recommendation on a recurve

gross144 · 02-21-2007, 05:05 AM

well i am looking to step it up a notch. I started with the recurve last year and love it. I bought a pse impala as a starter 50# bow and got to where i could shoot it very consistently.

Now i am looking to step it up a notch and get a nicer bow for good since i am hooked. I was looking at the Martin Bows and was wonderring if anyone had any advice on a good bow.

Are they all the same (except price and color) ? Any other brands other than martin that has nice bows and is reputable. The PSE i was shooting was 60 inches at 50# as a starter and i was shoooting directly off of the shelf.

Thanks.

txjourneyman · 02-21-2007, 05:47 AM

try www.recurves.com Nice bows and resonable prices. My first two trad bows are used. My next will be a Chek-Mate. I spent a FEW dollars on a string and a stringer from them and I was treated as if I just ordered a $$$$$$$ custom bow. Great customer service.

PAstew · 02-21-2007, 06:16 AM

If you are looking to step it up, then I suggest a custom bow. The mass manufactured bows are nice but, a custom hand made bow shoots and feels a whole lot better. Ancient Spirits Thunderhawk recurve is very, very nice for $500.00. There are a lot more out there. Look into them.

BobCo19-65 · 02-21-2007, 06:37 AM

Martins are good IMO, but personally, I'd tend to look into used custom or like was mentioneda newChek-Mate.Below is a custon King's Pawn that I bought new from Chad (LBR) for about $300. There are a lot of high priced customs out there, but personally, I think they are better valued when used (except for a couple that appreciate instead of depreciate).

LBR · 02-21-2007, 06:46 AM

What part of the country are you in? There's going to be lots of big traditional tournaments and redevous this summer--great places to try out new bows and get a first-hand look at them.

There's lots of great bows on the market. A few things to consider.

There is no one perfect bow for everyone. Just because your buddy or a bowhunting icon likes a particular bow doesn't mean it's the bow for you. I very much admire Howard Hill and Byron Ferguson, and I prefer longbows, but I don't care for the longbows that carry thosetwo names.

Used bows can be a great buy, but keep it in perspective. If you draw 30" don't buy a bow that was built for someone with a 26" draw, at least not before trying it out yourself. Also, weigh the advantages/disadvantages. New bows come with warranties, used bows usually don't.

Advertising is just that--advertising. Some bows have test reports. If you expect the same speeds you read about, you are going to be dissapointed, just like you are going to be dissapointed when X-Brand cleaner doesn't make that spot in your carpet dissapear like it does in the commercial.

More expensive does not mean better. It can, and often will, mean prettier or more exotic woods or more options, but good (and bad) bows come in all price ranges.

Custom doesn't always mean better. One of the best shots I knew absolutely spanked gobs of "custom" bows in tournaments with an old Bear "Black Bear". There are no magic bows--the nut behind it is what makes the difference. Youmay benefit from a custom bow, but for some folks an over the counter bow will work just fine.

'Course these are mostly my opinions, based on my experience. Take it for what it's worth.

Chad

Arthur P · 02-21-2007, 06:47 AM

Martin makes fine bows. Only thing I don't like about them is their price. I refuse to pay as much - or more - for a mass produced bow as I'd pay for a custom.

So, I also have to add my suggestion for ChekMate. Custom bows for mass produced prices. That's the best way I can describe them. I've been nothing but pleased with my Kings Pawn.... although I wish my draw length had been short enough to get the Falcon. [&:] The Hunter II is the one I'd go for if I were in the market for a takedown.

Tj Craig · 02-22-2007, 12:26 PM

Folks,
I prefer a custom, If iam gonna spend 500.00$ on a mass pro bow, Iam gonna go the extra mile and buy exactly what I want, wood choices ,poundage,ect. I love the Silvertip by Dave Windauer greatest bow Ive ever shot, FOR ME ! Anyway.
Tj

LBR · 02-22-2007, 12:57 PM

CM's are custom bows, and most can be had for less than $500--even with all the "bells and whistles" you won't spend a lot more than that, even on the most expensive model they offer.

I haven't checked in a while, but I think you can still get a Navajo (Roy Hall) or a Black Forrest (Mike Treadaway) for less than $500. Excellent custom bows, excellent people to deal with.