Just think though, This year I will have spent nearly $1100 on my Mathews LX and all of the garbage mounted on it. I will spend another $100 on arrows and Broad heads, in three years I will sell the bow for $400 if I can get it. and buy the new wizbang bow on the market.
Why would you have to sell it in three years? Do bows really wear out, other than the normal string and cable changes? If not, I' d think it' d be just as deadly in three years as is was the day you picked it up from the archery pro shop. I can understand putting on a newer, better designed sight or rest, but why the whole bow? I would also say that you are only partially correct in your assessment of a guns longevity. It will last forever in its original form provided proper maintence IF it isn' t shot too much. But if you shoot a lot of ammo through it it will eventually wear out, at least the barrel will.
I don' t think that most rifle prices are too bad for new ones, particularly with the level of out of the box accuracy most bolt-guns have today. The cost to real practical value is most important. A lot of what you can spend is for looks and name. I, for one, can' t see buying a $1500 Weatherby when a $500 Savage will shoot as well or better right out of the box. I could care less that it doesn' t have a fancy two-tone fluted barrel or bolt. A rifles purpose is to provide the shooter the ability to place a suitable bullet on the target as closely as possible to the point of aim. Looks and brand name are secondary IMO. Nice if you can afford it, but it won' t make it shoot better.
Mike