Looking to buy a bow

[paintballergb]

I have no clue what to look for. I don't want a compound bow and I don't want to spend a lot of money. I know cheap price usually gets you cheap quality. I don't want cheap, just not expensive either. Any thought on brands/prices/what to look for or stay away from.

[paintballergb]

I guess a lot of people share my lack of knowledge.

[shotcaller6]

Google recurve bows for a start and gain your own knowledge, then again there is the longbow and the crossbow as well. In the end you must decide for yourself which one suits you.

[mossy]

The samick sage is a good beginner bow.

[repomanNWP]

Find a local bow shop and pay them a visit. You'll be able to try out several bows, and they will give you good advice, plus they will work with you and show you how to use it. If anywhere near San Diego, try the Bow And Arrow Shop in lakeside

[mexicanbear]

go on craigslist. you can find good beginner bows for around 100. dont buy new you never get what you pay for. a good recurve for beginners is any where from 20# to 35#. its more important to master form then master a heavy bow.

[Tripper]

U can get a cheap recurve bow, in order to learn a bit, which will you get an idea what you really want
A genesis compound would be a good starter compound which will take a beating and is quite versatile among many shooters as fat as draw length

[Meety Peety]

Personally when it comes to read recurve I shoot a Martin. They are great quality and fairly inexpensive. The bow market is always flooded and its never hard to find a good bow at a good price. Without an actual price range I can't suggest much but let me know what you're looking to spend and I can suggest some. Martin, bear and pse all have great quality products and you can find them deeply discounted, I would start there.

You also need to know your size and weights when picking a bow. This is especially important with recurves because your form and skill level dramatically influence your shots. Remember, there is no let off and you don't use all the fancy sights and triggers etc.. so finding the right fit is very important. Pay attention to your draw weight and brace height and make sure you don't go too far over or under. Its ok to give yourself room to grow into the bow but don't start at 55# if you can barely hold back a 45#. I wouldn't go less than 45# as you are going to end up just having to buy a new bow once you learn the ropes. And learning the ropes doesn't take long. The time between "never shot a bow" and intermediate is not that long.. its filing yourself into killshot accuracy 100% of the time that takes some time - which is where you really want to have found "the right bow for me" and stick with it.

So the first thing I would do is draw a few bows and see what weight you can handle. Do not get yourself too light of a bow, many kids shoot 35# all day long, don't even bother with it you'll only teach yourself bad habits with it. Next, find your pull length and select a bow that matches you while maintaining a length that feels right to you. 60" is very common for a reason, most people find it very comfortable. Once you've selected a bow that you feel good with, take the specs and start pricing bows online until you fond one that matches your size, looks good and fits your budget.

I could ramble on and on but I guess that's enough for now haha. Good luck and good choice deciding to start with trad recurve.You will be a better shooter and more versatile. Anyone can pick up a compound and be decent with it, the same is not true for recurves.

[Meety Peety]

Lots of typos sorry.. I'm on my phone and can't edit. Auto correct had a field day with that post lol.

[Garyson1311]

I agree you definitely want a recurve. The longer the bow, the less hand shock and more forgiving the bow will be. I wouldnt get anything over #45lb draw because you will have nothing but form issues while you build up your strength. Some bows have the option for using different limbs on the same riser (this would be a takedown bow). My recurve is a Bear Grizzly and I love it. I would check out a Bear or a PSE. Going to an archery shop would probably be a good idea so you can draw different bows to see what you like.

[paintballergb]

Thanks for the info guys. Now I know what direction to start going.

[TJCrawler]

I will second the Samick Sage recommendation. I started out on that bow. It is a very good entry level bow. I will disagree with the earlier poster though that a light draw weight will cause form problems. In my experience it is the other way around.

For your first bow you should definetely stay below 40 pounds in draw weight. You'll find it easier to work on your form when you aren't struggling to hold the string back.

Also, if you were to get the Samick you can upgrade the limbs at a later date when you are ready to go to a higher draw weight.

Stay away from the Martin Jaguar takedown, they have had a lot of issues with breakage.

[Gutpile66]

I shoot a PSE takedown recurve. I like 'em short and fast. PSE has some of the best prices for a real nice laminated recurve.

[Bongos]

Samick Sage is your best bet, start with 35lb, this is the best beginner bow.

[rodeoflyer]

The samick sage is a good beginner bow.

Word.

go on craigslist. you can find good beginner bows for around 100. dont buy new you never get what you pay for. a good recurve for beginners is any where from 20# to 35#. its more important to master form then master a heavy bow.

I strongly disagree. If you don't know what to look for you can literally hurt yourself.

A brand new Samick Sage is @ $120.....

I will second the Samick Sage recommendation. I started out on that bow. It is a very good entry level bow. I will disagree with the earlier poster though that a light draw weight will cause form problems. In my experience it is the other way around.

For your first bow you should definetely stay below 40 pounds in draw weight. You'll find it easier to work on your form when you aren't struggling to hold the string back.

Also, if you were to get the Samick you can upgrade the limbs at a later date when you are ready to go to a higher draw weight.

Stay away from the Martin Jaguar takedown, they have had a lot of issues with breakage.

At this point, stay away from anything Martin, but that's another thread.

Samick Sage is your best bet, start with 35lb, this is the best beginner bow.

Even lower wouldn't hurt.