Which used bow?

[M Beach]

I have been looking for a new recurve or new to me. Looking at Toelke, Great Plains, and Black Widow. What would you look for outside of issues that would make the bow unshootable?

[Wapiti Chaser]

You are the only one who knows what will feel right. Best if you shoot before you buy.

[Ray Lyon]

I'd list the attributes that you would like/need in a bow and then look for the model in that bowyer's line that fits your need. Make your list of bows that fit your above shoshooting needs and then hold out for one of those.

For example lets say you have a long draw but want a bow for tight tree stand or ground blind use. You would probably want to look at short riser long limb combinations in each bow line. Do you like a certain type of grip? Some bow lines have an inherent grip style  (as opposed to custom ordering a new bow with exactly the grip you want).

With a little paper research first and then hopefully getting your hands on a few of your target list to confirm your research,you'll probably be much happier with your end result.

[Mdierker227]

Shoot shoot shoot as many as you can before bitting the bullet and then stick with it.  I made the expense mistake of buying bows that I thought would be good or looked good or based on  others success and swapped bows way to much.

Find a trad meet up or shoot and start making friends.  I haven't meet too many trad folks that won't help a new guy

[Sam McMichael]

I agree that you should shoot as many bows as you can and decide on performance in your hands. All of the bows you mentioned have good reputations. Half the fun of buying a new bow is shopping around.

[Steelhead]

I think length,grip style,grip size,grip fit and the right poundage are prime considerations.

Cant really say which bow you should buy.Thats a personerl thing.All the bows you listed are good bows.

Thiers a place in Lakeland Floridsa that usually has quite a few used bows for sale.Called Traditional Archery Sales.I see your from Florida.maybe if its close enough you could go their and try any bow he has in stock and find one that suits you.

Thiers also a big shoot in cental Florida in the Spring around Ocala.Many bowyers their probably to try bows out.

[Bowwild]

The advice above is sound. Go to the bow shows, trad shops, or  trad shoots and look at, handle, and shoot if you can as many that catch your eye as you can.

Lots of things to consider and nearly every one have to do with personal taste except cost.

- What length do you like.
- TD or 1-piece
- Exotic woods or doesn't matter
- Heavy mass bow or light weight(bow weight not draw weight)
- How much you willing to spend

Once you decide, I'd spend $30 and be a contributor so you can peruse the Classifieds on this site. I've bought and sold several bows here.  Good for the buyer but no so great for the seller, the prices are often way too low. It is very common to find a perfect condition bow for $500 or more less than it cost the original owner.

I went from standard 58" hunting bow to target bows and target form to shoot tighter groups when I was young. The reason, years ago, that I went away from target form and hunting bows that were like shorter tough brothers of target design bows was that I had trouble getting hunting shots where I could use that form.  The Bear takedown was my first step, I simply liked going back to being an instinctive shooter and I liked the feel.  When I got a longbow in my hand, I liked how it felt when I was just handling the bow, I picked up that bent bow arm by looking at pictures and knew that it was right for me.   I like a bow that handles easy.  Most of the time when hunting we are not shooting a bow, we are handling it.  I like a bow that I can set on my leg when I am sitting on my Huntmore chair.  I have a friend that uses a very fine recurve takedown, great shooting bow, but when he walks with his bow he carries it by the string.  When hunting he cannot set it on his lap, the bow quiver fights with him.  I watched him struggle and get frustrated when we were hunting in some brush on the ground, he had no place to hang his bow.  Simple handling makes a bow easy to take hunting.
Get a bow with a grip that matches your form, if you shoot with a straight wrist a deeper recurve grip will fit you better than a straight longbow grip, but if the grip is too gaudy, you may find it only comfortable when actually shooting.  I used to think that large heavy risers made for a more stable bow, with target shooting styles that may be correct, but they also make a bow seem like I am handling a piece of furniture.  I no longer like hefty large risers for hunting.  I see that you have 15 posts, but that is no indication of what shooting style you use.  If you are not certain about what shooting style you will be using, start your search where you can have a knowledgable person and a number of bows to look at.  I do not know of any trad shops near you, but getting hold of a bow, handle it and shooting it is way better than taking a guess on what you would like. Either way, if you prefer a fast and fluid Hill style of shooting or a more static target style, start your search with  keeping a particular shooting style in mind.

[McDave]

The nice thing is that you're buying a used bow, so the big price drop from new to used has already been taken.  So as long as you're buying a popular bow in a popular weight range, say 40-55#, you shouldn't lose any money on it other than shipping costs.  I would prefer to buy a used bow that has a few wear marks on it already, since you'll probably put some on yourself and that has already been built in the price you paid for the used bow.  Of course, the bow has to be structurally sound with no twisted limbs, etc.  You should be able to get one for 60% or so of the cost of a new one, maybe less if you take your time.

I've bought a used bow from time to time just because I've wanted to try it out.  I figure if it costs me $100 for whatever time I use it, that's pretty cheap rent.  And if I get one I want to keep, it's really as good as a new bow for a lot less money.

[AZ_Longbow]

You mean" what used bow to get first".

[mangonboat]

Some may think this heresy, but I would follow all the advice above then look for a used bow that doesn't have a premium pedigree. For example Ben Pearson made so many different models over the years that you can find a used BP recurve of almost every combination of limb, riser and grip styles and never spend $200, frequently much less. Likewise, lots of great values to find in  Shakespeare, Wing, Indian and American Archery bows, and even the Bears that are not as collectible.  For example, if you like how a Black Bear shoots and feels, you'll like how a Grizzly shoots and feels. And I cannot stress enough that these are NOT second-rate bows. A lot of guys and gals who could carry any bow out there choose to hunt with ,e.g., a Shakespeare Necedah , BP Predator or a Wing Red Wing Hunter  and fill their tag every season and then shoot those same old bows in 3D shoots in the off-season. You almost never lose much money if you decide to sell a used bow and try something else, and as Dave pointed out, spending six months with a bow and losing a few $$ in the bargain is cheap education and entertainment. Also, don't be afraid to ask , here, about specific bows. There is a wealth of experience and information  available, here, about almost any bow you can come across. In no time at all you'll be talking about flat coins, Head Ski's and braided versus padded loops .

[Panzer]

Black Widow. Great company with great customer service and plenty of spare limbs and parts floating around. And for the record I know longer own a Widow at this time but I have owned two in the past and they were both purchased used with no problems.