I need you longbow experts help.I found a longbow today that looks just like a great plains,reflex/deflex one piece but doesnt have a name on it.It did have draw weight and amo string size,but it also had on lower limb in gold writing ML-16.Does anyone know what that might mean?Bow model?it was a very nice custom built longbow that looks like it hasnt been shot much at all.I would say it was built in the last 10yrs.maybe less.Did great plains old /earlybows not have the name on them ?If i had built it I would have been proud to have put my name on it.Iam thinking about buying it anyway.It looked like yew and osage wood.Thanks and Happy Archery to all!!

Seems like no one knows about this bow,Ok what would be a good price to pay for aused,pretty, custom longbow,barely shot,looks just exactly like a 500.00 great plains longbow?Anyone care to guess?

Forgot to ask,Any of you guys make longbows and what do you charge to make a custom one piece?After rifle season,for me,archery season starts and runs till next year,stump shooting,that is!!!!3-d targets also!!Anyone got a good used longbow for sale?Rh,55# or less?Used recurves?

I'm hardly an expert on resale & costs. I shoot Navajo recurves and I own a saluki longbow(that I realy should shoot more often).

I've meet the guys from Great Plains there very good folks. Give then a call.

I've only sold one trad bow & got 50% of the purchase price, which seems about what the market will bare for a used bow in good shape. I hope that helps a bit.

A decent longbow is going to be in the $500 range. There are several big trad shoots & expos coming up where you can shoot bows from many of the top boywers and they have a lot of used bows too.

If it is yew/osage and it a nice shooter it's worth a $100+. Do shoot a few quivers full through it BEFORe you buy it. It's funy how you don't realize the hand shock or ifthe bow styacks right away.

If it is marked ML16, it is probably an older Martin.

G'day,
I would have to agree with Mike Horst, it sounds like an older Martin longbow. I went out to the shed to check my old Martin, sure enough ML, but not 16, this one reads 15. Don't know if thats model# or what. Mine runs about 70lbs @ 29" draw. But, and this will probably annoy some people, it is not a longbow, it is a flatbow, which makes it a lot easier to shoot than a regular, oval cross section, long bow. For me anyway. Others are probably different.
blackbearhunter, I know several people who make custom, or semi-custom bows to order, don't know how you would go importing one into the U.S though. At the moment I am shooting a brilliant Warrigal Archery takedown recurve, 70lbs @ 29". These guys will make whatever you want, there is a guy locally shooting a 120lbs @ 28" traditional longbow based on one of the "mary rose" longbows, don't look at me, I can't even draw it! He did manage to put an arrow end to end through a water buffalo with it though.
As for the one you have found, if you like it, grab it. Haggle hard! Life is too short!

Cheers, Dave.

Thanks sambar.i haggled hard to no avail.
they have the bow priced to high.I will pass.
It is a martin iam sure now.martins are ok bows but i have owned better.
I have been shooting alot for something like 25years and it has taken its toll on my body,I have problems with acking ,cramping,hurting muscles like arthritus.Iam going to shoot light weight bows of around 50#-55# range and not try to shoot 100 arrows a day.I just love archery and love to watch the arrow fly.
Archery has been like a best friend to me and i love roaming and stump shooting!
I have always shot a recurve but would like to find a longbow or flatbow to hunt with some. Age/years is whats getting to me,and shooting so much with heavy bows,but on the bright side,I did hear of a old timer longbow hunter that was still hunting and takeing black bear with his longbow ,in ground blinds,typical shot 20yards or closer-His age-80yrs.young!!!
Also I think howard hill shot for years up till he was very old.Do any of you older shooters that have shot heavy bows everyday for many years ever have muscle problems or any thing?
I shoot 3 fingers and glove and my 3 fingers get a lot more stiff than the use to.Just getting old i would guess,happens to the best of us!!!!!!
Wasnt papa Fred bear older /over 40-when he shot every thing around the world?I wonder how old he was when he quit hunting/harvesting big game?Whats some of the oldest longbow/recurve shooters/hunters you guys have known or hear of?
Dan Quillin shot a big grizzly with his longbow and was shooting 90#,he was over 40 at the time.I shot with him and his son years ago at a 3-D shoot and he was deadly accurate and a joy to watch shoot!I wonder if papa dan still shoots?Anyway thanks brothers for all the help and you guys are the greatest!!!Bulls eyes to all!!

How much do you guys practice thru out the year or right up to hunting season and during hunting season?I think my problem has been over doing it for years!I need to back off and slow down some and not try to shoot 120 arrows at a time.
Do you have a set practice routine?
Do you shoot all year round or just right before season and then quit and not shoot much once season starts?
Do you only shoot about a dozen shots at a time?

G'day,
blackbearhunter, I'm 40+, been shooting arrows for just over 30 years (started at 12) and, like you, I still haven't gotten bored watching the arrows fly!
Seriously though, yes the age gets to you, aches, pains, etc, all the styff that slows you down. Funny how all that disappears when you manage to slip a home made arrow into a critter you have stalked for hours, isn't it?
I try to limit the practice sessions to about 60 shots a week, spread out over a couple of days of good weather.
I don't know how the legends (Bear, Hill, et al) managed. I will probably have to let the 70# go in the near future, it's getting to be too much to hold while waiting for the perfect moment to release. I might have to order a 55# recurve to replace it, and stock up on the anti-inflammatories!
If you are interested, there is a lady over here, hubby passed away a few weeks back, now she is ckearing out all his old archery stuff. He had a brand new flatbow, 55# @ 28", that you could probably get for the postage cost, if you are interested?
Drop me a line if you are and I'll talk to her.

Cheers, Dave.

Archey is an atheletic endevere, one much get in shape & stay in shape. One can lay down a firearm for years, pick it up range in a bit and be in decent readyness. That is not the case with archery.

Shooting a few arrows a week over a few days with help one maintain condition. After a lay-off start back slow. 12 perfect arrows is much better than 120 at 3/4 draw & off target hits.

Take one day & shoot blind bale. Stand 5 yrds from the target.Close your eyes, come to full draw pause & lose the arrow. Get get the feel of full draw, at that range you won'y miss, concentrate on form. This is extremely imporant for us Trad shooters.

I've got a lot of scar tissue from Rugby, Football and weight training over the years. I hunt with a 70# recurve and also have an 85# recurve that I hope to hunt Buff with soon. I stay & shape and do have problems.

Stay in shape & keep hunting or sit on the porch.


It's up to you.

Sambar yes, Iam very interested in the bow.send me a pm and we can talk.I dont know any old shooters anymore ,just young guys,and i can still shoot fine,i justhave pain problems from time to time,i saw the docter several year ago and he said ,it was just That i was getting older,not 20yrs.old no more.I just love the tradional bows and could care less for a compound.a compound is a beginners bow to me and they are a lot easyier to shoot,not primitive enough for me.I will try to pm you also but dont know how......

G'day blackbearhunter,
I just spoke to her, yes it's RH and your PM came through fine! Catch you later.

Cheers, Dave.

G'day again,
blackbearhunter, It is a PSE Heritage series Marksman, S# 6103050, 69", it says 50# but I have just tillered it, and it goes 54# @ 28". All that OK with you?
If you don't want it, I think I'll see if she'll pass it on to me! Nice looking bow, I strung it and plinked a couple of shots into the bale out in the backyard, minimal shock, sweet!

Cheers, Dave.

Sambar since its your friend and you like the little bow go ahead and keep it.It may bring you good luck!If you change your mind later i want first chance at it,hows that?cheers

Boss kongoni,Do you get really serious and practice like every day right before you go on a big safari type hunt?I try to get super serious with my shooting a recurve instintively at hunting season and my shooting shoots up to top notch,I can make a lot of great shots and can get into the zone.I practice bearing down on a spot and blocking out everything else except the shot and i think this helps me with the adrenline rush by focusing on the shot and trying to make a perfect release with my fingered glove.I still miss sometimes ,but not by much!I bet when you went to africa you were shooting great top notch shots!I saw a fellow heading to oregon one time at our archery club, that was going after elk, and he was going to practice just a last time before getting on the plane,he was shooting rocky mountain 3-bade 130gr, broadheads.
He shot at 50yrds and stacked a dozen arrows together in the bullseye over and over!Hes one of the best shots i ever did see or he was just really having one of those really good days!I never forgot watching him do that great archery shooting show,he was in the zone!cheers

I just wanted to bragg a minute about my little bow,I know you guys would appreciate this.I got tom gore of cascade bows to buid me a super blackhawk custom takedown.this coming season will be 16years she has been in the field with me and shes justas pretty as ever.Never gave me a minutes fuss!Isnt that something!Maybe we can go on a few more hunts before i retire her.Somethings are just hard to let go.......

G'day,
blackbearhunter, I have too many bows as it is, I will only keep this one if you don't want it. This one has your name all over it, I will get down to the post office in the morning to fid out about postage.

Cheers, Dave.

Great ,sounds like a nice bow!Let me know something and thanks for the help!I owe you one!
bbh

G'day again,
Forgot to add, the old boy sure knew how to plan adhead, it has several spare stings, some continuous loop, some flemish twist. All waxed and with knocking guides. Talk about prepared!

Cheers, Dave.

G'day BBH,
I know what you mean about the favorite bows, I have an old Fred Bear recurve "Grizzly" 55# @ 28. 23 years old and still shoots like a dream. However I no longer take it on those hunts where something might happen to it, or it will be exposed to extremes of temperature or weather.So I guess you could call it 'semi-retired'.
I hate to think about damaging it, but I expect it will happen one day. But not too soon!

Cheers, Dave.

Sambar ,I had a bear like yours years ago,that bow was a dream to shoot and was very nice looking,but it was old.I knew i should retire it but just loved to shoot it.One day i pulled it back to string it up and she let go on me and broke clean in two.I wish i had retired her sooner.......I wonder how many years these old bows will keep working?I have thought about haveing a new bow built up and save my old blackhawk while shes still in good shape.seems like they would start showing signs of cracking or some kind of warning signs?
On another note,i just wanted to share this one-
I was in a archery shop one day and was talking to another bowman about recurves and pull weights. He says- man i gotta black widow recurve the other day that you will not believe!
He went out to his car and brought in a case. He pulled the black widow bow out and strung it and then handed it to me and said -PULL IT BACK && Guess the weight-I pulled back on that smooth drawing bow and held it a little then let down and said -I guess it will pull 55#?
He was grinning ear to ear and told me to look at the handle-It was a 65# draw!That was the smoothest drawing bow i ever have held!Are all black widow bows that nice?I was impressed to say the least!That bow was bad to the bone! I have done some great shooting with the bear super kodiak also.nice bows!

G'day BBH,
I'm no good at guessing draw weights, that why I tiller when I need to check. Seriously though, sounds like a nice bow, how much?
I'm going to retire the Bear recurve after the opening day of this years deer roar, it will be our last hunt together, then it gets retired to the wall, with the last deer taken with it.

Cheers, Dave.

That guy would not trade that bow for a golden monkey!He was so proud of it.I just wondered if black widow bows are that nice and smooth drawing?All I know about them is they are high dollar and i hate to shell out that kind of bucks on a bow and not get to check it out first.I thought maybe his was just a exception.Maybe some black widow owners can chime in and tell us what they think about the black widow bows?They seem to be popular?By the way what kind of broadheads do you guys shoot?I have been shooting the thunderhead 125 ever since they came out with excellent results and arrow flight.I also love the old rocky mountain 3-blade 130gr. broadheads.They really make a hole!cheers

G'day BBH,
We have a brilliant one here called the Davies, 2 blades, comes in about 4 sizes. I use the 125gr which from memory is called the delta. I grabbed 50 when I heard the company was folding. Still have 41. If you collect them, sing out and I will send one over with the bow.

Cheers, Dave.

G'day again,
Nearly forgot, Boss Kongoni, interesting practice technique, but you have more faith in my accuracy than I do! I could miss a barn from the inside if I closed my eyes!
But you are right, Practice, Practice, Practice!

Cheers, Dave.

Yes sambar,I collect broadheads,I have a old glueon colt Hibre i will trade you if you dont have one of those old heads.There cool looking!
Thanks bunchs!

G'day BBH,
Are you sitting down? Of course you are, you're at the PC! Postage on the bow will come to about $120 AUD ( 90-100 USD ), I will check with FedEX tomorrow and let you know the outcome.
Thanks for the offer, I never have bothered to collect broadheads, I just try to put them to good use. Hang on to the one you have. I will try and send you over some Davies as long as you try to stick them into something worthwhile, O.K?


Cheers, Dave.

quote:

Originally posted by Sambar 9.3:
G'day again,
Nearly forgot, Boss Kongoni, interesting practice technique, but you have more faith in my accuracy than I do! I could miss a barn from the inside if I closed my eyes!

Draw your bow & get it pointed at a REALLY BIG target 1st!!!.....The point of blind bay is to concentrate on your form...and not worry about your aim. The interstin thing is after you do it a bit you be grouping tight with out looking.

Black widow has a try before you buy program.
The details are on their website. I don't own one, but have shot several over the years. A friend of mine just tested two of their bows, and they were nicely built. The tf model, which is a one piece recurve, was much faster than their longbow...to be expected, of course.
But, it was also smoother to draw, and was a dandy little bow. I would like to own one of their takedown recurves, maybe one day I will.
Their longbow, which has a pretty fair bit of reflex in the limbs, didn't impress me. It was on a par with similar bow designs, but not as nice as, say, an adcock bow. I shot one of them last summer, and it was sweet! The widow longbow had no handshock, and was very attractive. It just didn't strike me as something worth the better part of a thousand dollar bill. FWIW
Mike