Anybody know anything about archery?

[gorcorps]

I'm looking into getting a used compound bow. I don't plan on hunting with it, but mainly for target shooting right now. We go a gun range a lot which also has a bow range, and it'd be nice to have something else to shoot when I don't want to spend extra on ammo. My question is... how much has bow technology really changed over the years? Would I be screwing myself by getting a bow from the 70s or 80s, even if it was well taken care of?

Specifically, I found a decent Bear Polar LTD that apparently came out in the 70s. It comes with 5 full good arrows, a few more that need new fletching, a hard case, arm guard, and trigger release. All for $100

It seems like a good deal for pretty much everything I'd immediately want to start shooting, but I don't know if the age of the bow will cause issues. Talking to the guy it sounds like he knows his stuff and took good care of it. I assume it was stored properly and everything because of this.

Good deal? Keep looking for something newer?

 

[SillyOReilly]

You shoot arrows into targets.

What do I win?

 

[waggy]

i don't see the tech changing a whole lot. but a 40 yr old bow? no thanks.

you can pick up a decent one for target shooting for not to much more. arrows are cheap and you can get a release for $20.

i wouldn't buy a 40 yr old bow myself.

 

[Bateluer]

Pointy end goes into the other man <-- Sums up ATOT's combined knowledge on the subject.

 

[arrfep]

Geena Davis does.

 

[mattpegher]

tech wise no change in 40 years that would make a difference to you, but you may have to worry that a bow that old could splinter. Get a cheap one new would be a better buy.

 

[lxskllr]

Nothing wrong with an old bow. I have no idea what prices are like now, but if $100 is favorable, and the limbs aren't splintered or anything, I'd get it.

 

[gorcorps]

tech wise no change in 40 years that would make a difference to you, but you may have to worry that a bow that old could splinter. Get a cheap one new would be a better buy.

From what I've seen, even the cheapest new one is three times the price not including anything extra. That's why I'm looking used.

 

[Nox51]

I'd say avoid. a 40 year old compound bow can be a danger and you probably aren't that familiar with spotting defects with it. The cables/strings probably need replacing. Does it have steel cables on it? They are prone to damage.

Also it's a 40 year old compound, we've moved well away from that tech I'm pretty sure.

Also I usually advise against new people just going outright buying stuff on their own, especially compounds. Chances are you'll buy something that doesn't suit you, get bored frustrated with it and it's just a waste. Get someone who knows what they are doing to show you the ropes. Hell most clubs around here are keen on pointing you in the right direction. Old bows were a bitch to change draw length, newer models have adjustable cams - much easier to set up.

For example some issues to consider with a compound is the draw length. Do you know what your draw length is? Do you know how to change it on the bow? Shooting compound with an incorrect draw length is a bitch cause you're either sitting somewhere where the letoff action of the cams isn't occurring or draw length is too short and you're against the wall of the cams, not allowing to draw back to your reference.

Similarly the usual setup for target shooting is with a peep sight and d loop for the release aid. Those take some fiddling to get right and depend on a correct draw length. (for example some models have a rotating peepsight that gets into correct position at right drawlength).

What about the cams themselves? are they well taken care off? are they timed right and in sync? Hell how many cams are there on the model? I'm not familiar with it off hand, maybe it's just a single cam model.

IIRC Bear made hunting orientated bows back in the day.

Plus you want someone to coach you what proper shooting form actually is. You could injure yourself if you don't.

As for arrows, just get a decent set of new aluminiums. They tend to be cheap and reliable. You don't want to fiddle around with old arrows that someone was using and doing god knows what to them.

Really the TL;DR version is:

-stay away from old bows if you don't know what you are doing.
-get something more recent ye 3-4 yrs old max as they tend to be more use friendly.
-get someone to show you what's happening and how to shoot it with decent form.
-treat it as a gun. Would you like to use old equipment that you don't know how it was maintained?


I saw this as someone who has been shooting target recurve for 4+ years now.

 

[AnMig]

Same boat as youafew years ago.bought a used compoundbow thru eBay for the first few years I was shooting it like a recurve, I did not know hot to use the sight. Then I saw an episode of top shot and saw them using a peep hole. Yes I did not know you needed a peep hole to use the sight. Night and day in accuracy.

So if you are a total newb like I was you need a peep hole to aim.

Good luck

 

[Nox51]

Oh dear. Well that's a good example why you want someone to show you what to do.

I don't mind fielding questions but it doesn't measure up with hands on experience and demonstration.

 

[NL5]

$100 for a bow from the 70's? Way too much. Bow technology has changed substantially, not to mention the fact that there is a real safety concern with a bow that old. One of my hunting partners went that route and has a nice permanent scar on his arm from the bow exploding and the cable cutting into is arm.

You can get a decent later model bow for around there or just a bit more. I sold my last bow, completely outfitted, and with a dozen arrows for $150, and it was only about 6 or 7 years old.

 

[gorcorps]

$100 for a bow from the 70's? Way too much. Bow technology has changed substantially, not to mention the fact that there is a real safety concern with a bow that old. One of my hunting partners went that route and has a nice permanent scar on his arm from the bow exploding and the cable cutting into is arm.

You can get a decent later model bow for around there or just a bit more. I sold my last bow, completely outfitted, and with a dozen arrows for $150, and it was only about 6 or 7 years old.

Where did you sell it? I'm curious because all of the bows I find on CL appear to be quite old after research, so I'm wondering if I'm looking in the wrong place. Is there a better site or place that people post ads for local bows?

 

[waggy]

gander mountian used to do a lot of used equipment (that's where i got my last 2 bows).

but nox51 gives a lot of good advice. Also about arrows get new ones. because they are cut to your draw length.

 

[gorcorps]

Ended up buying a bow on ebay... kind of by accident. I was overbidding the winning bid by the minimum on a few things just to see where people's limits were and I ended up getting a Bear Buckmaster BTR for $150. Seems to be a pretty solid bow for the money which is why I was looking in the first place. Fairly recent compared to other used bows I've seen. Early 2000s at the oldest. Came with hard case, tru-glo sight, and the basics it came with from the start.

Should match my draw length already at 29", but if mis-measured it can go down to 28".

 

[S Freud]

I just picked up a brand new Assassin from Bowtech about a month ago. I've been rifle hunting for years and wanted to get into something new. I am already enjoying my first year of bowhunting.

 

[dawp]

you could try your hand at making a composite bow:

http://www.primitiveways.com/pt-composite_bow.html

get good at it and you could start selling them.

 

[BoberFett]

Geena Davis does.

That's one badass hot redhead. I would be all over her if I ever got the chance.

 

[gorobei]

that buckmasteer btr should be fine, just make sure you get set of properly spec'd arrows cut to your draw length.

 

[Nox51]

Have fun with it! And yeah get the draw length adjusted properly.

 

[gorcorps]

that buckmasteer btr should be fine, just make sure you get set of properly spec'd arrows cut to your draw length.

Have fun with it! And yeah get the draw length adjusted properly.

Will do

Thanks for the tips everybody

 

[Josh123]

I think the big thing would be the materials they use now to create these bows. Here are some of the things Hoyt uses in their bows.

http://www.hoyt.com/technologies/

I use to shoot a PSE compound bow when I was younger and it was a lot of fun.