# Morrison or Black widow???? Hmmm...



## Silver Mallard (Mar 26, 2013)

Alright, need some help ya’ll. Looking at two “new to me” recurves. 
-The first one is a Morrision Cheyenne 58”, 53# @28”.  “A” style riser with bamboo core and yew limbs.
- The second one is a Black Widow, 60” 53# @28”. Bacote riser with bacote limbs.
I know both bows are top shelf. But if you had to choose between the two, which one would you go with? I will say the Morrison is a bit cheaper but the price isn’t really a factor in this. Both are pre-owned. I have wanted to own an example from each one of these manufacturers for a while now and have been presented with two and can only buy one…….DURN IT!!!!!!!!
Both bows are excellent to exceptionally fine condition according to the owners.
What say you all?


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## Barry Duggan (Mar 26, 2013)

What model BW? What's your draw length?

"price isn't really a factor", is something I know nothing about.


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## Silver Mallard (Mar 26, 2013)

The widow is a PSAX. I draw to 27.5".


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## Jake Allen (Mar 26, 2013)

The Morrison A Riser is short, small gripped, light and has a small sight window; 15 1/4" long 1 1/2" window.
The A Riser is nice, (of course), but is not an ILF and will only work with Bob's limbs. The limbs are thin, quiet and should throw an arrow very quickly.

The Widow, likely a PMA (?) (the last number indicates to wood veneers), will be a long, heavy riser with a deep grip and a large sign window. 
The limbs mount to the back of the reflexed riser, and will be wider, and less fragile than the Cheyennes.

One: light, small riser
The other: a big, substantial riser.

Both great bows, but different, (by design).


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## Barry Duggan (Mar 26, 2013)

I'm leaning towards the PSAX.
However, the bottom line is, it does not matter what I or anyone else thinks.  It's got to be right for you.


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## stick-n-string (Mar 26, 2013)

I say if "Price isn't a factor" that you should buy both. Shoot till you decide which one you like better, then give the other bow to us through a drawing of some sort!


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## snook24 (Mar 26, 2013)

stick-n-string said:


> I say if "Price isn't a factor" that you should buy both. Shoot till you decide which one you like better, then give the other bow to us through a drawing of some sort!



 what he said that sounds best


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## robert carter (Mar 26, 2013)

I would lean toward the 60" bow. Widows are fine bows .RC


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## Silver Mallard (Mar 26, 2013)

I should have said that price wouldn't be the ONLY DETERMINING FACTOR.   Leaning toward the widow but not quite sure till I shoot them. Still will be a tough call.


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## Blueridge (Mar 26, 2013)

PSA is the newer model and a big favorite with bow hunters. I suggest you go to BW web site for research .  Have been real fond of Widows since 1994.
Not familiar with the other one but they are both high quality.
Good luck.


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## robert carter (Mar 26, 2013)

You will be able to tell a difference in forgiveness and accuracy with the 2" longer bow.RC


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## godogs57 (Mar 27, 2013)

Widow....


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## jerry russell (Mar 27, 2013)

My experience is one sided so take it for what it is worth. I have shot Black Widows exclusively for 34 years and have never been let down by them. I currently shoot a PSA which is the grandfather to your PSAX. The shorter sight window and slightly longer limbs than the PMA series is a bowhunters dream. I don't know anything about the other bow you mentioned and it may be a fine bow as well but you will not go wrong with the Widow.  If you need to shoot some widows before you buy, I am not that far from you in Stockbridge and I have both right and left hand widows in PMA and PSA styles. 

If you have the option of shooting both bows for a couple hours before you buy, that is really what you should do. 

Good luck

Jerry


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## TIMBERGHOST (Mar 27, 2013)

I know the Morrison is a fine bow but I have never owned one. I like the Widow.  

At your draw length you should consider that the Morrison at 58" will likely give you a little more zip while the slightly longer Widow at 60" will quite possibly give you a smoother, more forgiving release.  

So, if you are going to primarily shoot 3D with the bow go longer. If you are going to hunt and 3D with the bow, go longer. If you are going to just hunt with the new bow, then go quieter and I just don't know which one that is in this case... 

Have fun!


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## Triple C (Jul 17, 2014)

Any of you guys know anything about the Black Widow PTF recurve?  I just ordered one in ironwood, 58", 48#, 28 draw length.  Been a compound guy for many years but started out in the 70s with a recurve.  I have an archery tradition long bow hunter that I tinker around with at targets but really wanted a nice recurve.  Would love to hear from anyone that shoots this bow.


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## Bucky T (Jul 17, 2014)

I've only shot a Black Widow before.  They are as smooth as silk.


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## Triple C (Jul 17, 2014)

Sweet!  Never shot one either but heard nothing but good things about them. Belonged to an archery only club back in early 90s and one of the members shot a BW. Just remember how much he loved it and it was one beautiful bow. Trying to keep buyers remorse from setting in so wanted feedback from others that shoot them.


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## robert carter (Jul 17, 2014)

PTf`s are fine bows. I have handled and shot a few and love them. I prefer a 60-62" recurve .Seems to be more forgiving for me.28" is a long draw.RC


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## Blueridge (Jul 17, 2014)

PTF  is the same design as the PA one piece and the PSA take down with out the extra wood in the riser. They shoot just like the others , very well.
Very good bows and the PTF looks good too with a little less mass wt.


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## Triple C (Jul 17, 2014)

robert carter said:


> PTf`s are fine bows. I have handled and shot a few and love them. I prefer a 60-62" recurve .Seems to be more forgiving for me.28" is a long draw.RC



RC...So glad i posted on here.  I just measured my draw length by measuring my arm span to end of middle finger and dividing by 2.  Turned out to be 27 instead of 28.

Is that the way traditional shooters measure draw length?


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## Triple C (Jul 17, 2014)

Blueridge said:


> PTF  is the same design as the PA one piece and the PSA take down with out the extra wood in the riser. They shoot just like the others , very well.
> Very good bows and the PTF looks good too with a little less mass wt.



Blueridge...Aesthetically, the PTF was the most appealing to me.  Also ordered the Asbell grip.  Hope I know what I'm getting into.


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## Blueridge (Jul 17, 2014)

Triple C said:


> Blueridge...Aesthetically, the PTF was the most appealing to me.  Also ordered the Eichler grip.  Hope I know what I'm getting into.



Asbell grip?  thats my favorite.  58" should be perfect for your draw length.


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## Triple C (Jul 17, 2014)

Blueridge said:


> Asbell grip?  thats my favorite.  58" should be perfect for your draw length.



Asbell.  Had a senior moment....


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## Blueridge (Jul 17, 2014)

Triple C said:


> Asbell.  Had a senior moment....



Haha, I'm having those myself. Congrats on your new Widow!!


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## Triple C (Jul 17, 2014)

Blueridge said:


> Haha, I'm having those myself. Congrats on your new Widow!!



Thanks blueridge.  Looking forward to visiting the trad section more often in the future.  Just noticed your location.  I grew up just south of Clermont in the North Hall area.  If you're from there then pm me.  Might find out we know each other.


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## Skunkhound (Jul 18, 2014)

Never shot a Morrison, but they are great looking bows, and I've never heard a bad word about them. I've had 2 widows briefly, and I'll definitely have another some day. 
 The PTF and the PA are really the same bow as far as limb design, and riser length. They actually have the same weight mass too, it's just distributed differently on each bow.


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## Killinstuff (Jul 19, 2014)

58" limbs on the Morrison stack pretty good at 28". That said the Morrison is a better bow than a Widow. Just is. If you can get longer limbs you will be a lot happier. I have limbs that make a 58" and 62" bow and only use the 58" for bow fishing.  My son also shoots a 58" Morrison, just turned 15 years old and drawing about 26" it's just right for him now but he will need new limbs next year as his draw length increases.


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## Blueridge (Jul 19, 2014)

I would test drive each one. Only YOU can decide which is best for you.


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## Triple C (Jul 20, 2014)

At 5'8" and a 27" draw I just like the idea of 58" length.  I have a mid 90's Dan Quillian longbow at 50#'s and 60" length.  My oldest son has one of his canebrakes at  59# and 62".  We shot for several hours this weekend at the farm.  Had the whole family down for my birthday so naturally, the bows came out.

Here's the deal...I know nothing about traditional archery other than just tinkering around with it.  But, as I get older, for some reason I have the desire to try and become somewhat proficient with trad equipment.  The last time I took a trad bow in the woods was back in the early 70's before compounds were legal.  Good thing I never even saw a deer because I know I wouldn't have came close to hitting it.

Fast forward to the late 80's and early 90's...my sons were getting into hunting and living near Athens, I visited Dan Quillian's - Archery Tradtions store and before long I was obsessed with bowhunting.  The boys and I chased deer all over Oglethorpe, Elbert and Oconee County when they were still at home and we loved it.  I shot plenty of trad bows in Dan's shop but never had the desire to hunt with one.

My sons took to the trad bows much earlier than I have.  I had my youngest son a custom bow made in the mid-90's from Jeffery Archery who made all of Dan's bows.  He still hunts with it today.  My oldest bought his own canebrake a few years later.  After buying my farm, a buddy gave me a longbow he bought from Dan in the mid 90s.  I've actually gotten fairly decent with that thing out to about 12 yds.

As for the reason in choosing a Black Widow, sight unseen...I've always made a habit out of giving things to the boys for Christmas that would last a lifetime.  Their 1st Ruger single action .22 pistols, .22 rifles, numerous guns over the years, etc.  Still try to do that and have since started it with my grandson.  (Sorry this is so long)

My grandson just turned 10 so my thinking is that the BW will certainly be one of those "hand me down" items that one day he will be very proud to own.  Figure in the meantime I can enjoy shooting a classic traditional bow that won't lose value and one day hand down to him.

He already has his own little recurve that he shoots like a champ.  Really fun to watch him shoot and amazing at how good he is.  Just pulls it back and turns it loose.  Figure in 20 more years or so when he's 20 and I'm 78, he will enjoy a nice heirloom gift from dear ol grand dad!

In the meantime...I hope to get more and more proficient with the trad equipment and even at 58...one day take my 1st deer with trad equipment.


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## ddauler (Jul 21, 2014)

Both


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## John Abbott (Jul 24, 2014)

Whatever you do..do not hang around guys who shoot widows..you will own before long..they are toxic..you will get a case of the gotta haves


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