Asian reflex bows might look a little out-of-place in this era doimnated by muskets, cannons, pistols and everything else with a gunpowder in it, they might seem like a relic of old times, but I assure You that they were still a very efficient, deadly weapon, and not a sign of the past.
The reason why bows were not seen that often on the battlefield and among soldiers was simply that it was very hard to train a good bowman, it took years and a lot of dedication to be skilled in this form of fighting, and also these bows were costly, and it took a lot of time to make them.
On the other hand, at the same time, gunpowdered muskets and pistols could be produced very quickly and in large numbers, broken elements could be easily replaced, just as the whole weapon could be easily replaced by another, and of course, it could be possible to train anyone in using them in a short matter of time.
So, musket could be a weapon for masses, for uneducated peasants and total morons, they didn't require much of skill, while bows were mastered by a very few.
