Author Topic: Oneida Bows (Read 5297 times)

ttank0789 · « **on:** May 22, 2009, 08:16:31 AM »

I just recently discovered Oneida bows and think they look kinda neat and am throwing around the idea of possibly getting one but I would like to learn a lot more about them since they are considerably different from the standard compound bow. I have some questions about them that I hope could be answered.

1) Does anyone have any experience with these bows and what are some drawbacks? (no pun intended)

2) Looking at some used bows on ebay and some other websites I noticed that they come in short, medium, and long sizes. Does this have to do with different draw length ranges or is that length from tip to tip? Or something else?

3) If the different sizes have to do with draw length which would I need with a 26" draw length?

I'm sure there are other important things to know that I haven't mentioned so please bring them to my attention. Thanks for any input you can give, it's very appreciated!!

flintlock · « **Reply #1 on:** May 22, 2009, 08:58:31 AM »

They have been around for years and frankly I don't know anyone who still uses one, that will tell you something...

I looked at them in the late 80s because I'm a finger shooter and they are a very smooth bow...That's about it...They are loud, the limb can fly down and hit the treestand easier than a typical compound and they are hard to keep adjusted...

rex6666 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2009, 04:16:24 AM »

i have had 2 people tell me, that you got enough parts on the oneida bow
the rebuild a car. Hea that is just what i was told.

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** May 27, 2009, 11:09:11 AM »

Just TOO UGLY. They hurt my eyes. They might be the best in the world but I'll never own one.

cam69conv · « **Reply #4 on:** May 27, 2009, 11:34:42 AM »

Pretty much just loud junk. Like was said already. Enough parts to rebuild a car! More stuff to go wrong and it usually does. Had many come to me to fix them. Id always tell them the best way to fix them is to trash it and buy a Hoyt! Or a BowTech Or pretty much anything else. Even a walyworld special is a better bow. The ONLY thing that an Onieda has going for it is a smooth draw. But the wall is non existant, again LOUD ( I have a 22 thats more quiet ), Stings and cables are a severe pain to work on, and HEAVY! Worst hunting Bow in the woods.

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #5 on:** May 27, 2009, 11:59:45 AM »

Are they still in business?

ttank0789 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 27, 2009, 01:18:13 PM »

Thanks for the replies. They've definitely been taken into consideration. I decided a few days ago not to get the second bow and save my money. My current set up is just fine. I was just curious about the Oneidas because they looked really interesting and I thought I'd like to try out something a little different.

cam69conv · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2009, 05:24:40 PM »

Nothing wrong with having a second bow at all. As a matter of fact I recommend it. Always good to have a backup in case you pop a string or crack a limb and your on a hunt somewhere. What I do stress is that you get either an identical bow to the one you have or one very simular. And practise with them both regularly. Muscle memory is a key factor in archery so if you have 2 bows with dissimular feels your form will be off by a good bit.

Yes Oneida is still in business as their TARGET bows have a pretty good following. They still sell a few hunting models but Im sure thier main income comes from target bows.

Cottonwood · « **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2009, 03:19:27 AM »

I happen to of seen one at the local pro shop the other day, it belonged to a guy getting some stuff like rest and sights for it.

http://www.oneidabows.net

It looks like a cross between a traditional and a compound mix, and I can't say how they shoot, because I have never shot one.

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2009, 09:53:46 AM »

Uncle Ted Nugent uses one on his TV shows, right regularly. That being said, he's about the onliest person that I can remember using one!

HWD

bigkahunasix · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2009, 05:25:23 PM »

Maybe i'm just old or slow to change (or maybe both). I have used a Strike Eagle since 96 or 97, together we have limited out every year but one. It does have a very smooth draw and shoots my arrows fast enough to do the job safely and humanely. As long as it works I'm not messing with it.

It is a little noisy and it does take a little love to keep it running right, but heck so does my wife.

a45gunslinger · « **Reply #11 on:** September 08, 2009, 04:33:09 PM »

I had an oneida years back it really did the job ( areoforce) ..I do remember it was loud I think I was shooting 2413's out of it..I got caught up in the speed craze..I think if i had it today i would use a really heavy arrow to quite it down a bit. also for it's time it was the most efficient bow made - kevin

six_gunz · « **Reply #12 on:** September 26, 2009, 11:29:16 AM »

I had one back in the early 90's, an Areoforce X80. It is the smoothest drawing bow you'll shoot and very accurate to boot, but like the above poster said it was loud and a little heavy compared to today's bows, which were the only disadvantages to them. They're still in business and claim to be as quiet as any bow on the market and lighter now. I cannot attest to that as I have not shot one in years.

Marc Anthony in Central ILL. has taken 15 P&Y whitetails with the same Onieda bow from '87 to 2007. So for all you guys calling it junk, where's your P&Y trophies?
http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?/deerhunter

ronp · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2009, 12:36:03 AM »

Here is a site for a bow that is similar to the Oneida's. These look pretty cool to me.

http://monsterbows.com/monster/Page7.html

I had a similar bow that was made by the original Oneida owners. The original shop was not too far from where I live now. The bow was called an Intensity. Very smooth and wonderful to shoot. Very well balanced and stable. It was not too loud, either. I just couldn't keep it in tune. I sold it, and wish I kept it. I got my first deer with it.

opossum · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2009, 05:46:52 AM »

I had a Aero-Force for 10 years and it was a very good bow.The only faults to the bow where the weight and it was a little noisy.I killed several deer with it.The short ,med and long has to do with the draw length.If I remember right you would need the short for a 26" draw.

horseman308 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2009, 12:48:22 PM »

Oneida bows are still in business and have a pretty loyal following, if somewhat small. They are incredibly smooth on the draw. The big down sides to Oneidas usually are that they are loud. This is because the cams are operated by steel cables. Another down side is that the steel cables don't last as many shots.

An alternative to Oneidas are the Monster Bows that were listed just a couple posts up. I shoot a Monster Bows Phoenix, and I love it. It also has a small but loyal following, but it's only been around for a few years. However, I know a couple of the MBI staff and they're great people. Really good customer service.

It uses shoot-through cables, but no cams. This means that there is no real torque in the bow (the same with Oneidas). The string and cables will last over 15,000 shots. The Monster Bows are incredibly adjustable - 26-31" of draw-length, 50-80 pounds, up to 92% let-off. Right now, there are two models of Monster Bows. The Phoenix is 38" tip to tip (pretty short really) and the Dragon is the same bow but with riser that is 6" longer, so it is 44" tip-to-tip. The Dragon is particularly well adapted to finger shooting, but the Phoenix can be shot with fingers, too if your draw length isn't too long.

www.monsterbows.com

Whether you use Oneidas or Monster Bows, you have to get used to the outboard limbs, because they will get hit things like your stand or your leg

if you aren't careful. Still, I really love mine. They're both great companies and great bows, but they are a little different from the other types of bows out on the market. Obviously I've got my preferences and can speak to Monster Bows more fully, but try them all out if you can.

S.B. · « **Reply #16 on:** September 27, 2009, 04:52:40 PM »

I've owned and shot Onieda Aero Force for several years with great success.
Bill, maybe your eyes are too old to see correctly? Let's see some pics of your pretty bows, please?
Steve

ronp · « **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2009, 10:07:25 AM »

Hey Horseman,
So you really like that Phoenix? I almost ordered one a couple years ago, but started shooting recurves instead. I put a home made shoot thru system on my Intensity and it helped a lot, but it still wouldn't stay in tune. I think the Monster guys really figured it out. If things pick up at work I may have to look into a Phoenix again. How much are they and how long is the wait for one?
Thanks!
ron

horseman308 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 06, 2009, 11:06:41 AM »

Hey Ron,
I think that the current wait list for a Phoenix is pretty short now, maybe 2-3 weeks. I think they're $695 new, but you can find one used for less than that. They're for sale pretty regularly on the Monster Bows forum. Also, the new Dragon is out if you want something longer. Since you shoot recurves, I imagine you shoot fingers? The Dragon is the go-to bow on the current MBI lineup if you shoot fingers. It's $845 new (which is pretty steep, to me - probably worth it, but more than I've got to spend). The wait on them is a little longer. I think right now they have a stock-pile of parts for all their bows, but depending on what finish you order it can take some time. I've seen a couple for sale, but they've been on the market so it'll be a while before the used ones show up regularly.

I'll tell you, I love this bow. It's smooth, easy to work on, and the customer service is like nothing I've ever experienced. I'm actually gonna switch to shooting fingers with a two-finger, one-over-one-under release after this deer season, just to see how it works. I got mine used about 6 months after they hit the market and I paid $500 for it. They'll be a little less now unless it's new or has lots of goodies attached. You should really look into it. Oh, and the last I heard, I think that they were planning on building up enough of a stockpile to start selling through dealers instead of individual orders starting in 2010.

Famous Shoes · « **Reply #19 on:** October 09, 2009, 10:07:41 AM »

I shoot an Aeroforce and have an old H500 as a backup, and the company still keeps parts in stock for them all. Speaking of parts, any tiro with a modicum of handyman can work on these bows, right down to stripping them to the riser, if you want. And the reps at the factory, will talk you through it-- personal experience: I had a lower power cable blow out on the Aeroforce (dunno how many arrows through it, but I've had it for a decade, at least). The company had a new set of power cables to me in two days. The timing cable was pulled out of adjustment, and Matt talked me through the readjustment. I lined up and tensioned the timing cable, installed the two new power cables, retillered and cranked up the limbs, and was back on my elk hunt last week with just one day down. The bow is bulletproof-- nothing else was tweaked, twisted or damaged. Heavy? Maybe in terms of a few ounces; certainly not pounds of difference. I bought my first (the original H250) because I was a string shooter, and they were long enough to be forgiving. Loud? Not particularly, if you work on tillering, timing, and string silencers. They're fine bows, and hold their own speed-wise with the wheel bows. Nothing to be ashamed of in using one.