What's the deal with ACS?

[Ray Johnson]

I'm just curious as to why I've seen so many ACS bows for sale lately and it seems that they are not selling.I just got a new ACS in the mail about a month ago and I love it.I did consider selling or trading at first because I wasn't shooting it well but now I'm loving it.It's the quietest bow that I've ever shot and I'm getting decent speed for a 42# bow(170fps with a 458gr arrow).I'd like to hear from all of you who have sold an ACS.What didn't you like about the bow?It wasn't that long ago that an ACS didn't stay long in the classifieds and they always seemed to get top dollar.Has something changed?

  I've shot Black Widow recurves for 6 years now and will still keep mine but the ACS I now have is a great bow.Yes, it's expensive and maybe not worth the money to alot of people but I'm liking mine more and more every day.

[Pola Galie]

I'll interested in this thread because the man in my life just made it to the top of the list for his ordered ACS bow - 37# 66".  

He'll be shooting that bow until his arm falls off.

BTW, how are you making out matching your arrows to the bow?  We heard that you have to go heavier in spine than usual.  What's your experience so far.

Pola Galie
T

[Blackhawk]

You could probably have asked the same question about Black Widow bows which I have owned for years and have found them strong, dependable, and great shooters...and there are always lots of them for sale.  I just believe there are lots of Widows made and sold with many owners wanting to upgrade, try a different model, or get one with less weight.

As for the ACS, I just got a notice that my order was ready to ship also.  Without doubt, the ACS makers are cranking them out a lot faster than Mr. Adcock and I am not seeing any negative comments about them either.

[Rick_H]

Well, I've never sold one but I did buy a used one last December after looking since late last summer. During that time I made offers on a few which were rejected for being too low, but I did get to talk with the owners a bit. It seems like some people would buy them with the hope of reselling them at a profit, and others would buy them out of curiosity and then resell them at a small or no loss. The demand for them has definitely changed maybe because of a slowing economy, or the fact that production is more closely matching demand, or maybe the hype has died out a little. It seems like some of the sellers don't keep them long, I guess so that they can maximize resale. I'm happy with mine; it's amazing how it launches arrows.

[rastaman]

i picked up a couple of used 1 piece & 3 piece take-downs before my name came up with Larry & John.  i think you see more available now because there is a greater supply & a lot of people bought because it was "the" bow to have it seemed for a while.  All i know is, i shoot better with mine than i have ever shot.  Does that mean i will never buy other makes?  No cause i'm addicted it seems but i also buy them like some people buy art or anything else to collect.  They are very fine bows imho.
Randy

[Bjorn]

Like cuffs on trousers-us archers are a fickle bunch. I have had mine for quite a while and don't plan on selling any of them any time soon.

[R H Clark]

They are just as good of a bow as they ever were.When the ACS design first came out there was a lot of hype,no so much by Adcock as other archers.There was a big demand and not many around which made folks want one even more.Everyone thought that it must be the greatest thing ever because they saw them sell for nearly twice as much used as new and that made them want one even more.

They are still a great bow but folks got their expectations way out of proportion.When they bought one and found out it didn't shoot by it's self they tried to get rid of it before the market was flooded.

[DEAN]

I have one and it's NOT FOR SALE!!!!!GREAT BOW AND GREAT PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH

[Big Sneaky]

Well, I have one in the classifieds right now.  The only reason I'm selling this one is because I have two of them.  This bow is 52# for me and the other 58#.  I shoot the heavier one better.  To the question about tuning, yes mine did require a heavier spined arrow than I would have guessed.  Shooting a 31" beman 340 that weighs 600 gr out of the 52# bow.  The other shoots a 31" Axis 300 that weighs 590.

[WildmanSC]

Ray,

You have a PM.

Bill

[Ray Johnson]

Pola Galie,I'm using Carbon Express Maxima 150's out of my 42# ACS.With 225gr up front,they fly great and hit hard.Out of a 37# bow,the Easton Epic 600's should work fine.

[warden415]

I bought one new a few months ago and sold it about a month after I got it. There was nothing wrong with the bow but I also didn't notice it being much different than my other R/D longbows. I have a double carbon Centaur and I like the fact that I could have the Centaur in 56". The ACS I had to get in 62"  I was getting about 3 fps more with the Centaur with the same arrow. Both bows were the same exact draw weight. I have a short 25" draw and I believe with the amount of preload in the ACS I wasn't seeing the benifits of the design with my short draw. I also think the shorter limb on the Centaur was being worked more and thats why I saw the speed difference, I wish I would have had a 62" Centaur to compare and see if my beliefs had merit?
I also agree with others that the hype was built up beyond everyones expectations, including mine.
Please don't take this as a slam on ACS, it just wasn't the holy grail for me personally. To me the grip was a little finicky but maybe because I was used to the finger grooves,(which I love) on the Centaur. I also decided to sell mine quickly because I knew I was going to shoot the Centaur and I figured I might as well sell it before the market got flooded and minimize my losses.

[Burnsie]

I think it's just that there are a lot more of the ACSs out there now that John and Larry have got production kranked up.  I think most folks that have plunked down the $$$ for a Widow like their bows as well, but you see them up for sale all the time. Once you get hundreds/thousands of them out in the population they are bound to show up more often in the classifieds.  
I shot several ACS at Kzoo and I'm sure I will own one some day.  They may not be able to live up to the super-hype that got going, but they are definitely an awesome shooting bow.
Burnsie

[kawika b]

I think that with the the ACS being more readily available people are not so unwilling to part with them. That and the fact that many people expect too much from them when they FIRST shoot them. Having had two (sold my first like an idiot) I can say that they are VERY good bows and will perform superbly once you get yourself tuned to them.

[James M]

I've got one with two sets of limbs in the classifieds. The only reason I am selling is I make my own bows. Every now and then I buy one someone else made, but I always end up shooting and hunting with my own.