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04-10-2005 | 09:12 PM

#15

Len in Maryland

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 1,385

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From: Baltimore Maryland USA

RE: Reflex vs. Deflex -- What is a good compromise?

I started this post and Arthur has done a great job answering questions.

The one reason that I like less reflex is forgiveness. I'll explain in a minute. But first let me guess why someone like Norb Mullaney and others would make a statement such as someone said he/they did. In a shooting machine there will be no difference between the two designs. A Hooter Shooter will rack them and stack them. On the tournament circuit and in the hands of a GOOD shooter, there will be little difference. In the hands of a hunter, that is where the differences can show up.

Under the first two scenarios the target is usually stationary and you've got alloted time to shoot of up to two minutes (actually as long as you want in a Hooter Shooter). In a hunting scenario you've got usually something in the neighborhood of seconds and the target will move.

When I practice, I do it in two modes. First, like most others, I hold on target to see how well I can group, hit 'X's, or hit floating spots that can give you a variety of options/perspectives. Second, and this is where you see how forgiving your bow is, I 'snap shoot'. Snap shooting is where you shoot as many arrows as fast as you can at a spot, 'X' or whatever.

It is in the 'snap shoot' mode where you'll really notice the difference in reflex/deflex. For instance, I was shooting two different bows a while back that were identical in just about every respect. Both were high speed bows, both were within 1/2" of ATA, both had similar 'neutral' grips, and both were set up at exactly the same DL and DW.

One bow had 1" more BH over the other and you'd think this would be the more forgiving bow. I thought so as well. When I got to shooting both side by side, they both shot equally well; but, there was a subtle difference. The one with the higher BH would give me 'flyers' if I was not on my game (that's what I call it when I've got too many distractions).

I talked to others who had shot the same two bows and both agreed with my findings. The bow with the higher BH was NOT as forgiving; but it was very subtle. Then the acid test, since I'm a hunter first -- snap shooting. The results were astounding. One bow shot 1/2 the group of the other bow consistently.

The one with the higher BH was the looser. The one with the lower reflex was the winner. The bow with the higher BH also had 2 1/2" of reflex. The other bow had 1" less BH but had 1 1/4" of reflex.

So, in my world of hunting, where you can't count on having 'minutes' to set up, and where the target can move on you in an instant, I'll go with the lower reflex over the higher BH any day.

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