Most Underated bow you own......and overated

[raideranch]

Underrated: Martin/Damon Howatt line up especially the Mamba.  I don’t know about overrated but there are definitely some overpriced bows (BW, etc...).  Black Widows are great bows and I like them but I would never buy a new one.  A used one will hold its value long enough that you can get your money out of it when you’re ready to sell it.

[straitera]

1978/9..,Proline Saxon 75#@28" & 68" NTN (Hill style). 2 weeks later I killed a running javelina & a long list of animals since. Although not considered "custom" few were made (& sold) by custom boyers for Proline. I know the possible maker & bow integrity as top notch excellent quality. Bow is long before Darton who kept no records of these bows when they took over. If you have additional info I'd like to confirm. PM or e-mail me please. I love this bow! Thanks

[Bullfrog]

Most underrated is a Dwyer original.
Most overrated the dozen or so I have tried since shooting the Dwyer. BUT, I am still looking.   BILL

[WildmanSC]

I've owned 3 bows built by Bob Jones, an elderly gentleman that lives in the area and for the price $250-$300 they are great shooting bows.  They are great shooting bows period!  Mr. Jones has won a lot of competitions, 3-D, shooting his own bows.  I presently have one of his split limb T/D recurves and a Hill style longbow that he is now building.  I haven't shot either of the bows very much, but I have shot them just enough to know they are excellent shooting bows.

My favorite shooting bows, in no particular order, my Marriah Thermal which I received last August, my used Schafer Silvertip which the new limbs Dave built for me arrived last Friday and my Dale Stahl T/D recurve which Mr. Stahl is still in the process of building.  You might ask why I would list a bow which I haven't received yet.  It is really quite simple, I've owned 4 or 5 of his bows and they were all great shooters.

The one that is overrated from my perspective is the ACS D/R longbows.  And it doesn't matter whether I'm talking about one of the one piece bows I owned that OL built or the 3-PC T/D I owned that was built by A&H.  They just didn't live up to the expectations I had for them based on everything I had/have read about them.

Bill

[Straitshot]

Been shooting since the 60's and I have never owned an overrated or underrated bow, and I have owned quite a few.

[BCD]

Underrated- Hoyt GM and Assenheimer. Overrated-well i had a Palmer that was so loud it sounded like a .22 going off, but i think i just got a bad one.

[Sam McMichael]

Most of us who have had a bow that we really liked or that performed well would consider it underrated. Likewise, any bow that did not work out well for us will be considered overrated. Consequently, most of us will differ somewhat in our opinions. Maybe that's why they make lots of different styles... the old "different strokes for different folks" approach.

[buckster]

Underrated - Lewis Hollow Archery, just because the quality of Chris' work on my Hyansani longbow far exceeds the cost of the bow.  

There are others like Quinn and Check-mate, but I feel that these bows are already well recognized for their quality and price points, therefore aren't really "underrated".

Overrated - Most of the bows that are fetching well over $1300+ seem a bit over-rated; in the sense that you don't get double the performance for twice the price.  However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and this viable market will continue to exist, as many folks are glad to pay extra for these beauties.

For me, I am glad to spend between $700-$800 for a well crafted new custom bow from one of our many fine sponsors.  But alas, I try to scoop up the other really expensive ones that I mentioned on our classified ads, as used.  But what do I know, I am a self-professed trad bow junkie!  

[azhunter]

Underrated in terms of you get more than what you pay for I would say my Lost Creek. It absolutely smokes an arrow and has no hand shock and is very quiet with a nice grip. I am going to sell mine and buy another one because I am dropping down in bow weight. Another is the Kanati. Very nice bow that is quiet, smooth and has a really nice grip. Both of these bows are worth more than you pay for them.

Overrated- I would rather not mention by name, but have purchased a few bows that some very respected people on this sight love and they just were not for me. I sold a couple of them almost immediately upon getting them and shooting them for a few days. It just goes to show you we have different preferences in bows. Not that they were bad bows, just bad for me.

I am always amazed at the talent of many of the bowyers we have in the traditional archery industry.  We are very lucky indeed. Barry, I am a sort of bow junky myself. Get a bow that I absolutely love and then say I am done, but then I just love to try new bows.  I will say I have thinned the herd considerably and have decided to only keep around 4 bows at one time that I really enjoy. Just ordered a Holm-Made Osprey and I think it is going to be a keeper. One of the underrated bows by many who have posted on this topic.

[Red Boar]

Originally posted by larry:
the most under rated that I own is a Treadway....got rid of all my over rated ones    

Have to agree regarding the Treadway...ridiculously low price, in comparion, for the craftsmanship.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I don't like the term "overrated" in this context....it neve makes sense to me to insult another fellows bow. Bows are very subjective, what one man shoots well with can be unuseable to another.

Quality of workmanship matters though. I have shot just about every bow that is "main stream"....bowyers popular enough to have a booth at Compton or Kalamazoo....and while some of those bows didnt shoot for me, they were all well made.

As an aside, I just spent a few days down at Black Widow, and watched every aspect of a bow build. Anyone who say they aren't worth the money, or refers to them as "plywood" doesn't know squat about bows or manufacturing. A#1 quality. And no, I don't own one.

[Mudd]

I can't hardly believe that this thread went through my mind as I was trying to go to sleep last night but it did.

You asked and even though it took me awhile to realize I did have an answer to your question and here it is.

I thought about it and I do have one to add to the underrated list. I don't recall it being mentioned previously so I'll go ahead and just say it.
(IMHO)
The Bear Montana has to be severely under rated. I've shot more than one of them and own one. They shoot as good and in some cases better than some of the higher end longbows I've shot. The design is classic "D" and it's just as forgiving as you'd expect that style of bow to be. It's easy on the bow hand, smooth on the draw and hits where your looking.

It's not that flashy, but flash never killed any critter that I'm aware of. Very functional bow you don't have to baby in the woods.

The other bow I think of more as a lesser well known as apposed to under rated but give it time and I think folks will begin to take real notice. That's the "Spirit Bow" by Bryan Holley from Colorado. You can check them out at RMSG. One of our great sponsors.

Thank you!

God bless,Mudd

[Randy Koleno]

I always thought the Howatt/Martin ML-18 Bushmaster bows were underated. I do hear rumors that the Barta bows are a copy.

 I'd say the most overated bows are the ones I don't shoot well    LOL.

[tarponnut]

3 Under-rated bows: Don Dow Stikbows,
Ben Pearson Cougar,Martin Hatfield.

Over-rated: ?, I've liked pretty much every bow I've shot(in my draw range), just some more than others.

I actually think most custom trad bows are way underpriced(sorry).

[TheFatboy]

Originally posted by tarponnut:
I actually think most custom trad bows are way underpriced(sorry).

Considering the fact that the most expensive of custom bows, only cost a fraction of the most expensive of hunting rifles and shotguns... then I actually agree with you. Even the most expensive custom bow can be acquired by pretty much anyone.

[jhg]

Originally posted by Roger Norris 2:
I don't like the term "overrated" in this context....it neve makes sense to me to insult another fellows bow. Bows are very subjective, what one man shoots well with can be unuseable to another. ...

Not to mention some may not be tuned well. I  have shot a couple of super respected bows considered top shelf and one had so much hand shock I thought it had been plugged in and set on "vibrate"
But I know that bow was not set up right. Even if I didn't like it, no way was it indicative of that makers design quality. The other bow (a Howard Jet) had serious top limb vibration after the shot and again either it was my form,  or the bow was not tuned well for the arrows.
Unless we have really explored all ways a bow can be set up we can't really say they are over-rated, can we?

To go even further, I have my Dad's 1958 Yellowjacket longbow. I can shoot that bow well, but a lot of the time it has pretty good handshock. Yet sometimes, when I do my part form wise, there is none. Is the bow junk because my form sucks most of the time and I get handshock? Clearly if  I "do it right' the bow will deliver an arrow as gracefuly as a swan.
It makes me wonder how many bows get moved along simply because we have not mastered them.

Joshua

[snag]

Well for modern day bows I'd say the Fox bows are underrated just because I don't see many of them out there. After recently acquiring a Royal Crown I'd say it is one of the finest shooting R/D LB's out there.
For "vintage" bows I'd rather not say. Don't want to draw too much attention to them so I don't get anymore competition when I want to buy one! haha

As for overrated....well that would be several that some guys and gals love to shoot and I can't see why. But if it works for them well then great. It just means we both won't have to wait as long when putting in an order! haha

[kadbow]

Most Underated:  The number of quality bowyers we have to choose from.  For the small "market" traditional archery represents we have an incredible selection of fine tools in all grades, shapes, sizes, and flavors. Be thankful there are enough bows out there that you have the option to like or dislike.

[Earl Jeff]

I don't think the 83yr old John McDonald  (Big River bows) get enough credit for his bows.

[Holm-Made]

Last weekend John told me he was just about to turn 81.  Yes, he does build a great bow.  He is not as well known because he doesn't advertise or have a website.  He doesn't need to.  Word of mouth from 50 plus years of bow building keep him busy.  Chad