2005 Parker Buckshot Short-Draw Bow Package - Ready-to-Shoot w/EVERYTHING for $419

Special Pro-Shop Services: O/S Custom Strings

20+ Lbs. of Adjustment - One Set of Limbs

We talk to countless parents each season who would consider investing in good quality archery equipment for their sons or daughters, but they don't want the kids to outgrow the equipment in just a season or two. We understand this is a valid concern. Cheap plastic toy bows are one thing......but good quality micro-class compound bow setups are quite another. And it just isn't reasonable to be replacing a young shooter's $200+ setup every year or two. As a kid's strength (draw weight) and draw length increase, a good youth bow must be capable of growing with them. If not, it must be upgraded or replaced.

So, the obvious solution is to design a bow with more on-board adjustment capabilities. And with regards to draw length, bow manufacturers have indeed done a great job. Many of today's popular youth bows have large sweeping draw length ranges (usually via a sliding module system). So as the child gets taller and taller, the draw length can be easily "let-out" to accommodate their increasing size.

But the issue of DRAW WEIGHT has always been more problematic. Virtually all bows, even youth bows, come with only a 10 pound draw weight adjustment range. A compound bow's draw weight is chiefly controlled by the bow's limbs and the deflection (pre-bend) placed on those limbs. The stiffer the limb, the more draw weight the bow will have. And while a bow's limb can be made with virtually any stiffness, the properties of the limb materials and the design of most limb cups only allow a typical limb set to be adjusted within a narrow 10 pound draw weight range. On most youth bows, you must pick 20-30# limbs, or 30-40# limbs, or 40-50# limbs to start.

So if your youngster is capable of pulling 25 lbs. of draw weight, and you choose a 20-30# bow, you'll only be able to adjust the bow up to it's 30# maximum. So what happens the next year? Or two years later, when the bigger/stronger youngster is able to pull perhaps 35 or 40#? In most cases, the bow would need to be replaced or have heavier limbs installed (assuming heavier limbs are still available when you need them). And unfortunately, the cost of new limbs is often $100 or more including installation.

So if you're thinking that there must be a better solution, we agree with you. This is why we now offer our micro-class compound bows with an O/S Custom String Option.

Recommended Draw Weight Ranges for Micro-Class Compound Bows
Very Small Child (55-70 lbs.)	10-15 lbs.
Small Child (70-100 lbs.)	15-25 lbs.
Larger Child (100-130 lbs.)	25-35 lbs.
Small Frame Women (100-130 lbs.)	25-35 lbs.
Med. Frame Women (130-160 lbs)	30-40 lbs.
Athletic Older Child (Boys 130-150 lbs.)	40-50 lbs.
Small Frame Men (120-150 lbs.)	45-55 lbs.

For a standard factory-built bow, there is no visual difference in a 20-30#, a 30-40#, or a 40-50# bow. They all look the same. Regardless of which limb (stiffness) is installed, the bow's axle-to-axle length, brace height, and string specifications remain constant. This keeps the bow's advertised specifications neat and tidy. But this also means you're stuck with a narrow 10 lb. range of draw weight adjustment on any particular set of limbs.

O/S Custom Strings: How it Works
The "O/S" stands for "oversize". O/S custom strings are simply custom made longer-than-standard strings and/or control cables which are designed to decrease a bow's standard limb deflection (pre-bend). As we mentioned earlier, a bow's draw weight is determined by the stiffness and amount of pre-bend in the bow's limb. And while only a limb change can alter the limb stiffness, careful manipulation of the string/cable lengths can safely decrease the static limb deflection - and lower the bow's draw weight range.

For a typical twin-cam bow, installing .50-.75" O/S buss-cables will decrease the bow's peak weight by approximately 10 lbs., effectively converting a 40-50# bow, for example, into a 30-40# bow. Of course, the process is more complex when working with single and hybrid cam bows. For single and hybrid systems, all the string elements must be changed, as cam timing and nock travel issues prevent simple cable changes. But for a regular twin-cam bow, it's an easy modification that allows growing kids to get twice as much service-time from their new compound bows.

Can I Convert the Bow Back to "Original"?
Yes. In fact, that's the point of the entire concept. When we perform an O/S Custom String modification, we build entirely new strings and/or cables to install on the bow. But we also include the bow's original factory strings separately for you to keep. And when your child is ready to graduate from the lower (modified) weight range up to the bow's original weight range, you can just remove the O/S Custom strings, re-install the original factory strings.....and viola! The bow will be back to it's original specifications.

What is the cost of this service?
There is an initial charge ($20 for twin-cam bows, $40 for single & hybrid cams bows) for the O/S Custom String option. But in the long-run, it really costs you nothing. In most cases, by the time your youngster is ready to move-up to the heavier draw weight range, it will be about time to change the strings anyway - as a matter of good maintenance. But instead of buying new strings, you'll already have the bow's original strings which you can use. So in the end, the O/S Custom String job really is a money-saver in more ways than one.

How do the O/S Custom Strings Affect the Bow's Specifications?
Typically, installing O/S Custom Strings slightly increases the bow's axle-to-axle length, and slightly decreases the bow's brace height and draw length range. Here is an example of how a .625" O/S Custom String Job affects the specifications on the popular Parker Buckshot micro-class bow.

Parker Buckshot Original Strings		Parker Buckshot O/S Custom Strings +.625"
Bow Specifications (Phase Two)		Bow Specifications (Phase One)
Axle-to-Axle:	32"	Axle-to-Axle:	32.5"
Brace Height:	6.0"	Brace Height:	5.75"
Draw Range:	18-28"	Draw Range:	17-27"
Weight Ranges:	20-30, 30-40, 40-50#	Weight Ranges:	10-20, 20-30, 30-40#
Physical Weight:	2.7 lbs	Physical Weight:	2.7 lbs
Finish:	Big Woods Camo	Finish:	Big Woods Camo
Grip:	1-PC Molded	Grip:	1-PC Molded
Eccentrics:	Twin Cams	Eccentrics:	Twin Cams
Warranty:	Lifetime	Warranty:	Lifetime

How do I order a Bow with O/S Custom Strings?
If you are ordering a Ready-to-Shoot™ youth bow package, you can select this option at check-out. To get the maximum benefit from the O/S option, choose an initial draw weight - leaving the most possible room to adjust upward. So if your youngster can comfortably pull 20 lbs. now, you should select "30-40# Modified to 20-30#" and request that the bow be set for it's minimum draw weight of 20 lbs. That will effectively give you 20 lbs. of upward adjustment (10 lbs. as delivered, and 10 more lbs. later with the original strings reinstalled).

If you are ordering a youth bow that isn't part of our Ready-to-Shoot program, please call our pro-shop at 877-410-7811 and one of our technicians will gladly help you order your new micro-class bow with the O/S Custom String option.

Can Micro-Class Bows be Used for Big-Game Hunting?
In most states, yes! Some states require a compound bow to meet certain draw weight minimums in order to hunt large game like Whitetail Deer. Check with your state's governing agencies, and always observe the rules and regulations for legally harvesting game in your state. In some states, for example, a bow must have a draw weight of at least 40# in order to hunt big game. If you have an aspiring young bowhunter, the O/S Custom String program would allow you to avoid buying a "learner" bow and then a "hunting" bow later. Again, if your youngster can comfortably pull say 20 lbs. now, you should select "30-40# Modified to 20-30#" and request that the bow be set for it's minimum draw weight of 20 lbs. But by the time the young shooter works-up to the 40# max on the bow, he or she will have a legal hunting bow.

Can the O/S String Technique be used to INCREASE a bow's draw weight?
No. Reducing a bow's limb deflection is perfectly safe, as it actually reduces the stress on the limbs. But deliberately manipulating string specifications to increase a bow's limb deflection beyond the factory settings is not recommended, as that imparts more stress on the limbs - which could result in limb failures.