anything wrong with buying a 4-5 year old bow?

[TNReb]

It's been about 8 years since I've had the opportunity to bow hunt. I had a Mathews Legacy at the time and sold it in 2005. I haven't owned a bow since and I'm not up to date on the latest & greatest.

I've seen some decent deals on some slightly older bows like the Mathews Switchback.

Have there been any major game-changers in technology the last couple of years?

Suggestions for used models I can look at without breaking the bank? I wanted to keep my budget around $500-600 (for the bow/sights/rest/stabilizer/quiver) ...

... But if there's a lot to gain by spending more and buying new, I would consider selling off a handgun I don't use or something. I plan to shoot a lot and want a bow I can keep for several years...

 

[bswarchery]

Nyper - There are several RTH (ready to hunt) packages out there that fall in the 350-600 price range. Many places are having deals now as they are trying to clear out the old models out for the incoming new ones this season. As far as choice of equipment, try out several and the right bow will feel good once you shoot it! Good luck to ya bro!

 

[TNDeerGuy]

Nyper - There are several RTH (ready to hunt) packages out there that fall in the 350-600 price range. Many places are having deals now as they are trying to clear out the old models out for the incoming new ones this season. As far as choice of equipment, try out several and the right bow will feel good once you shoot it! Good luck to ya bro!

Good advice

 

[TNDeerGuy]

I don't know your draw length but there is a pse in the classifieds at a good price it seems

 

[papaw]

Nyper - There are several RTH (ready to hunt) packages out there that fall in the 350-600 price range. Many places are having deals now as they are trying to clear out the old models out for the incoming new ones this season. As far as choice of equipment, try out several and the right bow will feel good once you shoot it! Good luck to ya bro!

Good advice

x2 on that! With the money you are wanting to spend you can get a nice new bow set up and ready to go. Get out and start shooting those in your price range and I guarantee you will find what feels right and you will have a new bow to boot.

 

[TheAirMan]

There is nothing wrong with buying a used bow. On Archery Talk you can pick up bow that was top of the line a couple years ago for about the same price or lower than a basic package bow. You would still have to buy the accessories. It might not matter to you but most of the packages I have seen have accessories I wouldn't use anyway. That's basically how I do it anymore. I look at it like cars. I'll let someone else buy them new and take the depreciation. Then I'll buy them for a fraction of the original price when the guys that have to have the latest and greatest every year are looking to get rid of them.

 

[stik]

I'll let someone else buy them new and take the depreciation. Then I'll buy them for a fraction of the original price when the guys that have to have the latest and greatest every year are looking to get rid of them.

there is no warrenty on used bow though so if you should have a limb problem or something. it's on you.

 

[TheAirMan]

There is on Elite bows.

 

[muddyboots]

There are several nice new bows u could buy in that range.

 

[bigasports]

You can get a nice bow within the 4-5 yr old range totally rigged for $400 give or take. I do it every couple yrs or so.

 

[93civEJ1]

technology...I cant say much because I upgraded this year, but havent bows been harvesting game since the beginning of bow time? Seems like these days about all that is changing is speed...and even then, the speeds are overkill. Good luck on your search!!

 

[Radar]

I'll let someone else buy them new and take the depreciation. Then I'll buy them for a fraction of the original price when the guys that have to have the latest and greatest every year are looking to get rid of them.

there is no warrenty on used bow though so if you should have a limb problem or something. it's on you.

I agree . In the last year , I have had two of my used 2008 model bows crack a limb and were not covered by warranties because I'm the second owner . I never had a problem with any of my bows in the past 30 years up until now and it was of no fault of mine , just a string of bad luck .
One more thing to keep in mind is that some of the replacement parts for repairs on past models may be obsolete after a certain time period do to desgn changes .
My next bow will be a new bow . There are many good mid price bows on the market with the latest technology , less a few bells and whistles . Some proshops may also have a few past year models with full warranties on clearance . My local proshop does .

 

[Crow Terminator]

Elite bows have transferable warranty. I think one of the others do as well. I know that K&K Archery did, but they went under this year.

I just bought two older bows...a BowTech 82nd Airborne and Allegiance. They are two of the best that BowTech ever made and I have less in both of them combined, than what a bow costs new. New string/cables and just routine preventative maintenance will keep a bow shooting for years to come.

I actually just got new Elite cams to go on my Allegiance...making a Frankenbow...basically making an Elite GT500 out of the Allegiance. Both Kevin Strother designs...just that the Allegiance had the 2nd generation binary cam system on it...and when he moved to Elite, he designed the GT500 with the newer generation cams to prevent cam lean and such...but the cams will plug in on the Allegiance. All that basically changed was the cams themselves...thus requiring a little tweaking on string/cable to get them in spec.

 

[bswarchery]

http://chattanooga.craigslist.org/spo/3032111371.html

 

[chatthunting]

Last year was my first year bow hunting ever. I had a friend help me get a bow. It was a O6 Parker feather mag II. I killed my very first deer with it. As long as its in good shape and everything works. All you got to do is practice. Good luck.

 

[fourwheeler431]

A 4-5 year old bow will kill a deer just as dead as a brand new top of the line bow will. It all really depends on what feels right to you.

 

[catman529]

can't complain about the used bow I bought, only paid $40 for it at the vous last year, best deal in hunting I have got. Now this summer I need to actually get good enough to take it into the deer woods in the fall and try and kill something with it.

 

[Carnage]

Another nod for a used Elite. Just be careful if you're buying off Ebay as they have some for sale there that don't carry the factory warranty.

 

[Knothead]

I don't know your draw length but there is a pse in the classifieds at a good price it seems

There is also a Reezen in the classifieds at a great price. Great bow. I have one and love it.

 

[Boone 58]

x-2

 

[Boone 58]

The bows of the last 4 -5years are nice! mine is a 2003 hoyt razor tec and i plan on buying a new bow in 2013..i wait about 10 years between bow purchases to gain significant advantages which by then have many of the bugs worked out in them.