selecting a good value in a bow

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
https://www.outdoorwars.com/best-compound-bow-money-reviews/

http://www.crossbowcritic.com/best-compound-bow-reviews-beginner-hunting-bows/

Ive read these type or articles for decades, keep in mind people all over the world have built and used archery equipment for thousands of years,
and while theres constantly been improvements being made ,
I would suggest that a used bow in good condition,
you may find a decent bargain in a pawn shop or at a local archery range.
or bargain trader,
but get to know what your looking for don,t just look at price.
and a great deal of practice with good arrows goes a very long way towards allowing you to consistently hit your intended target,
and spending $400 plus on the newest bow available is NOT likely to make you an expert shot nearly as fast as finding a good quality bow,
several dozen good quality arrows and the minimal equipment required to replace fletching and a great deal of time practicing.
if you visit local archery ranges youll usually find guys willing to give a significant discount price on used or last few years model, un-sold bows
Id suggest looking at the longer 36" or longer axle to axle length bows,
in the 50 lb-70 lb, and 28"-30"or more if you can easily handle the longer draw,
draw length , range for serious hunting.
you can certainly find an excellent choice for well under $400 ,
theres no need to spend the $500-$1200 I see advertised as a great deal on the newest bows.


look over your options and try a few different bows
both re-curves and compound designs have merits
don,t ignore either choice

BEAR,
PSE
MATHEWS
HOYT
three rivers
 
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I myself prefer the lever bows like Oneida makes. I have two, one for bowfishing use and one for hunting. I paid more than I should have for the Osprey I use for bowfishing but I use it a lot during the year. The other is a Stealth, really great bow and packs a wallop. Both are very adjustable as far as draw and weights and handle both heavy and lighter arrows with ease. The Stealth is the heavier of the two and uses aggressive cams but has a lot of letoff too. Both use modules for controlling draw length. Weights are adjustable with a simple allen wrench which is nice also. The one great thing about the Osprey is that all the hardware on it is stainless, nylon or a high impact plastic. I've dropped it into the drink more than once and never a problem. The Oneida Black Eagle is basically the same bow without the stainless hardware but it can be retrofitted with it and makes a superb hunting bow. They are also available in different lengths depending on your preference, short, medium or long. If you're a tall guy or just have a long reach these bows can accommodate you no problem. There are others on the market too, like the Phoenix. There is also a custom contingent for these type of bows so the sky is the limit with them.
 
I have my fathers 1968 Ben Pearson Recurve hanging in my den. Its what I started out with. Not much in the poundage range but was still fun to shoot. I
ended up buying a new Ben Pearson Renagade compound for my hunting bow in the early 90's. I have not pulled it back in about 15 years. lol . would be afraid too at this point in time for fear of a string or cable being dried out or weak.
 
yeah you need the string replaced and potentially the cables
its a good idea to always have 1-3 spare strings packed in air tight containers
a bit of bees wax on the kevlar string adds longer term durability

http://www.archerden.com/choosing-the-best-bow-string-for-your-bow/

https://eastonarchery.com/2018/11/bowstring-tech-tips/

I bought most of my bows at PAWN SHOPS or on the used bow racks at archery shops
I can't see paying $500 plus for a bow that I can buy a year later, that have been obviously, barely used for less than 1/2 the price, especially since I vastly prefer using a 75lb-90 lb bow with a 31" draw, and bows like that seem to show up rather regularly on the used bow racks at archery shops

 
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Youre right that spending a bunch of money wont make you an instant expert, BUT........ there is alot to be said for only spending big once, instead of slowly making small upgrades over time. If you know youre gonna pursuit archery, especially hunting, find out what works for you, and buy it. Dont compromise. IYou can find tons of used high quality stuff on Ebay.
Also- it is Waaaaay faster to become proficient with modern compound setups . Instinctive shooting with recurve or Stick bows isnt for everybody....
 
I see no need to have the BEST of anything when older made stuff has worked for centuries...
I still have a 1954 Bear recurve with 45* draw weight and has kiledl more deer than most people have seen in a life time.
I also have a PST Cross Bow that shoots at 375 fps because I'm now to old and broke up to pull and hold much weight any more. Blind hunting 2 years ago was my last deer and the arrow went clean through it and stuck in a tree at 25 yards away.
I also also use to deer and bear hunt off my horses. One bear I killed just kept running down a dirt road and I just caught up to it and shot with my rusty old 30-30.
My 2 best horse are the ones I raised on bottles and trained the for hunting and loud bangs. I miss my younger age but no desire to that stuff again.
 
I looked at this thread Yesterday.
I want a good hunting Bow now.
Totally Silent. Gets the job done.
Can also send a message that way.
My late bud Bill did it so in past. He was real crazy. Grumps Generation.

I had one at the old barn workshop I rented in past I shot for fun.
It was my bud Dans he left it in the shop and plenty of Arrows. To load up and shoot.
 
I see no need to have the BEST of anything when older made stuff has worked for centuries...
I still have a 1954 Bear recurve with 45* draw weight and has kiledl more deer than most people have seen in a life time.
I also have a PST Cross Bow that shoots at 375 fps because I'm now to old and broke up to pull and hold much weight any more. Blind hunting 2 years ago was my last deer and the arrow went clean through it and stuck in a tree at 25 yards away.
I also also use to deer and bear hunt off my horses. One bear I killed just kept running down a dirt road and I just caught up to it and shot with my rusty old 30-30.
My 2 best horse are the ones I raised on bottles and trained the for hunting and loud bangs. I miss my younger age but no desire to that stuff again.
I guess it just depends on what you shoot, and why youre shooting it. Are you hunting to challege yourself, or do you need to kill an animal, for whatever reason? Theres something very primal and rewarding about a successful kill with a recurve bow. Its one of the oldest and most effective hunting tools ever- completely agree- BUT, if a modern setup greatly increases the success of your hunting, why not take advantage of it? Theres no argument that a sighted compound bow can deliver an arrow much farther, much faster, and with better, more consistant accuracy. It also requires far less skill from the shooter.
 
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