Buying your First Bow for Archery

When you go shopping for your first bow for archery you are looking for a draw weight of about 25 pounds, although there are bows with a 30 pound draw weight. The salesman will need to measure your draw length. He'll do this by utilizing an arrow 35 inches long with markings on it. He'll watch you draw back the bow and then read the markings.

You need to find how much weight you can pull back. Do not ever buy a bow that you have to struggle with to pull back. People won't think badly of you if you can only pull back a small amount of weight. But they will think you are an idiot if you struggle and turn beat red when you draw back every time. You might want to consider buying a bow arm exerciser. You work on pulling it back every day to strengthen your draw arm. You'll probably find yourself using muscles you didn't know you had, but eventually you will definitely be able to pull back more weight. Remember that some bow dealers will try to sell you anything they can, so ask around and go to the archery shop with a very good reputation.

Once you have found a bow with a weight that is right for you, you next have to find your anchor point. This is the place on your chin that you draw to every time. The salesman will have you hold the string with your fingers in the proper grip, draw it back, and then place your fingers against your cheek with the string drawn. Individuals have different anchor points, so it will be up to you to tell the salesman what feels comfortable and what does not. If you see a bow you like but they don't have your correct size, do not just go ahead and get it anyway. Look around and see if there are any others in the store that would suit you, or get in touch with the manufacturer of the bow.

There are things to compare when shopping for your first bow for archery. How heavy is the bow when you are holding it? If it's too heavy then it's going to really tear up your arms when you shoot it or have to walk around with it all day. Is the bow well made and of high quality? There is no use in buying a cheapo bow, you'll just be throwing away your money in the long run.

A bow for archery is a major purchase and should be chosen with care. Check for cracks and fissures on the bow and its limbs. Sometimes bows get dry-fired in the bow shops. Never buy a broken bow. Cracked limbs, loose cams, and splitting bow strings can cause injury to you or anyone who is around you. Make your inspection of the bow a very thorough one.

Consider also whether or not the bow will be easy to setup and maintain. Newbie archers make the very bad mistake of biting off more than they can chew and end up with a bow that is very high maintenance. Ask the salesman for product information if you aren't sure.