Well I picked up my new X-Force. The dealer had ordered two identical 60# versions, one for me and one to sell at the shop. I thought they felt long when I pulled them back at the factory-sent (supposedly) 29" draw. Both measured an AMO draw of 3/4" to 7/8" longer than the stated module.

I had ordered the bow as a 27" AMO draw, and I believe all X-Forces come with 29" modules installed, and then they just include the desired modules with the bow.

So I installed the 27" modules, moved the drawstop peg to the #7, 70% letoff position (#7 is the corresponding position for the 27" mods)and drew it back. I knew immediately it was too long. I don't "guess" at drawlengths, or go by how it feels compared to another one of my bows that I think is X" of draw, or assume that it what the manufacturer says it is.

I measure it.

Cams are aligned with the timing marks, axle length and brace are right on specifcations as well. I put it on my drawing machine and cranked it back until the drawstop peg and the module slot just start to make contact with the cables. This position would be the lowest part of the valley as once you start pulling into the cables the weight would immediately ramp back up.

Here's the bottom cam on the draw machine, the stop is just touching the cable:



Here's the top cam as the module's slot just starts to touch the cable:



And here's the reading on a measured shaft from the throat of the nock:



The target-edge of the Berger hole is VERY close to being on the same vertical line as the deepest point of the grip on the X-Force, so you can see that the true draw of my bow is around 26-1/8+", if not closer to 26-1/4". Add in the 1-3/4" to get to AMO specifications, and your at just about 27-7/8" to 28". And this is for their 27" draw module. hmmmmmm.

But, this thing DOES smoke arrows. I knew I was in trouble on the first shot when my test arrow plowed though my target and through the wall behind it. When I tried to retrieve my arrow- I had to wrestle with it a bit....



Oh well, another hole in the wall in my shop.

So I setup the chrono and a few test arrows, all done with a tied nock and short d-loop with nothing else on the string except for the factory-installed speed nocks and shrink tubing.

At a measured 62#, and let's call it 27-3/4" AMO draw (27" mods installed):

310gr arrow = 315fps (three shot average)
385gr (last years hunting arrow) = 286fps
463gr = 263fps

Now for me with a shorty draw, I've never seen those kind of numbers on my chrono.

But, I would have liked to seen a more accurate representation of their draw modules compared to real-world AMO standards. As it is, I'll have to order the 26" modules from PSE to get to where I need to be at my 27" AMO draw. booooooooo......

Bow was very quiet and nice to shoot. I have test shot a BT Guardian a few times, and while the X-Force is not quite as quiet or shock-free as the Guardian (nothing else is), I had no complaints and thought is was very impressive on the shot for its speed. Comparable to just about any of the other new, shock-free, parallel limbed models out there. You're splitting some hairs if you complain about this bow being loud or vibration-prone. I like how light this bow is. When I shot a Guardian I immediately thought it felt heavy. Not so with this bow- very light.

I had a few absorbing stabilizers laying around and tried a few. X-Ring Deadshot, GK Tranquilzer, and Sims Enhancer. The one that seemed to work the best was the lightest one I had- the Tranquilzer. It removed a touch of resonance from the handle. Very nice indeed.

PSE's speed charts on their website indicate that for 27" draw:

60lb IBO arrow 310
65lb IBO arrow 313

For 28" draw:

60lb IBO arrow 322
65lb IBO arrow 325

Remember I did have a d-loop on the string, so that would account for possibly 3fps? So we are close, maybe 4-5 fps slower than the charts. Not too shabby all things considered. But I wonder about some of the speed claims people are posting for the X-Force at or above the speed charts.

If I hadn't MEASURED the drawlength and just slapped on the supposed-27" modules, then I'd be thinking I was sailing along faster than PSE speeds!