howard hill vs jd berry

Ari_Bonn · February 27, 2020, 01:01:47 AM

Narrowed it down to a reverse handle hill style. im thinking on a reverse handle legend stick or jaguar. But then there is also jd berry morning star. Has anyone shot the 2 companies to offer a comparison? i hear the jd berry is a slightly better bow but worth the wait?

evgb127 · February 27, 2020, 09:00:53 AM

I've owned both. If given the choice between the two, I'd go with a JD Berry. The build time will be longer but the fit and finish will be significantly better.

Here is a forward handle Hill. I found the grip to be way too chunky for my liking.

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Here is a JD Berry. It is an awesome shooter.

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Kelly · February 27, 2020, 10:57:39 AM

Definitely the J D Berry, I no longer own any Hills.

MnFn · February 27, 2020, 11:03:11 AM

This is a JD Berry Morning Star. Very smooth, No hand shock and pretty quick for a 46@26 bow, but I draw a little longer than that.

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Orion · February 27, 2020, 11:32:59 AM

J.D puts a little more artwork into the risers, sometimes a lot more. Bows are also excellent. I have a Valor, North Star and Taipan. You might also want to consider a Northern Mist. Steve makes several different reverse handle models.

Ulysseys · February 27, 2020, 02:37:50 PM

Goes to show how to each their own, I've owned both and prefer Hills. Not to say the Berry wasn't nice, because it was, but it wasn't significantly nicer than Craig's bows to me in any respect. I have a Wesley with an ebony handle and bamboo limbs that's as clean and flawless as any bow I've seen. If I were buying another Hill it would hands down be from Craig for me.

ron w · February 27, 2020, 02:50:55 PM

I think my Morningstar is a bit quicker than my Hills. But the wait time on a Berry makes lean towards a Hill hands down. I do like them both !!!

two4hooking · February 27, 2020, 04:22:30 PM

Berry hands down.

soap creek · February 27, 2020, 09:53:36 PM

I've owned both. I prefer a Hill. Berry's look nice. To me they didn't shoot any better. To each his own. Its a personal choice.

jackdaw · March 02, 2020, 10:11:44 AM

The Berry for me. The workmanship makes it for me...

Al Dean · March 07, 2020, 03:36:22 PM

Had both. JD did a poor job on the limb tips of my morning star. My Hill big five was excellent in all ways, although I have shot some hills that were not. Also bought a hill too heavy for me, Craig did a weight reduction and refinish for $110. By the way JD's had less hand shock.

Overspined · March 07, 2020, 05:24:28 PM

My problem with HHA is Craig isn't making them, or at least not all of them. So they're not consistent. A standard grip on one bow isn't the same as a standard grip on another...and on and on in my opinion. I had problems with the last two I had and totally walked away from them at that point. That was around 2009 when I was changing bow lengths and weights. One wouldn't tune and had a wacky grip and the other was a T/D and clicked, after it was re-made when the first one wasn't the correct woods..I just gave up. At the time I moved to N Mist. I still have them and I make my own.