The only bow that I tried before buying broke after 3 months. I had bought it from a friend I hunted with. We worked it out and all was fine, but the other bows I've had were researched and then bought without trying them out.

QuoteOriginally posted by Shawn Leonard:
I have owned over 110 custom bows and have shot maybe 4 or 5 before I bought them. I do a lot of research and speak to the bowyer if possible but Yes I still feel comfortable buying bows I have never shot. Shawn

Maybe if you tried them before you bought them, you wouldn't have needed 110 of the darn things.

   

Sorry Shawn, couldn't resist....

I like to shoot them before I buy them but I have ordered a couple having only shot a like model.  

Buying bows without trying them does keep the classified section well stocked...

I've virtually never had the chance to buy shoot a new bow before I bought it, and generally not used ones, either, except when I was a teenager.  I DO ask a lot of questions and look at pictures closely, mostly for features that I know I DON't like.

I've had uniformly good luck buying bows off this Website.  Often, it's the question asked by the original poster in reverse.  I want to shoot a particular bow, and know that the only chance I'll ever have to shoot it is to buy it.  I'll either like it and want to keep it, or I won't.  If it's in the condition the seller said it was, and the people on this site are pretty honest, and if I'm any good at knowing the value of used bows, then I can sell it again for about as much as I put into it if I don't like it.  The price of postage is worth it for me to try a bow I might not ever be able to try otherwise.

Buying used bows, yes.  If it doesn't work for you, there's a good chance you can sell it for what you paid (as long as you didn't overpay).  Or you could work out an agreement to return the bow if you don't like it.  I did that once in a trade.  Sent the person a bow and he didn't like it, so he sent it back.  Ended up sending another bow which he did like and we made the trade.  Just do some research on the bow and the person you're buying from.  Look at their posts to see if they've had good or bad deals in the past.  Get everything in writing concerning the sale, purchase, or trade.

It depends, on a used bow, that I feel comfortable getting back what I have into it (or fairly close), then yes. Especially older bows that I like to use for hunting.

On a custom hunting bow at this point, maybe. But I would be sure to have the bowyer make the grip oversized so I can personally shape the grip as I want it a little bit at a time.

QuoteOriginally posted by Shawn Leonard:
Sorry but I don't know how Charlie can manage to shoot bows before he buys them.  Shawn

Shawn, I have never ordered a custom bow that I have not shot, In fact I only have one custom bow. And then bought another (used) from the same bowyer which I like even more.

When I said "if the price is right"  I should have said if the price is "really" right.  I have picked up a lot of bows in the 100 dollar range just for fun, usually I sell them for what I bought them for. Typically they are old ben pearsons, bears, brownings and such. I enjoy refinishing them for fun if they need it.

If you were referring to another Charlie please disregard.

I hope everythings good down there    Octobers a coming  

I have bought a bow without shooting it 4 times. 3 times I was happy, one time, not so much!

i have bought a ton of bows without shooting them first.  If I don't like a particular bow, it gives me an excuse to sell one and buy another.  It has become an addiction.

I've only shot one before I bought it. I like taking chances.

I did,bought a Cari-Bow from Abe Penner over the phone and could not be happier with it

QuoteOriginally posted by BradLantz:
I bet I've bought/sold/traded 150+ bows here on Tradgang, Archerytalk and that auction site .... I reckon most of them I'd not shot before.

Brad,

Me, too.  I've bought, sold and traded 150+ recurves and longbows while only seeing pics of them.  I never shot them until I received them.

Bill

Charlie, I was refering to a different Charlie from Ohio. Shawn

QuoteOriginally posted by Gordon Jabben:
It doesn't matter.  They never shoot as well after you pay for them anyway.....

I have to disagree, most of them shoot real good for the first two weeks.

with trad gear all my buys are going to be buy then try.   just the way it is but you can usually sell them for almost what you payed and not loss to much if you dont like it.

I hang out with some old boys they always tell me shoot it before you buy it.I never do.but the bows I buy are from high end bowyers with a good handle on what there doing plus we talk alot before I order so I know what Iam getting.You should know as much about the product as you can before ordering.you can spend alot of money an not be happy.most of your high end bowyers are going to have a real nice shooting bow,with real good materials.but if the grip is not what you like you are going to want to throw it in the trash or loose 300.on selling it. an this ofcourse is all after waiting a year to get it.