Custom Bows?

[Ozark Wookie]

Guys,

I am doing some research on what type of custom recurve to go with. I am considering a Kohannah Hunter (or maybe a bob lee)for my lower end, a Great Plains Model B takedown for the median and a Black Widow PSA takedown for the higher end. One reason for considering BW and Great plains is because i am only about 7 hrs away from Great Plain Co and about 30 minutes from BW Co. Do you guys have any opinions good or bad on any of these bows? I am fairly new to Td archery although i have compound hunted for 15 years. I am wanting to get a recurve that will fit me and my demnsions. I shoot an old damon howatt right now  45lb at 28" (62" amo) but i have around a 31 inch draw so the bow stacks pretty good. I figure i would like to have around a 64 inch bow that pulls around 55lbs when i get it to my anchor point. Any opinions?  

[LBR]

My opinion would be to shoot a while before spending a lot on a custom bow.  The reason being is most of us (myself included) didn't know what we wanted in a custom bow (some still don't!) until we shot a while.  I waited 4 years, and after I ordered my first custom there were things I wished I'd done differently.

Chad

[MikeM]

I own and shoot both a Bob Lee and a Widow MA and I have a 30" draw. Both of my bows are 62" and are very smooth on the draw with no stack. The grips are slightly different but both fit me well. I used the try before you buy option at widow and suggest you do also. Alot depends on how much you want to spend but I don't think you could go wrong with either of these and the customer service is great for both.

[sar]

Don't know about your "median" and "upper" ends, but my bob lee classic takedown longbow will shoot a 9pp arrow at 182fps at my relatively short draw of 27".  It's completely dead in my hand and smooth to draw.  I've got a couple of bowhushes on it that renders it as quiet as anything else I shoot(other than my selfbow).  I've dropped it from a 17 foot tower(oops!) had it bounce a couple times and have subsequently shot several thousand arrows from it.  The Lees are unfailingly efficient and enjoyable to deal with.  Overall, it's hard to imagine a better all around deal.

I've got other bows I really love, and I like the extra 20fps I get out of my black swan, but I will NEVER sell my bob lee because of the above.  It will also always accompany me on any hunting trip at lease as a back up bow because of how completely bulletproof it is.  (I also dry fired it about 3 times in it's life(gold tip release a bad batch of nockes that broke on firing a few years ago) and before I knew any better I'd play around with my wife's <300 grain arrows she shoots out of her compound for the speed I got-a few dozen times with no ill effects.  All this was a couple years ago and this bow shoots great.

Anyway, enough of a bob lee soliloquy, but I think you'd be happy with one.

[Ozark Wookie]

What about Great Plains ? Any opinions on those bows. I definitly plan on doing a lot of research before ordering maybe here in about a 6 months to a year.


NB

[Onestringer]

Save yourself alot of time and driver over to BW and shoot as many bows as you want.

[Jeff U]

Originally posted by Onestringer:
Save yourself alot of time and driver over to BW and shoot as many bows as you want.

Wonderful suggestion!

This summer I was on vacation in Missouri, family reunion, and we took the time to visit Black Widow.  Roger, one of the owners, gave us the full tour and let me shoot as many of the bows as I liked.

Great group of people and it was fascinating to see exactly how they build the bows.

Only one problem with the tour; I now want to get a widow (a PTF)!

[Rick_H]

I'm in a similar situation as you and after a bit of research, I bought a used BW. I think it was a good move because it's a great bow that I can resell (although I don't think I ever will) for  not much loss, and I get to see what I like and don't like about it. BW has great customer support and sells just about every accessory you might need. I think for me with my limited experience, paying full price for a new bow didn't make sense, although if you can actually visit the shops it might be different for you.

[Dave Coalter]

My dad shoots a kohannah recurve, he is 68 years old he shoots 54# @ 28" great bow. I've shot it a few times, not like my longbow but it is a great bow.

[Danny J]

In early July I went on a fishing trip to Minnesota and stopped at G&M Archery in Benedict Minnesota. Greg Sovde, the Owner, most of had 60 new custom made bows hanging on the walls. It was like being a kid in a candy store. Greg let me shoot any bow I wanted on a range he had behind his shop. In two trips there I must of shot a total of 4 hours of custom bows by various bowyers. To me, hands down, the Great Plains SR Swift was the bow of choice. He had 2, a 45 lber and a 51 lber. They ranked 1 and 2 of the bows I shot and I shot alot. I beleive they were special made for G&M with Osage in the middle of the riser. They do not appear in the Great Plains catalog. Not only did they shoot exceptional, they were drop dead gorgeous with the Phenolic/Osage/Cocobolo riser and bamboo limbs. They are cut a 1/4" past center so they are very forgiving on arrow spine. I went home with the 51 lber. Greg and Mary were wonderful people to deal with also.  Hope my opinion is helpful.

[MikeW]

Good luck, there are so many great bows out there.
To me the most important thing is the grip(taking for granted it's quite and smooth also)and that I can shoot it well. Then for me it needs to be pretty too.
You can research all you want the only way to tell if it feels good and you can shoot it is to do so.
I've shot quiet a few and to me I liked these best.
Blacktail
Morrison
Brackenbury

I've never shot a Rose Oak, Palmer or Schafer but sure would like to some day. Right now the Rose Oak is the next must have bow for me. I've asked the owner to send me a roughed out riser so I can try the grip first.

Your best bet is too shoot as many bows as you can first. I've shot some high $$$ very well respected bows I thought sucked. I'd be pretty upset to read the rave reviews on here about them, order one based on that, spend $1000 and wait 6 months to a year only to find out I hate it.

[insttech1]

Bob Lee is a "can't-go-wrong" bow, and a good choice.

Widows seem to have a love/hate relationship...I personally am growing into liking mine--but I've barely had it a week.

I know nothing of the Kohannah.

I would most definitely go to the BW place and check them out--I have heard nothing but rave reviews of them letting people shoot anything they want on hand, even if they don't buy one.

But the more you can try, the better you will be.

And oh yeah--I draw 30", and I would tell you to get a 64" Widow or Lee just for comfort's sake.

Even with the rear mounted limbs on the widow, and having it tillered to 29.5", I'm still glad it's not a 62" bow.

Take Care,
Marc

[R H Clark]

For your draw I would go for a 64".My first pick of the bows you listed would be the Widow with Bob Lee second.They both will stand behind their products.I think the only Great Plains model cut past center is the SR Swift and it is a shorter bow.

Good luck
Randy

[redant 60/65]

Ozark I started shooting trad bows in 1980, started with a low in bow and 27 years later I know what I want. Have said that, the custom bows they make today and there are alot, but BW,BL, you can't go wrong.  

[sar]

Heh.  If you really want to get confused you need to consider way more bows!!!

On my "short list" I'd look real carefully at Foley recurves.  I shot a few when driving to hill country last year and they were sweet, smooth and beautiful.  The prices seemed reasonable too.

[V-Archer]

I own a Great Plains B-model Palo Duro 47# @28". Whisper quiet, smooth draw and fast. I have shot Ben Pearsons, Martins, Bears, a Bob Lee, a Shakespeare and some more but my main bow is still GP. I'm planning to buy the SR Swift in the near future.
Bill Foreman is very nice to deal with and has high standard craftmanship. BTW, I have been there in Sept. 2005.

V-Archer