Selecting your first bow

Null Point · Selecting your first bow

ok.

so far I've had a sum total of one lesson on a recurve. It is early days but I can usually tell if I'm going to be interested enough in dong something to spend some money on it. the fact that I simply cant wait until I get a bow in my hands on saturday again is kind of a large pointer.

So I had a chat with the guy instructing me, and had a look through comments on this site and pretty much everything is pointing towards getting a take-down type as my first bow since I can then just swap the limbs out later on.

I have already decided to give it at least a couple of months using club equipment before seriously looking, but I was hoping for some pointers as to a fairly good bow thats not going to make my piggy bank curl up and cry.
One that I'm going to get a couple of years out of at least.

Liam

As we always say, try as many as you can before you buy, there is a good choice of well priced risers at the dealers, samick and hoyt to name anly a couple do 'budget' risers, these are readily available at most dealers and you wont go far wrong with them.

I would recomend learning the trade with a take down bow and dont venture onto using a sight too soon, I did and I regret it, try as many different kinds of bows as you can whenever you can, then when and if you decide to change style you'll have an idea of what you want.

Keep an eye on ebay as every now and then a decent bow will go unoticed by the masses and be available at a fair price, but be carefull as 95% of archery gear is way overpriced on ebay IMO, great if your selling but not so great for honest buyers.

I'll stop rambling on now but before I go I'll just say that by the sounds of your opening paragraph you are well and truly hooked

AFB

Border are nice but pricey

Dawn

Hi Null Point

As liam has said, try as many bows as you can, you have taken a very wise decision to use a club bow for now, don't rush into buying a bow

When you first learn to shoot you are using muscles that you don't normally use, when you get your own bow you find that you quickly find it too light for you even though you could only just manage it when you bought it.

In my experience beginners have bought their first bow and after a few months they are looking to sell it as they have seen one that they really want. Often new beginners have bought these and then done the same themselves, so it may be worth asking at your club if anyone has one for sale.

You may want to consider buying a starter kit, then when you want to move on sell it and get a better bow, usually all the bits like Quiver, arm guard, finger tab, bow case and arrows are all included in the kit so you would not have to buy these again if you are happy with them

The other option is as your indtructor said buy a take down that you can put heavier limbs on, but if you choose to do this make sure that you can get limbs to fit, this may mean buying a bit better quality bow, but be aware that new limbs can sometimes cost nearly as much as a new bow.

click on the Merlin link in the left portal the on the beginners guide, there is a lot of useful information there, also click on the Quicks link in the left portal, then on full catalogue at the top of the page, you will find all the beginners bows etc pages 1-11.

Personally I would advise a wooden bow to start with, but its personal choice at the end of the day, good luck and enjoy it

Null Point

well after a bit of looking around Ive actually gone and hired a bow from a guy that comes down to the club regularly.
Its a Stylist bow, dont ask me anything technical about it cos I'll just look at you blankly.

I'll be ordering some arrows next month once my bank account has had chance to recover from having to get a new car sorted out.

so for christmas I want a new quiver
and some more arrows
and a nice bag
and lots of more bits and pieces and stuff.

gave it a good go before i hired it - its a bit heavier than the club bows ive been shooting with, but didnt really make a difference to my shooting. soo thats the first bit down. lots of money to save now.

Liam

Ive heard decent reports about the stylist bow so fingers crossed you'll get on fine with it, keep popping in to let us know how your getting on with it wont you

Kenny

When you go to kill off your piggy bank, i would say going for a better priced riser and cheaper limbs A good riser will last you a while but with the limbs you will go up in poundage as you progress. I have changed limbs and poundage 3 times since i began last March. Obviously budjet dictates this alot