Best Compound Bow For Target Shooting

Archery is a wonderfully rewarding sport enjoyed by many. However, if you want to enter some of the more top-level competitions or even aspire to one day shoot at the Olympics, you might have to bid your barebow, longbow, flatbow, and horse bow goodbye. 

That’s because to shoot at the top level, you need the more accurate scores that the recurve and compound bows give you. It can be tricky choosing between a recurve and a compound, however, the creme de la creme of bows is undoubtedly the compound.

But if you’re new to compound bows, how can you be sure that you’ve found the best compound bow for target shooting? Not to worry, we’ve researched and reviewed hundreds of compound bows to whittle it down to the best 5 compound bows available. 

You can rest assured that these compound bows will have everything you need in terms of accuracy for those top scores at local competitions, and who knows? We may even get to see you shoot at the Olympics one day!

Whichever bow you pick, it’s very important to remember never to dry fire it. This is when you let loose of the bow after drawing it when there’s no arrow nocked on the string. This can damage any bow, and with a powerful compound, it could be incredibly dangerous – especially with heavier poundage.

In a hurry? Take a look at our top pick below.

1. Bear Archery Cruzer G2 Compound Bow

The Bear Archery Cruzer G2 compound bow is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a versatile compound. This particular compound bow is suitable for all ages and skill levels, which means it will be a great choice if you’re looking for your first compound.

You can easily adjust the draw length range and draw weight to suit your skills as they grow, helping you to achieve the accurate scores you’re after.

You can easily adjust the draw length of the Cruzer G2 compound bow from 12 inches to 30 inches, making it a great fit for you regardless of your arm length.

You can adjust the poundage of the bow from 5 pounds to up to a whopping 70 pounds. This is a great feature to look for in a compound bow, especially if you’re new to this style of bow. 

Compound bows are capable of higher poundage than other bows and may take a while to get used to if you haven’t shot compound before. A bow that lets you adjust its poundage means you won’t have to upgrade to a more expensive bow once you’ve excelled its maximum poundage.

In fact, most compound bows aren’t allowed to exceed 60 pounds during competitions, so this particular bow gives you more than enough room to play with.

What’s really great about this particular compound bow is that it comes with 6 Trophy Ridge accessories to give you more accurate shooting. There’s a quiver included, a sight, a whisker biscuit, stabilizer, peep sight, and a nock loop.

This whole range of accessories gives you more than enough additional features to play with on your bow, and you can find the best setup for your target shooting needs. The 2 sights, whisker biscuit, and stabilizer all combine to help you be more accurate with your shooting.

Another great feature of this particular bow is that it comes in a range of 7 different colors, as well as both left and right hand bows. This means that you can find the best handed bow for your needs, and won’t have to compromise by learning how to shoot using your non-dominant hand. You can also choose the best color that suits your taste and style.

A handy feature of the Cruzer G2 compound bow is that it can be adjusted using a hex key. This means you won’t have to fork out extra money for a bow press to make the necessary adjustments to your new compound bow.

A hex key is a much more affordable tool than a bow press, which can often be a pricy addition on top of your already pricy new bow.

Pros:

• Versatile compound bow; can be adjusted to suit any adult at any skill level
• Adjust draw length and weight; find the most comfortable poundage for your draw length
• Suitable for competitions; poundage adjustable from 5 to 70 pounds
• 6 accessories included; covers all the compound essentials in one purchase
• Left or right hand; choose to suit your dominant hand
• Hex key adjustable; no need to buy a bow press to make adjustments or for maintenance

Cons:

• Better suited for beginners; if you want to get serious about competition shooting, you will need to upgrade aspects of the bow over time.

Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2. Diamond Archery Infinite Edge Compound Bow

The Diamond Archery Infinite Edge compound bow is another excellent choice for beginners. This particular bow also allows you to adjust the draw weight from 5 pounds to 70 pounds, meaning your bow can grow with you as you get more used to shooting at the heavier weights.

It also makes it the perfect choice for competitions as it can achieve the 60 pounds that you’ll need.

Another great feature of the Infinite Edge compound bow is that it comes with a wide draw length range. You can adjust the draw length of the bow between 13 to 31 inches to suit your shooting style.

This makes it a great fit for beginners as the more you get used to shooting, the further back you draw, as you grow more comfortable with your bow.

The Infinite Edge compound bow features a synchronized binary cam system for more accurate shooting. The 2 cams are perfectly symmetrical and move in synchronization together for flawless nock travel.

So you’ll be able to get the maximum accuracy from your new compound bow without having to worry about adjusting it. This particular bow can fire arrows at a rate of 310 feet per second.

The bow also features an integral stabilizer to help you create the perfect balance you need for a steadier shot.

Diamond Archery has also made this particular bow available in two great colors, as well as in both left and right handed versions.

This means you can pick the best bow for your needs, rather than have to learn to shoot with a right handed bow if you’re left handed or vice versa.

Pros:

• Excellent beginner compound; fully adjustable to suit your skills as you grow
• Synchronized cam system; for more accurate shooting
• Left or right handed; choose the best bow for your dominant hand

Cons:

• No additional accessories; you’ll need to buy things like sights and a whisker biscuit

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

3. Sanlida Archery Dragon X8 Compound Bow

The Sanlida Archery Dragon X8 compound bow is the perfect pick for those looking for a more budget bow to help them get started with shooting compound.

This particular bow comes in at a competitive price but with some great features to suit any beginner compound archer. Ideal if you’ve got your heart set on a compound, but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a bow.

The Dragon X8 compound bow is fully adjustable to suit any skill level. You can easily adjust the draw length between 18 to 31 inches to suit your draw. You can also adjust the draw weight to create a more comfortable bow for you to use during target shooting.

The draw weight can be adjusted between 0 to 70 pounds for you to adjust your shooting style – and all without a bow press! All you need is the hex key which comes included with the bow.

This particular bow is ideal for a beginner as it comes with a range of accessories and attachments all in one package.

Perfect if you’re not entirely sure what types of sights or stabilizers you need to get more accurate scores. Sanlida Archery has included a 5-pin sight, arrow rest, wrist sling, hex key, peep sight, and stabilizer.

Pros:

• Budget-friendly; no need to spend thousands of dollars on a compound bow
• Fully adjustable; ideal for any skill level without a bow press
• Accessories included; includes all the compound essentials for beginners

Cons:

• Right handed; no left handed equivalent is available

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4. Compound Bow Topoint Archery Package

The Compound Bow Topoint archery package has been designed with beginners in mind. This particular compound bow package includes several different accessories that will be essential for shooting – even the carbon arrows you need! 

Included with the compound bow is a 5-pin sight, brush arrow rest, rubber stabilizer, release aid, D-loop, peep sight, hex keys, bow stand, quiver, arrow puller, 18 30 inch carbon arrows, and limb dampers.

You get over $200 worth of additional accessories to give you everything you could possibly need to get shooting.

This particular compound bow is also fully adjustable. The draw length can be adjusted from between 19 to 30 inches to suit your shooting needs.

The draw weight can be adjusted between 19 to 70 pounds, so you can find the perfect shooting setup for you. This adjustable nature means you can increase the poundage as you get used to your new bow over time.

It’s also adjustable without a bow press – you can adjust the bow as you need to using the included hex keys.

Another great feature of this particular bow is that it’s available in a range of colors. You can choose between 5 great colors to match your style and personality.

Choose between black, black camo, forest camo, muddy girl, and snow camo. The bow itself is a right handed compound bow.

Pros:

• Perfect for beginners; fully adjustable to suit your skill level
• No bow press needed; easily adjust using the included hex keys
• Included accessories; over $200 worth of essential equipment
• Adjustable poundage; choose between 19 and 70 pounds
• 5 colors to choose from; suit your individual style

Cons:

• Only right handed; no left handed compound bow available

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

5. Topoint Trigon Compound Bow

Topoint Archery has created a compound bow package that will be ideal for any beginner.

This particular package includes the Topoint Archery Trigon compound bow, braided bow sling, quiver, D-loop, peep sight, bow stand, arrow puller, bowstring wax, hex key, target paper, and a soft carry case. You’ll have everything you could ever need for shooting included in this one great package.

This particular bow is right handed and is available in 4 great colors. Choose between black, forest camo, red, and snow camo to suit your individual style. Perfect if you want a bow that’s more personalized to you rather than a standard color.

The Trigon bow is also fully adjustable, making it the perfect fit for a beginner. The draw length can be adjusted between 19 to 30 inches to suit your individual shooting style.

The poundage of the bow can be adjusted between 19 to 70 pounds. This will be essential if you want a compound bow that can grow with you as you get more used to target shooting.

You also don’t need a bow press to adjust any aspect of the bow. All you need is the hex key which comes included with the compound bow package. Perfect if you don’t want to have to spend more money on additional accessories!

Pros:

• Beginner package; includes all the archery essentials you need
• Fully adjustable; easily adjust your new compound bow to your skill level
• Easy to adjust; no bow press needed
• 4 colors available; choose a bow to meet your style

Cons:

• Right handed compound bow; no left handed alternative

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Buyer’s Guide

Choosing the best compound bow for target shooting can be tricky if you’re new to archery and don’t really know what to look for.

There are so many different features you’ve got to think of to ensure that you’ve found the right bow for your needs!

We’ve put together everything you need to think about when it comes to choosing the best compound bow for you. Whether that’s price, poundage, additional accessories – we’ve covered everything you need to know.

Take a look at all you need to think about below or skip ahead to the frequently asked questions.

Poundage

One of the most important factors to think about when choosing the best compound bow for target shooting is the maximum poundage that you would like to have. This is the weight of the bow that you feel when you draw back.

While it may be tempting to opt for a higher poundage bow, you should opt for a bow that has a draw weight you will be comfortable pulling back consistently.

If you opt for a compound bow that comes with a higher poundage, it will tire you out quicker, which will shorten the length of your target practice.

This will especially be an issue if you take up competitions, as you will need to be able to draw back your new bow for the entirety of the competition comfortably to get the high scores you’re after.

If you’re buying your first compound bow, you should opt for a smaller, more comfortable draw weight until you get used to the compound style. You can also ask a friend in your local archery club to see if they’ll let you have a go with their compound bow to see what poundage would be best for you. 

It’s important to remember that compound bows are slightly different to recurve and barebow in terms of draw weight. Whereas with recurve and barebow you’re having to constantly hold the bow at its maximum draw weight, a compound bow locks into place at a more comfortable draw weight so that you can be more accurate. 

So while the bow will feel heavier to draw back at first, once it’s at full draw you can hold it more comfortably at a smaller poundage thanks to the cams system, then use the release aid to shoot once you’ve aimed at the target.

Another factor to consider is that several compound bows allow you to adjust the poundage so that you can find the perfect setup for you and your target shooting. This will be a handy feature to look for if you’re looking for your first compound bow for target shooting, as your bow can grow with your capabilities.

Adjustable

Over time you will need to do maintenance on your compound bow to ensure that it’s in shooting shape.

You won’t want to shoot with an unmaintained bow, as this could break and damage yourself or others nearby. However, compound bows have constant tension on the bowstring to achieve those higher poundages.

Take a look at what is needed to be able to adjust the bow. A lot of compound bows need a bow press to take tension away from the string so you can perform maintenance tasks, whereas others need a hex key to adjust things like draw length and weight.

If you want a bow that can be adjusted to suit your shooting style, you’ll need to know how exactly you can change everything that you need to.

If your compound bow needs a bow press to adjust its features, this will most likely need to be bought separately. Bow presses are also a lot more expensive than hex keys.

Left or right handed

One of the other important factors to bear in mind when choosing a compound bow is whether they have a left or right handed riser.

While it is possible to shoot with a left handed bow if you’re right handed or vice versa, it won’t come as naturally to you as if you were to shoot with the bow that suits your dominant hand.

Take a look at your chosen bow and see if it’s available with a riser that suits your dominant hand. You will find this much easier to use than trying to train your brain to get used to the different handed bow!

Draw length

Another figure to consider is to find a bow that matches your draw length. Beginners tend to overdraw when they’re first getting used to shooting, so you should choose a bow that’s going to be able to suit your draw length as you get used to archery. 

A compound bow that allows you to adjust its draw length means that you can continue using it as you get better at shooting more comfortably.

Additional accessories

One crucial thing to know about compound bows is that their accuracy tends to also rely on the additional accessories that you attach to the bow. This includes the sights you choose to use, the stabilizers you use, as well as many others. 

Naturally, this can make choosing the best compound bow for target shooting a very expensive endeavor. Not to mention buying your carbon arrows (never aluminum for compound bows as these won’t be able to cope with the higher poundage), quiver, release aid, arrows case, bow stand, or bow case.

So the more additional accessories you can get with your chosen compound bow, the better! It is of course no guarantee that they will be the top notch accessories you’ll want to get as a more experienced compound archer, however, these can be a great starting point for beginners.

It means having to buy fewer things upfront and allows you to figure out which additional accessories you would prefer to invest your money in.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a target compound bow?

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best compound bow for target shooting. 

You will need to consider whether you’re left or right handed; what your draw length is; what poundage you want your compound bow to be; whether the bow itself is adjustable and also what tools you need to adjust it; and what additional accessories you will need to buy with it to complete your archery kit.

Once you’ve got the answers to all these questions, you will better know which compound bow will suit your needs.

Which is better: recurve or compound bow?

It’s tricky to determine which bow is better, as they each come with merits and drawbacks of their own. For instance, some people prefer the simplicity of a barebow as you then don’t have to fuss around with adjusting sights to keep getting consistent scores. You might prefer the sleek look of a recurve bow to the more complicated compound.

In terms of accuracy, both compound and recurve are highly accurate. Even to the point where compound bows will get docked points in competitions for the scores they lose! 

The compound bow just about pips the recurve to the post in terms of accuracy, however. These come with a whole range of sights to help you become more accurate, and in competitions, compound bows have a separate 10 score to recurve and other bows. 

If you’re looking for the most accurate bow, that would be the compound. However, it often comes with a steep price tag to match, and you may need to buy additional sights and other accessories to find the perfect compound setup for you.

Should I start with a compound or recurve bow?

This entirely depends on where you are in terms of your archery journey and what you hope to achieve.

Both bows are highly accurate thanks to the various sights, weights, and other attachments they can have added to them. A truly accurate bow will have the right kind of attachments to complement your shooting style to help you achieve those higher scores. 

If you’re very new to archery or haven’t even started shooting yet, there’s no reason you couldn’t start with the more accurate compound bow, however, this can be tricky to master even for seasoned archers who are used to different bows. 

The shooting style is slightly different with a recurve. Compound bows are also a lot more expensive than recurve.

If you’re just starting with archery, then it might be a good idea to consider shooting with a recurve first, until you get better acquainted with shooting.