Compounds- How old is too old?

[Bullshot]

Bow experts. How old is too old for a compound bow? I’ve got 3 bows.

~1999 Hoyt Viper Redline
~2005 Mathews Outback
~2022 Mathews V3 31

I was toying with getting rid of the Hoyt but its a nice compact and fast bow that was ahead of it’s time. A little finicky compared to newer bows, and low brace height interferes with some rest styles. I believe its noticeably faster than my Outback.

The Outback is a forgiving and smooth bow that has had the limbs and lower cam replaced under warranty after one limb started to split in 2022. I have not shot it since I bought the V3 to replace it.

The V3 shoots great but just doesn’t have the soul of the other two older bows, so I want to bring them back into rotation and certainly as spares. The Outback is no worry since limbs are new. But is there any inherent safety reason why I should not look to use the Hoyt? Its 25 years old but in great shape it seems. Limbs look fine. It does not seem like an antique at all, and its quality stacks up well with the much newer bows and (to me) does not seem even all that dated.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

The V3 is far too old. You’ll need to hurry up and get this years before they come out with next years, man!

The other ones are so old shrapnel would probably trade that new vette for em.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Kidding of course. I’d think about leaving the viper on the wall/shelf. But the outback id DEFINITELY shoot, even if just for fun!

 

[buckbull]

Isnt your instagram page kinda dull with shooting those antiques?

 

[Deleted member 53219]

Just killed a bull a couple years ago with a 2007 Mathews Drenalin, definitely not too old

 

[44hunter45]

I still have one bow. A Hoyt Spectra. I see that eBay calls it "Collectable"
It is due for cables and strings, but it is a PITA to tune afterwards.

 

[TheTone]

A buddy of mine probably would have taken that v3 off your hands a week ago. Unfortunately he found a deal on a lift that was too good to pass up

As long as they’re well taken care of I see no reason the older ones aren’t fine.

 

[EKYHunter]

Nothing wrong with any of those bows. As long as they’re in good working order, they’ll kill as good today as they did when they were made.

 

[Bullshot]

I like hearing the stories of other people using ~20 year old bows. I think bows made a huge leap in the very late 1990’s and then just incremental gains in materials and geometry tweaks since then. My 1st compound bow was a Bear Whitetail Hunter which I killed my 1st bow doe with. I now wish I still had it! My 2nd was a Xi Legend Magnum which I had until
recently and gave away. Still worked really well with heavy arrows. Killed a bunch with that including my first antelope, but missed my 1st ever shot at an elk, a Grand Mesa CO bull, with it .

The Xi was a way more modern bow than that Bear. The Hoyt, only a few years newer, is way more modern than that Xi. But my V3 is not that much different than my Hoyt, all said and done, after another quarter century.

I’ll carefully inspect that Hoyt top to botton and maybe disassemble and look at/replace any bearings or bushings as the case might be on the cam axles. Then, if all looks good, I’ll have 3 great options. Shoot, I may never need to buy another bow in my life, assuming another 25 years of archery hunting or so!

 

[WildWill]

Shot a new Mathews at Scheels last month and wasn't impressed. My 2015 Mathews Z2 is still plenty of bow for me and going strong. Still have my early 2000s High country I shot before that as a backup. Never understood the whole new bow every year thing.

 

[choc dogs]

I’ve had my alpine since 199?

 

[Bullshot]

Dusted it off, took it down, cleaned out the axles, bushings, greased the limb bolts.

Should be good enough to bounce an arrow off a deer.