Tiger Shark Takedown Recurve Bow Review

If you are looking for a good quality bow that is suitable for both beginners and more advanced archers but you don’t want to spend more than $200, the TigerShark Takedown Recurve Bow from Southwest Archery is a great choice.

Quality:  4.5 / 5Assembly: 4.5 / 5
Shooting: 4.5 / 5
Price: 5 / 5

Tiger Shark Takedown Recurve Bow

Tiger Shark Takedown Recurve Bow

The Tigershark takedown recurve bow is manufactured by Southwest Archery, it is excellent value for money and has had a lot of positive feedback. Created by engineers that designed the well-known Samick Sage, this is said to be a more improved version. I have to admit the bow looks great but is it really as good? Below you can find a complete review to determine if its the right bow for you.

Specs

Specification wise, it is a very good bow. Ideal for those that are new to archery but good enough to be enjoyed by someone with a little more experience. Below are some of the key specifications;

Draw weights in lbs: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60
Brace height in inches: 7 5/8″ – 8 1/2″
Weight: 3 lbs
AMO Length: 64 Inches
Riser: Wood and Hard Maple
Limbs: Laminated Hard Maple and Fiberglass Coating
Price: Low
R/L Handed: Right hand Only

Pros
  • High Quality Wooden Riser
  • Great Bow For Under $200
  • Excellent Performance
  • Smooth Draw
Cons
  • More Experienced Archers May Replace The String
  • Tool Required To Takedown

Tiger Shark Takedown Recurve Bow – Buyers Guide

Tiger Shark Takedown Recurve Bow

What Comes In The Box?

If you decide to buy the TigerShark Recurve bow, your package will contain the following;

  • Riser
  • Limbs
  • Arrow Rest
  • String
  • Allen Key
  • Manual

The Riser

The riser design and feel is pretty much the same as the Samick Sage and the Southwest Spyder, the only difference is the quality of the wood used. It is made from a mixture of 4 different woods, each of which are very strong. These 4 woods are;

  • Dymondwood
  • Tiger Wood
  • White Oak
  • Padouk

The finish is great and the grip is also very comfortable, as it is however made from just wood it can cause your palms to become sweaty and cause it to slip a little. If you do want to use different accessories, it has been pre-drilled to accept sight, stabilizers and quiver.

Summary of The Riser

  • Durable Riser
  • Made from 4 High Quality Woods
  • Lightweight
  • Pre-drilled to accept accessories

The L​imbs

The limbs are interchangeable with the Sage and the Spyder Recurve bows, however the pockets are better quality. The limbs featured two holes on the Tigershark Pro, the first to screw it to the riser and the other helps to secure it in place better. If you are wanting to improve on the string, the limbs have been reinforced so you can use fast flight strings.

Summary of the Limbs

  • Interchangable With Sage and Spyder
  • Easily Screwed to the riser
  • Reinforced Limbs

The String

The string that comes with the TigerShark Recurve Bow Kit is a Dacron string. For the price of the kit this will do fine, as it will last for thousands of shots. For more experienced archers you might want to eventually upgrade to a Fast Flight bowstring.

If you purchase from Amazon, you can pick the package that comes with a bow stringer. It is very important to use a bow stringer to prevent damage to the bow.

How Does The Tiger Shark Shoot?

One of the things I was concerned about with this bow was just how good it would shoot, given the price is so low. I was very surprised, it was actually very good and I wouldn’t think twice to recommend it to a beginner or even experienced archer.

I have the 25 lb bow, so not high in draw weight but the draw was very smooth. Since the bow is very light weight, you are able to hold it upright for a decent amount of time before I experienced any shaking. When shooting, I did notice a little vibration but nothing too concerning.

The accuracy was pretty decent and is a little more forgiving than some bows, ideal for beginners that are still trying to get to grips with using a bow and standing correctly. As mentioned the draw weight that I had was pretty low but you can go up to 60 lbs, making this bow ideal for all different types of archery.

NOTE: This really is a great bow and one that I think i’ll continue to use when I practice my Barebow archery.

The Look Of The Tiger Shark Bow

There is something really nice and traditional about wooden bows and I think this one looks great. The pattern in the wood is really nice and no two bows are going to look identical. The limbs are black and blend nicely onto the riser.

Assembling The Bow

The bow is very easy to assemble and can be done pretty quickly for any novice or experienced archer. Simply remove the screws from the riser and place the limbs onto the riser and screw them back in using the allen key. Once the two risers are in place, simply add the string using the bow stringer and you are good to go.

The only drawback is that you would need to always carry an allen key around with you when using the bow, not a major issue though.

Pros and Cons

PROS

  • High Quality Wooden Riser
  • Great Bow For Under $200
  • Excellent Performance
  • Smooth Draw
  • Great Accuracy
  • Low Vibration

CONS

  • More Experienced Archers May Replace The String
  • Tool Required To Takedown

Frequently Asked  Questions

Below are the most common questions asked by those that are interested in the Tigershark Recurve Bow.

1. What’s the difference between this and the Spyder Recurve Bow?

The bows are very similar, in fact the only difference is the riser as it uses higher quality wood and the brushings are black instead of bronze.

2. Can I attach accessories to it?

The Tigershark has all the required accessory points pre-drilled and uses black bushings, which look great against the smooth wood. Suitable for attaching all accessories ranging from sight, stabilizer and even arrow quiver.

3. Does It Come Ready To Shoot?

You get everything needed in terms of the bow but it doesn’t come with any arrows. If you don’t have any, then you would also need to purchase them first.

About Southwest Archery

Southwest Archery have been making bows for over 20 years, so you know they are a reputable company. They know exactly what it takes to create high quality bows but at affordable prices, ensuring you get a bow that will last you for many years.

Conclusion

Looking for a great bow that won’t shoot a hole in your wallet? The Tigershark takedown recurve is perfect. Its lightweight, provides a smooth draw and accurate shot. The bow is made from high quality wood and in my personal opinion looks really impressive.

I would recommend this bow to anyone that wants to enjoy shooting from a bow that will last many years, whether you are a beginner or experienced.

Alternatives

If for any reason this bow is not exactly what you are looking for in a recurve bow, dont forget to check out my complete guide on recurves, it also features a buying guide with a list of the top 10.

Click Here To See My Recommendations

I really hope you have enjoyed this review of the Tiger Shark Takedown Recurve Bow from Southwest Archery, if you do have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them below.

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Southwest Archery Tigershark Takedown Recurve Bow

  • Reinforced limb tips allow bow to be Fast Flight and Flemish string compatible.
  • High Quality Wooden Riser
  • Excellent Performance