A comparison of accuracy, power, versatility, and reliability to see which is better when comparing the Longbow vs Compound Bow, looking at the strengths and weaknesses of each.
It’s a challenge of simplicity and time tested effectiveness vs efficiency and power. Compared to the longbow, the compound bow is baby. No, a fetus. The longbow has been around for centuries, no, thousands of years in one form or another. It’s time tested, and has been feeding our ancestors for a really long time. A compound bow is a modern invention, that has grown more efficient and more fancy as time has gone on.
The Ability to Feed Yourself with A Longbow vs a Compound Bow
Compound bow is shorter, more compact. It’s easier to maneuver in small spaces, but there are more moving parts, and the bowstring is zigzagged up and down the bow, so there are more things to get snagged on trees, shrubs, etc. That said, especially with a whisker biscuit arrow rest, its a little easier to go through the woods with an arrow on the string of a compound bow. The compound bow has a slight edge here.
Ability to Repair Longbow vs Compound Bow
You can make a long bow, but most people can’t build their own compound bow. If you are one of the few people that can make your own compound bow, lets be friends. A compound bow has so many moving parts. Pulleys, cams, arms, peep sights, sometimes even an arrow rest, string holder, and stabilizer. There are a lot of pieces that can go wrong, and that most people can’t fix on their own without all the proper equipment.
If the string on your longbow breaks, its not too difficult to put a new one on there. It’s best to use bowstring material, but I’ve made survival bows and used paracord as the bow string. It’s a lot more forgiving. It’s much harder to restring a compound bow on your own. There are also generally just less parts on a longbow to break. Longbow is the clear winner in this category.
Arrow Versatility
Compound bows require stiffer arrows due to the higher speeds. They either need to be aluminum or carbon fiber (carbon fiber being the better option). If you try to shoot a wooden arrow on your compound bow, it can explode, and send splinters into your arm.
Longbow vs Compound Bow: Accuracy
Compound bows have also been engineered for accuracy. With a peep sight, arrow rests, metal limbs, and cams that allow for weight let-off.
Let off on a compound bow makes it much more pleasant to shoot, as well as accurate. Imagine holding 70 lbs of force, but it only feels like you’re holding 15-20 lbs. It’s a lot easier to hold steady with the lighter weight. Dont believe me? Try to hold perfectly still with a 45 lb weight in one hand, with your arm bent. Once you start shaking, imagine trying to hit a target in that condition. That let off is huge.
Then you add in the modern sighting system on a bow. For a while, I was more accurate with my peep sight on my bow than I was with iron sights on a rifle. They’ve gotten that good. Long bow’s aren’t on that same level. Compound bows are significantly more accurate.
Longbow vs Compound Bow: Power
I’m lethal and accurate to 100 yards with a compound bow. I’m lethal and accurate to about 40 yards with a long bow. In a volley, a compound bow still would also go about twice as far, and more than twice as fast.
My father used to practice archery by shooting into hay bales. He recommended that I do the same when I got my compound bow, but my first shot went right through the hay bale, and went another 20-30 yards before the arrow buried itself in the dirt. I tried a second shot, and it did the same. After that I stopped practicing into hay bales and got an archery target actually designed for the task like the one below. If you’re just getting into compound bows, get yourself a target. This is the one that I like and I use. Arrows don’t go through it.
The Winner:
The winner, just based on capabilities and efficiency, is a compound bow. Why? It just simply over-powers the longbow. Modern compound bows have just advanced so much over even compound bows of 15-20 years ago, let alone the long bow. A compound bow just makes you more capable of surviving. If I had to count on a bow to put food on my table, or to defend myself, I would want my compound bow, not a long bow.
I’d recommend having both if you can. Having the versatility is extremely handy, and I believe in having backups for all of your systems. If you’re only going to buy one though, get a compound. If your compound bow breaks, its not too difficult to just make a longbow from scratch.
What Compound Bow Should I Get?
If you’re looking to get a compound bow for SHTF purposes, or even if you’re just looking to get into archery hunting, you probably aren’t looking to drop a few grand on a fancy carbon fiber bow. You’re probably looking for a good, reliable starter bow. Below are the bows that I consider to be the Toyota Camrys of the archery world. These bows aren’t the fanciest, but they’re extremely reliable, and they work. I personally, or one of my family members, have hunted with some of these bows for 10+ years, and they hold up, shoot straight, and get the job done, all while staying well under $500 (at the time I write this, they were all under $400, but prices fluctuate and I don’t control them, so don’t hold me to that).
Option 1: PSE Stinger
This was the bow that I used to use. It shoots a little faster than the Diamond Infinite, which is my second choice. I’ve shot them both side by side, and I like the PSE Stinger better. This bow also comes stock with a 5 pin site, so I have pins at 10 yard increments from 20 yards to 60 yards, and took game at each of those distances fairly easily. I also got a deer with it from 100 yards. It’s an extremely capable bow, and capacity wise, I find it hard to call this bow a starter bow.
Option 2: Diamond Infinity
The Diamond Infinity is a great starter compound bow. It’s not the best bow on the market, but you won’t be spending thousands of dollars on it either. This is the bow that most of my family uses for hunting. It’s a great bow, and gets the job done well.
Option 3: Bear Archery
My first compound bow was a Bear Bow. This bow is the least expensive of the three as of the time I’m writing this, but has a 4 pin sight, and has a good reputation. The bow itself comes with everything you need, other than arrows, and is a good, well built bow.
There are other options, and you might see them on Amazon, that come with a “full kit,” complete with arrows, and maybe a release. This is pretty much a knockoff of a High Point, but in the bow form. They’re just not on the same level, and in an apocalyptic situation, I wouldn’t be comfortable having to rely on those bows to feed my family. Get yourself a good brand.
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