Cajun looking a purchase of a Black Widow Bow

Cyrille · April 17, 2009, 10:18:00 AM

Ok mes amies I am about to take the plunge!
In a few days I should receive a Black Widow Catalog. I have been looking at their recurves and longbows on the internet and cannot decide which type of bow I want I am most familier with and love recurves. I've shot long bows in the past but am uncomfortable with the hand shock factor. The one thing I consider a "drawback" of sorts about Black Widow is that it is infered that these bows be they recurve or long bow are more accurate when shooting carbon or aluminium arrows as opposed to wood. I enjoy shooting wood arrows and have been useing them for a number of years. But I want to be as accurate as possible when in the hunting field.
I know next to nothing about carbon or aluminium arrows, only that they exist and are available.
When I order this bow, I'm going to order it to pull 47# @ 29 2/3" plus or minus 2# which will match my wood arrow spines of 45-50#.
Another thing I'm having a problem with is this;
I can and do shoot a 50# "horsebow" @ the 29 2/3 " DL mentioned above. However I have an old Ben Pearson recurve that is listed as 56# @ 28"
I can pull that bow only to my cheek bone or about 24" and that is only when fresh and only once or twice, thee times at most. That bow is definately not for target archery. Anyway, will I have less trouble with the bow rated @ 47# or 49# if the bow I receive is 2# heavier. and should I also switch from wood to aluminum or carbon arrows? Remember I really do prefer wood.
and you will need a strong reason to get me to change my mind.

Dartwick · April 17, 2009, 11:14:00 AM

Black Widows are no less accurate with woodies than other bows.
Essentially all bows are less accurate with woodies because wood is less uniform than aluminum or well constructed carbon. But thats not to say wood makes you inaccurate.

I dont have a Black Widow though so I rally cant say anything about them in particular.

DennyK · April 17, 2009, 06:01:00 PM

Cyrille, You will need a wood arrow spined 15-20 pounds heavier then the bow weight at your draw. I have been shooting Black Widows since 1984 and never had issues with arrows as long as they are properly matched to the bow.

bentpole · April 17, 2009, 07:50:00 PM

Cyrille, I shoot a PLV 64"s and 47#s @ my 27" draw. The only arrows I will shoot out of her are 60/65# Tapered Sitka Spruce with a 125 grain head cut 28"s.Carbons may be more durable but boy oh boy do I like the way the Spruces fly.

lilbobby · April 17, 2009, 08:28:00 PM

If you live close to my neck of the woods (I mean marsh) I have a widow l.b. you can try 48#@28".

Cyrille · April 19, 2009, 08:56:00 PM

bentpole& lilbobby:
I see by your outfits that you are longbowmen
tell me, if you will, how severe is the handshock
from your LBs @ 47, 48#s I've nearly decided on which BW bow I am going to order but as stated in my original post I'm a bit leary of the handshock factor.

Hattrick · April 19, 2009, 09:08:00 PM

If u go to carbons i hate to say you won`t go back...

Hedge Apple · April 19, 2009, 10:23:00 PM

Call BW up and "test drive" the model(s) you are interested in. That will give you all the answers you need. As for arrows, shoot what you like as long as it is at or above their min. requirement of 8 Grains/pound of bow weight. I have a soft spot for woodies but like a heavy hunting arrow, 752 grains to be exact, and lucky to have two Widows that like the same arrow.

STEVE R. · April 19, 2009, 10:56:00 PM

I have a BW long bow and Believe me when I tell you there is no hand shock. It is very smooth and hard hitting. I must also tell you that all I shoot is wood arrows. I shoot them in my longbow and my BW recurve. I also think that the wood arrows you have will be somewhat weak in spine for the bow you mentioned.

Cyrille · April 19, 2009, 11:06:00 PM

Yes Steve R.
you are correct in that assumption, most of my arrows are either in the 40--45# range or the 45--50# range. But I do also have some woods that are in the 55-60# range which I ordered by mistake [at the time of the order placement, but it seems that the mistake may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. But Then I really had no idea that wood arrows had to be 15 to 20#s heavier than the draw weight of a bow in order to fly true.

Benny Nganabbarru · April 20, 2009, 03:50:00 AM

Enjoy! It is fun, picking-out a new bow.

Hattrick, some of us switch from carbons to woods, though.

Buckeye Trad Hunter · April 20, 2009, 06:21:00 AM

You need 15-20# heavier for a couple of reasons. First because a BW just shoots that hard, and second because wood arrows are spine rated for a 28 inch arrow and if you're shooting a 30 or so inch arrow then it is going to be a little weaker than rated. That's just what I've heard I could be wrong.

Cyrille · April 20, 2009, 07:45:00 AM

I doubt it, Buckeye, what you've posted makes good sense.

DCM · April 20, 2009, 09:20:00 AM

Widows may be cut a little deeper as well, allowing for a heavier spine. +10# to +15# is real common, on lots of production bows. I shoot 85# from 56# @ 30", for example. Lots of stuff can effect or mitigate this, string type, bow quiver, one's personal form and style, etc.

Would not expect a longbow to have any more handshock than a recurve, in apple to apple comparison.

Try before you buy, particularly when you are fixin' to part with a cool grand, is probably a really good idea.

Cyrille · April 25, 2009, 08:06:00 PM

Ok you guys have me convinced, I will order my woods 15 to 20# heavier. What would be the approxmate grain weight/spine weight of an arrow in that range to be used in a 47# bow + or- 2#s
my heaviest right now is 600 grs. with fletching and field point but I have only one of those.The "test arrows I received from 3 Rivers are as follows 50- 55 spine weight nocked and fletched w/125 field point =525grs.55-60# spine weight nocked & fletched w/125gr. field point =525grs.60-65# spine weight nocked & fletched w/125 gr field point =550 grs.
My 3 Rivers complete arrows for45 to 50 spine weight range from the lighetest of 450grs to the heavest of 500 grs with 475 and 525 for the rest of the order.
7 Meadows self nocked w/145 field point and 55 60# spine weight range from the lighest of 500 grs to 575grs. whih 525 grs filling the rest of the 1/2 dozen order. 7 Meadows selfnocked 60 to 65# spine weight point weight unknown range from the lightest of 550 grs. to the heavest of 600 grs. with 575 grs makeing up the complete order.
The most consistent dozen wooden arrows I have are from Howard Hill with 10 525 gr arrows and 2@ 500 grs. these are spine rated for 45-50 # bow.
But aside from this I am going to order, with my BW aluminium arrows Easton XX75s @2215s as suggested by the fellow I spoke with at Black Widow bows for my bow weight & DL.

bayoulongbowman · April 25, 2009, 08:16:00 PM

Robert , Blackwidow will send you demo bow to try and shoot for few days, I'd do that if I were you. That way you KNOW! its right...good luck. marco

Cyrille · April 25, 2009, 10:02:00 PM

I understand where you're coming from, you're the second Trad member to suggest this course of action. However, I may be wrong, but If I order a "test-drive" I will most likely get one at the exact poundage I am planning to request. But the bow I eventually perchase may be as much as 2#s heavier or lighter. Personally I prefer to order the bow, receive it then tune the arrows to it.
If I am lucky enough to get exactly what I order then I can "tune" arrows to the correct spine & grain weight Or tune the arrows to my DL and the actual weight of the bow wheither it be + or - two #s or whatever from the actual weight I would prefer.

bentpole · April 26, 2009, 06:52:00 AM

Just saw your thread again Cyrille. My PLV has absolutely ZERO handshock.Also as I said out of my 47# Bow I am shooting 60/65# Tapered Sitka Spruce Shafts Black Widow recommended I shoot that spine and they hit the nail on the head! I can shoot them 22/25 yards and they do not drop. They shoot flatter than a 35/55 Gold Tip that I had 175,190, and 250 grains up front. Great arrows.

Cyrille · April 26, 2009, 09:48:00 AM

Thanks for the info bentpole, I've been wanting to try sitka spruce since I first learned of them, you have given me an incentive.
But then you have presented me with a quandry. I had mostly decided on a topm O the line take down recurve, now you got me thinking, once again that I should order a top o the line LB. Oh what to do, what to do, so many choices, so little money!

longbow55 · April 26, 2009, 05:04:00 PM

I own a BW longbow and recurve. I enjoy shooting my longbow more but have friends that enjoy their recurve. I would do a test drive with the black widow and shoot both or shoot them all. All it will cost you is the shipping. Had my widows for 10 years and
They both shoot great. $900 dollars over 10 years of fun is cheap enertainment.