Cheaper bows

Hoosierarcher88 · June 30, 2018, 02:56:53 AM

Who all out there regularly shoots a cheaper bow. By cheaper im talking like the many korean,chinese or other imports like samick, sas, af, fleetwood etc. I picked up a used sas pioneer a few weeks back and besides the plain appearance i must say it does shoot great. Do i think its the quality that my great northern was, no, but it does everything that a bow should do. I have several friends who hunt with compounds that want to try trad but cant see spending the price on a custom or even a stock bear or bodnick for that matter.

Possum Head · June 30, 2018, 07:05:49 AM

Like your friends I left compound hunting to go back to trad. At the time I bought a 300 dollar import from a local bow shop. I've had it for 8 years and it's a fine bow. That said, after the fact I wished I would have bought a used vintage for half the price. Cheap bows are out there if a man is patient enough to seek them out and to me it's half the fun

Red Beastmaster · June 30, 2018, 08:18:32 AM

I have become a big fan of economical Asian bows. I have a Greatree longbow, Samick recurve, and my latest one is a Big Rock takedown longbow. They shoot just as well as my customs at a fraction of the price. I supported American families with my purchases.

bunyan · June 30, 2018, 02:15:40 PM

I've actually gone back to my cheap PSE Sable recurve recently. Its beat up and isn't fancy, but it fits my longer draw better than the custom bow I own. I don't feel bad about spray painting it and it gets the job done. I think sometimes we get too caught up in the "brand names" of our gear and what others might think. I love the handwork and detail that goes into a custom bow and the beauty of fine wood in limbs and risers, but I also try to avoid the commercialism we can so easily get wrapped up in with this sport. My cheap bow helps keep me honest!

Blackstick · June 30, 2018, 02:58:14 PM

It's not my regular shooter, but there is nothing wrong with a Samick Sage that a rasp and some sandpaper won't cure.

Msturm · June 30, 2018, 03:01:04 PM

I recently got a Maddog M.U.T.T. made to my desired length and poundage. The turn around was 2 weeks and it cost less than $300 to the door. I got a quality bow that shoots great, kept my money in America and Mike is a great guy to do business with.

4dogs · June 30, 2018, 03:15:26 PM

I second Mad Dog bows. I have a recurve I have shot for several years now that I got from Mike. It is not a cheap bow but it was very inexpensive. Shoots just as good as most the customs I have. Good workmanship and finish. Mike is a good guy too, does a lot for our sport.

Archie · June 30, 2018, 03:18:31 PM

I'd buy a used vintage bow. I've had better luck in my life with higher quality stuff that I bought used or refurbished than with cheap stuff I bought new.

There are some nice options to be found out there that are less expensive, if you do your homework. I have had several great Mad Dog bows.

Hoosierarcher88 · June 30, 2018, 03:34:36 PM

A maddog is on my list as they seem to be great quality for the money.

ty_in_ND · June 30, 2018, 03:36:16 PM

I purchased an AF hybrid longbow off of the "big auction" site that I gave to my brother-in-law as a Christmas gift. It's a nice bow for the price (it was $140, so about the cost of a Sage). The finish was pretty good and I didn't see any fatal flaws (the riser had a nice transition out of the fades and the glue lines looked good). I got it at 40# @ 28" and it measured 41# on the scale. It could handle a 30" draw and felt good in the hand during the shot.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

Hoosierarcher88 · June 30, 2018, 03:42:25 PM

Quote from: ty_in_ND on June 30, 2018, 03:36:16 PM
I purchased an AF hybrid longbow off of the "big auction" site that I gave to my brother-in-law as a Christmas gift. It's a nice bow for the price (it was $140, so about the cost of a Sage). The finish was pretty good and I didn't see any fatal flaws (the riser had a nice transition out of the fades and the glue lines looked good). I got it at 40# @ 28" and it measured 41# on the scale. It could handle a 30" draw and felt good in the hand during the shot.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

that was actually one of the bows that caught my eye. Did you get the red colored wood or the walnut colored wood. Also what is the actual length of it

SAM E. STEPHENS · June 30, 2018, 04:45:30 PM

I have been shooting the Galaxy bows for a bit now and love them , I have 3 of the Bkack Ridge 62in longbows and 2 Ember longbows. They look good and shoot great and at $200 TYD the price is hard to beat. My buddy shot his Ember through a chronograph and it beats all his custom bows in speed ( same weight bows , same arrow ) the Ember is the only bow he shoots now..

,,Sam,,

nek4me · June 30, 2018, 04:52:24 PM

The Black Bear riser with Sage limbs makes a nice inexpensive combination especially if you can obtain the riser on the cheap or free as I already had one hanging around for years. Most are probably converted to ILF but Sage limbs fit with only minor adjustments. The lenth is the same 62" but limb socket angle is different than the Sage with weight coming in about 4 lbs less than the limbs are marked which I recently confirmed with another member. Mine with 45# limbs is 36# at my 26" DL and makes a nice form bow. You can use an elevated rest for vanes or feathers as I did originally or shoot off the shelf as currently set up.

[attachment=1]

[attachment=2]

[attachment=3]

LBR · June 30, 2018, 04:53:08 PM

The bow I've shot the most the last several years is a "cheap" Samick Journey. With a good string, it shoots great. Two great things about those Samick bows that you don't get with old bows (other than the price and how they shoot)...you can use any string you want on them and not void the warranty...and they HAVE a warranty.

Doesn't bother me to take mine bow fishing, or hunting, or knock it around...at the price they are practically disposable. Hasn't kept me from getting other bows (got a Treadaway last year, got a Belcher in the works, plan on ordering a Navajo in the not too distant future).

I used to trade on old bows a lot, but quit when the price of an old Bear or Pearson was rivaling that of a new bow.

Crooked Stic · June 30, 2018, 06:25:38 PM

Buy American made. It cost no more to go first class you just cant stay as long.

mahantango · June 30, 2018, 08:46:45 PM

I'm with Archie on this. I feel I get more bang for my buck buying used, high quality than new and cheap. The only exception might be Madog and the Galaxy series.

David McLendon · June 30, 2018, 09:39:33 PM

My go to bow is a Shafer Silvertip recurve, I bought a Galaxy Ember LB just to see what everybody was talking about and I have to admit that it is a great shooter and I like it a lot.
It is on the way back now from being hydro-dipped and while it is gone I'm back to shooting the Shafer. I'm thinking that the Galaxy will be the back up on trips, maybe first line sometimes, who knows?

ty_in_ND · June 30, 2018, 09:45:09 PM

Quote from: Hoosierarcher88 on June 30, 2018, 03:42:25 PMthat was actually one of the bows that caught my eye. Did you get the red colored wood or the walnut colored wood. Also what is the actual length of it

I think it was 63 in from Nock to nock... the next time I'm visiting my sister, I'll have to get a measurement off of it. I did get the red colored version and it did look pretty good. It looked like the limb cores were made natural bamboo under the black fiberglass so it was pretty snappy bow.

Sent from my VS988 using Tapatalk

txcookie · July 01, 2018, 12:12:00 AM

I like my sage. Sweet bow easy to shoot take down what's not to like.

Red Beastmaster · July 01, 2018, 09:32:51 AM

On my last hunt at Wild Things I hunted with my $179 Sage one piece, the $1000 Brackenbury was the back up and never got out of the truck.

Sure, the Brack was custom made for me with everything I wanted, even got my name on it. I waited a whopping 28 months for it, 16 months overdue!

The Sage was at my door in three days with free shipping. It shoots better than the Brack and is a good solid hunting bow. The only thing it lacks is my name.

Now where'd I put the Sharpie?

Cheap bows, the other white meat!