Archery recommendations

[RobA]

I'm thinking about getting a bow and arrow setup for target shooting. No hunting. Nothing too expensive. Purely for the fun of it. Wouldn't get heavy use. Any recommendations?

 

[meos1]

I have a 20 pound draw genesis. Its a equal weight (no let off) that works for any draw length. I shoot a carbon arrow that's not modified. Your going to spend about 200 all total and have a inexpensive bow that performs. Its strong enough to have fun and can be adjust up to 30 pounds of draw weight.

 

[davesl708]

Stores like Cabela's, Sports Authority or Academy Sports do a good job of fitting you to a bow and have some lower cost bows available.
Provided you have some of these stores close by.

 

[paulharvey]

I'm thinking about getting a bow and arrow setup for target shooting. No hunting. Nothing too expensive. Purely for the fun of it. Wouldn't get heavy use. Any recommendations?

Wife just bought the Barnett Vortex Hunter Extreme from Dicks. Think it was $209 or so with sight, quiver, peep, and adjustable modules for 45#-62#. It's surprisingly compact, and has a 5 year warranty. I'm sure it's not on part with a $1500 Mathews but so what.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm thinking about getting a bow and arrow setup for target shooting. No hunting. Nothing too expensive. Purely for the fun of it. Wouldn't get heavy use. Any recommendations?

do you want recurve, or compound bow, or even crossbow?

Easy light pulls and fun target shooting can be done with recurves at easilly 1/3'rd the cost of compound bows.

Crossbows can give you 'gun like' accuracy using a scope, out easilly in the 40-80 yard range.

Crossbow use heavier targets, and once you get past the 'toy' types, you can get cocking assist pull ropes that make them a breeze to cock. Beginner models that are still hunt capable start around 80$.. usually have cheap scopes.. so figure more like 100-110$ for the crossbow ( like a jaguire ) .. toss the cheap red dot scope and put a 20-25$ cheap short range carbine scope on it.. like a tasco or leapers, 4x24 or 6x32... the jaguire I mention comes with 3 or 4 bolts. You CAN hand cock it.. or pay another 15 -20 for a cocking assist string.

I have one.. it's fun and accurate, and is a recurve style crossbow. I'd feel very confident hunting with it in the 0-40 yard range and up to 60 with clean targets.

From there you move up to things like ten point and similar offerings at gandor mountain or dicks sporting goods.. IE.. major sporting goods box stores. Dicks usually clearances their crossbows right at the end of hunting season. Me and a buddy picked up 499$ xbow that were dropped to 299, then 279, then 249$.. GREAT bows, and good scopes already on them. For sure need cocking assist.

Up from there you start getting into minor pro and up equipment. stuff like parker. $ 350+ bows ( both parker and some other small players also make women / youth models that have shorter stocks. )

Bows:

Recurve can go from about 100$ and up new.. both wood and fiberglass. Kingfisher makes a kit for as low as 140$-150$ that includes a takedown fiberglass recurve bow and a fishing arrow or 2, plus a spool. I see the bows alone for 130$ that bow and an allen wrench will disassemble into a string and 2 limbs and the central grip, and store in a mans long tube sock. Lots of hikers like these take down bows. Stores in less space than a wooden one piece job. Pull are usually in the 24-40# range

From there the sky is the limit for combound bows.. as much money as you want to spend.. fps over 325 and up.

 

[paulharvey]

The Jaguar and several other 170-175 lbs recurve crossbows are readied Man Kung Mk-175. They seem to be fairly powerful, but often quit a bit less so then a 150 lbs compound crossbow, and they Can be drawn by hand, but after 10-12 shota, that honestly stops being much fun. I also have a Mk-180, that is actually a 130 lbs recurve crossbow, and it's Slow, and realistic max aimed range is 25 yards. Crossbows are very depended on "power stroke" more than actually draw weight.

My Mk-180 was in the $89 range with a 4x20 scope and 12 of the cheapest, poorest made aluminum arrows you can imagine. The rebadged Mk-175 is much better shooting, came with a nicer red dot, stringer, draw assist rope, quiver, and 4 reap arrows for around $220.

 

[Soundguy]

25 yds... wow.. that's horrid.

I have a reproduction medieval danish styled crossbow.. steel prod 120#

open sighting down the tiller.. I can make 40yrd head shots on my 'undead fred' foam zombie archery target. ( it shoots 2 feather 12" cedar bolts with bodkin tips )

My jaguire will toss it's 14-16" aluminum bolts a bet further and with slightly more accuracy.

I DO notice a fps difference in my parker and tenpoint vs the jaguire. I know the is in the 245 fps range.. thus less than the 325ish of the more pro bows.

I believe my medieval job is closer to 200-225 fps.. but still gets the job done.

 

[Soundguy]

25 yds... wow.. that's horrid.

I have a reproduction medieval danish styled crossbow.. steel prod 120#

open sighting down the tiller.. I can make 40yrd head shots on my 'undead fred' foam zombie archery target. ( it shoots 2 feather 12" cedar bolts with bodkin tips )

My jaguire will toss it's 14-16" aluminum bolts a bet further and with slightly more accuracy.

I DO notice a fps difference in my parker and tenpoint vs the jaguire. I know the is in the 245 fps range.. thus less than the 325ish of the more pro bows.

I believe my medieval job is closer to 200-225 fps.. but still gets the job done.

 

[paulharvey]

25 yds... wow.. that's horrid.

I have a reproduction medieval danish styled crossbow.. steel prod 120#

open sighting down the tiller.. I can make 40yrd head shots on my 'undead fred' foam zombie archery target. ( it shoots 2 feather 12" cedar bolts with bodkin tips )

My jaguire will toss it's 14-16" aluminum bolts a bet further and with slightly more accuracy.

I DO notice a fps difference in my parker and tenpoint vs the jaguire. I know the is in the 245 fps range.. thus less than the 325ish of the more pro bows.

I believe my medieval job is closer to 200-225 fps.. but still gets the job done.

When I say 25 yards, that's before arrow drop becomes to much to make up for with the scope, I think there's 12" diffence between 20y and 30y.

It has folding prods, which I can't see anyone really folding, and only like an 8" power stroke. It's in that space between toy and real crossbow. The 175 is deffinently not a toy. I'll look up the name I bought it as, but on the prode, there is a small sticker saying "mk175".

Edit: Man Kung is made in the Republic of China, not the PRC.

Re-edit: I bought the Mk-180 on ebay, where the seller said it was 180 lbs draw, which is clearly a lie, if I new it was 130lbs I probably wouldn't have bought it.

 

[Soundguy]

ill post some pics later.

 

[Soundguy]

Here are a few, including some pvc standing 'quivers. made from 3" pipe and a toilet flange that doesn't have the middle punched out.

 

[/pine]

A couple of things...
...It is very important that a bow fits the archer...if there is an archery shop nearby...they can help you...
A second important thing is your dominate eye...you say you're a southpaw...before buying a left handed bow make sure your left eye is dominate...otherwise it can cause some sighting issues...

I'm right handed but my left eye is dominate...I had a lot of problems until I developed a technique that worked for me shooting right handed...

Good Luck...have fun...

 

[nybirdman]

With multiple shooters of the same equiptment;for sure purchase and inexpensive recurve(25-30lbs) or so to try out the sport.
Compound bows require that they "fit" the archer.
I have been into archery since I was a kid;have shot them all,recurves,compound fingers,release and sights.
I would recommend going to a archery pro shop,not a big box store for your purchase and fitting.

 

[forgeblast]

If you want just a fun one you can make yourself look for "bows of many colors" they are pvc bows. I made a few with my daughter. If a compound, since your not hunting, buy a used one off ebay. They will be heavier but that will not matter.
If its a crossbow, look at sportsmans guide. they even have a wooden recurve kit that you can finish for 80$.

 

[JRobyn]

For pure shooting enjoyment, I think it's hard to beat a simple recurve shooting instinctively. No sights, no cams, no wheels, just a stick and a string. And with some practice, you can become deadly accurate. Look up Fred Asbell's old "Instinctive Shooting" archery book. My favorite bow (and my wife's) is an old Bear Kodiak Magnum 40# recurve that a friend gave me. Wish I could still get Port Orford cedar to make my own arrows.

- Jay

 

[mecan]

Have to second the recurve for several shooters and enjoyment. Started with a compound and after a couple years went to recurve. Never went back. I just accept that I'm good to 25 yards max and anything beyond that is just for the heck of it. Targets only no animals with a he k of it shot

 

[JPRambo]

Does anyone from Long Island or Connecticut remember an old company called Stemmler Archery? I used to work there. We made recurve bows mostly and a lot of the solid fiberglass for JCPenny and S&H greenstamps. I worked there about 1978 - 1979.

 

[/pine]

Even with a recurve...the length of draw is important...making adjustments by changing the string length is a "treating the symptoms..." solution where a properly sized and strung bow is paramount for getting the best performance and consistency...

 

[meos1]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure of which type. Started out by searching on compound bows. I was thinking of using it for target practice. My wife said she would probably play too. And then there are friends and family when they visit.

Then I realized I am a lefty when it comes to guns and archery (I write left-handed but am right-handed for other sports). Not sure I want to buy 2 bows just to try it out.

A gensis bow will be a good starter bow. You don't have to be measured for draw length (the fit everyone speaks of). The draw weight is 20 lbs and can be adjusted all the way to 30 lbs. Plus ots ambidextrousI have shot archery since I was 8 and have taught BSA archery as well as served as a range officer. The Genesis is the bow we use in the BSA for all shooters young and old.
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