2-piece takedown bows.....

[RD]

With all the talk on Sawtooth's thread about trad. bows, my first three fingers started gettin' ichy again.

What two piece takedown recurve or longbow would you guys suggest in the $600 and under price range? Nothing fancy, just solid performance in a nice small package.

Thanks for the help, RD

[Sawtooth]

Again, I'm pretty new to this. I shopped around quite a bit, shot quite a few bows in the process, and talked to a lot of very knowledgeable archers (most of them are on this board). I've found that for under $600 it will indeed be "nothing fancy, just solid performance..." /images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif If you're talking a custom bow. I decided on a Bob Lee Signature takedown recurve, 58". It cost me $570.00. Other really good bows I looked at, shot, etc., were a Wapiti, a Bighorn, and a Rampart (the Rampart would have been my second choice). Both right at the same price range. But something Kevin told me about six months ago rings clear...you need to really shop around and shoot a lot of bows to find the one that fits YOU. My Bob Lee might not be right for someone else, but when I shot it I knew I would keep it. It just FELT right. And that's what I've found traditional archery and instinctive shooting to require...getting a hold of what FEELS right and works for you. Have fun searching...

PS: When I win the lottery, it'll be a Fox. :p

[CCH]

Ditto on the shooting. Even within the same bow maker and same bow model there can be big differences. I shot about 15 different longbows and recurves at one shop recently and was amazed at how differently even the same bow with different woods shot. And after all that the best shooting bow for me was a rather plain (wood wise) longbow there on consignment for a very low price. Even compared to $600 recurves, that bow shot the best for me.

When it comes to two piece long bows, there are very few in the $600 and under range. Most I've seen are $700+. I think Spirit makes one that might be under $600.

[Kevin]

If your ideal bow is a Fox, give him $100 and let him get started. At $200 per month, you hardly notice the cost.

But the correct answer is, find the bow that fits you. John Havard makes the ACS longbow, the best performer out there. It, or something else, may fit you better.

Isn't this fun?

[Sawtooth]

Kevin, I took some of my "Fox money" and I am getting Rachel a better recurve for her 7th birthday next month. But you're right, Fox treats their customers right.

About longbows...I decided against one, but I shot a Spirit and also looked at a friend's Yellowstone. I was impressed with both. The Spirits are very reasonable.

[John Havard]

RD,
A few thoughts to consider about 2PTD's. First of all, the type of connection is important. The sleeve (the simplest and probably the strongest) is out of favor with most everyone because it (generalizing a bit here) requires the bow to have a fat broomstick for a handle. Few people like that. Then there's the connexion hinge. That has generally fallen out of favor because it's floppy and the bow is clumsy to handle if it's unstrung. Plus, for those bowyers who simply bolt it onto the back of the grip instead of inletting it, it's ugly and clunky. Then there's the Treadway system, used by Black Widow among others. It requires a rubber grip "condom" to be rolled over the grip area. Some folks don't like that either. Another option is generally referred to as the Selway system that cuts the riser/grip at a bevel and then bolts the two halves back together using two limb bolts and inserts. Very strong but a bit clumsy. That pretty much leaves either Jim Stepp's bevelok or the bow bolt system. Either of those are super nice. When the bow is put together it looks and feels exactly like a one-piece. Plus, there are no tools required. All of these takedown systems add about $200 to the original price of the bow, so even used ones will come at a premium.

My recommendation would be to surf either eBay or Tradgang and watch for good deals on used bows. If you're lucky you should be able to find a pristine used custom bow for about 50% of the original price.

Good luck and enjoy!
John

[RD]

Gents,

Thanks for all the replies. I figured $600 for a two piece might be asking a bit much but worth a try.

I'd like to shoot some bows but the archery shops around here don't carry much of the trad. stuff but I'll keep looking.

John H., thanks for the explination of the different connection methods. Most of what I've seen have been on websites, haven't handled much.
I'd prefer a no-bolts/tools type system for simplicity's sake.

Have any of you delt with Kramer Archery in Troy, MT.? They use a sleeve method and the price isn't too astronomical.

I was also wondering about a comment from the other thread regarding arrow speed. Why might two bows of similar design, AMO, poundage etc. have different arrow speeds? Is there really a significant difference between the materials/wood etc. used in the limbs to bring about a usable increase in arrow speed?

AND...is arrow speed really that important, or is there a practical range that you should look for? It seems to me that a heavier arrow with a proper broadhead (proper bullet in rifle hunting) is much more important(and obviously putting it in the right place!) for killing game.

Thanks again,

RD