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Just tell me what bow to buy

K

kyvaaoh

New Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2018
Messages
16
In another thread, I read a SH member saying something about ArcheryTalk bownerds, or something like that, and I have to concur. I joined AT, and after 6 months of reading their threads, I feel like I'm going to need a year off, a $5,000+ budget, a full workshop, and a degree in physics and another in engineering just to shoot a deer.

It's discouraging.

I have an old Jennings Barracuda, and it's enough of a mess that I can tell myself that it's not me, it's the bow. Sometimes I get flyers, sometimes I can ten-ring six arrows at 20 yards.

The AT guys say "buy a quality used flagship bow on the AT classifieds," but frankly, I look on there, and there's just a SOUP of brands, models, draw lengths and riser heights and ATA etc, and frankly, I have no idea what's a bargain or not.

I want to use a compound bow to kill deer at distances up to 30 yards. I want it to be reliable, I want the bow to last a few years, and I want it to work well enough that I don't have to worry that it's the bow that's the problem. I don't want to buy garbage, but I also don't want to spend $1500 bucks on a Ferrari-bow that needs hours and hours of tuning.

And I don't have a good shop near here. The guys in town can put on a new string, but the dude is a Glock Armorer first, and a bow guy second.

So: tell me what to buy. Please. And thank you.
 
I can say i shot a bottom of the barrel low end bear and i can pull it out and know its good. I have replaced it with a little nicer 1 but the only reason i did that was because my wife showed interest in shooting so i handed it down to her. I think the low end bows are better than people give them credit for....diamond, bear, and the others that are affordable for most people IMO are pretty darn nice...
 
I think it would be hard to go wrong with a RTH Bear of some type...my spare bow is a Bear Pledge and used it all last year and it did it’s part
 
I can’t tell you what to buy, but the steps:

1. Determine your budget for a bow.
2. Go to a non-local bow shop (even if it means traveling 2+hrs) and try out bows.
3. If they have something in your budget that you like, buy it.

Other options:
4. Buy a crossbow & ignore the haters.
5. Buy a one piece recurve & become an expert with it.


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X2 what Weldabeast said. All you need is something comfortable in your hand and shoots STRAIT. 50-60lbs weight. Set it up right and kill stuff. I'm shooting an 09 Diamond. I was thinking the same thing back in January. Looked into it more and just decided to freshen mine up some. New string, paper tune so I know it's shooting strait. To me it's like a car. The more bells and whistles the more that can go wrong. Yeah there nice. But can be more headaches. The old 4 door Chevy still gets me down the road to work.
 
There's a lot of good bows that you don't have to break the bank on. You have to shoot different bows and see which one your comfortable with. Do an online search first and maybe you can narrow it down some. But when your ready I would go to a reliable archery shop . Good luck.
 
Weldabeast said:
I can say i shot a bottom of the barrel low end bear and i can pull it out and know its good. I have replaced it with a little nicer 1 but the only reason i did that was because my wife showed interest in shooting so i handed it down to her. I think the low end bows are better than people give them credit for....diamond, bear, and the others that are affordable for most people IMO are pretty darn nice...
Click to expand...

YEP! I got a ready to hunt bear domain in 2014 and am not planning on getting a new compound anytime soon. Shoots great


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Do you know your exact draw length? Not what you think it is, but have you been fitted to a bow by a shop, or had a video/picture taken of you at full draw with your current bow? If not, do that. We can help you here if you get a picture or video. Have someone take it from your eye level, facing you, and then from directly behind your back.

how much weight can you pull comfortably, to shoot 20-30 arrows a day if you decided to?

how mechanically inclined are you? Assuming you had every single archery tool at your disposal, COULD you fix your own stuff, or are you totally helpless?

how often do you plan to shoot from January to July?

deer the only species you know you’ll be chasing?

do you see any life changes in the next five years that would make you interested in having a different bow, or the means to buy multiple ones should you choose?
 
What everyone else said. You most certainly don’t need a 1k plus now. I have a rth diamond infinite edge that shoots deer just fine, I kept it to train new archers and remind of where I came from. When I buy bows, which I do through archery talk I always buy a year or two old bow which sells for half what it sold for new. Unfortunately you might have to bite the bullet and hit a shop because bows are like shoes. Each one fits different. Nothing wrong with the bows bass pro and Cabelas sell if you’ve got one near you. It a scheels or however you spell it
 
Yeah shopping the AT classifieds is kind of hard if you don't know what you want and what to look for. Also they just overhauled their sight and the feedback systems is missing. So I might be leery to buy a bow on there right now. Bear has a pretty good lineup for budget minded people IMO. You can get the Bear Paradox for under $500 ready to hunt.
 
Buy what you want, and what feels good to you. No one on this site can tell you what bow to buy. Used bows are a bargain, but just like used cars you only know what was disclosed to you. Bow coulda been dry fired 3 weeks ago. If you plan on trading it every year or two buy used, if it is the bow for the next 5+ buy new. The warranty peace of mind is worth it IMO.

Enjoy the shoot, the money ain't coming with ya to whatever comes next.

-Chuck
 
I'll take the responsibility, since nobody else wants to just tell you. Buy (in order of preference) either a:

Bear Authority
PSE Stinger 3G
Diamond Infinite Edge

All three are good-shooting bows that were sold as kits for about $300 bucks. All 3 can have the length adjusted with an Allen wrench. All 3 are "good enough" bows for you to monkey with until you know what you want. There are a million of each model out there. They're all easy to tune and tinker with. They'll do 100% of whatever a newer bow from a better brand will do, they just won't do it with as much grace and style and sweet, sweet smoodness.

Now take all that mental energy you just saved and go make the world a better place! Or whatever people who don't suffer from analysis-paralysis and obsession do. I sure as Sam don't know.
 
There’s a bear compound (2 actually) on Sierra.com. It has a sight, peep, d loop, ready to go. $200. My advice is to go to a bow shop and get properly fitted but since you said that’s not an option I’d get this one and start fiddling with it.
 
I bought a $200 2013 elite hunter back in February and I think that's what I'll do from here on out. Bows haven't gotten that much better in the past 10 years to justify buying a $1000 brand new bow.
 
Nutterbuster said:
I'll take the responsibility, since nobody else wants to just tell you. Buy (in order of preference) either a:

Bear Authority
PSE Stinger 3G
Diamond Infinite Edge

All three are good-shooting bows that were sold as kits for about $300 bucks. All 3 can have the length adjusted with an Allen wrench. All 3 are "good enough" bows for you to monkey with until you know what you want. There are a million of each model out there. They're all easy to tune and tinker with. They'll do 100% of whatever a newer bow from a better brand will do, they just won't do it with as much grace and style and sweet, sweet smoodness.

Now take all that mental energy you just saved and go make the world a better place! Or whatever people who don't suffer from analysis-paralysis and obsession do. I sure as Sam don't know.
Click to expand...
:tearsofjoy:
 
Do you have a big box outdoors store somewhat close? Go look at their trade-ins and shoot em before you buy. I bought my Switchback in '05 or '06 (basically new) and have been shooting it since. They'll try to sell you the most expensive bow obviously but just buy the one that shoots the best for you and meets your goal of 30 yd. accuracy.
 
Yeah I just sold my backup bow it was a PSE evolve 35 was a sweet shooter less than 5 years old for $300. @Nutterbuster is spot on about good bows at that range that don’t need mods or cams. I agree if you need to drive a bit to get it setup & tunes at a reputable shop that would be money well spent.
 
Honestly speaking for killing deer at 30 yards almost any modern compound that is adjustable above 40lbs. Will work. All the rest comes down to comfort. If it don’t deal right it won’t shoot consistently. You have to like the way it feels all the way through the shot. Try several! PSE honestly makes low budget comfortable bows. I personally like a Mathews, I do have a diamond infinite edge right hand that I would like to sell was my daughters who never acquired a taste for it. Pm me if that fits your need. But seriously try some different ones. Go with your gut!
 
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