Are you enjoying using but also discussing compound bows?
Then you have to know all the parts that compound bow is made of. In addition to that, you also have to know what kind of compound bow accessories are there and what is their purpose. In this article, I will explain terminology and where you can get all you need to upgrade your compound bow.
Things You Need To Know About Bow Parts And Accessories
What Are The Parts Of A Compound Bow?
A compound bow is a recognizable thing. You will probably know what is what when you see bow and arrow, but there is more to it. The compound bow is made of different little parts and each one of them has a specific function. Either that is the cam wheel for smooth draw cycle or it is a grip for more stabile aiming, you have to learn why is it there for.
How The Accecories Help Archer?
Different accessories improve different parts of the bow. You have to know what do you want to improve and add accessories accordingly. Sights can help you aim better, arrow rest to keep your arrow straight while shooting, a stabilizer to make your bow silent and vibrations free. It all depends on your archery style.
Where To Buy The Parts For Compound Bow?
When it comes to parts of the compound bow most people first go to the nearest archery shop. There you can find the necessary parts and professionals to replace them. You can always contact the manufacturer for the information about the spare part that you need. Another option is to look for it in a place like Amazon. There are a variety of options in different price ranges.
Where To Buy Accessories?
Compound bow accessories are a little bit easier to find. Other then your archery shop or official manufacturer, you can get them in most of the stores that sell sports and outdoor equipment. Large choice of the accessories you can get online from places like Amazon where the costumers’ reviews can be of big help.
Best Compound Bow Parts
Bowstrings and Cables
The bowstring is connected through cam wheels on the compound bow. That is the string that you pull and it shots the arrow forward. The distance between the grip on the riser and bowstring is called Brace Height. The shorter brace height is the faster is the arrow, but it is not that forgiving as is when the brace height is wider. The bowstrings are constantly ”working”. They are under great tension and the moment you release the arrow they still vibrate and move.
After some time they become wear-out and it would be good to replace them. You should inspect them before every use and wax them regularly. With proper care and average usage, bowstrings and cables can last for 2 or 3 years. The same compound bow cams are connected with the cables. They are a part of the working compound bow and they don’t touch the arrow.
Compound Bow Grip
You can practice and improve many skills while learning and practicing shooting with a compound bow. The grip is one of the first things you should learn how to do properly. The grip is part of the riser where you hold your bow. You need to hold it so that feels stable and comfortable in your hand. If you hold the bow too tight it will come to the torquing of the bow and you don’t want that because it disrupts your accuracy.
The grip on the riser doesn’t need to have any coating. If your bow is made from aluminum you should be careful because it can get too hot or too cold to hold it. Carbon fiber bow doesn’t have such a big problem with grip, but it is good to add some coating if it is not already installed. It can be made of rubber and it can help you with stability.
Compound Bow Sights
On almost every compound bow on the market today (if not on all of them) you can find the little ring attached on the bowstring. That is a Peep Sight. You look through the peep sight and line it up with the bow sight you are using that is attached to the riser. The peep sight helps you with aiming, but that is not the only thing in charge of that. Like mentioned before, there is another sight on the riser.
The bow sight can be single-pin or multi-pin. A single pin is easily adjusted to a specific distance and it can easily be changed during the time you are using the bow. Multiple-pin sight has 3 to 5 pins that need to be carefully set up before you go to the field. If you want you can add even a compound bow scope in front of the sight.
Compound Bow Arrows
You might think that buying the compound bow can be complicated and that there are a lot of things to take into consideration. Then comes time to buy arrows. Arrows have 4 parts that you need to consider. The Shaft is the length of the arrow and it can be made of wood, aluminum, carbon or mix of those materials. Each one is made for different purposes.
The Arrow Head (Points), the Fletching (three vanes at the back of an arrow made of plastic or feather) and the nock. The nock is the point on the back of an arrow made of plastic. When you find the purpose of the arrow, you have to take all these parts into consideration and make a decision of which are the best arrows for compound bow and for you.
Compound Bow Stabilizer
There is a constant debate about stabilizers – do you need them or not? But if you look at the professionals you will see that most of the use one, some of them even use multiple stabilizers. Stabilizers help you with accuracy and precision. They are not necessary equipment, but if you want consistency in shoots you should use one.
When you pull back the bowstring it takes some time for compound bow and arrow to stabilize and that is where the stabilizer helps – to accomplish balance at the full draw. This is also the part of the compound bow that you choose to your preference. The stabilizers come in different sizes. For the hunters that are closer to the target, or the beginner archer who don’t shoot large distance, the 6-inch stabilizer would be ok. If you are tournament archer shooting 70-yard distance you would need a 30-inch one.
Compound Bow Arrow Rest
Most of the compound bow risers have arrow shelf. That is a little shelf on the riser where you put your arrow while aiming. It does a good job, but depending on the type of archery you are practicing you can use different arrow rests. The arrows rest also help you to hold the arrow in a straight line no matter the position of the bow. It is attached to the riser and it acts as a support shoulder for the arrows.
There are 5 types of arrow rests: Shoot-Thru, Containment, Drop Away, Pressure/Plunger, 3D & Speciality arrow rest. All of them have some advantages and disadvantages and are used for different purposes (hunting, target archery, bowfishing). The most popular one is Drop Away arrow rest because it holds the arrow tightly while you are aiming but the moment you release the bowstring it gets out of the way so that arrow can fly free to the target.
Compound Bow Accessories
Compound BowRelease Aid
To get a clean release you should get a bow release aid. You can always use your fingers to release compound arrows, but it can get messy and it takes a long time to master that skill. That is why the release aid can come handy. There are different kinds of releases. Index finger release is a mechanical release triggered by your index finger.
It has a strap for your wrist so that you can also use the muscles of the hand to hold the arrow before shooting. Thumb trigger release is handheld but you can get a version with a hand strap. The arrow is released with the trigger close to your thumb. There is also a hinge release, resistance activated release and the not mechanical release that is called finger tabs. That one is mostly used by archers who shoot with recurve bows.
Compound Bow Arm Guards And Gloves
If you are an experienced archer or if you are just a beginner safety should always come first. In archery, there are a few things that you should have to protect your self. Gloves are one thing. They help you when the weather is cold but most importantly they keep your fingers protected if while you are shooting arrows. Another important item is the arm guard.
The primary purpose is to protect your arm because you can get hurt if the bowstring is released in the wrong way and you don’t want the sleeves to get in the way. While trying to figure out how to hold your bow properly and how to stand it is recommended to use arm guard. Other than that it is a nice accessory for your arm. You can get it in different styles and different colors.
Compound Bow Broadheads
The broadheads are the tip of the arrows that you attach while hunting. The strength of the broadhead is measured in grains. Most of the hunters use 100-grain heads, but there are options from 75 grain to 300-grain heads. The broadheads come in two different types. You can use fixed blade broadheads. They have a fixed head supported by blades the entire length of the ferrule.
They tend to be more reliable, you can easily replace them, and they are can produce more damage to the target. On the other hand, there are mechanical broadheads. They offer a wider cutting surface because of blades that open when hitting the target. In the end, it comes to the personal preference and the type of hunting arrows for a compound bow that you are using.
Compound Bow Targets
To improve your skills you should practice shooting. It is good to go to the target range, but some don’t have any nearby or it is just a matter of comfort and you want to practice at your home. You want to get the target that can last a long time and that is friendly. That means that it is easy to pull out the arrows. And you don’t want it to damage your arrows. There are a lot of options to choose from. You can start with the most popular one – Bag Target.
It is filled with synthetic material and it offers a large surface to shoot. There are also Foam Block Targets that are durable and easy portable. They are filled with layered foam and they are good for light bow arrows. If you are practicing for hunting you might consider getting a 3D target. Those are foam filled targets in the shape of an animal.
Compound Bow Quiver
No matter the style of archery that you are practicing you want your arrows to be accessible. The quiver comes in different sizes, designs, they can be separated from the bow or attached to it. It is your personal choice which suits you the best. The most traditional one is the back quiver. They can be made of any kind of material. You have to reach back to get your arrows.
This type can be practical for target shooting, but not so much for hunting. It takes a lot of movement to get the arrow out and it can get caught in the tree while in the woods. Another option is the hip quiver. It is close to hand and it is designed with additional pockets for other accessories. You can also get a stand that is not attached to the body but stays next to you. That option is good for tournaments. Maybe the best compound bow quiver is the one that is attached to your bow.
Compound Bow Case
When you buy all these accessories and you are ready to hunt you come to realize that it would be practical to carry all in one case. Luckily there is a big choice of the cases for compound bows. You have to know axle to axle length of your bow and take the case that is a little bit bigger than that.
The next choice you have to make do you want a hard or soft case. Soft cases come at a cheaper price but the compound bow and arrows can damage the case if it’s not quality made. The hard cases are a better choice and they can store more accessories. Usually, there is a special place for all that you have so that everything is secured.
Conclusion: Which Compound Bow Accessories Are You Missing?
Now that you know all that you need to know about the parts and accessories for compound bow, it is time to go shopping. Maybe you already have most of them but if you are just getting started to build up your accessories storage I would recommend to get the compound bow sight for improving your aiming. After that, all you need is to practice so you should consider getting one compound bow target for your backyard.
If you want more information about things you need to know about compound bows, read the review of the top 15 compound bows. You can also find the piece on the subject of the best beginner compound bow and cheap compound bows that are available on the market nowadays.