# Bob Lee or Black Widow?



## quickill (Jan 18, 2012)

I shoot a 72 # compound. I am looking to get into recurve archery more than just shooting a few arrows into my basement target this spring. I am looking to invest in a Bob Lee or a Black Widow. Comments or preferences on which one? I shoot 3 fingers / split. Draw length is 28.25 inches from the center of the string to the front shelf of my current bow. (Bear Kodiak Hunter) I do want to shoot off the shelf by instinct.


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## benofthehood (May 18, 2011)

I have owned both . they are great bows from great companies , both of whom have customer service second to none , comparable only to Lancaster Archery imho ...
you can't go wrong with either but if you can get to a few shoots and see whats what and maybe get one in your hand for a few shots . Also I know Widow have a try before you but program .. maybe Lee do as well ? 

either way you'll be happy ... until you order your next one !!!


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## vabowdog (Dec 13, 2007)

I've owned both and they are both awesome bows with impeccable customer service...I think both have arty before you buy program which is great.....

I shoot widows now only because I want to....nothing short of Bob Lees at all.....Levy and Vivian Bryant shoot Bob less and they are nice bows.


Dewayne


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## uabdave (Mar 12, 2007)

Side by side comparison of bows same poundage and length at the Pre Spring FLing in Birmingham, AL this past February showed me two things... the Bob Lee was both faster and quieter than the Widows. This was not an opinion shared by just me, but the group of 5 who shot a total of 4 bows... all 60" length and each pair of bows within 1 pound of each other on recorded draw weight. We had a pair of 45# bows and a pair of 55# bows. Noise was the biggest factor of difference, though hand shock and speed also had slight edges to the Bob Lee's. Looks... I happen to like the Widows better, but not everyone does.

Dave


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## BowmanJay (Jan 1, 2007)

I tend to agree here, both are very nice but the Bob Lee I prefer over the widow.....


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## Kip Manuel (Jan 3, 2006)

I have owned other bows Checkmate,Predator,Bear inc. a Takedown and tried a few others.Never found any better,some about the same but Bob Lees do it for me.I have owned 5 I think and these three are what I have now.Good bows never shot a Black Widow. I like the short riser with longbow limbs real smooth my go to bow now with the middle bow my backup.Kip


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## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

You need to shoot both and then decide which one to invest in.

Both are nice bows...both are quality built... but both are vastly different to me in the feel of the cast and grip.

If I were going to invest as much as a new widow can cost..I would invest in a Border,Schaffer,or a ACH.


Mac


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## Lil Okie (Mar 25, 2008)

Bob Lee get's my nod..


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## quickill (Jan 18, 2012)

Thanks for the advice folks. I think that I have settled on a Bob Lee. I am going to call them to see if they can direct me down the best path to take since I am too far away from the shop to go visit.


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## TheLongbowShoot (Mar 23, 2012)

Bob lee all the way!


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

Like choosing between Swarovski and Leica - both premium high end bows - maybe one has a little something extra that fits your needs a bit more than the other.


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## kymountainman (Oct 22, 2012)

Both are great bows, you will be happy with either, have you ever condsidered a schafer silvertip, the silvertips are my favorites.


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## tradshooter ed (Dec 18, 2011)

i own a black widow and like it but always wanted a new bob lee because i had a used bob lee and it was the smoothest bow i ever shot.



quickill said:


> I shoot a 72 # compound. I am looking to get into recurve archery more than just shooting a few arrows into my basement target this spring. I am looking to invest in a Bob Lee or a Black Widow. Comments or preferences on which one? I shoot 3 fingers / split. Draw length is 28.25 inches from the center of the string to the front shelf of my current bow. (Bear Kodiak Hunter) I do want to shoot off the shelf by instinct.


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

I have both and both are great bows 

Just depends on what you like


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## benofthehood (May 18, 2011)

the great thing about your choice is also that both companies will get a bow out to you with a really quick turnaround in build time


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

I'm not a widow hater anymore than i'm a bob lee fan boy and to prove it?..i would advise you buy neither..at least not new..as there's far too many other lesser known bowyers who offer up way more bang for the buck..and imho?..the classifieds is the wise mans weapon of choice when it comes to getting a highend bow on the cheap.

That said?..i own a Lee and love it..never owned a widow but have shot a few..never liked the idea of the TD widows limbs emiting energy "into" the riser instead of "away" from the riser..and as thought?...the ones i've shot seemed very vibey as compared to the Lees i've shot..depite the widows heavy mass risers..but i've always wanted to try a one piece widow..i bet they rock...however..dollar for dollar?..there's far better "Other" options out there. 

JMHO & L8R, Bill. :cool2:


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## woodpecker1 (Sep 6, 2012)

i agree jinkster on the widow limbs i shot a boblee once and really liked it but not a fan of the asthetic look of theones that have two bolts on each limb.it just looks unnatural to me. i have shot the one piece recurve and its a smoker!!thin riser. the one i shot has the asbell grip and i didnt like it


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

woodpecker1 said:


> i agree jinkster on the widow limbs i shot a boblee once and really liked it but not a fan of the asthetic look of theones that have two bolts on each limb.it just looks unnatural to me. i have shot the one piece recurve and its a smoker!!thin riser. the one i shot has the asbell grip and i didnt like it


Really?..i've always seen the lines of a bob lee as appearing more "one piece recurve" looking than most if not all other TD models out there.the geometry just seems to flow together real well..leastways to my eye..and i've always viewed the "two large dovetail bolts per limb" thing as a plus...lotsa clamp pressure going on there...again...making the bow "feel" more like a one piece...then again?..i'm a machinist..and never have been a fan of dowel pins in wood..but to each their own..lotsa proud owners on both sides of that fence! :laugh:


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

If your going to go with the Bob Lee get the Heavyweight ( all phenolic ) I hear great things about that model


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## vabowdog (Dec 13, 2007)

Great choice either way.....I shoot widows because I love them.....

Dewayne


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## Jeb-D. (Sep 21, 2011)

The one piece black widows look bad *****.


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## Easykeeper (Jan 2, 2003)

JINKSTER said:


> I'm not a widow hater anymore than i'm a bob lee fan boy and to prove it?..i would advise you buy neither..at least not new..as there's far too many other lesser known bowyers who offer up way more bang for the buck..and imho?..*the classifieds is the wise mans weapon of choice when it comes to getting a highend bow on the cheap.*
> 
> That said?..i own a Lee and love it..never owned a widow but have shot a few..never liked the idea of the TD widows limbs emiting energy "into" the riser instead of "away" from the riser..and as thought?...the ones i've shot seemed very vibey as compared to the Lees i've shot..depite the widows heavy mass risers..but i've always wanted to try a one piece widow..i bet they rock...however..dollar for dollar?..there's far better "Other" options out there.
> 
> JMHO & L8R, Bill. :cool2:


Best advice in this thread. Recurves hold their value well, unlike compounds. Buy a used one and if it doesn't work out, you don't like the bow, you don't like archery, you can get most or all of your money back when you sell. Buy a new one and if you sell it you take about a 40% loss. 

There are _lots_ of used bows available. Watch the classifieds on this site, but also Trad Gang (http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi). Spend some time browsing the threads and see what is poplular. Widow and Lee are the most familiar, but there's lots of others. 

If you are looking at Black Widow and Bob Lee bows you are looking at top of the line gear. There are many other great bows out there and you might like them better than a Widow or Lee. Keep in mind Widows hold their value especially well, works for and against you. You can't really go wrong with either the Widow or Lee, or a Silvertip, Morrison, Robertson, Blacktail, Dale Dye.....many others in the same price range (used). Research well...buy once. Until you buy the second one...LOL.


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## Barry O'Regan (Nov 2, 2008)

quickill said:


> I shoot a 72 # compound. I am looking to get into recurve archery more than just shooting a few arrows into my basement target this spring. I am looking to invest in a Bob Lee or a Black Widow. Comments or preferences on which one? I shoot 3 fingers / split. Draw length is 28.25 inches from the center of the string to the front shelf of my current bow. (Bear Kodiak Hunter) I do want to shoot off the shelf by instinct.


Just make sure whatever bow you choose,don't think you will be able to pull a 70# recurve, Keep it at 50# max and you'll be fine. Check the AT classifieds and witness how many higher poundage bows over #55 are for sale,with the caveat they now have shoulder issues. That is a clue to go with, courtesy of Captain Obvious.


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## Kennymac (Nov 1, 2007)

quickill-I own a BW and love it! I got a SBD string and it quieted the bow and it shoots faster arrows too! I would say the biggest thing you have to concern yourself with is being over bowed! Even Fred Asbell says most instictive archers are over bowed! I shot a 70+ pound compound and I got a 47# BW and am glad I did it, cause it shoots smooth and is easy for me to handle. Good luck.

Kenny


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## Mo0se (Sep 24, 2002)

vabowdog said:


> Great choice either way.....I shoot widows because I love them.....
> 
> Dewayne


+1 
View attachment 1557603

I can't comment on Bob Lee, I have no time with one, but I do know some people that like theirs a lot!


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