Please help me to decide

[V-Archer]

I have narrowed down my choise to 2 take down bows that I like to buy in the near future: Great Plains Swift or the Black Tail Elite VL with footed riser and limbs.
Please give me pro's and con's of these two lovely bows so that my decision is made somewhat easier.    
Thanks
V-Archer

[buckeye_hunter]

Those blacktails sure ae sweet!

[LeTuB]

I own 2 Blacktails : a TD and a 1pc , they are both sharp shooters and real beauties, that's a real pleasure to shoot them. The 1pc is a litlle bit smoother, they are both deadly quiet with a dacron string and they are top performers : arround 175 fps@28" at 10 grains per pound with dacron, the mechanical efficiency is arround 82 %.
The main drawback on blacktails is that you have to wait 13 months to get one!
Great plain are surely nice bows too but more serialised and you have less possibilities to customize the wood choice.

[hera]

blacktail.

['46]

I have ordered a number of bows from various bowyers over time without first shooting them to any extent. My experience has been that most of the time those bows, as pretty and well made as they were, weren't THE bow for me. I'd recommend you beg, borrow or steal one of what you're considering buying and shoot the snot out of it to make sure it is really THE bow. Being expensive and pretty isn't always a recipe for a good shooter for one's self.

[Shawn Leonard]

Arnold, go with the Blacktail but ya should just build yourself one. You do beautiful work. '46 is right though, try to find one of each to try before spending a grand. I have owned over 100 bows in the last 7-8 years and my go to bow is a one-piece recurve that I bought from a stock bow selection and was $600. It is what none of the others were, but it took me all those bows to figure it out!        Shawn

[Mike Burch]

Listen to '46. Excellent advise.

For me, out of those and the hundeds of other recurves I've owned and shot, I'd go with the Great Plains SR Swift in a heart beat!

By the way, Bill Foreman will build you a SR Swift in any wood combo you want.

Mike  

[TexMex]

Maybe they have a try before you buy. my dos centavos  :p

[Builder]

I can't comment on the Great Plains but I have owned a number of Blacktails over 15 years of traditional shooting. I have also owned other brands, currently two Blacktails, a Griffon and a Morrison. I really like all three brands but I have to say when only one arrow counts in hunting situations the Blacktails are the one I grab. One major drawback is I purchased an all Myrtle bow from Norm back in 98, it was such a work of art I didn't want to take it in the woods. Norm will tell you their made to hunt with but to this day it's only been shot in the back yard and at traditional shoots.

[V-Archer]

OK guys, thanks for the advice.    After some consideration and a talk with my shooting buddy we decided to go for the Black Tail. He will get a one piece recurve and I ordered a take down.
(see topic: I'm excited, ordered a Blacktail Elite VL, posted december 12)
This allows me to take it with me in case I visit the USA for a hunt or something like that. (you never know)

V-Archer  

[Gene Roberts]

I don't know,but from what these guys say,go for the black tail.

[Cherokee Scout]

Shoot it before you buy it is always the best way to avoid costly mistakes. A bow one man loves, another man will say is awful.

[bayoulongbowman]

Ditto, what George said!!!!

[Curtiss Cardinal]

Of those two choices, Blacktail hands own. Order it sooner rather than later as it takes a while(at least a year) to get.

[snag]

I have 3 Blacktails...why? Because the grip Norm builds fits your hand, it shoots smooth, and it is beautiful! I can't ask for more.   But I did order a Morrison Cheyenne. Just had to see how they stack up I guess. I will never let the Blacktails go though....I know "never say never".