Bow Reviews

[Antonio Lara]

Place your bow reviews here in this thread.

[NormGunston]

Anyone keen to write about the Hoyt Trykon?

[Wellsy]

I know two guys that have them (both in their 50's) and not a bad coment from either of them except the draw cycle is a bit harsh, both have them on the market and have gone back to their supertecs.
Seem like a great bow to me, fast and accurate.
Wellsy

[ado250]

No Complaints yet up for sale? :o

[Wellsy]

Their comments were :

great bow, but more suited to the younger archer....

[Jobin]

what do you guys think about the martin phantom 2

[XTfreak]

Jobin,
what do you guys think about the martin phantom 2
I know nothing about that bow from personal experience.
Ive heard from people that shoot them and that was all good.
You saw the Martin Jags and Sabers I shot in Tully last year and they were nice bows. So I dont think you could go wrong with the Phantom 2.
Bill

[Jobin]

yer there basicly the same

[Noakesy]

hey someone doesnt know how good the darton vapor is do they? looking at a new bow just any help would be good.

[Spider]

Anyone got any info on the Elite bows, would be interested to hear.

[XTfreak]

Anyone got any info on the Elite bows, would be interested to hear. Though I do believe a couple people on this forum have them.
The only thing I have heard is the finish is the best.
Bill

[Spider]

Thanks Bill, cheers

[PeterM]

Anyone got any info on the Elite bows, would be interested to hear.

I think the Elite (BowTech Rip-offs) owners should check this thread out, and might be worth inspecting there bows just in case they have the same problem.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=399466

[Spider]

Thanks Pete. Good ***** fight in all that. Seems from all that, that Elite make a very good product just about every coment on their bows was positive but its their backup and customer service where the proverbial hits the fan. Anybody out there shooting an Elite got any comments.

[johnno]

Not intending to start a Bowtech" *****, however, I have now been waiting for over 4 months for a set of replacement limbs from Archery Supplies for my 06 Allegiance. Albeit that I damaged the limbs. Have to say the "Elite" bows seem to be a good product, I know that "Clive" on this forum has one and is very happy with it. With "barnsdale" limbs and "winners choice"strings they look the goods. I am personally very impressed with the 07 "Synergy". Mmm anyone interested in a good 06 Allegiance (hopefully with new limbs) !! :D :D :D

Also know that "Rin" just got a new "Ross" bow and is very impressed with it...if we ask nicely he might post a thread on it and soms pics !!!!!

[Noakesy]

ive got a darton trojan, bloody awesome if you ask me but very hard hitting fast and i love the cps cam system. no cons on my behalf at all.

[ROULSTON]

I shoot a Darton Maruarder and my son shoot a Vapor.

Both shoot very well. Tight groups, smooth comfortable, fast and quite.

I can recomand either.

[BOOT69]

Hey guys ive just put an Alpine impact xtreme 2004 model on laybuy its my first so any thoughts good or bad.

cheers

[hugearm]

i have the darton vapor all i can say is sweet highly recomended

[Puk]

Jobin,
you asked about the Martin Phantom 2
i have one and have had it for about 2 years now.

It has a good solid wall on the draw, and shoots alright, but i have had to put navcom rubber everywhere you can think of to quiet it and get rid of the shock. I am happy with the grouping i get, but not ecstatic. However, with that said, the problems could come from anywhere (lack of form etc).

It has stayed in tune alright, and the stock strings that it came with have lasted well.

I have never tried a "top end" bow like a Matthews or bowtech to compare it to. (Maybe that's why i'm happy with it) :lol:

I think it is a good bow for the price, especially for someone who is not an expert archer.

Puk

[rory]

Well the other day my bed wetting and nail biting stoped :lol: My Drenalin arrived :!: :P

Like anything I always try and buy the good gear. It is cheaper in the end anyway, but the performance and over-all quality of good gear shines through whenever you use it.

I am not a compound hunting machine (yet :wink: ) and so for a bloke with reasonably limited experience with wheelies (trad gone wrong :lol: ) the technical nature of the bow won’t be talked about much here, basically the Drenalin had the ability to absolutely pump an arrow through the toughest of game, and to reach out to yonder accurately for my main target, deer.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/hoytpro/Drenalin%20Pics/Drenalin.jpg

It is VERY quiet. Equipped with all the stuff that goes on such a bow there is next to no hand shock. There are many locations where those little Mathews dampeners are, I have also loaded the main two with the heavier brass inserts. And yes, the limbs are bloody thin width-ways. This does mean that over-all the bow is not at all bulky, but with a brilliant steadiness in the hand.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/hoytpro/Drenalin%20Pics/Drenalinlimb.jpg

I am going out to do some more shooting of this great bow today, but yesterday I was managing CD sized groups at 50m. As long as I do my part it does more than it’s fair share. This is the most forgiving compound I have shot also.

I am shooting a 460 grain arrow, comprised of a Easton Axis shaft, nock/insert/fletching, and a 125 grain head. I am trialing some different fletch combinations. Flight out to distance is as flat as I have seen.

This is a sweet bow, I am blown away by it's performance and comfort of use. Mathews really can make a bow. 8)

[XTfreak]

Nice looking bow, even though Iam partial to Mathews. :D
What was the wait time from ordering until delivery?
Bill

[rory]

I got mine from Rob Donnelly at Casino Archery, he was very easy to deal with, just a down to earth bloke 8)

I ordered mine and had to wait for the little shipment he did receive from the US, a month and a couple of weeks.

[Jobin]

yer thanks puk ive had the phantom for about four months now and have had no wories with it i am very pleased.

[brandon002]

anyone own/shot an 05 pse primos?

[hunt or be hunted]

thinking of buying a pse stingray so does anybody know what there like :?:

cheers HOBH :wink:

[hunt or be hunted]

just bought a martin razorx and was wondering if anybody has anything to say about them?

[Fletche]

i recently purchased a new martin jag
very nice!!it is very quite and fast for its poundage.the asseseries i got with it are great and im looking foward to good hunting ahead!
the only con is it is a bit tuff on strings and cables due to the low axle to axle. appart from that very nice!
Lachy

[XTfreak]

i recently purchased a new martin jag
very nice!!it is very quite and fast for its poundage.the asseseries i got with it are great and im looking foward to good hunting ahead!
the only con is it is a bit tuff on strings and cables due to the low axle to axle. appart from that very nice!
Lachy

I owned one. Nice bow. I agree with you on the string too. I think I shot about 100-200 arrows and mine needed relaceing...
Bill

[wayoutwest]

I have a alpine fatal impact it has almost no hand shock a smooth draw, a few weeks ago i put it to work hunting goats and pigs in western nsw although i didnt take any pigs with it i think it was great on the goats.

The first goat was taken at 15 mtr with one which entered the brisket and passed through the off side shoulder totaly, the second was a broadside shot at the same distance the arrow broke both shoulder blades and six ribs, the last two goats really put the bow to the test taking my first good billy at 31 mtr with a pass through and the last billy at 51 mtr the arrow didnt pass through as it was stuck in the off side shoulder if not for that i think it would have gone through.

In saying all that is good about the bow there are two down sides the first is that its a touch heavier then most bows fully loaded its about 5.0 lb which personly i like, the other is that if you have a short draw the cam can cut the string which i found out the hard way it can be fixed by fitting a small wedge of metal that is shaped to fit.

All in all i love it ive owned five bows, the fatal imact stands out by far.

[Warlocke]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0997.jpg

Ross bows are getting quite a lot of publicity among the bow hunting fraternity of late.

Being relatively new to the list of available makes, this company has rapidly gained a very strong following with their CR range of bows.

Having just sold my pride and joy, a 2005 Outback which I was more than happy with, I decided to try one of the Ross bows, the CR334.

Last Friday saw a familiar shaped package arrive at the local PO, after taking it home and hastily unpacking it, I was very impressed in the overall ascetics of the bow.

Sharp graphics and beautifully finished with complimenting anodizing, this bow would have to be one of the best-presented bows that I have seen.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0993.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0998.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0999.jpg

Initial feel of the bow was also very impressive, having a thin grip and enough edge on it to give good repeatable hand placement with the ability to touch the fingers together without too much pressure on the grip. Should be a shooter was my first thought.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0995-1.jpg

All the accessories were waiting for fitting but tuning took a bit longer than I thought as the long riser on the CR334 presented a few problems with my homemade bow press. Drilling a few extra holes to allow the securing rods to be placed just outside of the riser on the limbs solved this and allowed me to bring it into tune.

These bows are very easy to tune being a single cam, just had to twist the cable for axle to axle length, then line up the head of the draw length module with the inner limb face by a twist here or an untwist there and it’s tuned.

Bad weather delayed my first shots of the bow but allowed me to investigate a few little problems that I had experienced with the bow setup. Firstly the draw length module screw was locked so tightly in it’s thread that I had to drill it out to change the module and one of the limb pocket locking screws had the same problem.

Searching through the internet showed this was not an isolated incident with a few Ross owners reporting the same problem.

After changing the module, luckily without any real damage to the one that was originally fitted, I decided to leave the limb pocket locking screw to another day as the bow was at 70.5# by the scales as it was. Good enough for my testing.

I have got to say that the module system on these bows is a very good idea, having previously had Mathews and Hoyt bows that need a new cam, or some of the Hoyt bows which need cam, limbs, string and cables, for draw length adjustment, it is very refreshing to just undo two screws and insert a new module and you’re away.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0994.jpg

It’s also worth mentioning the quality Winners Choice string and cable as standard on this bow. With all the tuning and shooting done the Fletchers Tru Peep didn’t move at all in the string. Very impressive!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0996-1.jpg

First shot impression was excellent, smooth draw and a generous valley, very quiet after the shot with little vibration or after shock. The bow also stayed securely in the hand allowing a loose grip and minimal hand torque and a nice slow forward tilt.

My accuracy was out a bit after a couple of shots and I noticed that the fletching was contacting my index finger. After deciding an adjustment to the arrow rest height by half a hole would solve this problem, I started shooting again.

The results were immediate, grouping became consistent and started to show this bow’s potential.

After getting the groups in ballpark, I screwed in a couple of Outback Supremes to do some broad head tuning and was happily surprised to see them grouping in the same spot as the field points at 20 and 30 mtrs without any further adjustments to the rest.

Next job was to fine tune the sight and test the accuracy, which was a bit difficult with the wind gusting just enough to move the arrows around the bulls eye a bit.

Final grouping, even with a rapidly tiring shoulder, was impressive with my 5c group two out of three shots.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0992.jpg

Overall, very impressive bow and the stats are quite good as well.

Shooting my heavy hunting arrows of 520gr, this bow spits them out at around 260 fps giving a very impressive 78 foot pounds of K/E.

At a standard IBO of 5gr/pound and 30� draw this bow would have no trouble equaling it’s claimed 305 fps

More than enough for any of the game I hunt.

Another pleasant surprise when I woke this morning, normally after shooting as many arrows as I did yesterday, my shoulder would be a bit sore for a day or so, not this time. The regular quotes about this bow being more like drawing a 60# bow than a 70# are true. This bow is very easy on the musculature, a big plus for tournament archers.

I look forward to trying out the Cardiac sometime, although it is hard to believe that it could be a better bow than the 334, as this bow does everything I would ask of it very well.

I’ll miss the Outback, but I look forward to a long relationship with this Ross and I am sure it will fill the void admirably.

Just need the chance to take it on a hunt to give the final verdict.


Stay tuned.

Accessories used were G5 Outdoors LE sight, Alpine Whisperflyte drop-away rest, S-Coil stabiliser, Fletcher True Peep, STS damping system and Ross 5 arrow two-piece quiver

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/Warlocke/100_0991.jpg

[alsere_42]

Hi people any one have any experiance with the fred bear omni pro or fred bear sparrow hawk ii as i bought the omni for myself and the sparrow for my son,we havent done any bowhunting before (newbies) thanks Alan..

[slayer]

any 1 got an opinion on the fred bear element

[David.Pagotto]

I use a Browning Illusion 05' W/Trance Cams.

Exellent bow and feel obligated to say good things about it.

Firstly the bow is very small ATA, light and easy to manouver.
Very stable and shoots accuratley everytime.
Never had a problem with it.

Would recommend. 5 out of 5

[David.Pagotto]

any 1 got an opinion on the fred bear element

Hey mate, Used to shoot one.

Exellent all round bow for the price. ;)

[shootingbob]

2 words bloody awsom easily the best bow ive ever owned/shot smooth no hand shock, and easily the the quietest bow ive ever (almost heard) and pumps out a mean arrow speed (315 fps with a 450 grain arrow) it may look weird but it grows on ya get to ur nearest bowtech supplier and have a shot youl probaly walk out with 1!!!!:D:D

[rory]

I will put up a more detailed and picture included review soon enough, but just some specs on the critter I've been shooting for the last 5 months.

PSE X Force;

- 62# @ 30"
- 6" brace height version
- 33" A-A
- 70% let off set
- Rope D-Loop

Accessories used;

- Copper John Dead Nuts 2 6 pin (.019 pins) sight
- Trophy Ridge Drop Zone Hunter arrow rest
- G5 Meta peep
- Dual STS
- Tru-Glo Pro Tune Stabilizer
- Alpine 7 arrow Soft-Loc bow quiver
- Scott Little Goose Delux release aid

Arrows used;

- Gold Tip Expedition Hunter 55/75 @ 28" (shaft)
- 3 x 2" Blazers
- (Bohning Signature nock, Gold tip insert)
- 125 grain field point
- 130 grain (total) Blackstump Ironbark/glue in insert & broadhead adapter (flightmate style)
- 400 grain arrow total

I by no means a crack shot or professional bow reviewer but by a long shot this is the best compound bow I have shot. To qualify best for me I think of 2 main attributes; ease to use, and performance.

Ease to use - To shoot, to hunt with, to maintain.
Performance - with my accessories and arrows with the bow fitted to me.

[rory]

You can see how 'tight' this unit is, a very neat set-up.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/hoytpro/2.jpg

It is a light (4.1) bow to start off with, but I have found that more than the weight, it is the slimline shape of the X Force that means it sit's and shoots as steady as it does. There are no great limb movements, no leaning cams flipping back into place, and that straight riser just holds plum.

The sights, rest etc fit this bow very nicely, and with the large sight window and straight riser of the bow allows for quick, precise aiming at full draw. The grip/handle is very thin, BUT, unlike many other grip designs from companies following the thin grip style of handle, the X Force grip is flat across the back, and doesn't roll at all during use.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/hoytpro/1-1.jpg

There are 3 tapped heights to mount your chosen sight onto, I am using the 'middle' position. My sights (once sighted in) are within the centre regions of their windage and elevation, with pins from 20m to 70m. Testiment to the obvious speed and great cast of the arrow by this bow (which has gotten a heap of publicity) but also how easy it is to set up.
I've found no need to have 'nock high', just line everything up square and shoot! :)

[37macca]

I brought a Pantera a couple months ago. I had huge problems with it from the start. I brought bow from Archerymart and they never checked it etc before throwing a bow case and sending it and thats another subject.
Well once it was sorted out, alot of it myself with martins help from the US which was great support, Martin is awesome (Joel). First day bare shaft shooting as pic shows arrows all same placement. Next day I did broadhead tuning, as never again will I fire a group of targets then shoot a broadhead at them, down 1 carbon arrow split in half.
Once tuned and sighted at 30 mtrs I'm getting 1 to 2" groups shooting the yellow pumpkin in my target with 6 arrows.
The draw is so smooth you don't know your pulling 70# and yes it is quick, dont have crono to say how quick.
I couple of days it will be a nitrous bow, just waiting for strings from H&M strings. I'm just not to keen on single cam bows.

[johnno]

Ditto with the X-Force....don't believe all the blurb about being "difficult" to shoot...just shoot it....here's mine. #70 @ 29.5...recently fitted with a Sword Acu-site 0.19 twilight hunter...very noice !!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/WayneJohnson/DSC01877.jpg

[Dale Furze]

Although not owning this bow for very long, I must compliment it on the performance it puts out. It shoots out a heavy wooden arrow with good speed and considerable hitting power. The bow I chose is a 50# and it does not 'stack' when drawn back to my length of 30". I am very impressed with the finish of the bow, as is everyone else I've shown it to. The shelf of the riser is designed to be shot directly off, I tried this for about 15 shots and found that the contact was tearing the bottom feather off my traditional arrows. This was corrected by sticking a Jennings type plastic flipper rest to it. It also improved the arrow flight.
The only negative I have with this bow is the creaking that came from the limb to riser joint, the locating dowls were rubbing slightly on the locating holes in the limbs, this was cured with some powdered graphite. It is now quiet as a mouse.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c105/DAZOOL/PICT1927.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c105/DAZOOL/PICT1928.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c105/DAZOOL/PICT1929.jpg

Anyone wanting a great looking budget priced bow cannot go past one of these. It came from Archery Supplies care of Rory, noting but praise for the next day delivery:cool:.
Dale Furze.

[Wareagle]

2 words bloody awsom easily the best bow ive ever owned/shot smooth no hand shock, and easily the the quietest bow ive ever (almost heard) and pumps out a mean arrow speed (315 fps with a 450 grain arrow) it may look weird but it grows on ya get to ur nearest bowtech supplier and have a shot youl probaly walk out with 1!!!!:D:D

Mate, I can't see the Guardian getting that speed out of a 450g. arrow, even if it was 90lb.

[johnno]

Mate, I can't see the Guardian getting that speed out of a 450g. arrow, even if it was 90lb.

Yes mate. I too though that was just a little "optomistic" with the Guardian...:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[jason]

Most have probably seen but here is the link where someone else has done all the hard work
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=509567

[Bear Buck Buster]

Ok folks, heres the go. I have a Bear Buck Buster compound bow................yep I know its as old as the arc, but when I had a gun store I use to sell them so I got a bit nostalgic and forgot that I'm not getting any younger (48)8)8) and after landing on my head in a motor cycle accident things in the shoulder area are a bit painful to say the least. However my wife tells me landing on my head probably saved my life......!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway I need a good let off and the Bear bow I have has only 50% where as the one I want has a 80% let off............the bow is a: ALPINE ARCHERY SVX ROTATING ONE CAM
So any help would be very appreciated. For the fellas who have written me off line I have not forgotten you and will get to you in the next week as far as a call goes but this week has been a bugger, I had my dads funeral yesterday so the minds all over the place........................God bless a great man that he was.

BBB

[mayall]

Hi All
Just got the mathews S2 bow . got a whisker biscuit on it and a sword sit .
A big thanks to Cairns Archery shop . They done a Great job in setting it up .
only had to ajust the pins for height and then I was putting 10 arrows in a smoke packet at 10 20 30 and 40 meters . IT is very smooth to shot you dont even no the arrow is gone untill you hear the arrow hit the target.
Could not be happier with it . Definitely the best bow I have had . Here is a pic of it .THe specs 72.4 lb draw weight and 11 lb holding weight . it is so easy to hold back you only hold 11 lb just awesome .
I am useing black hawke vapers 5000 or 70/90 and weight them to 590 gr . use black stump broad heads . 130grs.
The bow has no trouble launching these arrows dont no the speed of it with these arrows but cant wait to try it out on some game . yeah yeah !!!!!!!

And again a big thanks to bill and bill of cairns archery shop

Thanks Paul

[hunt or be hunted]

would someone be kind enough to do a review on the bowtech tribute?

dan.

[PeterM]

06 Tribute to the test!


By Peter Morphett


I spent most of week before the rut this year setting the 80lb Tribute up for my preferred style of shooting, I installed the d loop to give me the correct draw length (vital IMO) and the spent a little while shooting at long range (40 to 50 metres).

Now this was no real mean feet, but today with it blowing a gale, it took a little longer to satisfy that the rig was spot on so that acerate long shots could be taken with confidence.

I headed out to my mates place and walked to first sheltered gully just inside the timber line, as I though the deer would be in these sheltered sections on days like this, bloody cold and blowing a gale!

Didn’t take long and I found 5 does and young buck feeding slowing along. I took some snaps with camera, then watched as they headed into a smaller stand of timber and bead down, with the wind blowing that hard and covering most of my footsteps in the bark laded ground, using the big gum trees for cover I closed the gap to the group to 40 odd metres, now with no cover left and two of the does looking my way I was stuck.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/IMG_0437-2.jpg

I knelt there for some time, until the buck moved to another position, this gave me a narrow widow of opportunity for a long shot, and well this is what I wanted to test. With one doe beaded right in line with the tail end of the buck this made the shot even harder. I carefully removed some downward hanging tree bark, and then proceeded to slide my self out from behind the gum tree. With the arrow firmly in place on the new Vital Bow Gear Kazaway rest there was no need to worry about the arrow when drawing just set my hand into the grip and drew nice and smoothly and anchored.

I knew she would see this and she did, and like I wanted she stood and moved to right of the buck clearing my shooting lane, with the buck now looking at her to see why she got up, I aimed and held for some time because of the extra touches of wind slowing the aiming process, the pin found its mark, settled and I fired!

Like any doe she was fixated on me trying to make out what is was, normally with the old Maverick she would have jumped the string, but with the Tribute she didn’t even flinch, as the arrow flue straight to its mark perfectly. The arrow disappeared into the bucks rear flank heading towards the chest and heart area and so did all the does in an instant!

The buck rose instantly and bolted, but he only made it some 15 metres, max and collapsed!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/IMG_0444-2.jpg
The buck taken from 41 metres.

I took a few pictures and took the head and back legs off, and placed them in a tree, so I could pick them up on the way out.

I made my way thought the timber heading deeper into it trying to get to the section I heard the bucks grunting last week, I ran into a few more does and a spiker before I reached my destination some 2 hours later. With about 30 min of light left of light, I thought my timing was perfect. I stayed on the game trial and proceed to carefully scan the scrub as I walked closer to where I thought the bucks might be tending there scapes. It didn’t take long and I found the first group of deer heading out to feed, with two nice bucks with them, but as I laid in wait the wind changed and the they changed direction as one of the does higher on the hill bolted and took the rest with her, and of course with bucks in toe.

So I continued on, only five minutes later two more does walked past, I continued along the game trail, then I see another mob of does walking down the trail I’m on, I kneel and get set, with an arrow on, the lead doe, walks straight past me at 10 metres, the shot was perfect and she turned and ran back to the mob, only to collapse as she reached them, the rest of the mob fled.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/peterm/IMG_0452-2.jpg
Doe Taken from 10 metres.

This is when a buck started grunting! I made my way quickly to where I thought he was. I was slowed by a spiker, marking and freshening a scrape, not some 40 metres from where I downed the doe 3 minutes earlier, I carefully navigated my way higher onto the hill face to clear the him and before I knew it a I was homing in on the buck grunting, he was trying to round up a group of 10 does.

He was in fine form, with plenty of deep grunting coming in succession after succession, I was on my knees edging into position for a shot, this was difficult, as the does where all around him, and I had to watch for them even though he was totally distracted, I knew they will bust me if I move to quickly. So with the light really fading and with the cover on the trees I was surprised to see that I could still see my pins on my Trophy Right Matrix sight, but I know I didn’t have much time, as I edged to about 25 metres and the buck moving back and forth between the trees, I was trying to get an angle for a shot. He then came a little closer and right into a laneway between the trees I could shoot though, I came to full draw and got set and started to line the big fella up, this is when I felt a large gust of wind right from behind me, with the pin now settling on it s mark, and concentrating hard, they picked up my sent and they all bolted, oh well so close yet so far.

I headed back to the doe, and pulled out the trusty flash light and took some nice cuts of meat and headed back to the buck I had shot early in the day, so my test was complete, the Tribute is one awesome hunting rig and I think the old Maverick can be retired once and for all as I think I have finally found a worthy replacement!


Some specs for those interested in its overall performance using a Crony chronograph, digital scales.

Darton Maverick (CPS6 03Cam) set 80lbs (540g arrow 3x5 Vanes) 279 fps
Tribute (Smooth Mod) set at 80lbs ((540g arrow 3x5 Vanes) = 283 fps
Tribute (Fast Mod) set at 80lbs ((540g arrow 3x5 Vanes) = 292 fps!


Tribute(Smooth Mod) with 3x4 inch vanes + wrap ( ) 293 fps
Tribute(Fast Mod) with 3x4 inch vanes + wrap ( ) 302 fps!

Tribute (Smooth Mod) with 2" x 3 Blazers + wrap (510 grain arrow) = 298! fps
Tribute (Fast Mod) with 2" x 3 Blazers + wrap (510 grain arrow) = 307!


With the Fast Mod installed the bow has virtually no valley, and what seams like only 50% to 65% let off, now I didn’t change the draw stop peg to maybe change the valley or let off on the cam with the use of a draw board to check the amount of let off but BowTech would not recommend you do this, but maybe the bow could be adjusted to make it more shoot-able with this mod installed, I’m not sure but with this fast mod in even if you thought about relaxing a muscle before you release, it would wrench your shoulder off, which would explain the high speeds with this mod installed, but IMO most would use the smooth mod like I have.

Other that it this my opinion on this BowTech is one very well made and designed hunting rig, very impressed, but I wish they could make there two top hunting rigs with a little more draw length in future.

Note: BowTech in 07 have increased its draw length range on its 07 models, well done!

Also the draw cycles are even smother in the 07 range!I would like to thank Archery Supplies (02 62883735) for the Tribute, and the BowTech accessories that came with the bow, mainly quiver and stabilizer, and also the super tough Carbon Tech shafts!

Or visit them on the web site at: www.archeryshop.com.au (http://www.archeryshop.com.au/)

Peter Morphett
Promotions/Website Director for Trophy Takers.

www.trophytakers.org (http://www.trophytakers.org/)

[hunt or be hunted]

:D:D:D thanks a million for that pete. i think i have found my next bow!

dan.

[DavidJHardy]

i have a hoyt avenger its an awesome bow and the cam system is amazing you should check it out its not as fast as hoyt's flagship model the ''vectrix'' but its shore as accurate and a great little bow

[WirlWind]

:D:D:D thanks a million for that pete. i think i have found my next bow!

dan.

I just picked up one from archery supplies 2nd hand.

It's only a 50# and it's 2.5 inches too short to draw (Got 29.5 mods coming soon) but it's a beautiful bow.

The only downside I can really come up with (Besides anything draw-length related) is that with only a flipper rest on, it weights almost as much as my cousins Bear Whitetail Quest fully kitted (peep/3 pin plastic sight/Stabiliser/shoot-through rest/6 arrow quiver)

Oh, and it seems to be missing its wooden grip, but I'm going to make another for it soon.

Been shooting nice groupings in the yellow (CD sized, not bad for a beginner. I mean literally my 2nd week of shooting) from 15/20m shooting fingers and the only accessory I have on it is the flipper.

Oh, I'm using the smooth mods with 80% let-off at 40#, I'll have a go next week @ 50# using a drop-away, sights and a release and see how it fares. (Though I'm betting the biggest improvement in my shooting will be from getting the proper draw length :rolleyes:)

[lachlan_pse]

has any one got a PSE stinger and if so is it any good

[johnno]

By all accounts the "Stinger" is a fine bow..cheers..;)

[goshawk]

Anyone out there know what the Reflex bows are like? Chuck Adams loves the things. I'm looking at buying a "ridgeline" or a Diamond "Maquis" when i move too bangkok in january, too much paperwork in taking X-Force over.
The Diamond is at the top of the list.

[chrismclean]

Both diamond and reflex make great bows in my opinion.

[Snooks]

has anyone shot the Hoyt alphamax 32?

[hunter10]

Howie has the alphamax 32, hopefully he cant help you out in some way.

Ash

[FeralDominator]

I've got a stinger that I bought in a package for around 620. Absolutely no complaints. Heaps of adjustment, shoots well and is pretty quiet.

What do people think about the new Mathews monster xlr8 though.
Pretty fast, but alot of people realy love the pse x-force. Alot of good reviews about them.

[Brad.]

Thinking its time for a new bow, I like the Black ice but Im thinkin I might as well go all the way.
Anyone here got/shot one?

[aussybowhunter]

hey was just wondering if anyone wouldnt mind doing one on the alphamax 35.
cheers.

[zmotu]

i shoot the 2008 Reflex Charger and its a great bow. With a smooth draw, decent valley and a pretty good ibo this bow is awesome. the only downside to this bow is its weight. The rugged design and strength to the bow is great but it is quite a heavy bow and takes a while to get use to carrying it around. but in my opinion its as good as a hoyt. i dried fired it accidently last shoot and the string came off the rails but i just put my string back on and reset my peep and sights and shot a personal best that round. its a great bow just a little heavy which some people dont like but its bloody tough. with a bit of tuning you will be extremely happy with this bow. i honestly dont know why they stopped making reflexes they are such good bows. anyway hope this helps and trust me shooting is a dream with this.

[carlo4]

anyone got info about Hoyt ultrasport

[rory]

Just a quikkie ;)

Recently took hold of a Ross Carnivore 34, 70#, from forum sponsor Ozhunting & Bows.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/hoytpro/Gear/RossCarnivore34.jpg

I would say that overall its a 'rough man's bow' in that this thing is a ruggedly put together weapon. The limbs are thick as hell, and actually have a defelction of 120+#'s, but they are only used to get the 70 odd #'s.

The cams are a type somewhere in between binary and hybrid, with yoke systems on each end. The cams themselves are again 'meaty' and made for durability.

The bow hasn't been hunting with me yet, but it's gonna do what good bows do, kill when I aim right, and keep on keeping on.

The things I really like about this bow is it's manufacture for durability and longevity, which has in areas (though it's no slouch at all) slowed it's 'IBO rating' down.

I have a longish draw, and with moving this bow I knew it felt like a longer A to A bow as the roll over points on each cam are quite a ways outside of it's A to A length. It has slide adjust (in half inch increments!) mods on each cam, as well as a Bowtech inspired draw stop (awesome)

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/hoytpro/Gear/Bottomsection.jpg

like advertised it's got a VERY smooth draw cycle, and the wall (no doubt because of the cam set up mentioned above) is totally solid. The grip has the 'thumb trough' and is slim overall, but with a flat back on it which I find more comfortable than the other narrow grips I've used.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f375/hoytpro/Gear/Topsection.jpg

Anyhow, will get it out on some critters soon, so will update then :)

[Thwack!]

Nice review Rory. It does look like a tough bow.

What rest are you running on it mate hard to tell from the pics?

[Reaper]

Nice choice mate. I just bought myself a carnivore 34 too. It arrived today but wont be able to use it until i get all the rest of my gear sorted over the next week or 2.

Great review, thanks for the sneak peak :)

Reaper

[rory]

Nice review Rory. It does look like a tough bow.

What rest are you running on it mate hard to tell from the pics?

Trophy Ridge drop-zone ;)

[matt]

looks good rory what quiver are you going to use and what arrows

[rory]

looks good rory what quiver are you going to use and what arrows

dunno and dunno .....

Quiver depends on capacity I want, and arrows, well I have a few un-used GT's around here that I will start with, we'll see how they go.;)

[DavidJHardy]

nice rory, still shaking my head as to why you sold the dren;)

[special]

Those 'Flatliner" rectangular limb savers are junk..they either come off all together (many times)or the plastic base will seperate from the rubber...Ive replaced them with the solid limb "Limbsavers"...same as the 06 Ross came out with;)

[chrismclean]

Looking good rory.
Hopefully I can get my hands on one someday.
I've been reading reviews and looking at pics ever since they came out.
I like them.:)

[frankie]

i am looking at buying a hoyt vectrix XT500 bow.
does anyone have information about it??

[Kassidy ledger]

can someone do a review on the bow madness

[Reaper]

A couple of guys on here have a Bow Madness. Do a search and see what you can find. Found this topic. (http://www.aussiebowhunter.com/showthread.php?t=20184&highlight=bow+madness)

Havent had the pleasure of shooting one, but here's some reviews from various sources if your interested.

Thought a premium single cam bow was out of your reach? Think again! The Bow Madness XS from PSE and Drury Outdoors provides shooters with a compact, up to 316 fps IBO, single-cam bow in an affordable package. The Bow Madness XS Bow Package includes bow, Orion™ sight with light, Mongoose™ quiver, Whisker Biscuit™ QS arrow rest, Mongoose peep sight and a nocking loop. Featuring a 28-1/2" axle-to-axle length, pre-loaded, past-parallel X-tech split limbs, 3" draw-length adjustment without a bow press, factory-installed Vibracheck Backstop string suppressor, laser tuning marks for easy setup, multiple sight mounting holes and a lightweight, fully machined riser. Other performance-enhancing features include an SLT (Slim Low Torque) grip, asymmetric idler wheel and the Bow Madness single cam, all at a price you can afford. Let-off is adjustable from 65% to 80%. Available in right- and left-hand models.

- Cabela's

*********************************************
I love mine. Least amount of hand shock of the three. Plan on replacing the strings as they are not the best. One other tip, use a stabilizer that is 7-10 inches long and get about 6-8 oz. out on the end. The bow will be dead in your hand.

- Some random dude

[Adamthebowhunter]

any one got a review on the reflex growler

[300Magnum]

Hi Guys.....I went down to Bensons today and had a lok at the Monster and the Omen. I want to upgrade to a speed bow, and these two are the top of my list. Both bows were set at 29", 70#. The below are my honest thoughts:

Looks: both look good, especially with those huge cams and split limbs. They both look so much alike and it is really evident that Mathews pretty much did a exact copy of the X-Force. However, if I had to pick, the Monster wins by a smidgen in the looks department --> winner: Monster (by a small margin)

Weight: The Omen is lighter --> winner: Omen

Balance: The x-force seemed much better balanced and felt much better in the hand. When holding both bows loosely, the Monster over balances and wants to tip forward, whereas the Omen sits rock solid without any hint of over balancing --> winner: Omen

Grip: The monster's wood grip is too thick and doesn't feel very comfortable (ie it is too hard). The Omen has a nice thin grip, and being rubber, it feels quite comfortable in the hand --> winner: Omen

Draw: Both have a pretty agressive draw cycle as can be expected with the shape of the cams. To me, the Monster however definately felt more harsher of the two. Also, with the Monster, it felt like it was never going to drop into the valley of the draw......it seemed to go on for ever and I was asking myself "when is this thing going to drop off". Not saying that the Omen is a walk in the park, but it was smoother than the Monser and I liked the fact that it didn't take until the last inch to drop into the valley --> Winner: Omen

VERDICT: For me, defnately the Omen over the Monster. Just gotta wait until they can confirm for me whether the Omen is available in a 26" draw / 70# configuration.

[ozbowhunter 15]

Thought I'd put up a review of a PSE stinger as we seem to get alot of questions asked about them.

So here goes, hope i make sense:

Poundage: 50-70 pounds
Weight: 4.1 lbs
draw lengths: 25-30 inches
ATA: 31.5 inches
brace height: 7-7/16 inches
IBO: 304 fps
Let off: 80% adjustable to 65%
Price: around $500 bare bow

I bought my bow in October last year as my first ever compound bow and i couldn't believe how good this thing had me shooting and I highly recommend this bow to anybody looking at getting into archery/bowhunting.

Draw:

It has a nice smooth draw which rolls over into a rock solid back wall (yes i know very cliche, but it really does ;)) which is what you'd expect from a single cam bow, there is no hump as you get to full draw and it's quite easy to hold at full draw with the 80% letoff and the fact it doesn't pull at your arm like it want's to rip your shoulder out which is perfect for fox whistling or when you have to wait at full draw for somehing to give you a good shot angle.

Adjustability:

this bow is extremely easy to adjust and you can get 6 inches of draw length adjustment in 1 inch incriments without a bow press just by undoing 3 bolts, the draw weight is adjustable by 20 pounds on the 08 model Stingers but is only adjustable by 10 pounds on the 09 Stingers.

Shootability:

As I said before the bow is very smooth to draw back and is nice to hold at full draw, As with most new parallel limb bows it has little to no hand shock or vibration (I personally cannot feel any handshock) It is a very forgiving bow and i think that's the reason i was shooting so well after such a short amount of time :). It's relatively quiet although i suggest a stabilizer and cat whiskers to really quieten it down, The bow is well balanced and feels really good in the hand and the vibracheck rubber grip is nice in the hand although some wouldn't like it.

Quality:

Everything about the bow is well made, It has a machined riser, aircraft grade 7422 alloy cams (or something like that), solid vibration free parallel limbs, only thing i can fault is the quality of the strings and and the draw stop which can chew at the string serving if the rubber wears through although this isn't a problem if you keep an eye on it.

Accuracy:

I've only shot the bow out to 40 metres and have had no trouble keeping 3 arrows in a 2-3 inch group even with 2 blade broadheads, and wherever you point that bow is where the arrow is going to go.

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo119/recurve-hunter23/Photo0145.jpg

Conclusion:
all in all this bow is the perfect bow for anyone who's looking to get into the sport that want's a good bow but hasn't got alot of money to spend be it a first timer with no experience or an experienced person getting back into the sport. I cannot see myself getting rid of this bow anytime soon, It's just too good.

oh yeah it can kill too :)

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo119/recurve-hunter23/SV101753.jpg

[Kassidy ledger]

mate great review i love my pse stinger to great bow

[Antonio Lara]

This is Cookes Hoty Maxxis bow review

Hoyt Maxxis- Bow review
I eagerly awaited the release of various archery manufactures line ups for 2010, specifically Hoyt. I was contemplating a new bow to replace my Hoyt Katera and accompany me to South Africa in July. I knew what I wanted- a bow that shot itself... Yes big ask I know but I wanted something that would take the error out of an excited bowhunter’s lack of form at that critical point in time.

2010 saw Hoyt bring out its first beyond parallel limb bow the Hoyt Maxxis. The Maxxis like most of Hoyt’s front runner bows from years gone by is available in two axel to axel lengths- the 31 and the 35. The Maxxis is available in weight ranges from 40lb through to a whopping 90lb which should excite bowhunters chasing larger game and higher poundage. Another interesting addition to the Maxxis was the cable roller guard.

Maxxis 35 specs:
IBO speed: 318FPS
Axle to Axle length: 35”
Mass weight: 4.2lb
Weight range: 40- 90lb
Cam : XTR cam and ½
Brace height: 7”
Draw range: 27- 31”
Limbs: XTS ARC

I liked the look of the Maxxis 35’s specs and I placed my order with Pat Coghlan of Pat’s Archery after visiting his web site (www.pats-archery.com (http://www.pats-archery.com/) ) his prices for Hoyt bows were terrific as were his Easton arrow prices. The Maxxis would have to come from America and I was told by Pat I would have it in 2 weeks, I liked his confidence! 13 days latter the 70lb, 28” masxxis 35 was in my hands and still warm from its apparent rocket ride from the US!
Upon opening the box and removing the bow 1 thing became apparent- It was far lighter than I had imagined. The camo finish on the bow was first rate as was all machining. The stylish riser and curved limbs certainly made it an eye pleaser.
I checked the brace height and cam timing and soon found myself bolting on various necessary accessories.
I set the Hoyt Fall Away Tec Rest in a centre shot position, found a few arrows fitted with field points and preceded to the range.

The draw:
The draw is smooth with no lumps and drops of nicely to the valley. The valley is a little narrower than that of the Katera but is ample. The draw builds from the start and definitely feels like it is packing a bit more oomph than the Katera. The wall is as solid as a rock. The draw was comparable with single cam bows that I have owned in the past.

The shot:
The 35 really seems to “point” at the target and I found the sight wonders very little. The bow is very stable in the hand and well balanced. Upon release two things became immediately apparent, Hoyt had addressed both noise and hand shock that were noticeable with past models. I am sure the new XTS ARC limbs have a lot to do with that.
I quickly had the sight set at 20m and found my arrows grouping nicely with minimal tuning. This is where things got interesting, as I finetuned the bow I noticed how broad the range of centre shot tunning was. The arrow rest couple be out up to a few mm either way yet the bow would still shoot a respectable group at 20m.
With walk back tunning complete it was time to shoot some groups and see if the Maxxis 35 would live up to all expectations. I ranged 50m from the target, this is usually the limit to my accuracy using a hunting bow and hunting weight arrow.
After several groups were shot and a little more tinkering my groups really shrunk, I got so excited at my groups I may have yelled out something about how good this bow shoots but you will have to ask my neighbours the exact wording...
I stepped back to 60m, the 4 arrows still grouped nicely so I moved to 70m. I found at 70m I was shooting groups the size of my 50m groups with previous bows.

Conclusion:
Hoyt Maxxis is sure to be one of the big names of 2010
To say I am impressed with the Maxxis 35 would be an understatement. The bow possesses great out of the box accuracy. Its shoot ability, forgiveness and quietness will no doubt see this bow a favourite of mine!
You’d me crazy not to pick one up yourself!

[Benno]

Well a few of you may have heard me banging on about getting the Bowtech Destroyer 350 - 70lbs, 28" draw. Here is a bit of a review.

Brace Height 6"
IBO Speed 342 - 350 fps
Axle to Axle 32 3/8"
Kinetic Energy 95.22 fpe
Draw Length 25 - 30"
Effective Let-Off 80%
Draw Weight 50, 60, 70

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd288/bennos_bucket/IMG_1069.jpg

I ordered it thru www.thegreeneoutdoors.com (http://www.thegreeneoutdoors.com) Casey who owns the shop in Missouri has always done his best to keep customers happy - which isnt hard as his service is awesome.

Bow costs US$899 bare, postage was $85 via USPS priority express to Aus. All other accessories were as priced on the website. Tho normally u get a bit of a discount with a RTH package. Depends on what you want.

I sent an email on friday confirming the order. They tried to deliver the bow the following friday to my house in Alice Springs. It amazes me every time that it can get here that fast and this is one of the main reasons that I keep shopping from this guy. No-one in Aus can get me gear that fast.
If its in stock he tells u, if its not, he tells u. If he says it ships it does - then 7 days later its at your door. Bloody awesome!

Ok the bow. It arrived in the usual bow box, well packaged and undamaged. All the accessories I ordered were there as well. Octane stabiliser, QAD HD ultra rest, sling, Diamond hush kit and Octane rare earth magnet quiver.
Only problem was the little spare parts kit for the QAD was missing - spare launcher, extra adjustment spacers, felt for launcher etc. I emailed Casey and he said someone might have taken it in his shop - opened the package and stolen the pieces. Not to worry another little kit is on its way, no extra cost, no questions asked.

So I bolt on the QAD rest - its got enough adjustment to work anyway. Get it sorta squared up, throw on a D-loop, stab and quiver.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd288/bennos_bucket/IMG_1071.jpg
Now ive just gotta have a shot.

I draw slowly, pointing at the target. And I'm pretty surprised. The draw is smooth. I was expecting something similar to the Monster or the Omen but its nothing like them. No hump in the draw at all. It does ramp up fairly fast but always smoothly. The valley is pretty smooth going in but it is short - you dont want to be creeping much at full draw. Again not what I was expecting. In fact the valley on my old Bowtech Guardian is sharper when u drop into it.
The Destroyer is certainly the most pleasant speed bow I've drawn.

The drawstop is matched to the draw length setting on the cam and it is rock solid. Great to back tension against.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd288/bennos_bucket/IMG_1074.jpg

I touch off the release and the arrow is instantly hitting the target then clattering on the ground out the back! Its gone thru my wool bale stuffed with plastic sheeting. Normally this pulls up 600g arrows from the 80lb Guardian without any trouble. Must have hit a soft spot, so I turn the bale over.

Well a few more shots soon show that the first one wasnt a fluke - this bow is hammering out the 600g arrow so fast I cant tell anything about the sound of the bow over the noise of it hitting the target.

Ok - enough fun, time for paper tuning. It takes some messing about but i get it shooting pretty close to bullet holes. With fletched arrows the tears are perfect. One really noticeable thing was how this bow tuned where I thought it should, centred over the grip - not in close to the riser like a lot of older bowtechs.

Great, time to go back to 20m to sight in the first pin.

Now I can get a better feel for the bow, its nice in the hand on the shot - no different to the split riser bowtechs- negligble hand shock. There is a flat "wack" noise on every shot coming - I think - from the string stop. No buzz tho or twang - but a heavy arrow often takes that away anyway. It isnt quiet, but its not noisy either. Ive got a the Hush Kit to go on so but I doubt it will make a difference.

The finish looks and feels great - thick In-Velvet layer over the whole riser is really nice. The limbs look sweet too with the streak of red thru the laminations matching the strings and adjustments in the cams.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd288/bennos_bucket/IMG_1073.jpg

The grip isnt what I was expecting, it looks a bit cheap and made of plastic tho it sits fine in my (reasonably small) hand and after a couple of shots i had forgotten about it.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd288/bennos_bucket/IMG_1072.jpg

It is fairly twitchy compared to my older bows and any form flaws show up pretty fast with sprayed arrows. Not really surprising with the short brace height. But if i hold a nice relaxed grip and follow thru nicely the arrows are slapping at 20m.

One thing that I was interested in was the de-railing of this bow- having seen a bit of angst over this on US forums. I held it and deliberately torqued the bow at full draw and I can see how you could jump the string out of the cam while letting down. They are big cams and with a fair bit of angle the string can be made to not line up with the cam so it would jump out. I let it down a number of times to test it and some care needs to be taken to keep it reasonably straight - not excessive care, I stopped thinking of it after a couple of times but I wouldnt let an inexperienced person draw it. No different from my other bows really.

Overall - Im very happy. This bow is putting out massive kinetic energy and has the speed to allow me to keep shooting heavy arrows as well as tightening up my pin gaps. With lighter arrows this bow would be an absolute machine

The acid test (or should that be camel test) isnt too far away. Just need to dial in the 30 -60m pins, put a heap of arrows downrange to settle my form with it and we will be ready to roll out the Destroyer.

More to follow
cheers
benno

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd288/bennos_bucket/IMG_1075.jpg

[CaydenWinter]

im in love with that bow!!!

[Benno]

heh yeah it looks pretty good with the matching camo on the quiver, G5 sight and stab.

[CaydenWinter]

certantly does :D

[hooter]

When I first laid eyes on the New Hoyt Contender, (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/HYCT/Hoyt+Contender+Target.html) I said ‘That’s my next bow”. I have been planning on shooting the Bear Attack (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/BACBATB/Bear+Attack+Shadow+Black.html) for Hunting and 3D, but was looking at something to shoot fingers with at ABA and IFAA competitions.


As soon as I picked it up, it felt as if it belonged to me, even before shooting the bow. I am a big believer that if a bow doesn’t feel nice in the hand, put it back on the shelf. Archery is such a feel type sport and you will know as soon as you pick up a bow if it feels good for you. I was surprised how smooth the Spiral X Cam & ½ cams matched with the XT2000 limbs were to draw. I couldn’t wait to shoot it!


I started setting up the bow with an AAE Cavalier Free Flyte Elite (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/CACAR394/AAE+Cavalier+Free+Flyte+Elite+Rest.html) arrow rest in silver, with a blue AAE Cavalier Long Master Plunger (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/CACPL409/AAE+Cavalier+Long+Master+Plunger+Blue.html) to match the Blue Fusion colour of my new Hoyt Contender. (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/HYCT/Hoyt+Contender+Target.html) I decided to go with a very good stabiliser, as you can tell the difference between a not so good stabiliser and a very good one. The Doinker 11.5” A Bomb Carbon Elite Target Stabiliser (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/LIBCE11/Doinker+11.5%26quot%3B+A+Bomb+Carbon+Elite+Target+ Stabiliser+silver.html) in silver of course, was my first choice, which gave me great balance. I have used a Saunders Pak Tab (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/SA0900L/Saunders+Pak+Tab.html) for many years now and continue to use it, as it feels nice and I get a consistent smooth release, even in the rain. I like to use a slightly heavier arrow than the specs would suggest for shooting fingers, so I went with the 340 instead of the 400 spined Easton LightSpeed shafts (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/CS11LS12/Easton+LightSpeed+Shaft+dozen.html), cut to 29¾”, fitted with 100 grain CB target points and 3 x 2” Orange Tiger Blazer vanes (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/BO10833TOT2/Bohning+Blazer+Tiger+Vane+2%26quot%3B+Orange+100%2 7s.html) set on Tiger Orange Arrow Wraps (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/BO18249OR/Bohning+Tiger+BlazerWraps+Orange+Tiger.html).


Now that I had set up the bow with centre shot done and the nok set, I was ready to shoot it. Wow - was I impressed with the arrow flight right of the bat. After some very slight adjustments I was starting to get some really nice groups. I did take the draw stop off, as I don’t like such a solid back wall and for me this helped. The 70% Let-Off is a real bonus for a finger shooting bow as the string comes of the tab, almost as if you don’t even know or feel.


With the high Let-Off bows you almost have to concentrate on the release of your fingers to get a smooth release, whereas in this bow at 70% Let-Off it is like it is a subconscious release. The arrow flew very nicely and at 30m I hardly had to raise my aiming point because it flies just so flat. I decided to see how fast it was shooting by checking it with my chronograph, with IBO specs of 315fps, I wasn’t expecting much with shooting fingers and a heavier arrow. I was almost shocked to find it going over 270fps, very nice.


Now that it is all set-up the way I like it I can start on form and shooting nice tight groups; found this very easy to do with my new bow from Hoyt. I highly recommend this bow to be one of, if not the best bows for my style of archery…………………and probably yours?

http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/mm5/graphics/Contender_Red_Fusion_med.jpg (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/HYCT/Hoyt+Contender+Target.html)


Here are the specs on the new 2010 Hoyt Contender (http://www.abbeyarchery.com.au/p/HYCT/Hoyt+Contender+Target.html)

XT2000 limbs and Spiral X Cam
Weight ranges 20-30lbs, 30-40lbs, 40-50lbs,
50-60lbs, 60-70lbs. Please specify weight required.
Adjustable 10lbs down from the peak draw weight.
Draw range - 24"-31.5" in 1-2" increments
Spiral X Cam
Limbs XT2000
Let-Off 70%
IBO Speed 315fps
Axle to Axle 38.5"
Brace height 6.625"
Mass weight 4.6lbs

Available from-

[hawks667]

Its been a while in coming, but my new rig has finally arrived.

PSE Axe 6, 70lb, 29' draw in black....:)

Added to the bow have been the following



Ripcord Code Red
Doinker Power Bar 11' Stabilizer
Hoods finest sling
Copper John Dead Nuts 5 pin Micro Adjust Sight


So far, i have pit about 200 arrows through it, getting it set up & shooting right.

First impressions:

The Look

Finish of the riser is great, Limb finish is somewhat textured & totally matt. And being black gives it distinctive look.....

The Feel

Sits well in the hand, the grip is slim & is very comfortable. Balance with out the stabilizer is pretty good, but adding the 11inch Doinker really settles it down....

The Draw

Smooth...compared to my other Bow, a PSE Mossy Oak X, the Axe is a lot smoother & the wall is great, Having 2 draw stops makes it rock solid at full draw.

The Shot

After shock is pretty much non existent. A slight amount of vibration is evident, but not too bad & the Bowjax on the limbs & the stabilizer certainly helps the situation....

Consistency

Very good. While i haven't had a lot of time to get really used to it, so far I'm really liking it. Groups have been very good out to 40m & i expect as i familiarise myself with it, they will only get better.

At the moment I'm shooting Easton Epics from it but will be looking to move to Easton LightSpeed 3d shafts. These will weigh in just under 400 grains & should be nice & flat shooting for ABA & 3d stuff.

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/hawks667/img_04941600x1200.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/hawks667/img_04951600x1200.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/hawks667/img_04961600x1200.jpg

http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv328/hawks667/img_04971600x1200.jpg

[Sankey]

Now i've never done a bow review before so im going to do the best i can in describing the feel, look and over all impression of the bow.

As some of you know i recenlt purchased and field tested the Bowtech destroyer 340 on a couple of rabbits. Well the rest of my gear (minus the sight) has recently arrived, so i've had a good old time tuning my bow and attaching the accessories. Now im going to have a go at writing up a review.

Bows specs

Brace Height 7"
IBO Speed 332-340 fps
Axle to Axle 32 3/8"
Kinetic Energy 89.86 fpe
Draw Length 26-31"
Effective Let-Off 80%
Draw Weight 50, 60, 70

The Bows birth certificate read;
Bow weight 72.3lb
Daw length 29"
Arrow weight 350gr
TEST SPEED 334 FPS wow thats fast, and true to its IBO speed of around 340 fps

Bow came in set on 72.3lb with a 31" draw and fitted with limbsaver ultras and standard self aligning peep

accesories added are:
-Octane 2 piece quick detach quiver
-octane 7" stabilizer
-QAD ultra rest Pro HD
-limbsaver ultras
-self aligning peep
-cat whiskers
-still waiting on sight

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/Taro4/SANY0277.jpg?t=1270798453
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/Taro4/SANY0278.jpg?t=1270798449

The look
bloody awesome:P the invelvet finish looks and feels great, seems very durable and soft. The red running through the limbs, the draw mods and string looks awesome especially when you add the octane gear that have splashes of red through it, seems like its meant for this bow
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/Taro4/SANY0281.jpg?t=1270798003
The draw
to be honest the draw weight is a little heavy for me at the moment but seems to get easier every time i shoot, but the draw is smoooth, i've shot a PSE brute a Bowtech tomkat and a alphamax and i reckon its smoother than all three. The draw slowly ramps up to max poundage then falls into the valley very smoothly. Having two draw stops makes for a solid wall and you can give it a little creep at full draw before it wants to let go

The grip
the grip is a little different to what im used and may take you a little while to get used to it and as Benno mentioned in his review on the 350 the grip feels cheap and made out of plastic, but this was the least of my worries
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/Taro4/SANY0284.jpg?t=1270797982
Performance
the bow is fairly quiet, quiet enough for rabbits not to jump the string, and there is little or no vibration after the shot and its very quick
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/Taro4/SANY0287.jpg?t=1270799508
The Test
One thing i found with my old bow is that when taking long range shots 40+ meters at rabbits the majority of them would move before the arrow even got there. Not with this bow, i had several shots at rabbits from various distances rangeing from 35-60m and not one rabbit bolted before the arrow got there (i just missed through poor distance judement) and i managed to get one from 55m. I was pretty stocked and very pleased with the bow. (yes i know its not like a test benno did on camels)
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm244/Taro4/SANY0283.jpg?t=1270799350
Overal impressions
I love this bow, draw is smooth, quiet fast and looks to die for, grips a little different and the string seems to be top quality

thanks for reading

Sankey

[matthew2]

HI ALL

I have just picked up my XFORCE !
I took it to the range so I could sight it in and run a few tests on it .When you draw back the bow it is as smooth as silk .The weight of the bow is pritty good compared to my Hoyt but the best thing I found about the bow is its speed and how accurate it is . I got it set at 55# and 27inch draw I will be using this bow for ABA shooting.

[NEMI]

HI all
Im considering getting a bow but am in two minds between these two bows. can anyone have help?:confused:

[Fenno]

These things look the business.
Anyone on the forum own one and care to shed some light on how they do their job?
Thanks in advance.

Luke

[HOGHUNTA]

hey any one no about the bow tech soldier?

[Pinch]

Howdy, Those 2 were my picks for 2010. I bought the Z7 without shooting the maxxi as i like the simpicity of single cam bows, and i like mathews. I have a 2005 outback 70lb which is my back up and a ripper, an 08 drenalin 60lb which is nice and a monster 6 70lb which I dont think much of at all. The Z7 is a sweet bow and pretty much all the hype (smooth draw, dead in the hand, quietness) is true. It seems to be a true balance of speed and shootability that the monster lacked, and is the best ive owned by far. Having said this my mate shoots a Diamond iceman 70lb with an IBO of around 310 from memory and it is outstanding. If I didnt want the extra 20 fps I would have bought on of those for sure, and saved $500.