Got my black widow

[thinhorn_AK]

Got me a 62” green leaf PSA, 54lb@28”.

Crazy thing about ordering custom bows is that by the time you get them, tou might want something different. This bow kicks ass but I wish I’d gone with a 60” and 50lb @28. Whatever though.

This bow is pretty amazing, straight out of the box, I strung it, installed a knock at 5/8ths and grabbed the arrows I had. It was absolutely sinking my grizzly sticks right where I was looking. It was cool.

Anyways, black widows are awesome, haters gonna hate.

 

[Rob5589]

 

[Wyobohunter]

Hell yeah! I’ve always thought BW bows were pretty cool looking, haven’t had the chance to try one though. I’d like to see another pic or two and some more details (cost, physical weight).

Are you shooting carbon? I did the cedar thing and I’m over it. I think I’m going to get a dozen carbon for my semi-custom.

 

[Billy Goat]

 

[galamb]

When I had my recurve built back in 1998, Black Widow was down to the last 2 or 3 builders I considered.

I ended up going with a single man operation (Bow River Archery) because just before I pulled the trigger on the order Traditional Bowhunter magazine did an interview with him and that made my decision for me.

And yes, from the time of order until I got the bow it was something like 10 or 12 months and I rethought the decision many times.

I love my bow - a 64" takedown that pulls 51 lbs at my 30" draw but if I had my time back now some 25 years later I would have only got a 62" at 45 lbs.

I originally wanted a 66" (I'm tall and pull 30" and my longbow is a 68"), the builder talked me into a 64" and now know that a 62" still would have been perfect even with my height/pull.

I was going for a bow that "maybe" I would use for moose one day and had to get over the 49lb minimum draw (back at the time) but have never used it for anything more than shooting deer at less than 20 yards and even 6 pounds lighter would allow me to hold just a second or two longer.

But two and a half decades later it still shoots perfect, still fall in love with it every time I look at it (cocobolo and maple riser, black locust limbs with maple inserts, rosewood and and antler tips)

Are you running the 650+ GrizzlyStik's?

I have thought about them many times - currently shooting Victory VAP TKO's that finish up just on 500 that fly perfect to my self imposed 25 yard max hunting range, but if the itch to use it on a moose every comes up again I know I would be thinking "heavier".

 

[Squirrel Master]

Widows are awesome!! My go to recurve. Shoot really hard and there's enough mass in the riser to club baby seals in the off season.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

When I had my recurve built back in 1998, Black Widow was down to the last 2 or 3 builders I considered.

I ended up going with a single man operation (Bow River Archery) because just before I pulled the trigger on the order Traditional Bowhunter magazine did an interview with him and that made my decision for me.

And yes, from the time of order until I got the bow it was something like 10 or 12 months and I rethought the decision many times.

I love my bow - a 64" takedown that pulls 51 lbs at my 30" draw but if I had my time back now some 25 years later I would have only got a 62" at 45 lbs.

I originally wanted a 66" (I'm tall and pull 30" and my longbow is a 68"), the builder talked me into a 64" and now know that a 62" still would have been perfect even with my height/pull.

I was going for a bow that "maybe" I would use for moose one day and had to get over the 49lb minimum draw (back at the time) but have never used it for anything more than shooting deer at less than 20 yards and even 6 pounds lighter would allow me to hold just a second or two longer.

But two and a half decades later it still shoots perfect, still fall in love with it every time I look at it (cocobolo and maple riser, black locust limbs with maple inserts, rosewood and and antler tips)

Are you running the 650+ GrizzlyStik's?

I have thought about them many times - currently shooting Victory VAP TKO's that finish up just on 500 that fly perfect to my self imposed 25 yard max hunting range, but if the itch to use it on a moose every comes up again I know I would be thinking "heavier".

I am using the 650g grizzly sticks. I really like them but man they are pricey. That company is sort of messed up, unless I’m doing something by wrong, it’s only like 20 dollars to get 6 broadheads with the complete set up rather than just buying half a dozen arrows.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Hell yeah! I’ve always thought BW bows were pretty cool looking, haven’t had the chance to try one though. I’d like to see another pic or two and some more details (cost, physical weight).

Are you shooting carbon? I did the cedar thing and I’m over it. I think I’m going to get a dozen carbon for my semi-custom.

I am shooting aluminum, I do have. Few dozen Easton 2219s on the way though. I’m not doing the wood arrow thing, it just dosent interest me.

I think this bow was like 1300.00 when it was all said and done. I had them engrave a moose and a bear in it which I also wish I hadn’t done, not because it is t cool, it just looks like the machine they used dosent do a good job of it. I did call them about a week before they finished and had them change from the standard grip to the cooling grip and I’m very glad I did.

 

[galamb]

I am using the 650g grizzly sticks. I really like them but man they are pricey. That company is sort of messed up, unless I’m doing something by wrong, it’s only like 20 dollars to get 6 broadheads with the complete set up rather than just buying half a dozen arrows.

Yes, they are pricey but do give you a (deal) if you buy their combo package. I get the impression they are making excellent margin on the broadheads so can afford to really cut the price if you buy them with the arrows which alone are competitively priced with the Victory VAP's that I shoot anyhow.

I bought a half dozen of their "factory second" broadheads back a couple years ago to give them a try - 20 bucks a head instead of the 35'sh (new) so got 6 for about the price of 3 of their better quality "new" - really love the flight of the Silver Flames (150 grain), didn't like the 200 grain Maasai, but can't see why they were seconds - no noticeable flaws and were all within 3 grains of each other (of the same weight).

But if I was looking for a half dozen (new) heads I may as well get them paired with their arrows. Like 220 bucks for 6 heads (not the Overkill line) and for something like 40 bucks more I can get the arrows as well - and you "know" they are still making money on the deal.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Yes, they are pricey but do give you a (deal) if you buy their combo package. I get the impression they are making excellent margin on the broadheads so can afford to really cut the price if you buy them with the arrows which alone are competitively priced with the Victory VAP's that I shoot anyhow.

I bought a half dozen of their "factory second" broadheads back a couple years ago to give them a try - 20 bucks a head instead of the 35'sh (new) so got 6 for about the price of 3 of their better quality "new" - really love the flight of the Silver Flames (150 grain), didn't like the 200 grain Maasai, but can't see why they were seconds - no noticeable flaws and were all within 3 grains of each other (of the same weight).

But if I was looking for a half dozen (new) heads I may as well get them paired with their arrows. Like 220 bucks for 6 heads (not the Overkill line) and for something like 40 bucks more I can get the arrows as well - and you "know" they are still making money on the deal.

I like the 200g samurai broad heads I got. I do plan on ordering a dozen more grizzly sticks. So I’m sure I’ll end up with more broadheads than I’ll ever use.

 

[manitou1]

I had them build me "several" of their pieces of art. Great bows and great folks. I competed with trad and shot about 15,000 arrows a year. Had a lighted 3-D range in my yard. All the shooting destroyed my shoulder, so I no longer can shoot trad. Miss it immensely.
BW bows are tanks and will last several lifetimes, but more inportantly they are fast and forgiving.
Congrats on your new bow.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I had them build me "several" of their pieces of art. Great bows and great folks. I competed with trad and shot about 15,000 arrows a year. Had a lighted 3-D range in my yard. All the shooting destroyed my shoulder, so I no longer can shoot trad. Miss it immensely.
BW bows are tanks and will last several lifetimes, but more inportantly they are fast and forgiving.
Congrats on your new bow.

I really want to try their PL longbow, did you ever use one of those?

 

[Ratbeetle]

I really want to try their PL longbow, did you ever use one of those?

When I ordered my widow many years ago, I shot a representation of everything they had on the rack. I thought the handshock on the PL was pretty pronounced. I went with a PCH...really wish they would make longbow limbs for their risers.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

When I ordered my widow many years ago, I shot a representation of everything they had on the rack. I thought the handshock on the PL was pretty pronounced. I went with a PCH...really wish they would make longbow limbs for their risers.

They do make that PSR bow which also seems neat, it’s a recurve with a longbow grip but it’s not the normal black widow style of bow.

I got lucky because I ordered my bow with the standard grip and in the months that passed, I started shooting my bivouac backland a lot and really liked that grip. By some stroke of luck, I was able to get my hands on the standard black widow grip which I didn’t like. I called, talked to them about what I’d been shooting and they recommended the Randy cooling grip which I really like.

I’m not sure I’ll buy any more black widows, I love this bow but I don’t think they really make anything that would be better for me than this PSA. If I ever get another bow, I’ll be looking at thunderhorn, toelke, caribow, javaman and centaur.

 

[Ratbeetle]

They do make that PSR bow which also seems neat, it’s a recurve with a longbow grip but it’s not the normal black widow style of bow.

I got lucky because I ordered my bow with the standard grip and in the months that passed, I started shooting my bivouac backland a lot and really liked that grip. By some stroke of luck, I was able to get my hands on the standard black widow grip which I didn’t like. I called, talked to them about what I’d been shooting and they recommended the Randy cooling grip which I really like.

I’m not sure I’ll buy any more black widows, I love this bow but I don’t think they really make anything that would be better for me than this PSA. If I ever get another bow, I’ll be looking at thunderhorn, toelke, caribow, javaman and centaur.

I will say that at the time, I was coming from a compound and much more used to a high wrist grip. I went with the asbell grip which I do like quite a bit.

I should really try a PL again now that I've added a longbow to the stable and have more experience with low wrist grips.

I would like to try something like a big jim thunderchild.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I will say that at the time, I was coming from a compound and much more used to a high wrist grip. I went with the asbell grip which I do like quite a bit.

I should really try a PL again now that I've added a longbow to the stable and have more experience with low wrist grips.

I would like to try something like a big jim thunderchild.

I’d like to try one of those too, javaman makes a nice semi straight longbow as well. I still don’t know if there’s anything out there that compares to the toelke whip though.

 

[mholman]

Love my widow, tough, smooth and easy on the eyes.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Love my widow, tough, smooth and easy on the eyes.

Yeah, hard to go wrong with a widow for a recurve bow. For a longbow, I’d probably go another direction.

 

[GLB]

Black widows are nice bows. I have never owned one but have shot many. Now you can just order another set of limbs to change things up or to have a backup set.

 

[manitou1]

I really want to try their PL longbow, did you ever use one of those?

No, but I have two buddies that are please with them.