Good bow for beginner archer?

Hello I was wondering if anyone had any tips for picking out a bow for a beginner archer. I've been wanting to get into archery for a long time and I'm not sure what would be good for me. I have relatively weak arms and have never even shot a gun so I do not know if I have good aim. Also I was wondering if crossbows are easier to use and aim than regular bows. I figure archery is a good skill to have if SHTF. I've looked all over the internet to find lessons around me but can't so is it possible to train yourself?
Thanks much!

It's very difficult to say, it varies from person to person. The only smart thing to do is to go to your local sports goods store and they will help. They need to take into account such things as draw weight, arm lenght, draw arm etc. In any decent store they can help you.

[Edit] Also, crossbows are much easier to aim. They load slower but are very accurate. With a bow a beginner has difficulty to understand that they're not looking directly down the arrow and they tend to overshoot alot.

[edit on 5/3/2009 by PsykoOps]

For what my advice is worth I suggest that you find a local club and attend a few beginner sessions before splashing out on one yourself.

This squares a few circles:

You get a chance to try out archery without running the risk of buying something you may decide is not for you.

If you do decide to continue there will be a ready pool of information that should point you in the right direction.

i started with a 45lbs recurve when i was a kid.

they are fun and look sweet. im not a big fan of compounds, but they have their advantages for sure.

and anyone can just JUMP right in with this. as long as you can pull the string back and not kill yourself. its not like its a nuke or anything


[edit on 5-3-2009 by mahtoosacks]

reply to post by mahtoosacks



To be fair it's not that easy. The two biggest issues I had when I tried it briefly were finding a left-handed bow and remembering to hold it so that the string didn't smack against my forearm on release.

That hurts, a lot!

reply to post by Nirgal


Oh well thats your problem! UR A LEFTY!

sorry, jokes aside.

it takes a lot to master the bow, but still its not hard to grasp the basics. start with a simple longbow and move up from there. use pine cones to shoot at.

after you get good, you can start putting apples on peoples head

Originally posted by mahtoosacks
reply to post by Nirgal

 

Oh well thats your problem! UR A LEFTY!

Unfortunately that isn't my problem.

Writing : Right
Guitar : Right
Pistol : Right

Pool, Rifle, Bow all left.

I believe that's called Cack-handed.

lol wow thats weird.

i knew a girl in highschool who could write with both hands at the same time. she would start a sentence with her left hand on the left side of the paper, and right on the right, and write inwards and complete one line twice as fast.

i dont know how in the world she did this. I SEEN IT. otherwise i wouldnt believe it.

Thanks for the good replies guys. I'll probably go to the Bass Pro Shop near where I live. I just thought I'd ask here first I don't want to go in there with no idea of what I'm looking for and irk the sales rep.

nice let us know what you get!

i need to get a new bow..

reply to post by CleverName



An archer myself..I shoot a 70# Kassia Bear..its a horsebow..

Why do you want to learn it for a start..?

In the UK we are not allowed guns ..so for me archery was the best I could do to learn a weapon for distance!

I started in target archery ..now a field archer!!

We have two crossbows a 50# and an 80# as the wife is not an archer..whereas I have the Kassai and a 50# Grozer!!

Right handed left handed ..if neither is dominant...when I started I was told to point at something with both eyes open the close one then the other..and see which eye the finger keeps pointed at...thats the dominant eye so fire with that side!!

Crossbows take time to load whereas with a quiver you can knock an arrow pretty fast!!

Get some books and study the postures find what feels natural and start with a low poundage bow and some safe space and practice..you will develop your own way of shooting...then once you get used to it and the back muscles adapt and get stronger you will be abale to move up with the poundage!!

A recurve is a good way to start as they are faily easy to shoot..plus you can get more powerfull limbs for it!!

And leave sights alone till you get used to the bow and how it feels!

Hope that helps!

best thing is to go to your local archery club. they will show you how to shoot correctly.(v important) .you can also try out a lot of different bows and its usually inexpensive ,or even free in my local club.
its also worth checking out archerytalk forum .one of the best websites on the net IMO.
i shoot recurve and compound and love the fun and discipline of archery. plus the fact that i will never go hungry.

reply to post by CleverName


An 18# is a good start if you are not that strong (#= poundage)
The idea for a begginer is the get the back and arm muscles used to the "feel" of the bow..get macho with the poundage and will not only damage the back muscles ....you will have difficulty hitting a barn door!!

Personally I love archery...not only for self protection but at least I would be able to hunt for food with it!!

Another thing about archery ..I was talking to a guy who hunted with the bowhe had been a farm labourer and hunted to" put food on the table"( I don't personally as its not necessary..at this time)

He said " fire a gun and the wild life will dissapear for a mile around...but many time I have shot and missed with the bow the animals will just look up then go back to what they are doing...I get a second chance"

Just takes practice ..and lots of it..crossbows are more accurate but take time to load...thats my opinion anyway!!

Thanks very much for the great feedback.