Image | Bow Length | Draw Weight | Hand | Suggestesd Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PSE Chief Check Best Price | 51" | 20 lbs. | Ambidextrous | 7-10 years |
Pros:
- Great starter bow for 7- to 10-year olds new to archery
- Ambidextrous design
- Includes everything you need to get started: bow, arrows, and even a target
- Well-made design makes the bow virtually impossible to break or damage
Cons:
- No bow stringer in the package
- Included arrows are poorly made
- String wears out quickly
PSE Chief Package Contents
Welcome to my review of the PSE Chief. The PSE Chief is designed for young archers 7 to 10 years old, and makes an excellent starter bow for these budding young archers. Impressively, the PSE Chief includes just about everything your young archer will need to get started with archery. Each package delivered by PSE includes the following items:
- The PSE Chief bow
- 2 wooden arrows
- Target
- Arm guard
- Hip quiver
Assembling The Chief
To put this bow together, all you have to do is string it. My PSE Chief did not ship with a bow stringer, but I had several already on hand. I’d definitely recommend buying a bow stringer, if you don’t have one, since this makes it safer and more consistent to string. That said, the bow’s draw strength is only 20#, so the bow stringer is really only helping you with your lack of extra hands.
How Powerful and Accurate is the Bow?
PSE’s Chief is only available in 20#, so it’s not a terribly powerful bow. This bow is great for target shooting, and it is very lightweight. The light weight of the bow also makes it good for aerial target shooting with Flu-Flus.
The PSE Chief is a very accurate bow. Since it’s so light, there’s no tendency to drop the bow down as you loose the arrow, so I was able to maintain very good groupings with the bow all the way out to 35 yards. At 25 yards, I maintained 1-inch groupings with my arrows, and my accuracy only dropped down a bit as I increased my range. Your mileage may vary a bit, of course, but I found the bow to be easy and accurate to shoot.
Is The Bow Suitable For Hunting?
If you were thinking about buying this bow for your youth to use hunting, I would recommend another bow. The PSE Chief is only available in 20# draw weight, which simply will not penetrate the flesh of game. I heard one person claim to have shot a pig with this bow, but I suspect he was either thinking of a different bow or just shot at it for fun (something I do not condone), not to try taking it to the table for dinner.
Is The PSE Chief Suitable For Beginners?
A youth bowpackage, the PSE Chief is targeted at beginning archers. It weighs less than 2 pounds and is very durable. Accuracy is good, and the bow is set up for either right-handed or left-handed archers. The Chief is a great bow to keep around for your children, nieces, nephews, or any stray 7- to 10-year old who may happen to wander into your backyard and want to give archery a try.
Arrows For The PSE Chief
The Chief ships with two wooden arrows, but they are not very well made. Any other lightweight arrows will work perfectly with the PSE Chief. I had very good results with my Easton Scout arrows. If you’d like a bit more guidance in picking out arrows, check out this guide on arrow selection.
Is This Bow Comfortable To Hold?
The plastic grip on the bow is textured, which makes it more comfortable to hold than if not. If the bow were heavier, though, this bow would not be comfortable to hold. It weighs a bit over a pound, though, so I was able to plink away at my targets for several hours without my hand cramping or getting tired.
Materials And Durability (Riser, Limbs)
The PSE Chief bow is 51” of camouflage-painted glassflex with a 20# draw weight. This bow is practically bulletproof. I was driving down the back roads with the bow in the back of my truck, when my tailgate happened to pop open. When I hit a bump, the bow slid out the back of my truck and rolled for a few feet. Luckily, I saw it in my mirror. Even more luckily, the bow had barely a scratch on it! For such an inexpensive bow, it definitely takes a beating without complaint.
What String Fits The PSE Chief?
Any 20# string will fit the Chief. I would recommend investing in a new string early on, though, because the included string wears out very quickly.
Is The PSE Chief a Heavy Bow?
Weighing just over a pound, the PSE Chief is one of the lightest youth bows I have ever held. My 8-year-old nephew was over to do some shooting, and he was amazed at how much lighter the bow was than his bow at home. He held and shot the bow for hours, had a great time, and never once complained about the bow being heavy or uncomfortable to hold and shoot
How Loud Is The PSE Chief?
This bow is pretty loud, especially for a youth recurve. The plastic grip tends to vibrate a bit, and the string twangs when you cast the arrow. Still, the PSE Chief is designed for young archers to practice with, so the noise isn’t unwelcome by its target (no pun intended) audience. Take a look at Amazon.com’s great price on the PSE Chief if you’re interested.
