Hello, I am looking buying my first bow. It's used and doesn't have cams on it. Does having cams on the bow make a big difference? A friend told me not to buy it because it is a older bow and doesn't have cams. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!
Most older bows don't have cams and killed deer and targets for year! It's ok if it doesn't, just not fast. It'll be fine. Anything to get u started is better than nothing. As long as nothing breaks and gives u a bad vibe. good luck
Without cams it's a recurve or a longbow. I started with and killed many deer with a recurve and still shoot one in my back yard occasionally today. However, with all of the advances in technology, I do enjoy the benefits of a newer compound bow. I would go to a good bow shop and talk to them and start shooting as many of them as you can. It's a fun journey that you are beginning.
Without cams ? a longbow or recurve? ....... I have my first compound it has two wheels on it. PSE, Cost $79 bare bones! It'll still kill!
Just because it doesn't have cams does not mean it is a recurve or a long bow Mathews htr is a no cam bow it just has two wheels on it. I would recommend finding a Mathews dealer they are great bows. They are a little pricy though so if you don't want to spend about $1200 to $1600 on a bow I would go another route
I probably wouldn't buy it. Simply put,you can buy even an old Hoyt for $200 and it will most likely shoot better than something without cams. Is it a recurve ?
For your first bow, I would recommend you buy a new a ''Ready to shoot'' package. Look up online for the main companies so you get an idea what they are and at what price they come. Hoyt / Bear / Mathews / PSE ...etc... Then go to a local dealer and see what they have. You need help from a Pro shop, or at least from someone who knows archery to help you choose, get the right Draw Length and Weight for your shape, as well as to what kind of use you want from that first bow. If you don't get proper help, you might end up like I did, and buy a bow with the wrong draw length, which let to poor shooting position which let to a bad shot on my first moose... Most people still want way too much money for their old bows, because they paid a lot back then and they also have some kind of attachment to their old bow. Regarding the difference between cams or no cams (or wheel). You are taking about compound bows and traditional bows (Just a stick and a string...) A compound bow is much easier to shoot, more accurate and has a ''Let Off'', meaning that when at full draw, a 70 pounds bow will drop down 70 to 80% of that weight, leaving you with 14 to 21 pounds of weight to hold before you shoot. A traditional bow (without cams of wheels) at 70 pounds weight, you will hold 70 pounds all the way, until you take your shot. So much more difficult to hold for a long period of time. Hope this helps...
PSE stinger or Brute Force is a great entry level bow. I would avoid used bows as your first one but you can find great deals on used bows at pro shops. In my opinion, if your looking at getting into it, put the money down now for a new one and you will thank yourself in the long run.
My bow is an old Matthews single cam, it's about 7-9 years old and probably worth about 200-250 bucks but man I love it and it more then gets the job done, if you can find a pro shop, go there and try every bow you can.
I would definitely buy something u can make adjustments to yourself without a bow press. Also something you wouldn't be to upset about with a couple dings on it because it's going to take some time to get used to and u will change a few things before your set in your ways I had a bear strike as my first then upgraded from there
I think you need to clarify your question. There are 2 ways to read your question. Are you talking about a traditional/recurve bow like: Or an older compound bow like: To answer your question about cams on a bow, Yes cams make a difference only in power/speed. You can still be accurate with an older bow with only guide wheels.
I bought my AlphaMax used for $250 with a hard case and a dozen arrows/broadheads. This is fully loaded with rest, sight, stabilizer, quiver. If you look around you can find good deals. I keep hoping I'll find the same deal on a Carbon Defiant.
