[tlsjr]

I have an adult (40s) who has a couple Onedias. He wants to shoot them for his hour lesson, but it is just so heavy.
He could only shoot about 35 arrows before he was unable to hold up the bow.
Yes they are really kewl looking.

Thats crazy, I’m 60 years old and I could easily shoot a few hundred arrows each day out of that 61# Phoenix.

 

[Draven O]

I have an Oneida H250 and if you ask me I would buy bows that are made after 2000. There was a gentleman who was restoring the Oneida of old but not anymore. Oneida is the bow you want: a recurve with 30-40% let-off at full draw. The one I have it is not a speed monster but it shoots a heavy arrow with authority.

 

[Jacks Grampa]

Back in the 80's I shot a Pearson Renegade and regret letting it go. Long enough to shoot fingers and not so much let-off as to make a good release difficult.

 

[Tracker1]

Thats crazy, I’m 60 years old and I could easily shoot a few hundred arrows each day out of that 61# Phoenix.

That‘s the first time I ever head that, the bow is not that heavy.

 

[Tracker1]

I had my share of fingers issues in the past and thought of a lever bow. I mean i really thought hard about on of these. I would have gone down that road if I had the money for sure. I tried going back to a compound and release. It was a pure mess. Just felt awkward and it was not what I wanted. I wanted the string on my fingers at a reduced holding weight and that meant either a new more appropriate compound than mine (longer) or a lever bow. An Oneida looked like it would have been ideal to me. The more i looked at one the more ideal it seemed. Going back to a compound aside from feeling so awkward in my mind just made me feel like everything I worked toward with this was wasted. Granted that was more my personal feeling than anything else. The Oneida was a new path. It looked perfect to me. Faster, cooler looking and shorter than any recurve I was shooting with a ton less weight on my fingers. Did i mention cool looking!

I shoot my compound very well and also hunt with it also, it’s just not as fun as my recurve to hunt with or shoot. I have been shooting compounds for too many years and have a very nice one I shoot from time to time. I understand what you are saying but I am not looking to replace my recurves, I would just shoot light limbs always instead of hunting weight limbs.
I had an Oneida many many years ago and shot it off my fingers well. Back then it was one of the faster bows and seem to have the ability to shoot heavy arrows without loosing much speed.

 

[Tracker1]

yeah, I was referring to black widow, stalker, big Jim, tolke, black tail, ect… they are all 1200.00 to 1500.00 to buy new 800.00-1000.00 used. The Phoenix is 1200.00 right now.

You can buy lots of older bows suited for fingers for a few hundred bucks but only a couple will have performance much above a stickbow. I like the Darton Tundra and Mathews C4. I still have a tundra.

The big advantage to shooting the Oneida over a long axle to axle compound is there is no risk in derailing.
I am shooting 160fps with my 45# recurve, the same weight arrow out of the Oneida would be about 220fps, a substantial increase.
As far as price goes it is pricey but holds its value pretty well.

 

[Tracker1]

Got arthritic fingers too. Doc told me to buy hand squeeze springy things, and use them. Now it’s an unconscious habit while watching tv. I think it’s really helped keep me shooting.

I don’t understand that advice, I bought one years ago thinking it would be a good idea, it just made my joints worse and very sore the next day.

 

[gillchaser]

I recently picked up a small wheel Hoyt Pro Medalist. It's at the shop getting new strings. With a 50% let off 20# is easy to hold with bare fingers.
The few times I did shoot it was a joy.
Can't wait for the strings to get on it.

Years ago , before I gave up sights , and gave up my training wheels , the Hoyt in that riser was my go to bow .
I owned the Pro Medalist in red , a Contender (glass limbs) , and a Pro Hunter for my hunting bow .
The Contender was my favorite wheel bow of all time .
Great shooting, forgiving bows . I’d love to find a Contender . It would be the only way I’d go bac to wheels .
A good friend of mine was an Oneida dealer . They have cams , they’re internal .They had an issue of not staying in time . Maybe they’ve figured out how to fix the problem by now .

 

[redfin]

I shoot my compound very well and also hunt with it also, it’s just not as fun as my recurve to hunt with or shoot. I have been shooting compounds for too many years and have a very nice one I shoot from time to time. I understand what you are saying but I am not looking to replace my recurves, I would just shoot light limbs always instead of hunting weight limbs.
I had an Oneida many many years ago and shot it off my fingers well. Back then it was one of the faster bows and seem to have the ability to shoot heavy arrows without loosing much speed.

Gotcha. It must be me. I tried bouncing back and forth from my compound to my stickbows in the beginning and it was awful. The more i tried, the more things fell apart on both sides. I think if I went back to a compound and release 100 % i could do it but switching back and forth is just something that doesn’t work for me. I know if i had to shoot a bow with letoff if would have to be with fingers and it probably would not help my stickbow shooting at all.

 

[cliff77]

I don’t understand that advice, I bought one years ago thinking it would be a good idea, it just made my joints worse and very sore the next day.

Sorry to hear that.
“Trigger finger” led to my RA diagnosis, with affects my hands and feet. While overuse, of either my treadmill or hand squeezer, can cause inflammation, and result in another round of steroid pills, I personally feel the routines have helped more than hurt. Although, at 75, it’s obviously a losing battle.

Hope you find the best way forward for yourself.

 

[Tracker1]

Sorry to hear that.
“Trigger finger” led to my RA diagnosis, with affects my hands and feet. While overuse, of either my treadmill or hand squeezer, can cause inflammation, and result in another round of steroid pills, I personally feel the routines have helped more than hurt. Although, at 75, it’s obviously a losing battle.

Hope you find the best way forward for yourself.

One good thing for me was when tested for RA it came up negative. But I also have issues with both hands, feet and hip joints. Too much use and they hurt so I have to manage usage of all of my joints, it took me many painful years to realize that. I do know I have to work them or it will be a fast ride downhill.

 

[GABbow]

That‘s the first time I ever head that, the bow is not that heavy.

The Phoenix weighs 4.4lbs. May not sound like much, but if you have shoulder problems that could be to heavy. I know I have issues holding up that weight for long. I have no problems pulling 60 pounds, but the bow weight does become a problem.

 

[Tracker1]

The Phoenix weighs 4.4lbs. May not sound like much, but if you have shoulder problems that could be to heavy. I know I have issues holding up that weight for long. I have no problems pulling 60 pounds, but the bow weight does become a problem.

That poundage is typical for compound bows. Once you start drawing a bow that weight is gone. My 19” Hoyt Satori with four arrows and quiver weighs 4.5.

 

[GABbow]

That poundage is typical for compound bows. Once you start drawing a bow that weight is gone. My 19” Hoyt Satori with four arrows and quiver weighs 4.5.

I wish. Guess I need surgery.

 

[Judd]

I really like shooting my recurve and especially shooting off my fingers. As I get older and have more issues with my arthritic fingers with a small amount of nerve pain in my middle finger I have had to reduce down to 24 shots per shooting session. I know there are some on here getting older and dealing with issues so I wonder if anyone has looked at an Oneida or similar lever bow? The reason I think these could be an option is there is no risk of derailing shooting with your fingers and the reduction of pressure on my fingers.
I‘m just thinking 🤔 and looking for a bit of insight from others that may have considered this option.

I suffer from a banged up drawing hand also.
Started using a release and D-loop and shoot painlessly.
Not "traditional" but it keeps me shooting and hunting.