very well. I have been shooting that target at 30 yards the past couple weeks and it's difficult to make 240+/300. It's easy enough to try (if you have room) back up and see what happens. One thing is for sure, after you spend some time back there, the 20 yard shots seem easy.


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## kokobridge (Feb 22, 2015)

Hmmmm, maybe I should shoot the target at 70 yards for a couple of weeks. Then switch back to 20 yards. I should be able to cut years out of my practice time in getting to 240+ ..... 

There is definitely a non-linear relationship between skill required and target distance. Moving from 5 to 15 yards has been fairly linear and rapid. Moving from 15 to 20 yards has been a challenge so far. Hoping it'll click one day soon. 

When I last baselined my score at 20 yards, it was about 130-150; but that's when I was shooting about 190 at 10 yards. I'm now shooting about 250-260 at 10 yards. I need to go re-baseline 20 yards - I'm hoping I'm breaking 200 now.



centershot said:


> All those little things that you get away with at 20 yards will be magnified as the range increased. If you can keep all your arrows on a regular nfaa target face at 40 yards you will be doing very well. I have been shooting that target at 30 yards the past couple weeks and it's difficult to make 240+/300. It's easy enough to try (if you have room) back up and see what happens. One thing is for sure, after you spend some time back there, the 20 yard shots seem easy.


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## Matt_Potter (Apr 13, 2010)

I love seeing an arrow fly long - there is something magical about hitting what you are aiming at long range. If you take the time to figure out your aim points its amazing what you can do at 100 + yards

Matt


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## J. Wesbrock (Dec 17, 2003)

The NFAA Field round was standardized in 1942. It is shot out to 80 yards. York rounds preceed the field round by many decades are were shot out to 100 yards.


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## Nekekal (Dec 25, 2012)

I seem to have very little natural archery ability. I do shoot off the shelf instinctively. No sights, no looking down the arrow. Just point and shoot. I have been shooting my 38 lb bow out to 30 yards and do ok. I.e. All of the arrows are on the target. I have tried going to 35 yards and the results were about the same, but in the lower half of the target. At 40 yards the arrows were all very low. 

Nice group, just a foot low. I managed to get a few on the target by picking my point at the top of the target but this seems about the end of my useful range. Any farther out and I would be shooting at the tree tops to hit the target.

Maybe next year I will be better. Hopefully.


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

Nekekal it might be more about your aiming choice than skill level.

Instinctive is very effective at short ranges but becomes very difficult at longer distances. A lot of good tourney shooters I know keep instinct for short range and switch to Gap at longer distances.


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## Nekekal (Dec 25, 2012)

steve morley said:


> Nekekal it might be more about your aiming choice than skill level.
> 
> Instinctive is very effective at short ranges but becomes very difficult at longer distances. A lot of good tourney shooters I know keep instinct for short range and switch to Gap at longer distances.


Steve Morley, you are probably right. My brain seems to be having a hard time figuring out the drop of the arrow. After practicing at 30 yards, I am for me pretty consistant, but when I go in to 10 yards, I shoot high. 0 to 15 yards seems to be pretty much the same, then I shoot low for 20 to 30 and after that really low. I have not figured out how to point at different places on the target at different distances.

Maybe the old brain is not very agile.


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

One thing I did when I shot Longbow Instinctively was to use my pointer finger on my Bowhand, as the finger is curled around the grip I would use the knuckle, just like when you point at something with your finger I was able to build a relationship between where my knuckle pointed to where the arrow would go, I figured this ability is naturally inbuilt from childhood so why not take advantage of that ability for shooting. It worked pretty well for me, the other advantage is it helps develop a rock solid bow hand. :thumbs_up


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## goofyfoot2001 (Aug 1, 2014)

I put a laser beam on mine and it's awesome out to infinity...


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## patrick2cents (Jan 26, 2014)

I find a combination of facewalking and gaps really helps work out points of aim at longer ranges. I use my draw hand fingers in the corner of my mouth almost like pins (middle finger in the corner is good to point on of about 32 yards, pointer is point on at 40, jaw line 50.... etc) and gap in between those. I've found it very effective for getting arrows on target at longer ranges.


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## reddogge (Jul 21, 2009)

BTW all of this long distance aiming is done by trial and error and each archer has his individual system to shoot these distances.


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## Mirakk (Jan 16, 2015)

Korean traditional target archery is done at a range of 145 meters, barebow. Of course, scoring is a lot different. If you hit the red dot, you get 1 point. If you don't, you get 0.


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## larry tom (Aug 16, 2012)

centershot said:


> All those little things that you get away with at 20 yards will be magnified as the range increased. If you can keep all your arrows on a regular nfaa target face at 40 yards you will be doing very well. I have been shooting that target at 30 yards the past couple weeks and it's difficult to make 240+/300. It's easy enough to try (if you have room) back up and see what happens. One thing is for sure, after you spend some time back there, the 20 yard shots seem easy.


Amen to that. That was my experience as well when I was shooting bare bow. And its still true today for me even as I shoot full Oly recurve.  Larry


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Most people have no major issues keeping all the arrows on the 48" target at 60yds after a few months. Shooting long will show you how much form matters and aim doesn't.

-Grant


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## Matt_Potter (Apr 13, 2010)

Best thing I ever did for practicing long range was build a BIG target 4'x4' - takes some of the stress out.


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## Corene1 (Apr 27, 2014)

I think your maximum effective range depends on what style you are shooting. You have to develop a system that works for that style. If you are shooting IBO 3D a 50 yard point on and able to shoot 80 yards effectively isn't a good choice , conversely if you have a 20 yard point on the NFAA field round will give you a lot of grief. If you are just shooting for enjoyment and want to shoot longer distances, I would suggest 3 under with a fast arrow and a point on of about 40 yards. You can gap the closer ones and use the bow shelf for gapping the longer distances . I shoot primarily NFAA field rounds, my average at 80 yards is about 7 of 10 that score and I use the back of the shelf for sighting reference. I also take advantage of shooting an ILF setup with an arrow rest and that gives me a little more room for an 80 yard reference point on the shelf . As everyone has said. Long distance will test your form .


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