Best sources to find used bows?

[Ingwe]

Hello Fellas,

Hopefully I can get some good advice here:)

I have been looking for a Left Hand 1962 Kodiak or Kodiak Mag in 45lbs or less.

I have been all over ****, google searches, and I think I checked out everyone that sells used bows but no luck at all.

Am I missing something?? Found a few good righty's but no left-hand.

Any ideas??   :confused:

[crazynate]

As a collector the best place I find bows is actually on craigslist and here on Trad Gang. I have seen some great deals on here too. Flea markets are good in the summer sometimes. But anything that says Bear people want big money for at those places. Also go to the big shoots like Compton and ETAR. Great places to find what your looking for.

[Bigjackfish]

Lefties can be hard to come by check out RMSG they have a lot of bows

[warpedarrow]

Having a network of friends helps.  Put wanted ads on all of the major forums also.

Whippenstick Phoenix bows are about as rare as anything since Ken quit making them.  With just word of mouth and looking at all the classifieds every day, I have found and bought or traded for three in the past couple of months.  

Your post is a good start.  We don't make trades anywhere other than the classifieds, but just dropping a hint that you are looking for a particular bow might get you a couple of leads via personal message.

[Ingwe]

Great advice fellas!

Never thought of Craigslist for bows.

When I think of Craigslist, I think of a forum to find hookers and/or strippers...maybe I need to talk to a psych about that, LOL.

[damascusdave]

My lefty came from the big auction site after only 4 or 5 years of looking. It will never again be for sale. The very best bows do not get sold much. On the other hand I got my lefty Venom two days after I posted a wanted to buy ad. I shoot both those bows at around 60 pounds.

[damascusdave]

And I can shoot 65 pounds either right or left handed. That let me trade for a great Whippenstick longbow last week. That bow really has me shooting right handed again. There is no simple answer to the question.

[Horney Toad]

I have a nice lefty 1962 mag. but it is 48#

[warpedarrow]

Ingwe,

Weight is a personal thing but sometimes we sell ourselves short.  I ran onto a bargain bow about six months ago that pulls fifty five pounds, or I should say, is marked 55.  It is a Howatt so it very well may be 58 or 59 at my draw.  The first week of shooting that bow was a little uncomfortable, but boy does that arrow shoot flatter than one coming out of a 45# bow.

I have been reading a book about traditional bowyers.  It was published in 1986 or so, so the bows and bowyers in the books are now classics.  One of the bowyers written about was Jim Brackenbury.  Jim built some great bows and had a big influence on several bowyers that are currently building bows.  When I ran onto a bow built by Jim, I did not hesitate to buy it.  It is marked 61# @ 28".  I shot it a few times and figured it was 52-55 lbs, then took it into the shop and weighed it.  52# at 28#.  It is a really nice looking and shooting bow that I would not own if I had let the 61# number scare me.

So, if I were in your position, I would consider the fact that the vast majority of the bows that you are seeking started at forty five and went up five or six pounds.  If you find a fifty pounder for sale, ask the seller to weigh the bow if possible.  It may be one that will work for you.