Welcome to the forum! I'm sure you will get alot of opinions here on your questions, here's mine:
1. Excal Phoenix [similar new stuff to be available soon, untested yet]
2. Most of us use rope cockers which cut effort in half, can shoot a Phoenix all day.
3. Poker chips to 40 yds
4. Don't know, but get good accuracy w/ two bows from 290-330 fps
5. I favor 431 gr GT L II's at $5.75 @