Archery - Help decide on new Bowtech Carbon model

[Ledd Slinger]

Hoyt?

They had them there at the Mathews shop, but after I shot the Chill R, I knew I had found the bow for me. I can't imagine a better draw cycle and it has more speed than pretty much all the Hoyt offerings to boot. I did pick up a few Hoyt bows and look at them, but they were so heavy that I wasn't interested. Not gonna pay the price for a Hoyt carbon bow either. The value just isn't there IMO. But that just me.

Everyone is different, but for me the Chill R had it ALL. The Chill X had the same great draw cycle, just a slower IBO speed of 330 fps. If you ever get the chance to draw back a Chill R or a Chill X, you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[timeout]

Wow! Just read these posts. You Accurate Shooters are big time into the bows. I've got bad shoulders in my old age. My crossbow is the cats meow..........

 

[Swift4Yotes]

You obviously didn't shoot the Experience did you :-\

 

[Raythemanroe]

My Hoyt Alpha Elite, Smooth and very consistent:



Here is a bow press/String jig I designed:




Ray

 

[Dgd6mm]

Looks like a Sure-Loc on that Hoyt

 

[Raythemanroe]

Looks like a Sure-Loc on that Hoyt

Sure-Loc, Viper with Ziess glass


Ray

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Ray,
I'm sure your bow is smooth. But it doesn't weigh 3.9 lbs and have an IBO of 342 fps while still having one of the smoothest draw cycles you've ever felt.

Remember, selecting a bow has everything to do with personal preferences. Hoyt has nothing to offer me. I've done a lot of reviewing on the archery talk forums. I'm not a member of any archery forum and never will be because every thread is a a huge pissing match over which bow, arrow, or broafdhead is best. Gotta pick through all the BS to find facts and actual experiences. I'm not gonna start a thread like that here. If you would like to argue about Hoyt being the best, you can go over to the archery sites. I purchased the Mathews Chill R, I'm extremely happy, end of story.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Got around to sighting my new bow and sending some arrows down range at 20 yards. Its turning out to be everything I hoped for. Even with a very short brace height of 6-1/8" it was as forgiving as any other bow I've shot with 7" or better brace heights. I'm sure the 33" axle to axle length helps in the forgiveness dept as well. I was pretty amazed to see 3 arrows under an inch with a crosswind hitting my bow and bouncing my sights all around. Just seems like wherever I touch my release trigger is where that arrow lands. Really happy with it

 

[Raythemanroe]

The (rated) IBO was 320fps and actual with a good sized 400 series arrow (not a speed arrow) is 338-339 fps.. I'm interested in what yours actually makes for speed and will that be with a arrow that doesn't add punishing vibration.. I have seen many Bowtech's and Mathew bows fall short of the claimed IBO ratings.. Hoyt will reach their rated claims as advertised.. I'm glad you purchased a Mathews if not a Hoyt, I feel their build quality is very good.


Ray

 

[Raythemanroe]

I would like to add I am not sold on carbon bows, even the Hoyt bows.. Weight and maybe warmth to the touch is the advantage.. I will take a machined riser any day.. JMHO



Ray

 

[fredo]

True dat.

Mathews' IBO speeds are like Nosler's b.c. claims... :-[ :

But again, bow preference always boils down to personal preference. I think the OP done right & picked the one that felt the nicest TO HIM.

Congrats & best of luck this coming season!!!

 

[Ledd Slinger]

The (rated) IBO was 320fps and actual with a good sized 400 series arrow (not a speed arrow) is 338-339 fps.. I'm interested in what yours actually makes for speed and will that be with a arrow that doesn't add punishing vibration.. I have seen many Bowtech's and Mathew bows fall short of the claimed IBO ratings.. Hoyt will reach their rated claims as advertised.. I'm glad you purchased a Mathews if not a Hoyt, I feel their build quality is very good.


Ray

Yeah I'll try to run it through the chrony today. My arrows with a 100gr tip weigh in at 454gr. Add 20gr of string weight to the equation and with my 29" draw length, I should be getting about 290fps according to the calculator.

The owner of the shop said he owned one and with tuning was able to get about 7-8 fps more than the IBO rated speed which surprised him because he also said that normally Mathews does not reach it's claimed IBO ratings. My bow isn't tuned yet because I still need to break in the string, but I'll still Chronograph it and let you all know what I'm getting.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Correction:

Not sure of the quality of the archery shop scale so I weighed the arrow on my GemPro. It clocked in at 458gr. So the calculation states I should see about 289 fps.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I was getting 279 fps with my 458gr arrows. Did some research and found that the 85% Rock Mods on my bow reduce IBO speed at least 10 fps which is exactly where I'm at.

Besides that, it is illegal to hunt with a bow having more than 80% let off in the state of Montana. So I will call my dealer today and see if he can swap me for the Rock Mods with 75% let off. Then I'll see if it can hit the IBO rating. Still pretty good for not being tuned yet. The speed I'm getting sets it at about a 332 IBO. I figure with the new 75% mods and some tuning, I should be able to surpass the 342 IBO just as the dealer told me he did.

 

[Raythemanroe]

You shoot veins or feathers? Feathers stabilized faster therefore resulting in faster speeds.. No joke, I didn't believe it until I tested it.. Now I Fletch a good right helico also

Ray

 

[Ledd Slinger]

You shoot veins or feathers? Feathers stabilized faster therefore resulting in faster speeds.. No joke, I didn't believe it until I tested it.. Now I Fletch a good right helico also

Ray

I've been shooting the blazer vanes for a long time. They are OK. Didn't see much improvement over 4" vanes. Never have tried feathers. Thats interesting. Might have to try that. Are you talking faster speed right out of the bow with feathers? Or better maintained velocity down range?

My dealer said they are ordering my 75% Rock Mods and they'll just trade me straight across for my 85% mods when they come in. Hopefully the IBO will come up to spec. At least I'll be legal for hunting.

 

[Raythemanroe]

You shoot veins or feathers? Feathers stabilized faster therefore resulting in faster speeds.. No joke, I didn't believe it until I tested it.. Now I Fletch a good right helico also

Ray

I've been shooting the blazer vanes for a long time. They are OK. Didn't see much improvement over 4" vanes. Never have tried feathers. Thats interesting. Might have to try that. Are you talking faster speed right out of the bow with feathers? Or better maintained velocity down range?

My dealer said they are ordering my 75% Rock Mods and they'll just trade me straight across for my 85% mods when they come in. Hopefully the IBO will come up to spec. At least I'll be legal for hunting.

Feathers will chrono faster right off the bow

Ray

 

[Ledd Slinger]

You shoot veins or feathers? Feathers stabilized faster therefore resulting in faster speeds.. No joke, I didn't believe it until I tested it.. Now I Fletch a good right helico also

Ray

I've been shooting the blazer vanes for a long time. They are OK. Didn't see much improvement over 4" vanes. Never have tried feathers. Thats interesting. Might have to try that. Are you talking faster speed right out of the bow with feathers? Or better maintained velocity down range?

My dealer said they are ordering my 75% Rock Mods and they'll just trade me straight across for my 85% mods when they come in. Hopefully the IBO will come up to spec. At least I'll be legal for hunting.

Feathers will chrono faster right off the bow

Ray

Interesting. What type of speed gain have you seen on average when switching from vanes to feathers?

 

[Raythemanroe]

I got about 6-8 fps


Ray

 

[Dgd6mm]

Feathers are faster right off the bow, then they are like a parachute.... I know this is an over statement, but they do slow faster then plastic vanes.