Big Name Bows

[pcappy08]

the best bow is the one that fits you best...there are plenty of bowyers out there who make excellent and beautiful products.  Shoot as many as u can and see which one u prefer the most...at the end of the day it really is personal preference and not much more

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I have no name bow at half the price!

Are you planning on hunting/target with the bow or do  you simply want to hang it on the wall and show it off to all your buddies?  If your answer is both buy what you like and fits you!  

Dont even look at name brands!

[George D. Stout]

All of the photos of the fancy woods, and expensive veneers mean nothing to  the guy who has not shot or even held that bow.  You live in S.E. Ohio and your are not far from several shoots that will have vendors whose bows you can try.

I wouldn't spend $300.00 for a bow I never even had in my hand....that's asking for a trip to the classifieds.  You may find the Black Widow is just the perfect bow, or you may, like me, not be able to shoot that style very well at all.
It may be beautiful, but if it don't speak your language, you might as well not have it.

Look around and see who is within a day's drive of your home.  I'm sure you will find a few.  Just don't make the mistake of buying before trying.  The classified section is full of bows that probably were bought like that.

[ron w]

You have to try a bunch out and see what you like...the best one in my opinion is the one you shoot well.........

[Gary Logsdon]

I own a lot of different bows, some "pretty" and other no so fancy.  Aesthetics is a very personal thing, as is what feels and shoots right.  I agree with those who advise going to a big show and putting your hands on different models.

[hvyhitter]

....ditto on shooting a bunch and finding the one that shoots best for you. Dont pass up some of the smaller bowyers and take a good look at the craftsmanship involved. Some of those guys are producing real works of art that just flat shoot as good as they look. Kalamazoo would be a good place to start as well as any of the big shoots coming up this spring and summer(ETAR,ATAR,Balt,Sawmill, and I think a few in Ohio.....) I have yet to ask someone I met on one of the courses that wouldnt let me shoot their bow a few times once I said I was interested in getting one. And some bows you can tell in the first few times that it just isnt for you. It'll save you money and grief in the long run.

[LimbLover]

I guess if you want to spend the money, the Widows are some of the quickest bows I've seen. Durable as all get out.

I'm probably not the one to listen to though. I never buy the bow for the price tag. At least not in the higher-end direction lol.

[easyup]

Be sure and try carbon from the bowyers if the $ does not shock you, I love my new Morrison with double carbon.  I would love to try the same model of recurve or longbow w and w/o carbon.

[saltwatertom]

somebody has to say it,....

Daala, I love mine.

But,... what the wise people said here, find a bow that fits and,...... shoot the limbs off of it!

[PrarrieDog]

The best bow for you is one that you hit with. Find it and ask the maker how pretty he can make one for you. That way you can be assured you will have a "high dollar" bow.

[Shakes.602]

Ever Hear the saying:  "It Aint the BOW, Its   The INDIAN."??    
   Not Trying To Be Nasty so No Offense Intended. Its just The Way A Man On A  VERY  Fixed Income Has To Look at Such a Situation!!  Used Bows  are Just Fine By Me Too, Because they Are  NEW To ME!!  

[Mojostick]

A better thread title might be "quality bows that won't disappoint?".

While there are lots of favorite bows, cheap and high end, for lots of guys for lots of reasons, there is a smaller list of bows that, whoever your are, when you shoot them, they make you think inside your head "yeah, I'll be getting of of those one day".
They are usually extra pleasing to the eye too.

For example, the Toelke Whip, Thunderstick MOAB and Whisperstik Mojostik come to mind. While I have other bows too, most everyone who's shot those 3 at my house all agree that there's something else about them.

Maybe it's a universal grip that's easy for more people to like? Maybe the smooth draw/lack of stack is picked up by more people? Maybe the lack of shock and noise is something that's hard to describe, but you know it when you shoot it.

There is no such thing as a "best bow", but I do believe there are craftsmanship/design/quality levels among bowyers.

It's no different with firearms. I was a Jr. state champ in skeet years back. While I was blessed that my dad had a great collection of beautiful old Browning O/U's, my first 50 straight with a .410 came from a borrowed 870 pump, of all things. Now, the reason being that that particular 870 fit me perfectly. Stock length, comb, height, trigger pull, etc. In fact, I wanted to but THAT 870 right there on the skeet field, but the owner wasn't selling.

But while that 870 .410 fit me perfectly and I shot the lights out with it, I still can't compare a run of the mill 870 to a Belgium Browning Pigeon grade. The key is, get the specs perfect on any shotgun and you'll be stunned how much better you shoot. Trad bows are no different in my opinion.
But if you can do that, a beautiful, quiet bow is always better.

Then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet, 8 out of 10 guys can typically agree on who the prettiest woman in room is too. LOL

Does that make any sense?

[dbow]

I would also check out mohawk bows.   http://mohawkbows.com/

And Centaur bows
 http://www.centaurarchery.com/

Great bows for the price!  In fact I think that the owner of Centaur might send you one to shoot!!

[amar911]

I have my favorites, and for the most part they are among the "big name" bows. There is a reason why some bows become immensely popular. But there are also many lesser known and less expensive bows out there that are of excellent quality. As others have said, try as many bows as you can and see what feels good to you. Even if a bow is not as fast or smooth or does not excel in some other attribute to the extent of the "big name" bows, it may feel and shoot better in your hands. Any good bow will kill game animals, so don't get carried away by a few feet per second of speed, or some minor improvement in performance or looks. If you don't have access to many bows to shoot, buy a used "big name" bow at a lower price from the classifieds so you can try it out and get most of your money back if it isn't what you wanted. Lots of the people here have done that. Another option is to buy a new bow from a bowyer who offers a trial period during which you can return the bow for a refund and only be out the shipping costs. I know Bob Morrison has offered that arrangement and some others do too. Enjoy the search.

Allan

[bentpole]

       You might shoot a low priced not so famous  bow better than a high priced famous  one. Go to shoots, try before you buy. It's the only way to find the one that's correct for you. You want a hunting tool that you can shoot accurately consistantly.

[vtmtnman]

Everyone has said it...and I'll say it too.TRY LOTS of bows before buying.

I got lucky.I knew the specs I wanted,bought a Silvertip TD recurve off the classifieds and found my true love.Not to say it will be the last bow I own,as there are LOTS of bows left to try,but it's going to be hard to replace my 'tip.What a SWEET shooting bow (For me).The one other bow that came close was a Morrison ILF recurve.

[Michl]

I like my Widow PSA because of her smoothness.
I liked my GP for her overall performance(not the fastest, not the smoothest, but very good in everything an archer love)
I liked a border because of its speed and smoothness.
I love my Zipper sxt foam/carb because of her smoothness and incredible speed(the fastest bow I ever measured!)

[lpcjon2]

GET A HILL!!!

[Dean Lintz]

The price of a bow will not make you shoot better than a bow that fell good in your hand and you are comfortable shooting.


The price of a bow won't make it shoot better for you than one that feel good in your hand and is comfortable to shoot. Speed is no good without accuracy it just makes you miss faster.

[leatherneck]

Where in southeast Ohio are you from? PM me and we can get together to shoot. I have a Morrison Shawnee Recurve, a Thunderstick MOAB longbow, and a Whisperstik longbow you can shoot until your hearts content.

Mike

The MOAB: