Black Widow: PMA or PSA

[JT_Blueridge_TRAD]

I shoot instinctive and I cannt the bow when I shoot.  I'm thinking about getting a BW in the 55 to 58# range.  What are your guys opinions on the PSA or PMA   Thanks

[ZA206]

I'll tell you in a few days... I've got a loaner PSA coming from Black Widow. It should be here tomorrow... 50# @ 28"... autumn oak. I plan on getting a Greybark PSA at 60# in a couple months, but I wanted to shoot a widow first. I love the looks...

-ZA

[R H Clark]

The PMA and PSA are both excellent bows from a great company.Either bow would be fine.It is just personal choice between the two.The PSA just allows a little shorter bow if you need one to hunt in tight places.Personaly I shoot longer bows better but I draw nearly 30in.I don't like bows under 60in.I like the V series the best or the X.I think the bamboo is a little smoother.

[Jarrod Feiner]

R H Clark has it right. Much of decision will be personal. I shoot the PSA and can't put it down. I like a 60" bow for hunting and the PSA's riser is shorter which allows me longer working limbs.

I'd try both and find the model that fells better to you. Personallly I shot the PMA and did not shoot it well. For me the PSA just fits.

Too, I have had excellent customer service from the company--especially from Ken Beck at a PBS banquet: I won a PSA (my first Blackwidow) at an auction and went to his booth for advice on setting the bow up: brace height...et cetera. The bow I won did not have a string, and Ken did not have one in his booth, so he took a string off one of his demo bows. He pulled out a bow square and busied himself setting the nock point, brace height, handed me a owner's manual, gave me a lesson on tuning, and installed a limb-tip protector. Expecting to just pick up a string, I'm like , "Wow, Thanks!" and I pulled out my wallet to pay him, to which he answered "Don't worry about it. Enjoy the bow".

Ken's service sold me on the company. My PSA sold me on the bow.

[bjk]

Give BW a call...longer riser, shorter limbs may benefit one person and not another...talk to the experts, they will get you into the right rig.

Both are very nice bows and BW is top notch CS wise.

[LCB]

I wouldn't mind owning either!

[shick]

JT, my first new widow was an SAV. I thought it was a dandy.  Shot the Bear TD's with the A handle.  That was in the past.  Now shooting Bear B woods; tried a PMAV and loved it.  I find myself more comfortable with the longer risers.  Never paid much attention to sight windows, but I think the short one had my neck cramped up.  Perhaps it's mental, but the next widow will be an MA long riser.  Good luck..........Shick

[sswv]

hey Jason!   I've been shooting an SA V and a PMA II that belongs to a friend, same lenght and weight. they are both great bows. one has the regular grip and the other the Asbell grip and I like both. with the newer ones the PMA's are about a 1/4lb heavier in mass weight. If I were to order a NEW one right now it would be a    :confused:   but then again maybe a  :confused:  or what about the   :confused:  decisions, decisions..just flip a coin  

[Pinecone]

Own both and prefer the PSA by a hair. Both bows, however, are great shooting and as others have said, the choice is largely personal preference.

Claudia

[Curveman]

"The benefit of a long riser is that it shortens the length of the working limb, which makes the bow very dead in the hand upon release; and also makes the bow very fast, stable and quiet. We have taken an already outstanding performing bow to the next step. We believe the Thunder Stick III to be the ultimate in performance in a longbow design." from the guy who makes Thunders. I don't think it matters much actually but when I was buying my new Border, Sid recommended the longer riser for a 60" bow.

[Jwilliam]

I don't think you can go wrong with either one. But I prefer my 60" PSA over the PMA.

Bill

[Tajue17]

oh tough one but if I could only have one it would be the PSA (PMA in the catalog looks better though because of the red strip instead of the white strip)  anyway PSA will pull smoother with the same length bow so get the PSA...

I have a MA2 with a jack Howard grip and that will be tough to beat though,, I have a PSA2 on order which will be here the middle of september..

talk to Toby at Blackwidow he will explain each bow, then try one at a time for a week each with the try before you buy program and you will know then.

[JT_Blueridge_TRAD]

Thanks for the help guys.  I think I'm going to try the 62" PSAX first.  I'd like one in like 55#'s or better.  Do you guys think at a higher poundage the PMA would perform better due to the mass advantage it has on the PSA? Or do the longer limbs of the PSA give it smoothness?

[J.Nordwell]

Well I've got the PMAX in Kingwood. The demo I got was a PMAX in bacote 53@28 Shot it one day and placed the order, Mine is 53@28 I draw closer to 29.5. With the bamboo in the limbs it pulls like a 43 lbs. Never tried the PSA but the PMA feels good to me!!!!!!

[TaterHill Archer]

Unless it has changed, the site window in the PMA is longer than in the PSA.  I'd recommend test shooting both to see which site window works for you.