Buying a Bow

[Blackcat]

Sorry I know this has been asked before but does anyone know anywhere in Scotland where I can buy my first bow. I want to do this right so am not willing to buy online as I am not sure about getting arrows tuned or my full (correct) draw length etc. Not been at this long so sorry again I'm just trying to learn . I believe Cluny Clays is shut down and the only other place I've heard of is Borders Bows but they are about 250 miles away.

[Kae]

Originally Posted by Blackcat

Sorry I know this has been asked before but does anyone know anywhere in Scotland where I can buy my first bow. I want to do this right so am not willing to buy online as I am not sure about getting arrows tuned or my full (correct) draw length etc. Not been at this long so sorry again I'm just trying to learn . I believe Cluny Clays is shut down and the only other place I've heard of is Borders Bows but they are about 250 miles away.

I can't really help with your needs i'm afraid, apart from give a recommendation for Border Limbs. I feel they make THE best limbs available for recurve archers. Even the basic limb, the TXB outperforms a Hoyt G3 of similar spec, and I find them to be much more stable.
However, the risers (made by Merlin for Border) aren't particularly good, (in fact some of them are terrible) and you can get much better risers for the money.

You've got the right idea as well, buying online is a big problem for beginner archers, and your definectly best going to a recommended retailer, I just don't know of one in your area.

Not much help i'm afraid,

Kae.

[Blackcat]

Thanks Kae, can you or anyone suggest a good riser. I have an old Quicks catalogue I have been looking at but don't have a clue, I have about £400 to spend on the full kit including sites arrows and all the rest that seems to be required. I currently shoot a 26lbs bow at 26inch draw and its a bit too light for me but right draw length at least I think it is (could be totally wrong there).

[Kae]

I'd recommend that you spend a bit more on the riser, and go with cheap limbs as your likely to change these over the next couple of years as you increase in draw weight.

My personal preference is for Hoyt Risers, specifically the Hoyt GM and Eclipse. The GM is Hoyts old entry level riser (although it has many olympic gold medals to its name), and the Eclipse is the new one.
Unfortunately the Eclipse isn't being made at the moment due to the factory that produces it closing down, although manufacture will continue eventually, you are limited to what's in stock.

Kae.

[Russ]

Border has a great reputation for their traditional bows and recurve limbs; their reputation for customer service is absolutely top class. That said, it might be ambitious for a beginner to go that route - it's really high-level equipment (at a correspondingly high - albeit fair - price), and there are so many good value intermediate bows out there in a more forgiving price range.

If the problem is getting to somewhere where you can try them, all I can say is: find a way, you won't be sorry. I agree with Kae, you've got the right idea going to a good shop in person. I took a day off work & made a 7-hour round trip by train and bus to buy my first bow, and it was well worth the time & effort. (Funny enough, for the same amount of time and only a bit more money I probably could have flown to the UK to buy it, too.)

Where in the Highlands are you? Is there a club in your area? Anyone to give advice or help you measure draw length? How long have you been shooting and what kind of bow? If you're just starting out, then once you have a bow and have figured your draw length and poundage (i.e. what you actually draw on the fingers), choosing the right beginner arrows is pretty straightforward; this you probably could do over the internet or phone.

You could have a look at this forum: http://www.archery-interchange.com/f...splay.php?f=66 and see which (if any) of the recommended dealers you might reasonably make a day-trip to visit. Good luck!

[Blackcat]

Russ & Kae thank you for your advice. Ive been in the local field club here in Inverness for 10 weeks and they have been excellent, my problem is I'm a left handed archer and need a higher poundage than the club can supply with their bows although they are making every effort to help me. The club has very few left handers so there's no range availible for me to try. Until I get a bow set up for me and buy my own kit and get correctly measured I have to shoot whats there (but thats ok I'm loving it). I'm on a KAP evo 2 bow just now and it does feel really nice in my hand but don't want to jump and buy one too soon. I am having a one on one soon with a very experienced archer and he should help with this but he has said I need a better bow and stabliser.

[Keithie]

You could try Eastcote House Archery Centre, just outside Hawick.

http://www.eastcote-archery.co.uk/

[cestria]

Originally Posted by Keithie

You could try Eastcote House Archery Centre, just outside Hawick.

http://www.eastcote-archery.co.uk/

If you're as far as the Borders, Eascote House and Border are nearly neigbours