I used this bow in a class with a bunch of modern recurve bows, and while this is definitely a functional bow, you're not gonna outshoot most other archers using it. First and foremost as a very primitive design it needs arrows with a more flexible spine than most others at the same draw weight, probably 600-700 for carbon arrows. Also needs to be unstrung when not in use for long periods of time, unlike a lot of modern bows. I'd definitely recommend wearing a glove or finger tab on the draw hand, as the string will put a lot of strain on your fingers. The best part about this bow is that I was able to try both Mediterranean and eastern style draws. For the price, you could probably find better somewhere else, but Museum Replicas is a trustworthy seller, so overall it's a good purchase.