21st century longbows

[2treks]

Chad, are you sure that was an original, J&B bow? that sounds strange for a bow they made. I would say it has been 12-15yrs since they owned the co. Just curious. I have had a few over the years and the originals all looked good and shot well. the few that I had from the new owner had some fit and finish issues hat needed attention. never shot one of the new ones. ecept in the shop.

[Don Stokes]

I once bare-shaft matched a customer who shot one, or at least I tried to. The only way it would shoot a bare shaft straight was with the bow turned upside down! I think the handle was turned upside down when it was laid up. One of the strangest things I encountered in the arrow shaft business.

[LBR]

No doubt it was a J&B bow--had their sigs, and they still owned/operated 21st Century when I bought the bow.  My best guess is it was around 15 years ago.

Like I said, I knew the finsh was bad before I bought it.  I'd done a little research and even one of their top tournament shooters at the time said that the finish was hit or miss--some looked great, some looked pitiful.

Even the string groove being cut wrong didn't bother me a whole lot.  Any bowyer who's made any number of bows has goofed.  What bothered me was they wanted top dollar to fix what should have never gotten out of the shop to begin with.  The icing on the cake was when a different bowyer who had absolutely nothing to do with that bow fixed it for 1/3 the price quoted by J&B.  

I might have had a one of a kind, but it was enough to raise a flag for me if I ever consider buying another used J&B 21st Century.

Chad

[Rob DiStefano]

wow, that's incredible, chad.  i've owned or shot others j&b 21st bows, perhaps more than 20 bows, and everyone was superbly crafted.  i couldn't even imagine them letting out such a dog!  yikes!

[LBR]

It was actually a pretty decent shooter, once I got the string groove fixed.  It was just the customer service, or lack thereof, that bugged me about that bow more than anything else.

[joe ashton]

here is the deal.. I've got a 21c bow. I've had it for 14 years and I've a killed a dozen big game animals with it. It's been to 0 Fl, Ga, Ne, Al, Va and Colo.  I must say it now is my back up bow. BUT... I've bought and sold a bucket of other bows.  Never once have I  even considered treading or selling my 21C. Not even a passing thought.

Joe

PS. shot it today....

[JMartin]

Wow Chad....I would have liked to have kept that bow just for the heck of it.  Jim and Buddy bows....I have 4, every time I put my "custom" bows down, and take up a J&B , I am still surprised how fast, smooth , and accurate they are. They may well be the most under rated bows EVER. JMHO

[Malery Oxendine]

I have two b&j bows. One 21st edge model, and a newmoon eclipse with brush nocks. I like both of them. I use the edge model to hunt withmost of the time. I did buy an edge from Milton, but I felt like the finish could have been better comparing it to other bows. I finally sold it. No thoughts about selling the b&j bows.