# Questions on Barnsdale Bows



## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

. What you call dated, I call forgiving. Newer is not necessarily better. The deflex risers fell into disfavor because they aren't fast...Period... I was intimidated by the shoot thru, and didn't want one, but I finally shot one, and it is totally torque free and has the smoothest more shock free shot I've ever experienced. I never see a cableguard on my bow ever again. I like the BArnsdale wheel better than the accuwheel because you can change the letoff to just about whatever you want. The cams??? No idea. Not a cam man myself.


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

made a long reply earlier and it wouldn't 'load' so heck with it . i do hope you get a barnsdale because i respect your opinion and am interested in one ,a barnsdale not an opinion, for me .


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

OK......you asked for it.
The grip.....is a grip, it is slender and as torque free as a bow handle can get.
Weight..... there is enough mass weight to be heavier than some will like and not quite heavy enough for some, me; I like a very heavy bow it seems to hold much steadier.
Balance..... the center of the bow is at the web of your hand, as it should be. The bow balances on the top of your hand and not at the arrow rest as most of the newer bows.
The Barnsdale riser, limb and wheel setup is the updated version of the very best finger bows built in the late 80's and early 90's. The machined riser is very precisely built, stronger and less flexible than anything we had access to back when.
The limbs are precise and repeatable. The materials and adhesives are state of the art and if they weren't good why would so many other manufacturers use them.
The wheels are just plain good wheels...... the modules make them versatile. A module on each side of the wheel is the easiest way I know to adjust for minor wheel lean. I have recently started using a yoke cable setup that I run through the cable guard....seems to work fine. as far as comparing them to hoyt wheels, who knows .....I've not shot a Hoyt in years.
Recurved compound limbs are nothing new. They work and shoot like any other compound limb, I think they just look cool.
I know nothing of their cams I am a finger shooter......nuff said.
I am not a fan of the shoot thru.....this is where Gus and I don't agree. There is some adjustability to it perhaps....but I'll take my cable-guarded Classic X and shoot with anybody.
Whether The brand wil still be around 5-10 years from now who knows??? Will we?
As for price......go price a new Hoyt in target colors and tell me how much difference there really is.....when you consider that you can get a bow built to YOUR specifications, with limb, riser and eccentric options that are not available from ANYBODY else for a price less than any of the top of the line Mathews target bows (SHhhhhhh!) lets keep that down! I might be in the market for a new Barnsdale! When you find a used Barnsdale let me know, I'm not sure what the price structure for used Barnsdales are cause I've never seen one. I bought the only one I've seen advertised in the classifieds here for $800, it was new the man had had it less than a week; said it was too pretty to take into the woods!
I like being able to call Dave and talk to the man that built the bow about any tuning, string, brace height, you name it subject.
The only thing inherent in the bow that cannot be eliminated is recoil, there is handshock inherent in any bow set up with limbs that move forward.
Hope this answered your questions, if you have more, just call Dave, he'll be glad to talk to you!


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

fuelracerpat said:


> OK......you asked for it.
> The grip.....is a grip, it is slender and as torque free as a bow handle can get.
> Weight..... there is enough mass weight to be heavier than some will like and not quite heavy enough for some, me; I like a very heavy bow it seems to hold much steadier.
> Balance..... the center of the bow is at the web of your hand, as it should be. The bow balances on the top of your hand and not at the arrow rest as most of the newer bows.
> ...


I wish I'd been awake enough at four this morning to have said that.


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## fingers (May 27, 2002)

I like Unclegus's answer in that it doesn't have to be new to be right. Barnsdale is a name that lives archery, smart guys(and gals). I think our sport requires a definite criteria in order to be accurate and that has been pretty well defined for a number of years. The Barnsdales are privy to that ideal I should think as they have seen it all. You don't need the next new thing to come down the pike to be the best, you need the best set-up and work with it to make the most out of it.The Barnesdale limb is well thought of as forgiving, fast and solid. 
A wheel with adjustable let-off such as 55 to 60% is exactly what is needed for a clean forgiving release with fingers. So you look to the riser and how it settles in your hand once you tiller it to your hand position. That's it! That and the ability to make the wheel/cam track straight by means of a yoke system which you twist up to time and straighten travel. When you bring all that together you end up personally being the factor of whether you shoot good or not. That is all you can ask for,,,


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## bigtim (May 26, 2004)

*missouri*

if you ever come down to branson, hook up with me at the archery pit, you can shoot mine...
if you know what you are doing with a bow, you will greatly appreciate the concepts that are put into the classic x, set up right it is a scary good bow.
if i had longer arms i'd love to be able to get enough speed to shoot one for 3d


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## Unk Bond (Aug 1, 2004)

Hello
I bought two.
Sold the single limb one

Kept the double recurve limb, squirrelly one. All black :wink:


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## USCG Barebow (Feb 17, 2004)

*Barnsdale*

I just ordered a Classic X from Dave. I shoot barebow. It is way too hard to find a bow that fits me (25 1/4 AMO draw), let alone that is good for string walking. I talked to Dave in person at the ATA and this past weekend at Lancaster. I have no doubt that I will be getting what I want. For the past 5 years I have tried to make other bows work for me. No more. 
They will be around in 5-10 years. Dave runs a first rate bow company and you get his personal attention when you order a bow.
Alan


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## Unk Bond (Aug 1, 2004)

USCG Barebow said:


> I just ordered a Classic X from Dave. I shoot barebow. It is way too hard to find a bow that fits me (25 1/4 AMO draw), let alone that is good for string walking. I talked to Dave in person at the ATA and this past weekend at Lancaster. I have no doubt that I will be getting what I want. For the past 5 years I have tried to make other bows work for me. No more.
> They will be around in 5-10 years. Dave runs a first rate bow company and you get his personal attention when you order a bow.
> Alan



********************

You surly will love it. Dave goes to great lengths to please his customer.
I have been friends and dealt with him for a long time. What i like about Dave he never changes. As he would say. He wants every one to be a happy camper. :wink:

Darn it . I was at the ATA show. And missed him.  :wink: [ Later


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## capool (Aug 5, 2003)

You guys make me want to buy one.


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## USCG Barebow (Feb 17, 2004)

*Classic X*

http://www.barnsdalearchery.com/CLASSICX.html

capool,
Now you are just a click away.
Alan


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## capool (Aug 5, 2003)

I'm afraid it's a little more than just a click for a new one.


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## fuelracerpat (May 6, 2008)

I have three "Classic X" bows.......two for target and one to hunt with.
Pricewise....when I explored the cost of a new Hoyt, in target colors, there was not a great deal of difference in price. The real difference, I think, is being most assured of draw length and draw weight specifications being on the nose. Not to mention that being left-handed throws another little something into the mix.:shade:


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## KStover (Jan 24, 2009)

AKRuss 

If your looking for an accurate smooth bow then the Barnsdale would be a great choice. 

If you want a hot rod for hunting you may want to look at something else. Not sure about their new cams, but the current Tri-Star wheels are very smooth and a pleasure to shoot, but they are not fast. Personally I would not choose a Barnsdale for any type of unknown distance competitions such as 3D.

IMO the Barnsdale is one of, if not, the best finger/target bows on the market. They make great bows for spot shooters like myself.

As far as being leery about ordering from a small company you may want to read some of Barnsdale’s history. http://www.barnsdalearchery.com/aboutus.html
He’s been in the archery business since the early 80s and has made limbs for about 20 years. Barnsdale makes limbs for several companies like Pearson. 

As far as the shoot through system goes I honestly can’t tell much, if any difference. But I’ll bet that over time the shoot through system will keep my wheels centered and not allow them to lean over at full draw as many cable guard bows do. Loading the arrows is simple. After about an hour of shooting, it became so natural that I did not even have to think about. I do believe that they shoot through is a little loader than the cable guard system, not a problem for a spot shooter but not so good for hunting.

Resale value? Barnsdale does not have the following that companies like Hoyt has, so trying to resale it may be a little harder than more popular bows. 
I find the resale question a little strange. Why would you buy any upper end bow and worry about resale? If you get a fine piece of equipment that’s fitted to your specs why would you want to consider reselling it? 

What ever you choose I hope that it works well for you.

Happy Trails
Keith


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

KStover said:


> AKRuss
> 
> If your looking for an accurate smooth bow then the Barnsdale would be a great choice.
> 
> ...


That's exactly why you see very few of them for sale here on AT...People who go the extra mile to get a Barney just aren't cut from an ordinary piece of cloth.:wink:


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## Unk Bond (Aug 1, 2004)

Unclegus said:


> That's exactly why you see very few of them for sale here on AT...People who go the extra mile to get a Barney just aren't cut from an ordinary piece of cloth.:wink:


**************************

Quote = aren't cut from an ordinary piece of cloth. 


Reply = I new there was something different about me. Just couldn't put my finger on it. Till now. And now I know :wink:
Cause i have a double re-curve Barnsdale Bow. :thumbs_up


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## KStover (Jan 24, 2009)

Unclegus said:


> That's exactly why you see very few of them for sale here on AT...People who go the extra mile to get a Barney just aren't cut from an ordinary piece of cloth.:wink:


Thanks for the complement Unclegus.

Keith


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

KStover said:


> Thanks for the complement Unclegus.
> 
> Keith



Actually I was bragging on myself. I have two....:wink:


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## fastarrow (Nov 19, 2003)

*Not Fast???*

I wouldn't say that the Barnsdale bows are slow either, Mine shoots a 362 grain arrow at 252 through the crono at 28" draw,(26 1/4true draw) 57 lbs. with tristar wheels, just under 42" axle to axle, and a 9" brace height. Drop 65 grains off the arrow and the bow should be pushing the speed limit for most shoots, (assuming anyone shoots the 5grain per pound that IBO speed is rated at.)
For a forgiving, smooth and extremely accurate wheel bow I feel its speed holds its own. Yes there is alot faster bows but I doubt most of them are this smooth and forgiving.
As far as the shoot through cables, they are close enough to the string that loading an arrow is easier than the shoot through risers on the market. It really doesn't take long and loading the bow just becomes natural. What the shoot through is nice for is the ease of tuning and adjusting cam timing without a bowpress. You can adjust cam timing, cam lean, even tweak minor draw length adjustments just my squeezing on one cable and removing and twisting the other cable on that end of the bow. Major draw length is just as easy and just requires removing a couple of screws in the modules and positioning them to your desired setting, no press required.
As far as resale goes, I have been looking for another Barnsdale in the classifides and on other internet sites for quite a while and nothing. I couldn't say what they are worth used because nobody seems to want to sell them. 
I know I don't ever plan on selling mine:wink:


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