Reddit mentions: The best archery accessories

You have a lot of options to go on the cheap. I mean actually cheap. They won't feel premium or awe inspiring but you can still get quite good (I'm currently retraining myself to use thumb, so I have both those bows below but I have the 18lbs version of the snake)
You can try the famous Snake Bow, or the Youth Titan Bow, Both capable of being drawn to 31" safely, both capable of shooting on the left or right side. Perfect for finding your particular style before choosing better equipment. Both have a reputation of being tanks in terms of durability.

I recommend This armguard

As for arrows, there are a lot of amazon sellers, with 25~30lbs being the kind of weight you want to start with, most of the sellers on amazon give you okay-ish arrows to start, I wouldn't get the cheapest option but if I had to choose, I'd get these. Do not expect to be splitting arrows though.


If you chose those 3 options, that's about 100$ leaving 50$ for a tab, back quiver or target bag. Tab/target bag should be the higher priority, all 3 would be best.


These bows and arrows I linked are for, real budget entry level "I've never shot a bow before" archers. Easy enough to pull, forgiving and more forgiving on the wallet.

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At least I think so.

A shop would be best, they can set it up for you. Next would be Amazon - returns are pretty easy if there's any problem. I'd put CL last of all, since it's too easy to get scammed.

Horsebows are available on Amazon as well, at fairly inexpensive prices but with decent quality. The bow limbs will of course be fibreglass, but the handle and siyahs are usually wood. I got the Magyar horsebow, which I'm extremely happy with, from a highly rated & reviewed seller called "Longbowmaker" who also has a bunch of other horsebow styles available. Although the seller is in China, Amazon usually keeps a US stock on hand. The same seller also sells a very decent quality brass thumb ring. I've heard that you get decent bows on Alibow, but I'm a bit leery about that since from what I have heard it's basically a Chinese Craigslist for bows.

If you're debating which to get first, do what I did - get both together and practice the different techniques (Mediterranean draw vs. thumb draw) together! The thumb draw is also useful on trad recurves if you ever need to use a bow of the opposite handedness from you.

As regards the thumb draw itself, and Asiatic/horsebow archery in general, ATARN is a great resource even though it doesn't seem to have been updated in a while. Here are a couple of good links on the thumb draw technique.

Don't give up! I was in the same position as you! I had an string knock lock take a chunk out of my arm the first time I went shooting, but then I was using a 55# recurve too. It left a scar after it healed.

Grab one or two of these and one of these and you you'll be all set to go shooting with your forearm and fingers protected.

The reason I say to get two of those guards is that some people will take the bar from two and put it on one set of straps to give better coverage. I also find it to be the best guard because it's super light and my arm stays nice and cool.

Ah nice, you'll have all kinds of options then! Lots of people like the B-Stinger stablizers, and I've heard good things about Doinker stabs as well!

If you're okay with a used stabilizer, check around on the Archerytalk classifieds. Can often get a used one in good shape for a better price than brand new.

I hear you buddy! I tried hard for years to build calluses, but never could. (And I know how to suffer through blood blisters, cause I used to dance ballet in pointe shoes!) Eventually I just gave up and started playing with a leather archery glove on my picking hand. If you can't get the calluses to grow it may be a good option. It's certainly cleaner and easier than tape!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003DR0Z0W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You guys helped me out with my first non-face-to-face purchase a few months back, and as promised, this is the result.



Ruger MKiii slab side competition target model. I was told by the seller it was an unmodified safe queen, and when I got it, it did not disappoint.

Put in the Volquartsen trigger / accurizing kit and my certainly-not-competition-grade-but-seems-ok manual trigger pull gauge is putting it at a little under 2lbs. I've managed to adjust the trigger so that, while there's still a little take-up, I have zero over-travel. The kit comes with an extended bolt release, which I like a lot.

Was not loving the factory target grips it came with, so went with some spalted mango wood grips that this guy from Costa Rica makes and sells via eBay. 2 weeks shipping to Canada. Very, very happy with them.

Topped it with a TRS-25.

Took her to the range, put in a 1.5" 10 shot group @ 15 yards with bulk ammo. Happy.

Mine is really old - but this one from Martin is pretty much it.

I trimmed it down to fit my hand, and removed the no-pinch plastic thing (I shoot barebow, so it's really just in my way, it might work for you if you always shoot one finger over, but if not it just pops right out.)

I really don't remember how long it took for my fingers to stop hurting/going numb. I pretty much shot every day when I started out, though, so I think it went by pretty fast. If you find you're consistently hitting to the left, what's probably going on is you're plucking the string a little. As your release gets smoother (basically as you learn to just let go) it gets easier on your fingers.

I have a Goat Tuff fletching jig. Half price compared to a Bitzenburger. Does a great job. I'll probably buy what's considered a better one later, but I'll always have this one. Super simple , works great, and I get compliments on my arrows. Goat Stuff Fletching Jig

Awesome stuff :D

I love everything horror and rock/metal music related :P posters, CDs.. that sort of stuff :P

Simplest pleasure... To sit at the summer cabin.. with a fishing rod in my hands and my iPod at my side playing some good tunes :P

A bow stringer for my bow would be awesome :D I can't use it without one :P

Pandora's Mystery Summer Box of Goodies

I used this string first, but wanted something that had a better contrast than blue on my black center serving:

http://www.amazon.com/Brownell-String-Serving-Multi-Blue/dp/B003WHLCP0/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1420138122&sr=8-11&keywords=serving+thread

So I tried some braided fishing line. I had to get the 90lb test one to get a good thickness. Drawback is that this line is kinda stiff so I had to make end loops and pull it pretty tight.

http://www.amazon.com/Fluorescent-orange-Braided-Fishing-to100LB/dp/B00MGA5VAQ/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1420138203&sr=8-13&keywords=braided+fishing+line

Yay! A fellow leftie.

You might want to pick up some arrow lube. Those skinny arrows can go an awfully long way into the target, lube makes them a damn sight easier to pull out. An arrow puller also helps.

I have the same Shibuya rest and button on mine. Advice I got from people at my club who also use them was to put a tiny upward kink in the rest's wire - maybe 2.5mm / 0.1" from the end - to help keep the arrow on the rest. Also have the tiny allen key that comes with it on hand when you first go out shooting, I had to adjust mine a couple of times until it felt right.

Great accomplishment, looks good! You should put a nock point on that string, I can see that the arrow is nocked very low on the string, causing the limbs to bend unevenly. If you don't have a bow square, you can get away with a framing square. Search for "tied on nock points" on YouTube to learn how to actually apply a nock point. Good luck, and keep makin'. Also, listen for pops or crack sounds coming from your bow, and routinely inspect the belly for chrysals (compression fractures).

I'm brand new too. I got the mandarin Duck Black hunter, waited like two weeks shipping from China then found this on amazon and it's the exact same thing.

I got 40lbs. After shooting i was really sore the next day and thought *shit, did i get too heavy? I'm just shooting targets not looking to take down a deer. After Getting used to it though and my form got better I could shoot more arrows and almost wish I got a tad heavier to shoot from farther away and punch it in. I think 40 is the sweet spot for a guy like you.
when getting arrows with this bow , get feathers, not vanes.
This is what I got as a Brand Noob

Arrows

Wrist guard (I cut it an half) I'm sure there are better ones

Finger tab

The zombies ate my brains yet I was able to come up with a couple items:

• Cricket Bat - not necessarily unusual thanks to Shawn of the Dead, but unusual to own in the US. Would be great for smashing heads.
  
• Sickle - not quite as good for range, but would be good for beheading.
  
• A Spear would be good to keep them at range and run less risk of a bite.
  
• You could be a badass like Tyrese in the Walking Dead comic and use a regular old Claw Hammer
  
• Some leather forearm guards would be good for reducing your chance of a bite while using any melee weapons.
  
• You could also go all Dead Rising and carry around a stack of traffic cones to slap on their heads...
  
  Gotta get back to work, but thanks for this it was amusing...

Here are some links
They should give you some guide to what you are looking for. The fletching kit is rather nice and cheap. (i have one) it works great!

The arrows there are carbon and aluminium variants. I own the aluminium variant and they work fabulously.

The tab is another must have or get yourself a shooting glove


http://www.amazon.com/Bohning-Class-Fletching-Straight-Clamp/dp/B0000AVE3W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407609711&sr=8-2&keywords=fletch+jig


http://www.amazon.com/NuoYa001-Aluminum-feather-40-55lb-Compound/dp/B00K4MNMX6/ref=sr_1_68?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1407609797&sr=1-68

http://www.amazon.com/NuoYa001-Carbon-Streamlined-Feathers-Longbow/dp/B00H8KX32C/ref=sr_1_133?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1407609832&sr=1-133

http://www.amazon.com/Archery-Cowskin-Finger-Shooting-Protector/dp/B00LBU0YKE/ref=sr_1_30?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1407609886&sr=1-30&keywords=archery+tab

Yeah, my guess is that you need to move your nocking point up a bit. Try moving it up in 1/8" increments until your flight looks more stable. Don't go more than 1/2" up from where you are now, though.

The best way to go is to use a bow square and measure out 1/2" above the rest as a starting point, then adjust up and down to tune. I don't know if you have one, though. You might ask the range if you can borrow one.

As far as I know, that much stretch in a bowstring isn't possible with any material I have made strings from. Especially if the bow wasn't braced (strung) when in storage.

It looks like you are using a Flemish twist bowstring, which might be unraveling maybe, which would explain why it is so long now where (presumably) it was perfectly fine before. Get a new bowstring and it will be fine.

Quick edit: If you don't have a local shop, a cheap string like this would probably get you by. Since it looks like a simple wood bow with non-reinforced tips, do not use anything but B50 dacron strings.

Just to elaborate on protective gear. THIS is like the arm guard I use and THIS is like my glove. I am big on not being maimed by my hobbies :-)

Have you looked into something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Bow-Trainer-Strength-Training-Archers/dp/B00B7PFG38

Otherwise, push-ups, rows or pull ups will help to keep the muscles going. The muscle memory without the above... a different story.

Sure.

Here's a little list:

-It can be a good practice to unstring your bow between uses so that it doesnt develop "set" where the limbs remain bent. This one mostly depends on what the bow is made of. Modern materials and laminated woods tend to not have this problem, pure woods do, and horn bows do.

-Use a bow stringer when possible, because otherwise you can risk putting unnessesary strain on the bow. Good ones can go for as little as $10.

Heres the one I use
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002L9C7SQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RRtHDbPX4783V

• store it horizontally, so that both limbs are kept under equal pressure.
  
  -Dont leave it in direct sunlight, or uber high heat.
  
  
• Dry it off if it gets wet. A little water isnt too bad for laminated wood, but should be removed before it reenters storage.

Stringer that's easy to use, inexpensive, and robust: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002L9C7SQ/

Accessories are up to you. Depends on how you plan to shoot - rest vs shelf? Glove vs tab?

Arm guard is a must, pick one you can afford. A cheapo caribiner is nice for keeping your string twisted when your bow is unstrung. A recurve case is a must, to keep all your kit together, no problem with a zippered soft case - especially one that comes with an arrow tube.

String wax is cheap and good to have for both the string and keeping your arrow points from coming unscrewed all the time. A quiver is also a must, and the style is up to your preference.

There's probably a lot more, but this is what I could think of as immediate buys.

Neat! Similarly if you're not looking to spend much you can get one of these low tech scales. http://www.amazon.com/G-P-S-Aluminum-Firearm-Trigger-Scale/dp/B00D79V6UY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Same thing as the others posted, but this time it's actually an amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Bow-Trainer-Strength-Training-Archers/dp/B00B7PFG38/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453405938&sr=8-1&keywords=bow+trainer

http://www.amazon.com/Bow-Trainer-Strength-Training-Archers/dp/B00B7PFG38/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1420577684&sr=1-1&keywords=archery+strength+trainer

i have a hoyt charger, which is a compound bow

If there's no height adjustment possible and it's fitted properly then I can only imagine you'd need to lower the D Loop/Nock point. Photographs are difficult to judge it from. When I set my bow up I used a bow square to align the nocking points so that the arrow is square with the centre of the Berger holes (the two holes in the riser ahead of the arrow rest). But I do have a height adjustable rest which allowed some fine tuning.