Bowtech not what I was hoping !

Dublelung · 03-02-2002, 04:41 PM

Well,
After reading all of the hype about the Bowtech bows on this and other websites, I had to try one out for myself. I was very disapointed in the results! I shot the Pro 38 which should be one of their best shooting bows, here are my opinions after trying it out. First off let me say this was a 30" bow set at 70lbs. Speed, with only a brass nock on the string this bow only shot 302 with a 340 grain arrow which would make the IBO around 295, not the advertised 310-318.Hand Shock!!!, when I shot this bow it went off like a grenade and continued to rattle for several seconds after the release of the arrow.Draw Cycle= harsh with a very hard rollover and a short valley. I shot a Darton Maverick at 30" and 70lbs with a kisser string silencers and a loop through the same chronograph and got 305 with the same arrow, which means with only a nock this bow would be shooting about 310fps.I was disapointed beacause I thought from all I had read that perhaps Bowtech had found the answer to combining speed and smoothness, but the Darton was 20 times smoother in it's draw cycle and was at least 10 fps faster. I am not a Daron man , but the smooth draw and good speed did impress me. I want to add that this was 2001 model bow, so hopefully they have improved but since it was fitted with the "Sand Traps" I expected a rattle free release at the least, this was the the most hand vibration I have ever felt when shooting a bow. I am not blasting Bowtech at all, I was just so disapointed because I was so excited to try one that I had to vent. I hope the new bows are much better!

moonge · 03-02-2002, 04:48 PM

once it again it goes to show that someone else's ultimate bow is anothers worst nightmare! goes to show that the only person's opionion that matters is the person that is going to be shooting the bow. I think sometimes people put to much wieght on what other people on this BBS say about a bow or a certain brand of bow.

~DREW~ · 03-02-2002, 05:22 PM

thanks double lung. now I am really glad I ordered the Darton maverick. It will be here tomorrow, I can't wait!!!!!!!!

Antler Eater · 03-02-2002, 06:17 PM

I thought I was the only odd duck, but then Frank gave his report and now Dublelung...

I too will say the only opinion that counts is the person shooting the bow. I have no problem recommending a BowTech to someone who is looking for more speed. They appear to be a quality piece of equipment.

In this case it is just "different strokes for different folks!" What one finds appealing, another finds appalling.

Edited by - Antler Eater on 03/03/2002 11:51:52

Deleted User · 03-02-2002, 06:34 PM

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Deleted User · 03-02-2002, 06:55 PM

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JOE PA · 03-02-2002, 07:45 PM

I can see where it might not be the bow for you, but if it really reacted the way you are saying, then I think something was wrong. I recently shot a Mighty Mite, and a Patriot, neither of which is the Pro 38 (obviously!) but would be a good point of reference. Neither had bad hand shock, the Patiot had virtually none. Neither bow had a stabilizer on it. Actually none of the bows I have shot in the last 5 years had what I would call bad hand shock. The old Jennings Carbon Extreme I had gave me a sore shoulder to shoot it, but everything since that seemed pretty tame.
Grenade going off? LOL

Avoid the inevitable until it is absolutely unavoidable!

Renz · 03-02-2002, 08:09 PM

It must just be personal prefrence. I planned on bying a MM last year but after shooting it. I didnt like the bow at all. I do think bowtech makes a good quality bow because you here very few people who have problems with them. The MM I shot had way to much handshock for me to be happy but it was a very fast bow.

Matt / PA · 03-02-2002, 11:02 PM

Dublelung,
I won't try to dispute what you saw or felt, you were there and not me......but I will say this, by your description, there HAD to be something wrong with that bow.
I've simply shot too many different Pro38's ......maybe 6-7 different 2001's and 2002's , plus 2 different Pro38 Dual Cams and not a single one of these wouldn't shoot advertised speeds........AND none of these bows had Handshock or vibration.....some slight recoil depending on the arrow weight VS. draw wight,but the handshock of a GRENADE??<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> .... "continued to rattle for a couple seconds", and "The MOST hand vibration I have ever felt shooting a bow."???

Are you sure you weren't hallucinating and were actually shooting an old PSE "G-Force"<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

I've shot a great many different bows including the Darton Maverick, and right across the board every single Pro38 has been better for shock, vibration,recoil and noise......The Dartons are a VERY good bow and one manufacturer who I believe is pretty right on with what they advertise, so I am definitely not down on them......in fact I LOVE the way they draw.(I wish the BowTech's drew that nice)
And oh yeah.....the Maverick's brace height is an inch shorter than the Pro38's

There's simply something not jiving with the bow you shot......First off they simply don't leave the factory if they don't shoot at LEAST the minimum advertised speed.....most fall somewhere in the middle of that range.
Second.....the design of the bow with it's long riser and short nearly parallel limbs and relatively high mass weight just DO NOT promote handshock....it's built right into the design.

I have a 2001 Pro38 Dual Cam myself.....which by all accounts should have much more handshock than the SINGLE cam model......well mine @ 30"/70# will do 336fps and even at that speed there is NO shock.....some recoil yes but shock no....and certainly no vibration.

I just spent the better part of yesterday helping a friend set up his 2002 Pro38 (Infinity Cam version) for 3D......at 28"/65# and a 324gr arrow w/ a string loop/tie in nock set and med True Peep......his shot 289,289,289
So if the one you shot really was 30" 70# and 10 grs UNDER IBO specs and you only got 302??.......there was a serious problem.

If all is right that bow simply doesn't do what you describe......it just DOESN'T.
Like I said.....I've shot almost 10 Pro38's (not to mention every other bow BowTech makes), and some for extended periods and they were NOTHING like what you described.
And that isn't just a "Personal Opinion", that maybe I just didn't percieve what you felt.....I know what handshock,vibration,and recoil feel like.....and the Pro38 is one of the BEST in all categories.

*Edited for confusion pointed out by "Big Country!"

Edited by - Matt / PA on 03/03/2002 00:26:21

Big Country · 03-02-2002, 11:18 PM

Hey Matt, why does your buddy`s bow @ 28" draw only shoot 289fps with an arrow 1gr. under IBO, when yours shoots 336fps @ 30" draw. I would think it should shoot about 315fps?
I am trying to shoot one of the pro 38`s myself, but the only dealer in my area that carries them is not picking them up again this year. I`ll find one somewhere, as soon as I get some time to look around.