Black Widow Bows: The Best Recurve Bows?

The Black Widow bows are a series of archery bows from the family of recurve bows. On this kind of bows, the limbs curve away from the archer when unstrung. Compared to the straight-limbed longbows, they store more energy and deliver a high to speed to the arrow more efficiently.

 

Photo Courtesy of blackwidowbows.com

Why You Should Be Getting Yourself A Black Widow Bow

Black Widow bows are high performance premium traditional bow, perfect for the professional and serious archer. They are highly recommended and favored by archers and hunters worldwide. Let’s see why.

Materials and Design

Black Widow enjoy a long-standing reputation in traditional bow manufacturing since 1957. The Black Widow bows are quite unique in design and complex to build. The handle alone is made of about thirty-seven glue lines, but this, of course, depends on the model. They require a rich investment in man hours to build. Precision is key here. The balance of the bow at the curvature is made uniform in weight so as to balance the bow with ease and not compromise on the draw.

Performance

Black Widow manufactures high-performance traditional bows that shoot much harder and faster than bows made twenty or thirty years ago. The high quality of the woodwork and design allows for superior solidity and smoothness in shooting. Some models such as the PCH Take-Down and the PSR One-piece are extremely compact and short, which allows for great maneuverability during hunting.

Price

Different black widow bows come at different prices, and while some would consider them expensive, you get great incredible value for your investment. If you’re serious about archery, especially field and 3D archery, consider investing in a Black Widow bow. We’re sure you won’t regret your choice as the quality of these recurve bows is undeniably the best you can find on today’s market.

Best Black Widow Bows

There are many different types and models of Black Widow bows.  Listed below you’ll find the most popular 2018 series of Black Widow recurves.

All bows are available in multiple finishes: Exotic, Graybark, Greenleaf, Autumn Oak and and Ironwood. Complete bow sets come with Flemish Twist DynaFLIGHT 97 string, bow stringer, spider string silencers, bow tip protector, calf hair shelf rest/ strike plate, nocking points, owner’s manual and owner’s manual companion DVD.

Click on each recurve series below to find out more about their features.

PMA/PSA Take-Down series

The new PMA and PSA series take-downs are CNC “precision crafted” with greater accuracy, detail and consistency than Black Widow have ever been able to achieve in the past. The black “phenolic” riser sections of the handle and limbs make a distinctive two-tone contrast; plus they are more impervious to moisture in the critical areas around the mounting pins and limb bolts. The extended shelf provides more protection for the hand and the outside edge of the shelf is relieved to make it easier to achieve good arrow flight off-the-shelf.

Are they good for me?

The PSA has a two inch shorter handle than the PMA series and is intended for the instinctive shooter that can utilize a shorter sight window than the PMA series. The shorter handle, in turn, allows for a comparatively longer working limb, making it possible to use a shorter overall bow length for greater maneuverability.

If smoothness and comfort are more important to you than maneuverability, then the PMA series may be your Black Widow of choice. The longer handle, with it’s long sight window, also permits the use of sights if that is your game.

• Featured bow: PSA Complete Bow

 

Features summary

Dynaflex trapezois limbs	56″, 58″, 60″ and 62″. Black phenolic riser sections. Vertically stacked, tapered laminations reinforced with a red, woven glass center core. Faced with transparent fiberglass. Flemish-twist DynaFLIGHT 97 string.
Handle	16 inches. Deflex design. Pre-stressed, multiple layers of laminations, reinforced with pre-stressed multiple layers of red black and white fiberglass. Full 4 inch sight window cut 3/16 of an inch past center. Extended radiused shelf. Black Widow spider medallion inlay. Brass inserts for Black Widow side-mount quivers, sight or stabilizer available at no additional charge
Brace height	8 1/4 to 9 inches (from string to throat of grip)
Mass weight	3 pounds for 58″ bow
Finish	Sealed and protected in nonreflective “Frost” (matte) clear marine epoxy. All inserts and bushings are solid brass

PCH Take-Down series

The new PCH series take-downs were conceived in the shadows of the PMA and the PSA to meet a growing desire for a compact, handier and more maneuverable weapon for close quarter shooting from ground blinds, brush or tree stands. The Precision Compact Hunter has the same deep-deflex design as its cousins but with a shorter riser allowing for a generous working limb.  This provides you with a short, compact bow with less finger pinch and a smoother draw than most other bows of the same limb length. Whether contorting to get a shot from a ground blind, twisting to take that big buck that slipped in behind your tree stand or chasing after elk on horseback in the high country of the Rocky Mountains, this Widow gives you the best of both worlds: short and sweet! 

Are they good for me?

The PCH has a two inch shorter handle than the PSA series and a four inch shorter than the PMA for even greater maneuverability. Bows of this series are also lighter and have a comparably longer brace height for increased shootability and comfort.

• Featured bow: PCH Complete Bow

Features summary

Dynaflex trapezois limbs	54″, 56″, 58″ and 60″. Black phenolic riser sections. Vertically stacked, tapered laminations reinforced with a red, woven glass center core. Faced with transparent fiberglass. Flemish-twist DynaFLIGHT 97 string.
Handle	14 inches. Deflex design. Pre-stressed, multiple layers of laminations, reinforced with pre-stressed multiple layers of red black and white fiberglass. Full 3  inch sight window cut 1/8 of an inch past center. Extended radiused shelf. Black Widow spider medallion inlay. Brass inserts for Black Widow side-mount quivers, sight or stabilizer available at no additional charge
Brace height	8 to 8 3/4 inches (from string to throat of grip)
Mass weight	Slightly less than 3 pounds for 58″ bow
Finish	Sealed and protected in nonreflective “Frost” (matte) clear marine epoxy. All inserts and bushings are solid brass

PTF One-Piece series

This graceful, one-piece bow is reminiscent of the original model TF Black Widow bow of the late 1950’s that launched the Black Widow legend that lives on today. It is a slim, trim, one-piece version of the PSA take-down with exactly the same limb design and geometry. The PTF, like all Black Widows, has a radiused shelf which makes it great for the instinctive shooter who prefers shooting off the shelf. 

Are they good for me?

The PTF series is basically a one-piece version of the PSA and is favored by bowhunters due to its simplicity and light weight.

• Featured bow: PTF One-Piece Bow

Features summary

Dynaflex trapezois limbs	56″, 58″, 60″ and 62″. Vertically stacked, tapered laminations reinforced with a red, woven glass center core. Faced with transparent fiberglass. Flemish-twist DynaFLIGHT 97 string
Riser	Deflex design. Pre-stressed, multiple layers of laminations, reinforced with pre-stressed multiple layers of red and black fiberglass. Full 3 1/2 inch sight window cut 3/16 of an inch past center. Radiused shelf. Black Widow spider medallion inlay. Brass inserts for Black Widow side-mount quivers or sight available at no additional charge
Brace height	8 1/4 to 9 inches (from string to throat of grip)
Mass weight	2 1/4 pounds for 58″ bow
Finish	Sealed and protected in nonreflective “Frost” (matte) clear marine epoxy. All inserts and bushings are solid brass

Which Black Widow Bow model should I choose?

The answer to this question really depends on what you are going to use your bow for. Hunting, target/3-D, recreation, etc. The PMA series is the “old naildriver” and is considered the best choice by tournament shooters. So, if you’re someone who likes to take longer shots you might want to take look at the PMA. The PSA is similar to the PMA, but designed to meet the needs of the “instinctive” shooters that require a shorter hunting bow without using sights. The PSA is a good choice for most bowhunters, and the PSF is simply a one-piece, lighter version of the PSA.

Looking for something more entry-level?

Check out the Tigershark Take-down recurve bow by SAS, a top-selling affordable entry-level recurve bow set.

More useful recurve bow articles

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