B&J Achery was an awesome place. Buddy Stamper was the production supervisor over Wing Archery in years past and knew how to build bows very efficiently. Jim Ploen came from a background of a target archer and sales. Jim was the first man on the East Coast to shoot a 300 indoor.
They were a great pair of guys to buy a bow from and visit with. The knowledge between those two men on bowmaking/hunting/shooting/physics of bow design is phenominal. Jim gave me many a pointer on shooting over the years. We used to shoot beside the shop, but there was a train track behind the bale, so if the train came you had to wait to shoot.
Jim called me up after I was fortunate enough to come out in 1st place in May of 2000 winning the Texas State Longbow Championship shooting the "Edge" longbow. He said "Are you ready to order a new bow?" At the time I was not, due to fianances, then he told me they would build me a bow for winning the shoot. Jim said he wanted to give something back to me as a shooter for my effort and promotion of the bow. That really blew my hair back! I still have the bow.
There bows caused a stir in the traditional community when they first came out due to the reflex/deflex design. The bows if you look at them unstrung are 3 large circles. The bows where bannned from some shoots because the handle was too big or the limbs too reflexed.
It is really amazing to think, how many bows built today get there design roots from the original 21st Century Longbow design. The business was sold a few years ago. If you can get you hands on a B&J Archery/21st Century, you won't be disappointed.
Jim, Buddy, Me
Topic: 21st Century's company history please. (Read 1144 times)
