# Where to find 70" AMO recurve?



## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Phil -

You are correct. Any 25" riser + long limbs will give you a 70" bow. And I would not go any shorter. 

I still like the Hoyt Horizon riser, because of it's grip and limb couplings. The same features are why I personally avoid the Korean risers, but other folks have had success with them, so it might be a judgement call. 
Any limbs rated as long or 70" (on a 25" riser) will be fine. The only issue is finding them in stock. 
The Flute Axiom or Premium (glass or carbon) or Samick Privilege limbs will work well. 

Please remember that with a 31" draw, the odds are that the bow will be about 6 - 8# heavier than marked at 28". 

You could wait for something to show up in the FITA Classifieds or eBay/Craigs list, that just depends on how quickly you want it.

While older "vintage" bows are an option, wood being wood, there's no guarantee than even a 70" vintage bow won't stack at your draw length. You also really need to know what your looking for/at.

Don't think I told you anything you didn't already know.

Viper1 out.


----------



## philconfer (Oct 5, 2012)

Viper1,

I've been doing a ton of research, and any information that I am given I appreciate, so thanks so much for your quick reply. I saw some great things about the Hoyt Horizon risers, and unfortunately it is just out of my reach, price-wise. I actually pulled the trigger today, and ordered a 70" bow from Merlin. I went with a bare-bones wooden riser and limbs. The price was right, and with the inability to find this length entry-level bow in the United States, I am sure I will have no trouble recouping my expense if I decide I hate it and want to sell it. I'm nervous about the shipping, but we shall see! 


- Phil


----------



## krbmsw (Oct 7, 2012)

Phil,

We're in a similar situation. I'm 6'7" and looking for a 70" bow. Be aware...Merlin is out of the Polaris. Their fine print states that they will substitute it with a similar bow--the SF Optimo. They "believe" that it is a rebranded Polaris. As long as you're comfortable with that, it's a good purchase. Their customer service has been wonderful about corresponding with me. They are going to try and let me know when they have a Polaris back in stock--although she implied that they may not be getting it back in stock. Lancaster can order the 70" Polaris but it will take 8 weeks to arrive.

It's a wrestle. I've also looked at the Ragim Matrix. I'm debating whether to dive in with a beginner bow that I spend less on but don't keep as long...or wait a while and buy a more expensive bow that may teach me about my preferences and end up being left behind, as well.

I hope you write about your experience with the bow you receive from Merlin. I'd love to hear what you end up receiving and how you like it.


----------



## philconfer (Oct 5, 2012)

I did catch that SF Optimo bit on their website and from what I've been reading there has been a real shortage of the Samick bows. LAS said they could "possibly" special order me a 70" Polaris but it would be an additional $50. That would have put the price somewhere around $170 with an indefinite delivery wait. I pretty got sick of belly aching over what to do. The bow from Merlin was $100 including shipping. I'm certain the smart thing would have been to buy a 25" ILF riser, but I am also certain that I can resell this bow for at least $100 on Craigslist if it doesn't work out for me. Either way, I will post details when it arrives on the quality and what not.


----------



## philconfer (Oct 5, 2012)

Forgot to mention that the deal also includes: 2 x Strings, 2 x Rests, 2 x Nock Sets, 1 x Stringer. I'm sure it's the most basic of equipment, but for a novice target shooter, I'm hoping that will suffice. Also, I received this response today from Merlin which echoes what you said: "The Polaris bow you will get is most likely to be SF. However, the SF and Samick bows are made in the same factory I have been told so they are effectively the same product. I hope that helps." I don't put a whole lot of stock in that statement; same factory does not = same product. Time will tell. You might see a 70" left handed bow listed on Craigslist in a few weeks! If not, I will have tons more questions regarding how to properly equip this bow and what not, if I can't figure it out with my own research.


----------



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

I wouldn't get hung up over the "samick" or "polaris" labels. There is a lot of re-badging going on with these imported budget bows. IMO, all "manufactures" entry-level products are of equal quality if not the same exact thing with a different badge.


----------



## ArcherFletch (Jul 8, 2012)

there are also some 72" and 76" longbows on ebay that sell for around $100, let me know if you're interested enough for me to dig up the link! I'm going to get one next season... 6'9" shooter here and I have a 62", 66", and a 68", wanting something a bit bigger too


----------



## philconfer (Oct 5, 2012)

ArcherFletch said:


> there are also some 72" and 76" longbows on ebay that sell for around $100, let me know if you're interested enough for me to dig up the link! I'm going to get one next season... 6'9" shooter here and I have a 62", 66", and a 68", wanting something a bit bigger too


I was searching and searching and couldn't find anything like that in the last couple weeks, but I was typing "recurve" almost every time. No need to dig up the link, since I have a bow coming, but when you start shopping next season please sure the info. Might be looking for something different at that point.


- Phil


----------



## krbmsw (Oct 7, 2012)

If there are some right-handers, I'd love the links. I'm early enough into my search that I'm going to wait a touch longer before I pull the trigger on an order. I'm going to take a few lessons first. It does look like a lot of the beginner bows are the same with different branding.


----------



## philconfer (Oct 5, 2012)

The bow has finally arrived. It came exactly as ordered and free of any blemishes. I strung it up and pulled it back, didn't notice any issues. The grip fits well in my large hand, which is great. Very pleased with the look and feel. Will probably be awhile until I get a chance to shoot it but figured I'd post some pics in the meantime.


----------



## philconfer (Oct 5, 2012)




----------

