My local bow shop took in a Black Widow MAIII. I shot it a few times and I really like it. It looks like I could get a really good deal on it. Everything seems straight and solid. Not much wear on the finish at all. It comes with a bolt on quiver, arrow holder, and has a spot for a stabilizer.

I was wondering if you guys had any info, thoughts, or suggestions about this bow.

It is 51#@28, 62''. Made in 1997 I believe. Made for a gentleman named Don Pease.

Don, if you are reading, please tell me about your bow.







Any help would be appreciated.

Jeremy

Great bow, good specs.  It was made pre  "precision" era, but that would not bother me.  If you can get it for a good price, I say buy it.

Those are great bows , I ordered one in 1994 a shot it for 12 years. I sold it only because I needed to drop in bow weight.  Have you shot it??

Great bows IMO. I owned that same model for 17 years and piled the game up with it. Needless to say it was my favorite bow of all time. Only reason I traded it off was because  needed a much lower poundage bow. Still kicking myself in the butt on that. Should of just hung it up and bought another bow instead.

Thanks for the replies so far. I really appreciate it.

Yes I have shot it. It is two pounds lighter than my current bow. It seemed to shoot faster, but I was shooting a much lighter arrow.

It seems like it has a lot of life left in it. The shop really wants it to go to someone who will appreciate it for what it is. I hope I can convince the wife to let me snag it.

Jeremy

 I think it is great bow and in a good power range.  I have never owned a BW, but played with one at RMSG.  I really liked the way it shot.  I think they are  heavier than a lot of bows, but that would not bother me.

Just curious, what do you think is a good deal on it?
If I ever buy another bow, it would definitely be one I would consider.

I am curious about what a good deal on this bow would be. I haven't heard a firm price on this bow yet. I have to call today and talk it over with the shop manager.

I have seen them sell on other forums for $450-$700. I am not sure what they sold for new. The shop said they sold for $1000 or more.

Jeremy

IMHO a "good deal" would be to get in in the $300 range or cheaper.  I feel like people normally ask $400-$500 for them but I don't know what they actually sell for.  But that's just me

I absolutely love mine!

They sell for just over $1000 now.  A lot less 20 years ago.  I would think you should be able to get it for $400+/-.   Possibly less if it is a compound shop and don't want to mess with it.

$400-500 is the right price range if in really good condition. Check the limb tips for separating. When I bought mine they were 850ish New. I paid $475 used ,it was in mint condition. Widows will hold there value better then most bows.

I have a MA II that I have since 85 but I replaced the limbs in 97 and paid over $500 for them and its still a great shooter. I agree that 400 to500 would be about average


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I'd think 500 or so on it.. be sure to check the limbs as said earlier. The earlier ones like that have a little narrower limb and could be a little easier to twist. But I really doubt that's a issue. I've been a loyal widow shooter for a lot of years. You might also give roger a call or email at BW with the serial number, he can give you the history to see if it's ever been weight reduced or if it can be in the future. Widows are great bows that hold thier value well. MA,s have the biggest risers in BW line and a lot of folks say more stability. It seems those that have had them really like em and had killed a ton of stuff with em.

At one time I talked to Roger and he said he would inspect a used BW I was considering for $50, plus shipping.  The deal never got that far, but I would have made it a condition of the sale to pass Roger's inspection if we had reached a deal.  In other words, if it hadn't passed Roger's inspection, I would have been out $50 plus shipping both ways to and from the seller, which I would have been happy to pay.  This was some years ago, and of course I have no idea if Roger would still be willing to do that.

I contacted the shop today and they said the lowest they could go was $600. There is a lot of stuff that comes with it. Broadheads, arrows ( I think), a stringer, 3 strings, quiver, all of the original paperwork, and a case.

I will inspect the tips before I buy it. When I shot it there were tip protectors on both tips. Just look for cracks and wear?

While it is a bit more than I want, I don't feel like I am going to be ripped off. The guy, Don is a friend of the manager of the shop and I trust this shop. I am not looking to resell for a profit, just want another bow I can trust.

Thanks for all the help so far.

Jeremy

The biggest potential problem with a recurve is limb twist.  If you'll look further down in PowWow, you'll find a post from someone looking for advice on limb twist, and you can read my post.  The second biggest problem with any fiberglass backed bow is separation of the fiberglass from the limbs.  Look for any milky areas or splotches in the finish.  People will tell you it is just an imperfection in the finish, but it might be fiberglass separation; I couldn't tell the difference.  The third problem, which you identified, is nicks and cracks, which should be evident to anyone who looks at the bow carefully.

I checked for limb twist and did not notice any. I looked down the bow lining up the tips with the squared off section on the front of the riser. I did this both strung and unstrung. All 4 points lined up every way I looked at it. While I was shooting it I kept track of where the string sat on the limbs. I even let down from full draw as slow as I could to see if the strings fell back into the groves by themselves. They did.

I will look it over again before the deal is done.

Thank you for the advice on limb separation. This forum has taught me a lot.

Jeremy

I have a 03 PSA ironwood I gave $500 for and got a good deal.  It had a quiver, arrows and bow sock with it.
It's a great bow and I shoot it well.

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Don was a retired police officer in Grand Rapids MI. area (Wyoming MI I believe).  He is an older man and the last I knew his health was struggling, including his memory.  PM me and I will give you the last phone # I had for him

Dan in KS

Black widow has a neat video on YouTube where Toby really beats the crap out of a widow recurve , bending the limb tips backwards and literally throwing the bow on its limb tips as well as dryfiring it. https://youtu.be/IYlF9FbtFkQ  It's a cool video. These are tough bows