# Newbie into archery, already considering owning a bow



## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

first thing you need to know is what are you gonna shoot ,paper... 3-d.. hunting.. then the dom.eye. then the bow.... shoot as many as you can before you buy one , get one YOU like....


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

Thanks for replying. I do plan on shooting paper majority, moving up to 3D much later in my life. Don't plan on doing any hunting really, as my conscience could conflict with my own bloodlust :wink:. I am left eyed (and unfortunately right handed) and will go with a left hand bow.

When you say though that I should shoot as many as I can before I buy one, does that mean the range owner will let me demo his stock?


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## benji74 (Feb 19, 2012)

If he is selling bows you should be able to shoot whatever he has.


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

Sounds fantastic. I'll drop by this week and ask him about it. Going to cash in my tax return by tomorrow


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## scaffido (Apr 21, 2011)

i wouldnt just use his advise either. talk to other people and see what they say. you can get a much nicer bow than that pse if you go used. being left handed will take extra searching but there is a fourm here just for that. you could get a 2-3 year old bow that is a better investment than the basic new pse. theres nothing wrong with used bows, alot of us own older bow that we like better than the newest version.
also go to different archery shops and shoot there bows, different shops sell different manufactures. you may think you like one but 2 months down the road you will shoot a buddys and like his way more but now your stuck with a bow nobody wants to buy off you.

shoot as many as you can multiple time if needed. dont waste your money.


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

Thanks for that input. You're right with the left handed search, but I'll go ahead and take a look at the classified section of the forum and see what's up in there. And I don't live too far from Los Angeles, so I have my pick of shops to demo bows. 

And money is an option. With that advice, I'll shoot until something sings to me


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## Warbow (Apr 18, 2006)

If you are addicted to shooting a *recurve* at the range there is no reason to assume you need a compound. Compounds can be great bows, but there is a whole spectrum of archery from primitive to fully tricked out target compound bows. Some people like the simplicity and tradition of historical bow styles, some like the elegance of the recurve, and some the mechanical efficiency of compounds.

It is up to you and your personal taste, but you'll be a better shooter in the long run if you learn on a recurve, even if you switch to compound at a later date.


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

I just tried out a compound bow for the first time at my range, I believe it was from Bear I didn't catch the brand. I must say, from a recurve it is very different, and also very amusing working the complicated mechanics of it. But what accuracy coming from a recurve. And by that...



Warbow said:


> If you are addicted to shooting a *recurve* at the range there is no reason to assume you need a compound.


I'll admit I do love shooting our ranges recurve. Since I'm doing the JOAD with my nephew, I'll probably stick to the recurve, but buy my compound anyway for casual and eventually league. Since I've already experienced both, and found that both appeal to me, I'd love to do both down the road but still make my compound bow my first purchase.

Now, on that note, I found that Hoyt has a promotion on the Rampage and Rampage XT. I also found that Hoyt is quite the enthusiasts brand. What say the Coaches Corner about this brand, and any info on if the Rampage is worth owning as a good first bow?


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

*Finally bought one!*

Success! Bought my first bow. You'd all would be proud of me actually. I did a Google Search and didn't find many archery shops close by in the SFV area. So I was left with no choice with my shop in Lancaster, CA.

When I asked about the Rampage, the owner of the range showed me both the Rampage and Rampage XT. And the prices he were selling them at. Note, that still put me off even though I wanted a Rampage so badly... but I guess when you do try digging for treasure, you eventually do strike gold...

He mentioned he sold an older used Hoyt bow, but then suddenly remembered he had a bow in my exact draw length and weight. He was carrying a used Matthews Drenaline LT, and sold it to me with a rising arrow rest for a cool four Benjamins! I heard this bow had retailed at 899, so this really made my day!

I did try this bow, after adjusting it to my length and weight. It feels great to draw, minus my deltoid being sore but that's a given. And it's not that heavy to me. After firing six arrows, I was in love.

Oh, and it's in Black Cherry color too, so it's stylish. Behold


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

That's an excellent target bow. It's very similar to my first target bow which was the long discontinued Mathews Icon. IMO, you couldn't have done better for the money. However, I think it's the "LD" not "LT" model. Mathews has an excellent website with old catalogs and owners manuals available for download. There is also a forum where you can get Mathews specific help with any questions you have.

It looks like you have it set up for shooting with fingers rather than a release. This bow is a little short for that. The string angle will pinch your fingers and become painful after a long day at the range. 

One thing, I suggest that you get rid of the rubber tube on the peep. It will eventually fail and you don't want something failing that close to your eye. It also slows the bow down quite a bit. Your shop can help you get the peep aligned with your eye at full draw. Years ago, the tube was necessary because the string materials that were then available were not very stable. Today we have string materials and string building techniques that produce a string with no peep rotation over the life of the string.

Have you given any thought to a sight and stabilizer? If you plan to compete, the class that you intend to enter will determine the type of sight and length of stabilizer.

You should get many years of enjoyment out of this bow. It's a good one.

Allen


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## Smoknnca (Sep 13, 2011)

Congrats on a great bow. I was hoping you would be able to pull off getting the rampage xt - I have one and love it. You did well but now the true sickness will set in. The archery bug now officially has you.


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

Heh, thanks aread and Smoknnca. Yes, the archery bug has infected and now has taken over my neural pathways.

I will be shooting this bow with a release. But, as releases cost money, that I do not. I haven't shot this bow yet as of purchasing it, but I really cant wait until my next payday to buy a sight and release for this bad boy. 

I won't get the stabilizer until last, as I wanna get a feel for this bow's vibration and weight until I can fine tune myself with the proper accessories.

And yeah, you're right its LD. I was so excited I didn't know what I was typing.

Thanks again for the praise. Now I really feel like I made the right decision.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

There are several types of release available for compound archers:

- Wrist release - also called a "punch-o-matic". It's the easiest to learn to shoot, but it's also easy to develop target panic. Get the book Idiot Proof Archery for a good description on how to shoot these without punching.

- hand held thumb trigger - many of the top target archers use these. They are expensive and generally worth it.

- hand held hinge release - If you have a coach to teach you how to use a hinge, it's probably the best choice for a beginner. It's difficult, but not impossible, to punch this type of release. Learning to properly use of this type of release will make you a better archer. It is usually more difficult to learn than other types of release.

- resistance release such as the Carter Evolution. This one is more difficult to execute with poor form and many archers use one to check on their form. I haven't seen any of them in competition, but that may be because they are relatively new. 

The #@1 thing you should focus on is to learn a surprise release. This means that your conscious mind is focused on the exact spot that you want to hit and your subconscious mind executes the release and follow through. You are new enough at this that you haven't developed too many bad habits. It's much easier for you to learn the right way rather than overcoming a host of bad habits. I know this from personal experience.  

Hope this helps,
Allen


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## mike 66 (Jan 21, 2010)

VERY NICE TARGET BOW....ENJOY IT


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

That resistance release is a nice concept.... 

Yeah, I've used the range's public wrist release to try this bow. It felt right and I've seen some of my JOAD mates use a hand held thumb release. In terms of being safe against misfiring or accidentally punching myself in the face by releasing during the draw, which is safer and less easier to release?


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## zephus (Apr 28, 2012)

Oh, and thanks Mike!


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