Thoughts on AIM/Samick SKB Korean bows

[Scott S.]

I've been toying with the idea of getting one of these.  Anybody have any experience with them?

[buck-tamer00]

no dont get any of samicks bows!!!!!!!

[Tilbilly]

My dad and I have each have one(SKB 50) for a few years now. Not a single problem. First of all, this particular model is still made in Korea using Gordon's glass, not China and using the scrap the Chinese continue to use. We've all seen the threads about repeated blown limbs. The bad rap on some of the Asian bows comes from the ones made in China.
The SKB 50 is smooth, quiet. NO hand shock. Not a speed machine. More like a mild r/d longbow. We have a chrony. With proper brace height and 1/2 rubber whisker on each end of string, they make a quiet recurve that can be shot from any position without canting. Makes a nice little brush bow for deer in heavy cover. Tuck it under one arm and march into the thick stuff. Just my .02 from my experience with it.

[Shovelbuck]

I've got an older Samick "Spirit". It's a shooting machine. Too bad my elbow can't handle the shock or I'd shoot it more.

[buck-tamer00]

shovelbuck,
i beg to differ,
look what happened to my spirit ll yesterday,
 http://tradgang.com//noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=042105

[Tilbilly]

buck-tamer, does that one say China? Just wonderin'. It'll be under a 1 year replacement warranty, mind you. Still stinks, I'm sure.

[buck-tamer00]

yes.............yes it does

[Shifting Shadow]

Scott, I had a SKB 50. I thought it was well made, easy to shoot off of one's hand and accurate at short range.

[John57]

I've owned 4 Samick bows,including the current Spirit11.
I also know half a dozen other guys that shoot them.I've never known of any problems with them,,,but like any brand,you might get a dog.
That's life.
My current longbow is an SLB69 that I lead my club competition with.I also came 3rd over all in a local trad shoot resently, shooting this bow against most of the big names.
They are not the best finished bows out there,but they are the best value for money your going to get "anywhere".
They are also one of the most respected names in international archery.
They make the higher quality limbs for a number of other international and American companys.
Don't let the prices or lack of bling fool you,these bows shoot.

[JEFF B]

scott i have a skb 50#@28 shoots like a dream real quick goes straight through a fallow deer no problem. you wont be sorry.          

[insttech1]

I just got a brand new paid of samick privelege carbon ILF limbs for a WARF bow.

I bought them from lancaster's because they were out of the win/win carbon limbs in the weight i wanted, and i'm impatient!

However, when I opened up the package, I was utterly disappointed in the "made in china" sticker on the side of them...

The finish quality sucks, to put it mildly...

And one of the pin bushings was screwed up (as in it didn't work!!!) so I had to take it apart and massage it until it worked.

I am painting these limbs for my warf bow, so I'm not as concerned about finish quality...but I am still disappointed.

I would NOT order another samick product right now.  I kept these for the pure sake of convenience, and not wanting to eat shipping back to lancaster's to have them replaced, since it only took me 5 minutes to fix the faulty pin.

I haven't shot them yet...and that will tell the full tale of how I feel...but for right now, initial impressions are less than desirable...!

Take that for what you wish...
Marc

[chrisg]

Sad to hear that about the 'new' samicks. I have posted a rave about mine on another thread. Guess they were the 'older' ones? Samick is a huge company and they make a wide range of bows. The guy importing them into RSA was told in 2002 that unless he ordered and prepaid by the container load they would not ship to him! He was over there on a buying trip setting up a new addition to his existing sales. He had done a lot of development of the local market and sold me mine that I was entirely satisfied with. We owned about eight, mostly college type 'standard bows'. My recurve 'Equus' is a treat. Perhaps that high volume is the issue. Their high end bows are beautiful and shoot like a dream.
Chrisg

[Shovelbuck]

buck-tamer, simple fact of the mater is any brand can let go. It sucks but it happens. I've blown up my share through the years including Martins, Bears, and Brownings. Life goes on.
Get it fixed or get something else.

[Zenzele]

I get worried seeing pic's like those above! I own a 60# Samic Verna and yes it shoots like a dream! I agree that as with any mass produced item you will have the odd 'bad apple'. Luck of the draw I guess!
As a precaution I'll be double checking my limbs from now on befor I string up!

[JStark]

I own a 58", 55lb. AIM T/D Hunter.  It stacks a bit and pinches a bit, but that's because of my gibbon-like arms (I didn't know that I needed a longer bow when I bought it).  
I took my first deer ever with this bow, I am very happy with it because of this.  Up to the last two inches of draw it is very smooth.