Wanting to Buy a Bow...

[uzumakishade]

hey everyone, well i have always been interested in archery and i want to get a bow for myself that isnt too expensive/professional and was wondering if anyone can help me find where to get one?

Ive never done archery before (besides with those toy bows when i was little XD) so i would need a beginner bow suitable for a 16 yr old or older and some arrows for a suitable price ($20 - $30, no more than $50 after shipping if possible) and ships to canada.

Id also like a quiver and armguard for cheap as well, if anyone knows where i can get these, maybe all of it as a package (bow, arrows, armguard and quiver) for the prices i mentioned it would be great. targets im not worried about as i can use a box with tightly packed rags or bags as one

 

[Smokey_locs2002]

lol are you dreamin? 50 bucks man? You could prolly get a crossbow for that much but man I'd save up like 250 bucks.

Maybe a little less for a used ones.

 

[sixtyandaquarter]

Bows cost an extensive amount of money. Most of the things in my collection, I bought because I was tired of saving up my money for particular things - and a bow is one of them! Bows run for hundreds of dollars, I've even seen one go for closer to $800 than it would be to $700.

Best bet would be to check out your local athletic clubs, some YMCA even, to see if there is an archery club. Hang out there for a little bit, and you know, practice with the bows available (if that particular club has community bows - not many do nowadays), and see how well archery suits you. And from there, you'll probably be able to go threw someone else to buy a bow, even if used, or at least find out good places to shop. It's better to shop where the hobbyists and pros shop, than what some schmo who isn't part of the sport would tell you.

 

[ccoa]

How large are you?

Personally, I love my Bowtech Ladyhawk. They've been discontinued, but you can probably pick one up used for about $150 or so, which is about half the price of other decent starting bows. They're the perfect size for children and smaller adults and it's extremely well-constructed.

However, you really should go out, have your draw length measured, try bows to determine what poundage is good for you so you can select a bow that starts in your poundage range, but can be increased as you build upper body strength with it. When it comes to bows, there's no such thing as one size fits all. Once you have this data there's nothing stopping you from buying something used.

For arrows, I definitely recommend carbon. They're more expensive than aluminum, but they'll save you money in the long run. Carbon arrows remain straight no matter how many times you fire them at a target, although for safety reasons they should be discarded after striking a solid object like a rock. I bent all dozen aluminum arrows in a week of target shooting, but I still have all but one of my carbons after a year.

Many stores with indoor ranges offer archery lessons, and you can use their bows (usually a recurve) while you learn. That would give you a good way to determine if archery is for you without spending a couple hundred dollars on it. Plus, you'll learn good stance from the beginning, meaning you'll have nothing to unlearn later.

 

[holloway]

Man fuck dat bow shit. Pack a couple of dem ballas and scare dem hatas wid heat.

 

[uzumakishade]

http://www.school-tech.com/archery2.html these are the ones i saw and was basing my prices on these (the 60" Fiberglass Recurve Bow ones because its 12 -15 and 15 and up and i am 16), thats why i was saying around $50 ( i just wanted to see if i could get it around the same price with arrows, a quiver and arm guard included , maybe even around $75 i wouldn't mind)

Also note, this isn't to use for actual competitions or hunting or anything, this is just to get started/used to/try out using a bow and if i like doing archery i will put more money into it later on

ill basically just be using it to shoot at targets is all, so i dont need anything great or spectacular that will cost loads of money

 

[holloway]

http://www.school-tech.com/archery2.html
ill basically just be using it to shoot at targets

Wait, what the hell else would you be crossbowing?!

 

[uzumakishade]

Wait, what the hell else would you be crossbowing?!

Does this answer your question?

Also note, this isn't to use for actual competitions or hunting or anything, this is just to get started/used to/try out using a bow and if i like doing archery i will put more money into it later on

Also its not a crossbow i want its a regular bow

 

[uzumakishade]

Bump, anyone know? or should i just go with the one on the site i posted?

 

[arcthemonkey]

I was chastized for such sentiment in the sword thread, but I don't see any real problem with those $20-$50 bows. I wouldn't expect them to be super reliable, but they seem to be of a good representative construction and should do a decent job at just being a starter/toy bow. Personally, I would save up for the $150-$200 range, but that may not be necessary. If you do do this, do what ccoa said and make sure you get the right bow for you.

I'd try to look up a review of those bows, if you could.

I doubt it's like penny whistles (the cheaper ones are the best, seriously), but for $20, it's not a huge risk.

Also, very yes to carbon arrows. Very no to archery near dogs.

 

[ccoa]

They're not bad for learning form and building muscle, but you should realize they're not going to be all that accurate, so don't expect to get really good with one. There's nothing particularly dangerous or wrong about them, they're just not going to give consistent results.

 

[uzumakishade]

thats fine that theyre not the greatest, i just want something to try out and see if i like it, and it will let me practice/get used to it until i have enough for the decent bows

 

[ccoa]

Oh, they're also probably not all that powerful. You probably won't be able to hit the target from further away than 20-40 yards. Just an FYI.

 

[uzumakishade]

hmm, ok
http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_sg/10...ng&field-keywords=archery&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go are any of these worth the price? (not the ones over $100, the ones around $50 - $75)

 

[arcthemonkey]

Oh, they're also probably not all that powerful. You probably won't be able to hit the target from further away than 20-40 yards. Just an FYI.

A 35 pound recurve is probably gonna lob an arrow quite a distance, unless there's something really funky about it. I mean, the things are fiberglass with dacron strings - they aren't exactly garbage. It's almost good enough to hunt with, if it shoots straight.

I suggest looking into something like a Black Rhino M-58, if it's concieveable. They are pretty damned good newbie bows, but they will run you $200+

Measure your draw length for me and I might be able to sniff out something more specific, and possibly cheaper. Just put a yardstick, and hold it with both hands outstretched in front of you gripping it with your hands flat together (like you just clapped straight in front of you, only you clapped a yardstick) and tell me how many inches it is to your fingertips. If it's 21 inches or less (silly short arms) then I can get you a good bow for < $100, easy, but I'm thinking you're going to need a bigger bow. Armguard will run you $10-$15, and arrows will run you at least $20 for half a dozen cedar arrows. I personally prefer aluminum arrows to carbon fiber, but that's just cause carbon fiber arrows have this nasty habit of exploding into deadly shards on me. They also seem to be more finicky and more difficult to use.

But really, I see no problem with the 60" Recurve on that site you linked before. Haven't tried one, but it probably won't bite you in the ass for $40

You should prolly go with hex blunt arrow heads if you don't want to kill anyone.

If you want to get really fancy you should get a stringer, bow square, and some knocking pliers, but I doubt you're going to do much tuning on your first bow

 

[uzumakishade]

Measure your draw length for me and I might be able to sniff out something more specific, and possibly cheaper. Just put a yardstick, and hold it with both hands outstretched in front of you gripping it with your hands flat together (like you just clapped straight in front of you, only you clapped a yardstick) and tell me how many inches it is to your fingertips.

do you mean from my shoulder to my fingertips? if so its 28 - 31 inches (i measured from the inside of my shoulder/armpit area to fingertips and got 28 the n from the outside of my shoulder to finger tips and got 31) i should also note it should be able to be left handed as well and like i mentioned in the first post has to be able to be shipped to canada

 

[arcthemonkey]

From the site you mentioned, this bow:

60" Fiberglass Recurve Bow
( Ages 15-Up)...Top quality fiberglass bow with working recurved limbs, custom-molded handles, full sight window and built in sight lines...AMO 60 length. 30-35 lb. draw weight

Should fit you, but unlike the 60" recurve above it, it doesn't mention if it's right or left handed, and I can't see it well enough to tell for myself. You might call them about it. The one just above it may be okay, especially if you have really weak noodle-arms, but I don't it will draw all the way to your draw length. (Also, again, you should measure from the top of your breastbone to the tips of the fingers on both hands - regardless, you sound like you're pretty much at the 28"+ ranger.)

If ccoa sees this, she may be able to offer further advice since I bet she knows more than me, but I will continue to look for something for you. Again, while it costs $220, I recommend the Black Rhino M-58 Option 1 (http://www.bows.net/blackrhino.htm). That will make a great starter bow, especially since you probably won't grow out of it, and the draw weight is enough that you'll build some muscle using it, and should be able to chuck you arrows pretty damned far. Also, you can order it left-handed. I don't know if they ship to Canada though - can't imagine why not.

Black Rhinos are SECKSY bows.

 

[holloway]

I agree, Black Rhinos are sexy. Especially their horns.

 

[uzumakishade]

From the site you mentioned, this bow:


Should fit you, but unlike the 60" recurve above it, it doesn't mention if it's right or left handed, and I can't see it well enough to tell for myself. You might call them about it. The one just above it may be okay, especially if you have really weak noodle-arms, but I don't it will draw all the way to your draw length. (Also, again, you should measure from the top of your breastbone to the tips of the fingers on both hands - regardless, you sound like you're pretty much at the 28"+ ranger.)

If ccoa sees this, she may be able to offer further advice since I bet she knows more than me, but I will continue to look for something for you. Again, while it costs $220, I recommend the Black Rhino M-58 Option 1 (http://www.bows.net/blackrhino.htm).

Black Rhinos are SECKSY bows.

well those Black Rhinos look good theyre too much for me right now, but i might buy it later on once i get better but i want something cheaper right now like the one on the site i linked before, if you can find me something better for around the same price that would be greatly appreciated

 

[Hisuwashi]

Bows are difficult to use. Have you ever thought of getting a shotgun instead?