Are Old Compounds Worth Anything?
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: 76Aggie
26-Jul-12
I would like some input from fellow bowhunters. I have several older compounds from the late 70's and early 80's. A couple are P.S.E. and one is a Golden Eagle. All are still in shape for hunting. Are these worth anything? These bows are probably older than many bowhunters of today. Wheels about the size of a 50 cent piece and camo jobs done with cans of spray paint. Perhaps they need to be in a museum.
From: Kevin Dill
26-Jul-12
A very good and legitimate question. My experience has been that older wheelbows are worth very little money. Almost nobody collects them, and darned few guys want to shoot them. The only exception might be one in pristine condition from a notable pioneer in the sport like Tom Jennings. I've seen guys trade in their old compounds (years ago) and take $20 for one. I tend to think of them like a used bicycle.
From: Arrowflinger
26-Jul-12
I have a 1994 model Darton Viper that has been with me on many hunts. From South Texas to the Northwest Territories in Canada. I have lots of memories with this old bow. And have taken some very nice animals with it. Including my first P&Y buck. It is still in good shape and hunting with this bow would be no problem. It is now retired, and NOT for sale! Arrowflinger.....
From: 76Aggie
26-Jul-12
Arrowflinger, I feel your pain. I hate to get rid of old bows that each have special and specific memories. There just comes a time when you simply run out of room. I do collect and save my old recurves but unfortunately the old compounds just seem to take up space. Seems a shame to get rid of these especially when I think of younger bowhunters not even knowing about or probably ever even seeing anything like these.
From: Straight —» Arrow
26-Jul-12
They are junk to me....but I do have a stupid amount of old equipment arrows, bows, you name it, stuffed up inside the little nooks and crannys all over my basement workshop.
One of these days I'll toss some of it. I usually can find someone who needs a bow and can't afford one and I give my old ones away.
So far once I put down a bow I pretty much never pick it up again.
From: Bowfreak
26-Jul-12
Heck....2 year old compounds aren't worth anything.
From: fuzzy
26-Jul-12
about as much as new ones, IMO ;-)
From: DaleM
26-Jul-12
Check with local youth organizations or church groups. Ran into a guy last year looking for any old used equipment at a local bow shop for the children at his church. I gathered up a bunch of my old arrows, vanes and rests then dropped that stuff off at the shop for him. Bought and traded some bows this year and like others I am just running out of room. Might have to drop some bows off for him this year.
From: Knife2sharp
26-Jul-12
Yeah, kinda sad bows don't hold their value like guns, but then how would bow manufacturers make money if people didn't feel their bow was outdated and worthless after a few seasons. I read an article in Field and Stream, I think, about considering updating your bow if it's 5 years. I had to laugh. Long bows and recurves don't need upgrading, but throw some wheels on it and now it has less than a decade life cycle. I guess it's an ego thing, you gotta look current when you're sitting in a tree all alone and there's nobody else around.
From: hoyt hunter
26-Jul-12
i own several 70s and 80s hoyt compound bows i have hunted and taken game with most of them and i still shoot some of them occasionally..i would never get rid of them. they have alot of sentimental value to me
From: Mt. man
26-Jul-12
I have 2 older bows that are now my carp shooters.
From: IdyllwildArcher
26-Jul-12
I bet in 50 yrs that some of the original compounds will be worth money as collectors items as they were the first of their kind.
From: oldgoat
26-Jul-12
I heard tell that the Navy had a program for a while, where they were buying up older Hoyt and PSE bows and using them as quick cut away anchors for their small craft. Don't know if the program is funded currently!
From: keep
26-Jul-12
Chuck If these guys only knew all the animals that you killed with these bows a bidding war would break out.
From: ahunter55
26-Jul-12
My Darton SL50s from mid 70s to 80s took many assorted animals & my 2 Darton WH600s from 1988 & 89 are still being used by my younger relatives. My Brother & Son both have Dartons from the mid 80s they us also. Worth anything-only to us.
From: ahunter55
26-Jul-12
another from same time period
From: Tucker
26-Jul-12
Worth more as a backup
From: DonSchultz
27-Jul-12
Anythings true value is what someone will pay for it at a moment in time.
For compounds as old as the thread starter describes, that is very little. Compounds this old are very low in performance compared to new bows today. Trad bows from 30 years ago and trad bows today are actually pretty close in performance. That performance along with the natural tendency toward "tradition" supports the market for old recurves and long bows.
My back up hunters are mid-90s dual cam bows. They are reasonably close in performance to my 2006 primary hunter. I bought the 06 Darton Tempest about 3 years ago, and paid 1/3 of what a new bow would have cost me.
Both my primary hunting bow and back ups will kill anything in the hemisphere. If I shimmed up the limbs and went to heavier arrows, maybe they would handle anything on the planet.
From: 76Aggie
27-Jul-12
Jimmy, you crack me up. Good luck on your goat hunt. I will send you some pictures of the Rock.
From: DanaC
02-Feb-21
IF the riser is 'warf'-able - able to be converted to a recurve - they can be worth $50-75. Depends on limb pocket angle etc. If it's still usable/shootable it's fine for a beginning archer to fool with. Doubt many have 'collector' value.
From: Dale06
02-Feb-21
Wish I still had my old Jennings Artowstar, from the late 70s.
From: GF
02-Feb-21
I dunno, boys - I’ve seen a bow identical to one I bought -used, from a friend - in about 1985 selling - or I should say LISTED - on the Big Auction Site for.... exactly what I paid for mine 35 years ago...
It’s a good, highly warfable riser, but that’s about it.
On the other hand, I gave mine to a friend and I think he still uses it....
From: hunt'n addict
02-Feb-21
I have an old Wing bow. It has wheels, but I'm not sure if it has any letoff.
From: hawkeye in PA
03-Feb-21
Simple answer NO for most of them.. I have seen some like new Jennings or Bear wood riser compounds go for a hundred dollars. A beat up old recurve will bring more money. I have not watched the big auction site though.
They are not near as adjustable as todays compounds and getting new wheels and cables is rough. I just tried fixing up up a old Aerostar for a guy and had several to work with, but to my surprise some of the limb attachment hardware wasn't interchangeable on other wise identical bows.
From: EmbryOklahoma
03-Feb-21
I have a Browning Nomad deluxe like the one pictured. Perfect condition. Likely not worth anything to others, but worth everything to me. I killed my first 4 deer with it. It's sentimental to me also because it was my first bow my parents bought for me when I was 14... somewhere around 1981, I believe.
From: Woods Walker
03-Feb-21
Worth anything? Memories....that's about it.
And yet stickbows are the complete opposite, value wise. Go figger........
From: x-man
03-Feb-21
Sadly, unless it's a one-off prototype, no old compounds are worth more than what someone is willing to pay for them. Which is usually less than $50.
From: Live2Hunt
03-Feb-21
They are taking some of those old compounds and putting recurve bow limbs on them now. Check into ASL or a warf bow on leatherwall or google. Someone may want them for the riser or you may want to go to the dark side and try traditional.
From: Supernaut
03-Feb-21
I always enjoy threads like this. Sadly, those old compounds probably aren't worth much unless pristine and/or collectible(?). Some of the old compounds can be converted to Frankenbows or converted to accept ILF limbs.
I think of all the bows I've had since 1984 and would like to have some of them back just for the memories. I was always trading up every few years for the "next best thing". I hunt with a recurve now but I have kept my last compound. My wife bought me a Mathews Switchback XT the year they came out for a wedding present. I'll never get rid of it for sentimental reasons. Killed some nice bucks with it plus it shoots great, although I haven't shot it for a good many years.
The first real bow I ever bought was a Bear Whitetail 1 compound back in 1984, saved up all my hay bailing money to get it. I killed my first bow buck with it when I was 14. Traded it in for a Whitetail 2 after that season and was always one I wish I hung onto. Flash forward to this past year and I picked up a mint Whitetail 1 riser just like my first bow. It was converted to accept ILF limbs and I'm hoping to hunt with it this coming season. Full circle I guess.
From: Two Feathers
03-Feb-21
I had an original Allen compound my brother gave me. I thought I would donate it to the Wis. Bowhunters Museum. They didn't want it. When I toured the museum I knew why. They already had a bunch of Allen's. Someone on the Bowsite offered me $100 or $150 but the bow went up in flames in my barn fire.
From: greenmountain
03-Feb-21
Old bows in good condition are worth a lot but they won't fill your wallet. You can take an older bow and get a neighbor started in archery. I started with a borrowed bear whitetail. I used it for a season before buying my first purchased bow. I knew a lot more about my preferences from the experience.
From: stagetek
03-Feb-21
Kept these old boat anchors laying around for quite a while. Finally threw them in a dumpster.
From: tobywon
03-Feb-21
Embry, pretty similar bow I shot my first couple of deer with. I remember the Nomad from the Cabelas catalog. This was similar but even more compact. Browning Deluxe Camo Bushmaster which was around 1985 (this is not my bow pictured). I still have it and look at it every so often hanging in my basement. I also have my old Oregon Deschutes as well.
From: Habitat
03-Feb-21
I remember we would order bows from Bowhunters Warehouse and one time my buddy got a Browning Nomad i believe.Opened the box drew bow back and when he let it down it stayed drawn.We put back in box and taped the heck out of it.Sent it back.Of course we had to call and warn them as there was no internet yet.
From: Woods Walker
03-Feb-21
I have tried to give away my old wheel bows and no one wants them.
From: skipmaster1
03-Feb-21
A lot of those old bows can be “warfed” into recurves and be incredibly great shooters. This is an old Hoyt/Easton Rambo.
From: EmbryOklahoma
03-Feb-21
tobywon... I think it would be cool to make some recurve limbs for the riser and shoot/hunt with it.
From: Highlife
03-Feb-21
Well golly jeeze whiz Lou I'm always looking for bows to warf especially if their free ;)
From: Boxcall70
03-Feb-21
Hey,I've seen these old Oneida lever bows seem to get a pretty good price when selling.yea I've bought a few on eBay.there a loud old school heavy shooting arrow,but have a good following.
From: tobywon
03-Feb-21
Embry, it is a cool looking riser. I hadn't thought about that but did think about warfing my Oregon.
From: Cornpone
03-Feb-21
It's always amazed me that a state of the art bow that was well into three digits a few years ago is lucky to be into a low three digit bow now. Just the way it is.
From: Shug
03-Feb-21
The first parallel limb short axel to axel bow...The Rigid little giant. 34” A2A Limbs and riser were both made from aluminum.. Made in the greatest place in the world to grow up... Jersey City New Jersey
From: BowmanMD
03-Feb-21
Funny how most of these older bows aren't worth anything... until you walk into a pawn shop and see that they're selling an old PSE FireFlite or Bear or Browning from the 80's or or 90's for $200. Apparently they must think there is someone out there willing to pay. Too funny.
From: Chris S
04-Feb-21
I had 2 old pse bows that sat for 25 years. I ended up making them as low pound as I could put whisker biscuits in them with line bottles and gave them to my teenage nephews. They have killed hundreds of carp with them to the point they go to bed so they can get in the shallows at sunrise to shoot em. Was a great decision they are hooked.
From: Buffalo1
04-Feb-21
I saw a Mathews Switchback XT in a bow shop today for $350. 60-70# draw Has a 26.6" & 28" draw module. It is in VG shape- evidenced it has been well taken care of. I personally thought this is a good price for a vintage bow- one of the best Mathews ever produced. Kinda like a '57 Chevy.
I was laughing with the bow shop owner that the vast majority of the younger generations are unknowlegable of the Switchback XT. Wish I could pull that weight again, as it may have been sold today.
From: Chris S
04-Feb-21
I had 2 old pse bows that sat for 25 years. I ended up making them as low pound as I could put whisker biscuits in them with line bottles and gave them to my teenage nephews. They have killed hundreds of carp with them to the point they go to bed so they can get in the shallows at sunrise to shoot em. Was a great decision they are hooked.
From: greenmountain
05-Feb-21
Funny Chris said the same thing. Just picking . I loved seeing the pictures of the old bows.
From: Boxcall70
05-Feb-21
These old onieda lever bows hold their value and have a good following.
From: Boxcall70
05-Feb-21
All of my bows a couple of black bear frankenbows,but years of Jennings super t,and split t.old martin cougar 11,and and a cougar magnum with engery cams.some PSE bows,and a Oneida screaming eagle,and an Oneida aero force.got a Jennings unistar with a compromised fiberglass limb for parts if anybody needs it.contact me.
From: Burt
05-Feb-21
Funny you should bring up the Eagles. Was at Bass pro over the weekend (visiting the new Bucees next door) took a stroll though their archery section. Very surprised to see they had a half dozen new Oneida Eagles. Couple of different models priced $700 - $1100. Haven't seen them in years.
From: Boxcall70
05-Feb-21
Mine is the old loud screamer model.don't know about the new model eagles.but mine kicks out a fancy 400 bloodsport with athourity .old school screaming eagle,31" draw,60#.for summer 3D.
From: Boxcall70
05-Feb-21
Can't post this on the leatherwall,but I got an old Jennings unistar compound,with a compromised fiberglass limb.this type bow was used by Bob Fratze ,the developer of Winona Camo.hey if a collecter can use it,let me know.I'm saying for parts only.the bad limb section will be marked.if interested,please contact me,thanks,dan
From: Boxcall70
05-Feb-21
Hey,don't know what happened with the pic of the Jennings unistar,but I'll try again.
From: Live2Hunt
05-Feb-21
I always got a kick out of those eagles. They put those recurve wood laminate limbs and glass limbs on and they did nothing.
From: spike78
05-Feb-21
Hell I see old Mathews bows going for rediculous prices on EBay.
From: Tim Hoeck
05-Feb-21
I'm always looking for the old Hoyt Aspens
From: Bow Bullet
05-Feb-21
Here's my Jennings W handle 4-wheeler that I got in the late 70s when I was in high school. Also have a PSE Thunder Flite Express that I bought in 1984 or 85. Am a little curious if the PSE is "warf-able."
From: Tonybear61
05-Feb-21
A couple for back-up and a few carp bows
From: muliemad
06-Feb-21
Nothing wrong with the old bows especially if you shoot fingers I still shoot a Martin sceptor11 and just picked up a Hoyt Vantage Pro that looks like it has never been shot!
From: nchunter
12-Feb-21
I lowered the poundage on my old cougar magnum and hung it on my hunting cabin wall. too many memories. That picture of that screaming eagle reminded me of when my brother had one many years ago. When we shot 3d tournaments he about had to carry a tool box with him to keep it from rattling apart.
From: carcus
13-Feb-21
Im so glad I got rid of my old bows, especially after seeing these pics
From: DanaC
13-Feb-21
"Hell I see old Mathews bows going for ridiculous prices on EBay. " 'Asking' prices are pretty meaningless, except to the person who (for whatever misguided reason) 'thinks' his old junk is 'treasure'. You see it all over e-bay, at auctions, flea markets, tag sales. etc. etc. Whole lot of people in denial about a fundamental concept - a thing is only worth what someone will pay for it. I once dated a woman who dealt in antiques, except she was convinced that every item in her collection was worth big $$ because once, 20 years ago, some sucker had paid too much for one just like it. She went bankrupt from storage costs because the world isn't full of perfect customers ;-)
From: MirageTC
14-Feb-21
If someone had a Browning Grand Illusion in the closet I would be interested in that bow.
From: Knuckles
06-Mar-21
Hey all, I happened across this thread from a related google search. I joined to mention that if you have old equipment that you don't use or don't want, then please reach out to your local conservation branch to ask if they have youth or beginner programs that could utilize the gear. As a kid I would've given my left nut to have some of the equipment being posted and would've found a way to make it work. Please don't discard or even store things you aren't ever going to use. Someone out there would be so happy to put it to good use.
From: Frenchman
09-Mar-21
5 wheel bows in my house - older 2 as carp bows (PSE Nitro and PSE Stingray) , one is my main weapon (Hoyt Rx1), one is 80-pound African bow (Hoyt Vector Turbo) and my PSE Axe 6 my backup bow. PLus 1 recurve, 1 longbow for small game and carp (because I can miss more easily than I can hit).
From: BigOzzie
09-Mar-21
About the same as a computer
once the technology is outdated, they are worth nothing, until the point people decide to collect them then they begin to build value again.
So put it with you apple II GS and hope the antique market buys them from you some day.
oz
From: Keith
09-Mar-21
I have a theory about computer companies. I believe they have the technology for several years in the future, but only give us little bits at a time. That way they get us to upgrade every couple of years. I think compound bow manufacturers do the same thing.
From: Jayray55
06-May-21
All of you are mentioning bows from the 80's. I inherited a compound bow and 2 crossbows from the 60's. Are they worth anything?
From: Mt. man
10-May-21
My old Jennings now slays many CARP. Turn them into carp rigs.
From: 4t5
17-May-21
A lot of the longer ones are sought after by finger shooters!
From: Julius Koenig
17-May-21
They are worth tens of dollars..
From: Bassmaster
30-Aug-21
I have one my brother gifted me with. PSE diamond back.
From: Bassmaster
31-Aug-21
I have one my brother gifted me with. PSE diamond back.
