Metal risers

[KILLER B]

I was just pondering the idea of what makes the people that shoot bows with metal risers want them?  In my mind it's like shooting a wheelie with no sights.  There is no pretty wood and it just doesn't say traditional to me.  I don't mean any offense to anyone that does shootthem I am just curious to see what people have to say on this.

[James Wrenn]

It is mostly people that put shooting qualities of a bow over exotics woods.Some like those qualites more than they like looks.

[MI_Bowhunter]

I shot wheel bows for around 25 years before picking up a trad bow so the concept of metal risers doesn't bother me.  

Personally I feel I shoot much better with them.  It may be a psychological thing or there may be a quality issue, I'm not sure, but the end result works for me.

I also love wood bows and own several wood recurves and longbow.  All of my hunting and a lot of my 3D shooting has been with these bows.

As an archer I enjoy exploring different aspects of the sport.  It's what keeps me shooting.

[Chris Wilson]

Originally posted by James Wrenn:
It is mostly people that put shooting qualities of a bow over exotics woods.Some like those qualites more than they like looks.

That sums it up pretty well. I enjoy looking at a pretty piece of wood, but it's just not high on my list when I'm looking to purchase a bow.

[nockhunter]

Metal risers, wood risers? That's why there is chocolate AND vanilla ice cream.

Mike

[southpawshooter]

Traditional is in the eye or mind of the beholder.  Metal riser recurves have been around a very long time, long before the compound.

I prefer the feel of the shot and the accuracy due to the rigidity of the material.  I also prefer the various tuning options that a metal riser offers.

[BMG]

On tuesdays and thursdays when I practice with my metal riser longbow I'm less 'trad' than on mon,wed,fridays when I practice w/ my wood riser recurve.  What if they shoot the exact same arrows?

[R H Clark]

Some folks may get fighting mad if you tell them their metal riser isn't Trad.Doesn't bother me.Trad means different things to different people so shoot whatever makes you happy.

I like the shooting qualities of my metal riser ILF bow better than any wood bow I've shot and there have been a bunch.

My riser is about indestructable and if I had an accident I could replace the limbs in less than a week from more than one source.I can also safely shoot light arrows for summer 3D.

The metal riser just offers more options all around for me.I can easily add a quiver or sights if I want.I can even shoot with an elevated rest and plunger if I want.There are different grips and I can even choose recurve or longbow limbs in three lengths.It's also drilled for a fishing reel.

I still love exotic wood bows and even shoot a self bow at times.It's just about options for me.I've never really cared if I was trad or not by anothers definition.

[woodchucker]

I don't own one,but I have always liked them.....

In my eyes,the metal riser T/D recurve just might be the ultimate "traveling" hunting bow.

i.e. Take a metal riser T/D,attach a Kwikee Kwiver,Bear Weather Rest,(or elevated rest of your choice)and carbon arrows with(yes God forbid)plastic vanes,and take off on the hunting trip of a lifetime.

Everything can be taken down and packed in a duffle bag,and assembled when you get there.On a hunt where you have bad weather(pouring rain for a week straight)you will be able to hunt rather than sitting in camp.Could you imagine spending thousands of dollars on an Alaskan hunt and not being able to hunt or worse yet,trying unsuccessfully to keep your feathers dry only to get a bad hit on the trophy of a lifetime and then not recover it?????

Maybe not "traditional".....but VERY practical!!!!!    

[foxbo]

I have three metal riser stickbows and this one is my favorite. It's a 1991 Black Widow HS and has probably been slingin' arrows longer than most of the "traditional" shooters visiting this board. If you were to take a few shots with this baby, you'd end up using that wooden riser for firewood.
 

[Scooter]

For me the adjust ability and flexibility offered by most metal risers is the key.  Being able to easily swap grips or rest and or adjust the poundage and tiller.  I also like the weight and shooting characteristics.

This makes me choose metal though I do still love the look of a cocobolo riser and yew limbs.

[koger]

I agree with foxbo. I love beautiful wood as much as the next guy, but for whatever reason I shoot the metal riser bows better, seem to balance better, hold better, and I group better. I have aBW 1200 51@28, circa 1974, a BW1226 #46 and #55 limbs, circa 1976 and a Quinn Stallion, #47@28. These three bows shoot better than all my high priced, exotic wood bows. I am able to shoot better groups at all distances, and therfore am able to make more exact, clean kills on game. I shoot instinctive, heavy carbons and WW broadheads. I have already taken a doe and a buck this archery season, in two weeks, with only two shots. We need to respect the game enough to hunt with whatever we can cleanly harvest it with, aesthetics be hanged! Two of these bows are older than a lot of the people on this forum, and probably shoot better. I have sold all my fancy wood bows but one, havent looked back or regretted it a bit. Sam.

[slabsides]

Metal riser just needs a little leather on the handle to make it feel good, and I bet most shooters couldn't tell the difference blindfolded. I've got two metal/fiberglass bows that most purists would turn up their noses at: a Bear 76'er 55#, and a little Boy Scout bow that is a blast to shoot in the garage on rainy/snowy days. I had to get rid of my nice heavy wood bows when arthritis made it impossible to hunt any more, but I kept the Bear.
Indestructible has a lot going for it. And I don't mind just keeping the metal bows hanging in the garage. My last two woodies, 35# Brownings that I can still shoot a bit, are too nice to live out in the cold  and dark, and so I don't haul them out so often; they've become semi safe queens.

[Curveman]

Metal risers are not inherently more stable than wood riser bows in my opinion (and that of bowyers that make both) certainly not to the degree that should matter to a bowhunter anyway (I am saying that to hopefully avoid all the "wood flexes/freezes" arguments) although I can understand why an OLYMPIC level archer might not want to take the chance as it were. My favorite recurve outperforms my favorite longbow in speed and forgiveness both but I am  hunting with my longbow this year. Does that mean I don't care about performance?     Seriously, I don't care what anybody shoots but it is not an either/or argument. My wood bows look great AND are great performers. Any differences are unlikely to mean a miss or a kill. IMO.

[Shovelbuck]

What do you mean "no pretty wood" ? Not all are that way. I've been shooting metal risers for over 36 years and still prefer them over all wood for recurves. I like small grips and you just can't get that with wood.

 

[SteveB]

In my mind it's like shooting a wheelie with no sights.  

How anyone can compare a longbow or recurve wth a different riser material to a compound with let off is way past me understanding. There are simply some shooting characteristics to some metal risers that appeal to different shooters. Same as some like hi wrist,low wrist, Hill style etc. None of these characteristics add mechanical draw advantage and letoff. None.

Don't want to call it trad - fine - I shoot what I want for me.
But please show me the book defining your equipment as officially trad.

Steve

[vermonster13]

Relax Steve. There have been a lot of wood risered compounds through the years. Fedora made some beautiful ones. The wheels made them no more trad than the metal risers. Shoot what you enjoy. I don't limit myself. I'll shoot everything from a selfbow to my alloy risered Swans. I like them all.

[Blue Moose]

A bow is a tool. And the best tools don't always have wooden handles. TM

[genghis_khan]

Exactly Blue Moose, the whole point of any type of archery is to get the projectile where you want it, and if you have to use a metal riser with all of its benefits that were stated above then use it. Archery, like most things in life, is and will be constantly changing with the introduction of newer better designs and materials, such as carbon limbs, foam, and ceramic cores.

[Jaeger]

foxbo, I'll bet that Widow is a great shooter. That forward handle geometry seems to lend itself to being very forgiving. I've never seen a Widow like that before. I'd love to hear some details on it.

Shovelbuck, I've seen pictures of a bow similar to yours. What is it? It looks amazing!

I'm a big gan of metal risers. I just like the way they shoot. I like the versatility and I do my best shooting (not that that's all that great!) with a small grip.