ORIGINAL: Arthur P

I've got a 33.5" draw length and shoot fingers and, when I shoot a compound, it's a ProTec with an axle to axle length of 46" and 8" brace height. I've got LXPro limbs on mine, but Hoyt has discontinued them and replaced them with XT4000 limbs this year. (Looks like the same limb but with a different name?) I'd suggest the ProTec with Cam 1/2 and XT4000 limbs. It is available up to 80 pounds draw weight. Unless you just want to switch to release shooting[:'(], this is the bow that best fits your requirements.

I had a Pearson a few years back and had the same problem with wandering windage. I tracked the problem down to the grip. For some reason, I couldn't grab the handle the same way, from one day to the next, and the bow was extremely 'torque-y'. So, I replaced that tacky, soft rubber grip with their optional wood grip. The bow was still very particular about how it wanted to be gripped, but it was much easier to get it consistent from one day to the next.

Also, it sounds like you need to get your string and cable twisted up some to get your draw weight back.

Straightarrow is right on the money, IMO. The longer an arrow stays on the string, the longer you've got to screw up the shot. With my 33.5" draw and 8" brace height, my arrow travels with the string for 25.5" before it's free. If I had a bow with a 6.5" brace, it'd be on the string for 27". That's another inch-and-a-half of travel time. Another 1.5" for me to move my bow arm. Another 1/5" for the bow's torque to mess with my arrow flight. Another 1.5" where the string can interfere with the arrow's paradox.

As far as speed goes, the longer the arrow is powered by the string the faster it goes, BUT! How much power stroke do you need, anyway? Somebody with a 30" draw and a bow with a 6.5" brace height winds up with a power stroke of 23.5". If you've got a 32" draw and use a bow with an 8" brace, you've got a power stroke of 24". You've still got the other guy beat and are using a more forgiving brace height.

The big thing about reflex vs deflex risers is torque. With a reflex riser, the bow's grip is between your string hand and the limb butts. Your bow hand has enough mechanical advantage to really twist the snot out of the grip, especially on a high letoff bow. The deflex riser puts the limb butts between the grip and the string hand, eliminating the bow hand's mechanical advantage. Deflex risers are very resistant to torque and are much more stable and 'forgiving' as a result.

Reflex risers are for short armed little twerps who want more arrow speed and are willing to deal with all the torque problems of a reflex riser to get a low brace height and longer power stroke. Ape armed guys -like us- can get the benefits of a high brace height AND deflex riser and still get more power stroke than the stubbies can. [8D]