Looking to scratch the compound bow itch…

[Rifleman86]

I started life as a deer hunter with a crossbow. It served me well, and still gets plenty of use. In fact I killed a B&C buck this year with a crossbow.

About 8 years back I got really into traditional archery. Killed a few deer with them, had a lot of fun and still do. My next goal is to kill a buck with my recurve since I will probably never top the deer I shot last year.

All that being said I’ve got this nagging urge to scratch the compound itch and round out my arsenal so to speak. I rifle hunt for elk every year but eventually I want to try my hand at archery season. A bucket list goal is a trad bow elk, but doing that from the get go seems like a tall order.

Suffice it to say I’d like to get a decent compound that isn’t going to cost be me an arm and a leg. I’d like to keep the whole setup ~$500ish without going too cheap. I’m dipping my toes so to speak… Nothing too fancy but still plenty capable. Also while I’m well versed in tuning and shooting a trad bow, I know next to nothing about compounds.

Any recommendations? What is the Glock 19 of the compound world?

PS. What are the thoughts on super heavy high FOC arrows for compounds? I shoot a 670 gr 24% FOC arrow with my recurve. 250gr broad head with a 100gr brass insert. I’m of the Ashby mindset that penetration is king, especially if elk might be on the menu. Is that mindset valid for compounds as well?

 

[kcm2]

Buy used. A great 2-3 year old bow will be well worth the money. Or older...my son's bow is a 2009 Bowtech Admiral. My 06 Switchback Xt still shoots well. Shoot the used bows at a bowshop until you find one you like.

 

[Zac]

No way your going to get into any quality setup with that budget. Also everyone on here including myself is going to tell you to forget the high FOC issue. A decent set of Valkyries would cost more than your entire bow budget anyways. The problem with you buying used is that you don't know how to set up a compound. You're going to need to go to a shop. I'd probably recommend something like a Hoyt Torrex, or a PSE Drive. Those are both going to run you around 700 just for the bow. A decent sight will be 150-200. Arrows after fletching are probably going to be another 150. Then you still have a quiver, and a release for probably at least another 150. You basically have to dive in or not at all. I'm not trying to discourage you, however budget and archery don't really coexist. I would caution you not to buy some used bow online without knowing anything about your draw length, or the bows individual adjustability. Also most shops are not going to appreciate you bringing them a used bow. When you purchase from a shop, you are also purchasing a relationship that comes with a lot of assistance that you will surely need down the line.

 

[Planopurist]

Zac is just about right.

I bought a 2016 Elite Energy 35 for about $350 because they still carried the transferable warranty through that year. I bought it to learn to press a bow and work on my own equipment without the worry of breaking it. I already owned a release and still spent at least $700 (new strings, rest, arrows, target quiver, and sight).

Early this year I sold my 2017 Elite Option 6 loaded for $500. It had a great rest on it, but the new quiver and new sight I put on it were entry level. I threw in the arrows cause I’m a great guy, the bow was tuned to those, and the buyer didn’t live close to a bow shop. I threw in an extra new string set because they would be of no use to me without the bow anymore. My point is that it was an awesome deal so I could move the product. That’s fairly rare. I could have sold the bare bow for $350.

A $500 budget will likely only get you a used bare bow and arrows. $1000-ish will get you all-in on a good used bow. $1500 all-in a new mid-line bow or a new, year-old inventory bow. $1800 all-in on a new top-line bow. I’d recommend one of the $1500 option. I’m admittedly partial to Elite, but there are plenty of great bows on the market. Go shoot them though.


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[fatlander]

If you don’t have a good friend that has the tools and knowledge, don’t buy a used bow. It’s going to cost you more money getting it setup/learning how to do your own work.

For about 1k you can get a decent setup that will serve you well for years. You’ll take a bath on the resale.

For 2k you can get a superb setup that you can sell for 1500 next week.

For 500 all in, you’re going to get crap.


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[rclouse79]

I agree used would be the only way get a decent setup for that amount of money. I would never buy a used bow. I will swallow my pride and admit to dry firing my last bow. The gal next to me at the range dry fired her bow this week. Based on the number of dry fire threads on here and the number of replies they get I would guess a fairly high percentage of bows have been dry fired. I could also see a lot people deciding to unload their bow on someone because they dry fired it.
It does suck how expensive the compound archery game is. I am just thankful I was able to move most of my components over to the new bow I just got. You get sticker shock when you see the price of the bare bow and then it seems like you can easily spend that amount again setting it up.

 

[Rifleman86]

Thanks guys, looks like I need to up my budget a bit.

 

[5MilesBack]

Thanks guys, looks like I need to up my budget a bit.

You could make it happen for $500, but you'd need the knowledge and capability to be able to do that right. Last year I bought a used bow on AT that is identical to one I already have (a 2006), a used SH Hunter sight, a used rest, and a used TS quiver for under $500. But I already have arrows, a release, and plenty of BH's.

 

[Rifleman86]

You could make it happen for $500, but you'd need the knowledge and capability to be able to do that right. Last year I bought a used bow on AT that is identical to one I already have (a 2006), a used SH Hunter sight, a used rest, and a used TS quiver for under $500. But I already have arrows, a release, and plenty of BH's.

Got a tackle box full of broadheads, a variety of shafts from tuning trad bows and a fletching jig. That might save me some money.

I was thinking used but the dry fire thing scares me.

 

[galamb]

I was in your frame of mind about 25 years back.

Longbow shooter, had also added a earlier model Horton Crossbow which was successful on deer but the Compounds were really starting to become popular with the early graphite (carbon) arrows starting to hit the market.

At the time the Jennings Buckmaster's which looked super cool with split limbs and a single cam were rated as the best value for the money and I hopped on. With an IBO of 260 that sounded "blistering" compared to what I was shooting.

I shot it for a couple of years and decided it wasn't my thing - just too many moving parts, too many things to set up and had a recurve custom built. While I still have that old Jennings in the closet and it comes out to shoot target once in a while but I hunt with either my Recurve or now my 4th crossbow.

If you are fairly certain you will stick with it then I would spend the extra bucks on a decent set-up. Even if you don't you will likely get a good chunk of your investment back out if you sell it in a year or two.

If it is more just wanting to "give it a try" then I would get one of the "ready to hunt" (RTH) set-ups from the likes of Bear and play around with it - at worst it will, like mine, end up in the closet and come out once in a while.

As others have mentioned, while I follow Ashby with my Traditional bows the EFOC, ultra heavy is not of much benefit with a modern compound that has enough power all on it's own that you don't have to maximize it.

It's one thing when your Trad bow is barely making 35 or 40 lbs of KE (which is a poor way to judge the lethality of a Trad) so you really bump up the mass to ensure it will pass through at low speed. But it's not needed when your impact at 60 yards still has 90 lbs of KE or better and with reasonable mass you will still have way more energy than you need to pass through.

 

[Ho5tile1]

I agree with most of what’s said but I’m on the heavy arrow side and foc. I have zero problems shooting a heavier arrow I was at 650 grains with 18% foc now I’m at 550 grains can’t remember the foc on those but they fly 287 fps out of my V3 31 29 inch draw 78 pounds and before I went up to 78 pounds my bow was on 72 pounds think it was still around 272 fps. My pin gaps where fine and could shoot out to 80 no problems. Not saying I hit where I was aiming lol but the arrow got there no problems. My buddy has a bear bow he got for around 500ish ready to hunt and he kills the crap out deer with it. His 500ish bow kills em just as dead as my 1900 dollar set up. Bows are so good now days even the cheaper ones preform better then we can. Yea might be a touch louder small amount more vibration etc. I’d bet money there is more people killing deer with the cheaper bows then with the flagship bows. I’m also scared to buy used for reasons already said…Good luck


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[Rifleman86]

I was in your frame of mind about 25 years back.

Longbow shooter, had also added a earlier model Horton Crossbow which was successful on deer but the Compounds were really starting to become popular with the early graphite (carbon) arrows starting to hit the market.

At the time the Jennings Buckmaster's which looked super cool with split limbs and a single cam were rated as the best value for the money and I hopped on. With an IBO of 260 that sounded "blistering" compared to what I was shooting.

I shot it for a couple of years and decided it wasn't my thing - just too many moving parts, too many things to set up and had a recurve custom built. While I still have that old Jennings in the closet and it comes out to shoot target once in a while but I hunt with either my Recurve or now my 4th crossbow.

If you are fairly certain you will stick with it then I would spend the extra bucks on a decent set-up. Even if you don't you will likely get a good chunk of your investment back out if you sell it in a year or two.

If it is more just wanting to "give it a try" then I would get one of the "ready to hunt" (RTH) set-ups from the likes of Bear and play around with it - at worst it will, like mine, end up in the closet and come out once in a while.

As others have mentioned, while I follow Ashby with my Traditional bows the EFOC, ultra heavy is not of much benefit with a modern compound that has enough power all on it's own that you don't have to maximize it.

It's one thing when your Trad bow is barely making 35 or 40 lbs of KE (which is a poor way to judge the lethality of a Trad) so you really bump up the mass to ensure it will pass through at low speed. But it's not needed when your impact at 60 yards still has 90 lbs of KE or better and with reasonable mass you will still have way more energy than you need to pass through.

Sounds like you and me are very similar…

I want either all of the technology or purposely handicap myself. Compounds seem like this weird middle ground.

That said I still want one because…

1. It’s the most effective archery equipment that is legal in most western states.

2. It’s something new and different, it’s a weapon and weapons are cool.

3. I apparently don’t like having money.

Thanks for the input!

 

[WRM]

I'll go contrarian. Looked for a youth bow for my nephew and saw the Bear Royale. It comes as a full package (Trophy Ridge add ons), less arrows. Nicer than first compound I had in early 80s--I was genuinely surprised. I see they also make the Cruzer G2, which appears to be a similar bow and setup, just for adults. All in price is $319 on Amazon. Is it a "great" compound? Most would say, no. Will it kill deer and other things as well? Yes. The youth version would too, if the draw length on it would work for you.

 

[SnapT]

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699 brand new prime's .

 

[galamb]

3. I apparently don’t like having money.

Money if over rated - and if you blow it all the kids will have nothing to fight over when you are gone

 

[bojangles808]

a sort of hack if you have a used bow and accesssories is to take it to your local bow shop and pay them to restring it. then they have to set it up and tune it and get into spec and you wont look like the guy that bought a bow asking them the set it up for peanuts which any shop despises

 

[Rifleman86]

I'll go contrarian. Looked for a youth bow for my nephew and saw the Bear Royale. It comes as a full package (Trophy Ridge add ons), less arrows. Nicer than first compound I had in early 80s--I was genuinely surprised. I see they also make the Cruzer G2, which appears to be a similar bow and setup, just for adults. All in price is $319 on Amazon. Is it a "great" compound? Most would say, no. Will it kill deer and other things as well? Yes. The youth version would too, if the draw length on it would work for you.

Yeah the Cruzer G2 looks right up my alley. RTH set up for $400, leaves a little bit for arrows and release in my budget.

If I decide to go further down the rabbit hole it would be perfect for my 2yo son when he gets older as a starter bow.

Thanks

 

[Stoneface86]

I have an older Mathews outback that was and is a high end bow ,fantastic shooting bow. You can’t go wrong buying a used one. There superior to the new beginner bows

 

[WRM]

Yeah the Cruzer G2 looks right up my alley. RTH set up for $400, leaves a little bit for arrows and release in my budget.

If I decide to go further down the rabbit hole it would be perfect for my 2yo son when he gets older as a starter bow.

Thanks

I was really shocked by the quality of the Royale. I looked at it at the same shop I bought my first bow in the early 80s. It was one of their top picks as a youth bow. The Cruzer just looks to be a sized up model.

I still use my near 30 year old McPherson single cam for treestand work. When it goes for a spa day, the shop guys say people always are asking what make it is because it's "so quiet". I'd bet the Cruzer is just as good, if not better, quality. The Royale / Cruzer cost about what my old McPherson did in the day, but you know what "high end" runs now.

 

[bigbuckdj]

If I were you, I’d agree you probably need to up your budget a little. I’d be looking at one of the elites with the SET system like a kure remedy or enkore. They come up under $600 pretty often. You can fix left or right tears, adjust draw length, and change letoff all without a press or new modules. That being said don’t think the bow matters as much as your sight, rest, arrows, and release.

The problem with really cheap or old bows is you may lose adjustability in trying to clean up tears or timing issues. I think it’s worth it to spend into something like bowtech binary cams or elites set system.

If you are patient, you can equip it well for not too much more. I’d get a used qad hdx for $50 or $60, a used quiver for $50-$80, a used Carter chocolate addiction for $100, a half a dozen Easton axis 300s for $60 or so, and probably an older black gold or cbe with 3rd axis adjustment for $100.

What you gain in sights and rests by spending more money is adjustability, and you probably want that. You sound like enough of a tinkerer to make all this work without a pro shop.

With any flagship bow made in the last 10 years, quality arrows, release, rest, and sight, you won’t be giving up much if anything in your equipment.


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