Lots of good options out there. WNS Premium-a is one of the cheapest options for machined aluminum risers, along with the Infitec (aka Cartel) Challenger. I haven't seen the WNS Premium, but I've shot with someone who had the Infitec and it seemed like good quality.

Looks like the biggest thing about the Forged Elite is that it has weight bushings on the top and bottom. I don't know very many Olympic-style shooters that take advantage of those. At that price point I'd pay the extra few bucks to get the Gillo G2, but I'm probably biased and the Gillo tends to be more geared towards barebow.

No matter what you pick, it should be fine to grow with your kid. All of them use the very popular ILF system, and all of them are full-length 25" risers. I think the real question is how future-proof do you want your choice to be. Check Lancaster, but the cheaper options, even if they're good material, are usually painted and prone to scratches (as opposed to anodized), and tend to be slightly less adjustable.

 

Are you setting up a Olympic style recurve for high school competition? If so, you have other components to worry about and the riser might be one of the least critical.

 

You may want to post your question on the FITA forum, too.

 

I am not certain of the price of the WNS riser, but it seems to me the MSRP is around 170.00 If that is the price range you are looking another option is the Samick Avante or Samick Ideal. Both are machined cast aluminum risers made in Korea. Just another option to look at. MSRP on both will be around 130.00

 

Are those Samick bows still in production?
Nick

 

Nick, yes they are. Samick Korea is up and running very well the past few of years. Mr. Lee, the old Samick owner is gone from the company and it is under new ownership.

 

I was reading this and it sounds as though your child has stuck with archery for a long enough time that a good investment would not be wasted. I don't know if you are opposed to buying quality used equipment as it can be had for a reasonable price. I have 2 SF forged plus risers that I bought a few years ago. They have served me well and are a quality riser. Forged aluminum and CNC machined with excellent finish and fit. They are also very comfortable in the hand during and after the shot. They have been discontinued so used is about the only place you can find them. FITA classifieds is a good place to keep an eye on. Just for fun I looked at e-bay and there is one there as well. They were about $270 new. Just something to think about. https://www.ebay.com/itm/SF-Archery...ntinued-Read-Desc/323605356657?hash=item4b5861e071:g:fFkAAOSwcVpcGAp8:rk:1:pf:0

 

SF Forged Plus is now WNS Forged Elite. I love my SF Forged Plus and will highly recommend it.

 

I wanted to thank everyone for the information they provided but I had one more question. I hear a lot of people talking about the Gillo G2. Now, the WNS Forge and the SF Forge are the same thing, just a re branding of the name by Win&Win. The reason I bring this up is, if you had the opportunity to either buy a Gillo G2 or a WNS / SF Forge, which would you go with? Thanks again.

 

If my memory is correct the older SF forged plus is a forged and CNC machined riser where the WNS forged is simply forged into it's shape and finished. Also Gillo is known for producing barebow type bows and I believe they are more of a limb forward design where the WNS and forged plus are more of a relaxed limb angle with the grip slightly forward of the limb pockets. I believe this gives the bow a steadier feeling and easier to aim at full draw. Definitely something you should ask the folks at Lancaster before ordering. The Gillo is the heaviest of the group but only by a little less than a half of pound. This could be a factor if you are setting up an Olympic style bow as weight will increase with the addition of stabilizers. My personal opinion would favor the WNS bows for olympic and the Gillo for barebow.

 

I agree with Corene that you do not want to go heavy with an Olympic bow. The point is to be able to control where the weight is with stabilizers and weights of various sorts, which is difficult to do if you are starting with a heavy platform. Also, the weight will likely tire a young archer. I know an Olympic style archer that uses a Gillo but he is a fairly accomplished adult.

 

Take a look at <http://www.lancasterarchery.com/wns-forged-elite-a-25-recurve-riser.html>. It very likely is the best buy for an entry level bow. This bow was the SF Forged, a very good shooting, solid & stable bow. It's lightweight is perfect for a new shooter. The cost is about $270 and until you get to over $500 this, in my opinion, is the best buy for the money. It's not rated for limbs over 40 pounds which very likely doesn't matter.
Nick

 

I just reread your initial post and just wanted to add that the riser is the foundation of the system no matter what style you chose to shoot. the sights will change over time as well as the limbs and stabilizers, but the riser can last for many many years. Back in the early nineties when my 15 year old son was shooting FITA we were in this same position. Wanting to upgrade but we needed to be careful with the funds available. Our coach ( Don Rabska) told us not to scrimp on the riser as it is the base of the bow. So we spent $400 dollars on a Hoyt Avalon plus riser. A bunch of money for us ,but that riser is still being shot today and will stand up to any of the more modern risers out there . Just like the discontinued Hoyt GMX . So I would again say go for the forged riser if this will be a long term sport. Again just my thoughts.

 

^^^This is solid advice. ^^^

Once you begin looking for risers in the over $250 price range, very good, like new used high end risers come into play for your consideration. After my SF Forged I bought a new Hoyt GMX after that I found a great shooting, used, Hoyt Aerotec. The new Hoyt Alero & a new Win & Win Winex are just under $500 and $800+ bows are selling used for about that same money. The point is you have options you might not have considered.

Nick

 

I have an SF forged elite riser which no longer in production SF was absorbed by WNS and I think their forged elite is basically very similar to my SF forged elite. It is well balanced. That said I have been nothing but happy with the riser, very little detectable hand shock, stable and I have shot well over 17,000 arrows over its wire arrow rest no problem. I shoot outside all winter and summer as well as indoors so temps from -15F to 90F again no problems. The riser is the foundation of the bow and differences between more and less expensive risers may be hard to detect for most of us. But for me it is a reliable, well designed riser and something that will stand the test of time. Yeah it would be fun to get a $700 WNS riser but I probably would not be able to detect the difference in performance. That riser is worthy of whatever quality limbs you might want to add to complete the bow.

 

I just wanted to let everyone know that they are very good salesmen/women After looking back at the riser, I'm going to move up a little to the WNS Forged Elite and go with the WNS Premium-a Fiber Recurve Limbs. I'm still looking for the rest, sights, etc but that will be the basis for the bow.

P.S. One last question I have for everyone. For questions related to High School level competitions, would the FITA forum be a better place future questions like this?

P.S.S. Dodosaur, I looked at the Gillo G2 but we will use it for, I thought the WNS Forged would server us. Time will tell

Thanks again to everyone!!!!

 

I think the WNS Forged would be a better choice for a new HS shooter. I doubt there is a wrong choice just a better one.
Nick

 

There are some good sources in the FITA forum as well. Check out the FITA classifieds as well . There is a lot of top notched used equipment there as well. The arrow rest doesn't need to be fancy. Many top notch shooters still use the Hoyt super rest, $2.50. I shoot it with the Shibuya DX cushion plunger . Sights can go mild to wild but you will be limited to a non magnified sight aperture. I have shot just as good of scores with my old Accra 300 as I have with the Shibuya ultima. The Shibuya just has a little finer adjustments as well as being easier to change sight settings. Stay simple with your stabilizer system a single front rod is a good start.

 

Mybo Wave ~ thats what I started out doing target recurve, exceptional riser for the price

Sight ~ do not buy cheap sight, buy something u can transfer to ur better bow in the further, I now run all my bows with Davis System sight since last year, after my W&W WS600 broke in a month of shooting, W&W WS700's carbon extension splintered in a year ~ U cant go wrong with the robust n no joke Davis System sight

Stabilizer ~ SOUL Maker long rod

Plunger ~ the one Shibuya made

Rest ~ unbeatable Hoyt super rest for cost n simplicity

 

Thanks for the info - considering this as well

 

Anyone have thoughts on wns delta nx? What are the advantages of the forged elite over it?