Determining which bow to buy?

[rybohunter]

Ok, here’s my dilemma….I think I’ve decided to shop for a new takedown recurve for future hunting purposes, but I suppose this question applies to any bow one would want to buy.

How do you go about it? There are lots of bow makers out there, from big name mass production ones, to unknown customs. Seems like a person could spend months just looking for one. Many of these need to be bought somewhat sight unseen. I have 2 trad shops close enough I can make visits to and check some bows out, but I just wondered how everyone else came to decide on the bow(s) that they shoot?

[robtattoo]

Buy the bow that you fall in love with, looks wise. You'll soon learn to live with it's quirks & foibles! Best way I've found so far. Shortlist a few & ask opinions, but don't take those opinions as gospel. Follow your heart.

Life's too short to own an ugly bow!

[Ghost Dog]

Click on the link at the bottom and see if my consulting service might be helpful for you.

[Dick in Seattle]

robtattoo is right on the money.   I lead a group of some 1300 folks who use and restore antique sewing machines.  Long ago we identified what we call the "pitty pat" factor (Hey, it's mostly ladies  :^).   If you come on a machine that makes your heart go pitty pat, that's your next machine.  It may be in bad shape, it may be overpriced, but you know that if you don't get it, you'll at best always wonder what it would have been like and at worst definitely regret it.

I've had a lot of bows in the last few years... there are very few bad ones out there.   Get the one that appeals to you, that lights you up... that makes you think, "My buddy is gonna eat his heart out!".   If at all possible, exercise patience (yeah, right...we guys are noted for that!) and find one that you can actually handle and draw.   When you draw it, if it makes something in your brain go "that's sweet!" , then it's yoiur bow.

Dick in Seatttle

[R H Clark]

I've had the advantage of SRTA 45 min away.I think my first year in trad I shot every bow to come through his shop and bought and traded a half dozen.

I would shoot as many as possible then pick one I liked.I think it is best to buy that bow because another from the same bowyer may be a little different.

Try not to give too much because chances are that as you develop your form and style a different bow might fit you better.

It would be nice if you could go to a trad shoot and shoot a lot of different bows.

[Scott J. Williams]

It is a lot easier now than it use to be for me.  I now look for bows that has a grip that is designed to be shot the way I like to shoot.  

Now the problem with that is simple.  Your shooting style, ie... the way you grip the bow may be different next year than it is now. I have effectively changed my shooting style, such as grip and anchor five times in the last six eight years. Bows that I purchased before that were super, now they would be bows that I can't shoot very well because I shoot differently now.

Here's what I do,  I look for bows with grips designed to accept my prefered grip.  That is the most important factor for me.  I can look at a bow and tell if I can shoot it or not.  I then look at the limb design, the fadeouts, is it a reflex/deflex design.  The last thing I look for is the beauty....important to me at one time, not as important now.  

I guess I have owned a lot of beautiful bows that I couldn't shoot worth a darn.   I guess it was like my ex-wives,  they looked hot,  just couldn't get along with them worth a darn, and the law stated that couldn't shoot them either.

[Killdeer]

Delay it, and go to every trad shoot you can during the summer. You are in Pennsylvania, which puts you in a good position travel-wise. Bring your bow (what are you shooting? Do you like it? What would you change? If you wouldn't change much, does the maker offer a take-down?) and shoot every other bow you can sweet-talk a ride from. Folks are glad to share the good things they've found, and will give you added points of view regarding features and quirks.

Check out the Trad Events and State forums onsite here. This is better than being fifteen again, endless dating and hardly any risks! Then you pick out a model and take it home. And you can swap it or buy more! Try THAT with  

[jwingman]

Come every July, you have one of the best opportunities to try different bows that makes people that don't live near PA. jealous with envy. Go to the Denton Hill shoot and try several hundred bows. Give yourself at least two days there to try all the bows and maybe buy just about anything your little heart might desire either used or new. It doesn't get any better. They will have ranges set up right outside the tents to try all the bows. Swap meets that have thousands of used bows. Just don't go without a pocket full of money. You'll need it. That place costs me big time every year.

[ISP 5353]

Come on up to the Trad Expo in Kalamazoo this January.  Lots and lots of new and used bows there to try out.  Also many of the nations top bow builders will be there to talk to and design a bow for you if that is what you want.  Small investment when looking to find just the right bow instead of buying several and then selling them later.  Good luck and hope to see you there.

[mike g]

Bows are like a Woman....  

[bentpole]

Dick I like that PITTY PAT ROTFLH. Lots of great info here. What attracts you to a woman? No wait lets see.I would go to a Trad Shop if you have one close by."Go Down The Rack" and pick one [it will be because of looks]and shoot it.Keep going until you find that special one.Remember the prettiest girl at the dance isn't always the best dancer.OR check the classifieds here pick a bow buy it and shoot it. If you don't like it you can put it back on or if you really like it you can order a new one and sell the used one. Watch out though it can be contagious.

[wapitimike1]

Lifes to short to own just one!!!!!!!!!! or two!!!!!!!!!! or three!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[acadian archer]

The first bow I bought was mail order (sight unseen) and it served me well (but never a great feel) for several years. Last year I was in a shop and I could "hear" this sweet voice asking to come home with me.

There she was , a Chek Mate King Pawns Deluxe. The grip was right, the feel was right, she shot great and the rest is history.  

Bottom line is don't buy until you've held, griped and shot one. Only then will you know if you've found true love lol

[rybohunter]

Thanks for the info guys. Just a little more background, I do own 2 trad bows, a longbow I bought about a year ago after going to a shop and shooting probably a dozen bows. I also have an olded handed down Shakespeare bow, that despite it being old, I shoot very well. In my further pursuits, a takedown recurve would allow me to take it on out of state hunts etc. I just wondered how with so many bows out there and seemingly so many on the internet with out a chance to shoot first, how do you really know?

[bigislandmark]

Aloha rybohunter,

ALOT of great advise given so far!

I was in da same boat as you are in now. Being in Hawaii, there isn't much as far as archery shops go especially Traditonal Archery. Mostly internet on specalized Traditional Archery.

I went the way of looking at grip design first and bow design second. At the time I thought that a handfilling grip would be the ticket. I settled on a Great Plains SR Blackhawk.

For me I think I lucked out and got the right bow for my shooting style. When the stars and planets line up, watch out----- no can miss.

Try and shoot as many bows as you can and follow your heart. You'll be happy with the the bow you pick-----for awhile anyway. Just no go shoot another Tradgang's bow otherwise you going want another and another and another...... But again as someone has already mentioned, "Life's too short~!"

Aloha,

        Mark

[Jeff U]

Originally posted by rybohunter:
...I just wondered how with so many bows out there and seemingly so many on the internet with out a chance to shoot first, how do you really know?

You don't - and it doesn't matter

You'll never have the "perfect bow" anyway and the vast majority of bowyers make a very fine product.

You can always sell it and try again.  As someone said, buy used and your price risk is small on resale.

[foxbo]

It starts with how much money you have to spend and work it down from there. Get one of those metal riser dalaa bows and you can pickup different sets of limbs whenever you want longer, shorter, lighter, or heavier.