iv just always been curious about the two weapon types and how accurate/precise they are

I assume by this statement you have no experience with either?

Having experience with BOTH I can say this is an apples to oranges comparison.

Both weapons are capable of very good accuracy but because of the fundamental differences in the projectiles they shoot, the manner by which they are 'launched', how the weapons are handled to be fired, weather conditions when being fired and other issues they are not comparable equally.

With regard to a range of 5 yards both could be incredibly accurate however that will vary pretty dramatically as the range increases and at a 100 yards while many handguns (and shooters) maintain very good accuracy, archery at this range would require a very high-quality bow, using specialized arrows, and a skilled archer to achieve accuracy at such a long distance.

 

Add a crossbow to the mix and it gets more interesting.

 

I've seen people that weren't world class archers that could split arrows at 40 yards with a bow with nothing more than a peep sight.

 

I'm not a world class shooter or competitor and never participated in any shooting events, yet, I can hit my target at 100 yards with a 1911. One cannot really compare any of your variables because it is all based on the individual. Haven't you heard the cliché before. "It is not the arrow but the Indian", it is about self reliance.

 

yet, I can hit my target at 100 yards with a 1911.

What size and or type of target are you 'hitting' at 100 yards with your 1911?

Some people think a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood at a 100 yards is a 'target'.

That being said I can consistently hit a 5 gal LP tank at 100 yards with my 1911, and they are pretty small at that range.

 

Some years ago when I was still a MD District Court Judge I was asked by an MD State Police lodge to be the honorary judge for their annual pistol/archery shoot off: from 7 yards to 100: closer in the pistol shooters were more on bullseyes; from further out the archers were absolutely amazing!!! And there was a good bit of cross wind during the competition. I was truly impressed by the skill of the bowmen!
John

 

About, 20 + years ago, tuckerd1 and I
were shooting bowling pins with my
STI. .40Cal race gun at 100 yds.

 

I've done all of the above and the mindset is the same no matter the discipline.

 

Don`t bring a bow and arrow to a gun fight.

 

I'm glad you said it, I was going to (as Post #2) but decided to leave it alone!!

 

My neighbor was a proficient hunter and marksman using the bow, handgun and rifle. What set the bow apart was his strength to hold steady, draw back the arrow and follow through on target. Although physical strength is an advantage to both archery and shooting, when shooting offhand, I would believe that someone with diminished strength could compensate easier to be able to shoot a gun well but would see accuracy wane in archery skills. (On the other hand, without strength as a factor, one will need to rely on brains and experience. That is where the discussion gets muddy.)

 

In the 1990s I witnessed a pistol shooter shooting a soda can of a post at 100yds using a snub nose .38.
I consider this an impossible task for me.

 

Perhaps, perhaps not. All it takes is time and money to see.

 

Back during my Judging days I was asked to be the honorary overseer for a competition amongst Maryland State Police Troopers and guests to determine the best shooters between pistol/bow: starting at 7 yards out to 100: close in the competition was very close: by the time it reached 100- absolutely no contest: bowmen where far superior!!
John in MD

 

Back in the 80s I belonged to a club that ran turkey shoots. The archery target was a live bird standing on a hay bail at 100yds. That was at a time when compound wheel bows were were becoming popular. This one shooter had the first generation wheel bow made by Bear. This guy was a bare bow shooter and would step to the firing line elevate the bow to what looked like a 20 degree angle and release an arrow and get a bird on the bird on the first shot.
Amazing.

 

50 years ago I hunted with a 52 lb Browning Long Bow, that took concentration and physical strength, no way could I even pull it back now in my old worn age.
I did get pretty good with it up to about 50 yards.

 

In 1979 I shot my first deer - a scraggly 3 pt buck with a Bear Cougar 45# recurve bow at 10 yards. Used Gamegetter aluminum arrows with Bear fixed blade with razor inserts. After that season I got a Golden Eagle wheel bow with sights...my bare bow groups were pitiful.
I also shifted bow hunting to "does only" since I missed the first day of rifle season on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Gotta be out in the woods with a little snow on the ground.

 

More strength is required when using a recurve bow or long bow vs. a compound bow. Once you reach full draw on the compound bow you have reached the stop and don't need to draw any more where the recurve or long bow the draw will always be a constant.

 

In 1979 I shot my first deer - a scraggly 3 pt buck with a Bear Cougar 45# recurve bow at 10 yards. Used Gamegetter aluminum arrows with Bear fixed blade with razor inserts. After that season I got a Golden Eagle wheel bow with sights...my bare bow groups were pitiful.
I also shifted bow hunting to "does only" since I missed the first day of rifle season on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Gotta be out in the woods with a little snow on the ground.

More strength is required when using a recurve bow or long bow vs. a compound bow. Once you reach full draw on the compound bow you have reached the stop and don't need to draw any more where the recurve or long bow the draw will always be a constant.

I found more consistency with the compound because once the "wall" was reached your draw was stopped and you were at 35 or 45% of peak draw weight.
With recurve my draw length changed if my stance was more "open" or "closed". Draw length also changed if I had straight down shot from a treestand.

 

Sorry...I found... was my response.
Sometimes responding from my cell phone gets screwy.