Archery/Bows Guide for (broke) Idiots

[paulharvey]

So, my son (age.7, 53#) did some bow shooting at cub scouts and loved it. So I ordered a cheap, no name, no info, used compound bow on Ebay. A touch to strong pull for him, but Wife surprised me and loved shooting it. So, for her B-day I ordered a Browning Micro Midas on Ebay ($50+$20 shipping), no arrow rest, release, or sites. Its set at 33#, and is frankly just fun, but.... I really need to get a cheap functional sight and arrow rest to really do much with it, probably a release as well. I was dumb founded that these all cost SO much. So, I'm wondering if anyone can make CHEAP recommendations.

For shoot hay bales, sand bags, and card board boxes, should I get Cheap carbon fiber or Cheap Aluminum arrows.

I know this isn't really the forum for it, but I know the archery sites/forums will say to take $1200 down to a bow pro shop.... this is going to be cheap family fun, and possible some bow hunting next year, and hundreds of $ just isn't in the cards.

If the thread title didnt make it clear I havent shoot a bow since maybe 10 yrs old, 25# recurve.

 

[nybirdman]

I have been into archery all my life.From recurves to compounds both finger shooting and release.
I would have purchased recurves for beginners.Don't need sites,releases and just a simple rest.
I would send you to an archery shop to get set up properly and maybe purchase some used accessories.Compounds shot fingers are set-up different than set-up for release.
I would stay with aluminum arrows,cheap carbon can split and hurt you.

 

[paulharvey]

Thanks Nybird, I just cant stand the idea of a grown man walking into a shop and saying "I know nothing about archery, what do I need", so I ask online where its harder to be embarrassed.

 

[Stick895]

Everyone doesn't know chit about a lot of things.

 

[murphy1244]

Thanks Nybird, I just cant stand the idea of a grown man walking into a shop and saying "I know nothing about archery, what do I need", so I ask online where its harder to be embarrassed.

I walked in my Outdoor shop with a Recurve with no string and told the guy I need to know all about this bow. He gave me an hour or more explaining about my Bow. Made a string with a arrow rest. Showed me the proper way to string and unstring also how to store it. I learned a lot from him and will be back to give him any sales.

 

[/pine]

Bite the bullet...now days there are a lot of "one size fits many" bows when they are properly adjusted...

My advice is get proper size and fitting equipment from the onset...it's good to educate yourself but first hand experience rules..

Archery is similar to golf when it comes to beginners...bad habits/techniques come easy and are hard to break...

Good luck...

 

[nickc]

I went into a local archery shop totally blind, I didn't know anything either. I got set up with a pse bruin compound bow,quiver,a dozen arrows, field points, release, peep sight, damper, loop, & nice single pin sight all for right around 500bucks. more than I thought I would spend, but in hindsight it was worth every penny. practiced all summer & shot my 1st deer that fall. shooting with family & friend is fun & relaxing, bow hunting is thrilling well worth the wait. just got my second deer a 8 pointer dressed at 183lbs. that pretty big for a Massachusetts deer. I hauled it out of the woods with my other deere. WHAT A DAY!! some things are worth paying for family time is priceless. good luck, be safe, shoot straight, enjoy (I happen to like single pin sights better)

 

[RobertBrown]

The bow has been around for about 50.000 years...and suddenly it's too complicated?
You can do anything you want with that bow with a few rudimentary tools. It's a very simple machine. Don't make it complicated. Just take it one component at a time, get everything square and plumb, set up a target and get to lining it up. There a bunch of places online where you can get the knocks, rests, bow square, release, arrows, aliment tools fletch tool....everything. Just study the bow and figure out what you need. look at some youtube videos, they can be helpful.
It's very satisfying when you get it dialed in.

 

[BillBeyer]

I think I know where you can get 2 adult compounds (PSE and Browning) and 2 youth bows. Bunch of arrows, a hard case, quivers, and at least one new sight pretty reasonable if interested.

 

[RobertBrown]

My advice is get proper size and fitting equipment from the onset...it's good to educate yourself but first hand experience rules..

This is good advice, furthermore if you did not check your wife's draw length when you made that purchase, you may not have the right bow. If this is the case, don't put any more money into it.

 

[wrangler6831]

I know that you already have the bows but.....My son (now 14) purchased a Mathews Mission Craze for hunting and used it for a little over a year. When he got to the 7th grade 2 years ago our school has an archery team and shoot local, state and nationally. The only bow they allow in the competition is the Mathews Genesis. The reason being so that all the kids shoot on the same level with the same equipment. The bow sells for around $150.00, has no set draw length, and uses just a simple flipper rest. They can only shoot with bare fingers, a glove or finger tabs. All of the arrows are identical also. After shooting with the Genesis for close to a year his grouping with his hunting bow went from a pie pan size down to the size of a soda can, the reason being that the Genesis teaches the basics needed to be proficient such as anchor point, release form and aim. Its really a great bow for kids and adults just looking at shooting for fun, while keeping the price relatively low. Whatever you decide its an AWESOME sport to get into. From what I have seen there is no need the be embarrassed at the pro shop, Most of the shooter and staff are more than willing to take time to explain and give pointers. If they make you feel uncomfortable find a new pro shop.

 

[nybirdman]

Another note on a pro shop;hunting season is winding down,into the slow winter season.I am sure most pro shops would be more than willing to help a new shooting family.

 

[paulharvey]

Crossbow is only allowed in bow season if you have a documented disability from my understanding. But the main thing is that its something me, wife, and son can mess around with, and doesn't involve a TV or computer.

I've got a cheap 3 pin sight on order, probably going to finger shoot for now; and im thinking about getting a cheap off brand Whisker Biscuit

 

[aczlan]

I would stay with aluminum arrows,cheap carbon can split and hurt you.

And they don't show up on a xray, so it is very hard to get them all out...

Aaron Z

 

[paulharvey]

if hunting is the main reason go with a crossbow, if you can fire a rifle accurately you can fire a cross bow with the same results. Shorter max distance of course

Well, I ended up getting my self a Man-Kung MK-180 brand new on Ebay for $54. It came with 20 aluminum arrows, but feathers literally fell oof in package. Contacted seller, who shipped another 20 for free. A pain to string, but fun. Did some more research and found the MK-180 is 130#, and the seller advertised as 180#, as many many ebay sellers do. Been playing with it for a while and it's fun. Got whisker biscuit and site on ebay for about $20 each; which when I think about it, I probably could have gotten close to a brand new equipped Bear Apprentice-3 for not to much more (and it could have been came pink lol)...

BTW: Man-Kung is made in the Republic of China (Tiawan), not PRC