Compounds- How old is too old?

[Bullshot]

Bow experts. How old is too old for a compound bow? I’ve got 3 bows.

~1999 Hoyt Viper Redline
~2005 Mathews Outback
~2022 Mathews V3 31

I was toying with getting rid of the Hoyt but its a nice compact and fast bow that was ahead of it’s time. A little finicky compared to newer bows, and low brace height interferes with some rest styles. I believe its noticeably faster than my Outback.

The Outback is a forgiving and smooth bow that has had the limbs and lower cam replaced under warranty after one limb started to split in 2022. I have not shot it since I bought the V3 to replace it.

The V3 shoots great but just doesn’t have the soul of the other two older bows, so I want to bring them back into rotation and certainly as spares. The Outback is no worry since limbs are new. But is there any inherent safety reason why I should not look to use the Hoyt? Its 25 years old but in great shape it seems. Limbs look fine. It does not seem like an antique at all, and its quality stacks up well with the much newer bows and (to me) does not seem even all that dated.

 

[Rack Daniels]

The V3 is far too old. You’ll need to hurry up and get this years before they come out with next years, man!

The other ones are so old shrapnel would probably trade that new vette for em.

 

[Rack Daniels]

Kidding of course. I’d think about leaving the viper on the wall/shelf. But the outback id DEFINITELY shoot, even if just for fun!

 

[buckbull]

Isnt your instagram page kinda dull with shooting those antiques?

 

[Deleted member 53219]

Just killed a bull a couple years ago with a 2007 Mathews Drenalin, definitely not too old

 

[44hunter45]

I still have one bow. A Hoyt Spectra. I see that eBay calls it "Collectable"
It is due for cables and strings, but it is a PITA to tune afterwards.

 

[TheTone]

A buddy of mine probably would have taken that v3 off your hands a week ago. Unfortunately he found a deal on a lift that was too good to pass up

As long as they’re well taken care of I see no reason the older ones aren’t fine.

 

[EKYHunter]

Nothing wrong with any of those bows. As long as they’re in good working order, they’ll kill as good today as they did when they were made.

 

[Bullshot]

I like hearing the stories of other people using ~20 year old bows. I think bows made a huge leap in the very late 1990’s and then just incremental gains in materials and geometry tweaks since then. My 1st compound bow was a Bear Whitetail Hunter which I killed my 1st bow doe with. I now wish I still had it! My 2nd was a Xi Legend Magnum which I had until
recently and gave away. Still worked really well with heavy arrows. Killed a bunch with that including my first antelope, but missed my 1st ever shot at an elk, a Grand Mesa CO bull, with it .

The Xi was a way more modern bow than that Bear. The Hoyt, only a few years newer, is way more modern than that Xi. But my V3 is not that much different than my Hoyt, all said and done, after another quarter century.

I’ll carefully inspect that Hoyt top to botton and maybe disassemble and look at/replace any bearings or bushings as the case might be on the cam axles. Then, if all looks good, I’ll have 3 great options. Shoot, I may never need to buy another bow in my life, assuming another 25 years of archery hunting or so!

 

[WildWill]

Shot a new Mathews at Scheels last month and wasn't impressed. My 2015 Mathews Z2 is still plenty of bow for me and going strong. Still have my early 2000s High country I shot before that as a backup. Never understood the whole new bow every year thing.

 

[choc dogs]

I’ve had my alpine since 199?

 

[Bullshot]

Dusted it off, took it down, cleaned out the axles, bushings, greased the limb bolts.

Should be good enough to bounce an arrow off a deer.

 

[bowhuntnnut]

I would put a new string and cable on her and go stick something.

 

[Gr8bawana]

As long as they put an arrow where you aim there is nothing wrong with them.

 

[Bullshot]

I have not only refurbished my existing older bows but have taken up a few more antique (several 25 year old hoyts) and am refurbishing them too.

I took a chance on this one, around a 2000 vintage Hoyt. I bought it for nearly nothing with an intact cable but a busted string (possible dry fire?) and tore it fully down, inspected all parts (no bends or damage to anything at all and limbs are fine top to bottom) and put it back together with a new string set and some old rest, stabilizer I had lying around. Had it shooting darts in my backyard at 30 yards in no time. There is not a deer or elk walking the earth that would know the difference between this and my V3, and this one had me all-in for about $120, mostly the cost of new strings. Helluva value for a spare or to go grouse hunting with.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Strings and cables are about the only thing that can stretch out and have a shelf life on a compound bow. If they still tune up and shoot an arrow straight you should be good to go.

 

[Bullshot]

Here's another that I just shot for the 1st time. This one had a little more tinkering needed but, wow, what a deal!

Bow came with no specs and online data is sparse. I already own its near twin so I wasn't worried, even if it was only useful for spare parts.

I determined by the cam that the bow was a 70-80# / 29-30" draw. Not exactly what I was hoping. I wanted a 60-70# and 28-29 draw. Ok though.

Idler wheel was bent, and ATA/brace was out of spec. String and cable had NO twists in it so not hard to see why. I bought new string set but then figured out the cam it has requires a longer string and cable than I bought, so currently testing carefully with existing string it came with- which is in great shape, but might be 25 years old. Will replace when I can.

I had to find an equal diameter (2.9") idler to buy (not easy) but found one from an old Mathews and then the original axle spacers were too wide since the new idler "hub" was wider than stock. I bought some nylon bushings with a 5/8 OD and 3/16 ID and 1/8 height, then flat sanded them down about 2.5 hundredths to match the original stack ( i didn't want to sand the OEM parts). The axle also needed a flat washer on the outside of the limb to take up slack, I used a steel one for now but will find a fiber or nylon one soon.

Cleaned out the bushings and the axle, dry lubed and reassembled and set to spec. Added rest, sight, stabilizer, quiver that I already had. Purchased a wrist sling, and now it is shooting - perhaps the fastest bow I've ever owned, IBO is about 330. Not bad for another 26 year old bow.

 

[Bullshot]

I'd feel I've done my good deed for the day if anyone around or under the age of 25 (born after these bows were made) is reading this and thinking... "why the hell did I just spend $2000+ on yet another new setup"

 

[Dan O]

I started shooting a bow and bowhunting in 1974. First bow was a Darton takedown 50 LBS. My draw length was 31 inches at that time. Broke the first set of limbs and put on another set of 60 LBS limbs. Took a Muley doe that year. The next year I bought a new PSE Citation 60 LBS compound. This was a 4 wheel bow, the top of the time. Took a 2 point muley that fall. Since then I have bought and sold many bows and sold them to upgrade to the new technology. Plus several Bear takedowns and a Schaefer takedown. Still have the recurves minus the original Darton.

To me the recurves have a soul and the compounds are just a machine that launches arrows. One thing I found as compounds evolved, they got a little smoother and faster. It seems that in the last 20 or so years the IBO speed has not changed a whole lot. The tuning has become easier and the ability to empty your bank account has went off the charts. At this point I have 3 compounds to shoot or hunt with and see no need to buy another new bow. Plus the recurves that take a lot of work to be proficient with, but the enjoyment of a good shot is off the charts.

The bottom line is shooting the bow that feels good and gives you confidence to make the shot when it counts. That one is priceless!

 

[Bullshot]

Plus the recurves that take a lot of work to be proficient with, but the enjoyment of a good shot is off the charts.

I have two recurves, Black Widows, and have never hunted with either but it's coming.

I enjoy working on and tuning my machines that launch arrows. Memories made with them provide sufficient soul, and some - like my older Hoyts and even Mathews Outback, an appreciable aspect of detailed craftsmanship /industrial art that for all the advancements seems a little lacking in the newest techno wizardry.

Bows are fun. I am getting nostalgic for them perhaps due to some painful elbow troubles I am suddenly having... I wish I could go back and start from
scratch with my old Bear and do it over. Never again will future archers get to experience such dynamic change over their bowhunting arc as you likely have. It was and thankfully is still cool to mess around with any stick and string, be they traditional, old or new.