Returning to archery with old kit

Merlin83b

Member
Hello all, long time member, haven't posted (or read, or... anything) for a decade or more. I'm thinking of getting back into shooting and want to check that there's no issue with all the old kit I have, bought around 2005:

Samick Agulla riser (25")
Samick Universal limbs (36lbs)
Cartel Fast string (12 ply, 68" length)
Cartel basic sight, though the pin has broken so I'll get a replacement for that
Easton Jazz 1916 arrows (aluminium)
Cartel Triple 700 A-5 arrows (carbon)
An Archery Interchange 2006 pin badge stuck in my quiver.

A button, a rest, a clicker, but I figure (I hope!) I can't go too wrong with those.

I'm going to get in touch with Bowmen of Bruntwood based in Cheadle (just South of Manchester) as I don't live far from there now and see when they shoot etc. New Century Bowmen are only a touch further away so that's an option, too.

So... any advice for someone coming back to the sport? Any recommendations on either of those clubs?
 

Steve1968

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
Hi Merlin83b, welcome back. I've recently returned to archery after approx 12yr break.
The equipment you list should be ok to shoot with. However, I would give your string a really good look over and rewax it, although probably better to buy a new one or two. Check your arrows for any splits/cracks or other damage, especially the carbon arrows, also have a close look at the nocks, discard any that are damaged or cracked.
Check all the limb pockets and limb bolts etc, check the riser and limbs for any possible cracks. Check that the pressure button still operates smoothly and that the springs have not started to rust etc.

These are just the basic checks that I carry out pretty much every week. As your equipment was bought approx 16yrs ago I would definitely buy new strings, just to be on the safe side.

The Samick Agulla is not a bad bow, I used to have one and shot quite well with it.
Good luck with your shooting.
 

dvd8n

Supporter
Supporter
AIUK Saviour
To be honest, I'd just buy a new string and replace all nocks. Then give the limbs a thorough inspection for cracks; they should be fine but better safe than sorry.

The equipment should be perfectly serviceable for a return to archery; there may be better kit available now but what you have will shoot just as well as it did 15 years ago.
 

Stretch

Well-known member
I would second the replacement of the nocks. While in theory they should be OK it’s not worth the risk. Hard to tell if the polycarbonate is still sound - sometimes it goes cloudy, other times it just goes.

They’re ”probably” OK but...

Everything else will be fine. Wouldn’t do any harm to replace the string.

Stretch
 

Merlin83b

Member
Iirc that was for the NOCO 2006 shoot at Adel. There's a purple version that was produced for the SOCO shoot.
Were they really 16 years ago! o_O
Yeah that could have been it - I know I attended a few shoots outside Eccles, where I was shooting at the time.

Nope, just 15 years. Much better!
 

Whitehart

Well-known member
The equipment should be perfectly serviceable for a return to archery; there may be better kit available now but what you have will shoot just as well as it did 15 years ago.
Guy walks in to the shop - " can you have a look at my equipment it is not shooting very well I am not getting the scores I expected"

Staff member "Yes, no problem, sorry I can't see any issues, maybe a new string is required it is a bit old and tatty"

Customer "Oh are you sure there is definitely something wrong it shot great when I used it before this weekend"

Staff member "have you changed anything, how long ago was it"

Customer "No I put it together exactly the same as I did 17 years ago"

Staff member trying not to laugh "well it that case it must be you, 17 years is a long time lets go and see you shoot"

True story :)
 

KidCurry

Well-known member
AIUK Saviour
Expecting to shoot better than your PB no matter how much or little shooting practice you have done is a universal constant. Einstein wrote a paper on it but it was immediately used to wipe up a coffee spill.
 

Geophys2

Active member
AIUK Saviour
Oh yes shooting better than my PB is a universal constant, but when I do shoot a PB it's usually when I'm not expecting to.
 
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