JOE PA

Since the forum seems to be kinda dead right now, I thought I would bring this up as an alternative to the Brand X is better than Brand Y type of thing.

I used to think I had a pretty good idea of what makes a bow stable and easy to shoot. The classic answers were always presented as tall brace, long axle length, heavy mass weight, etc. It seems that some bows that do not have the qualities above seem to shoot very well for some guys. Some shooters extol the virtues of bows that I personally have found a bit difficult to shoot accurately. I am wondering now how a stable bow is actually created. How much emphasis do you place on the following possible factors?

1. Axle to Axle length
2. Brace height
3. Mass weight
4. Riser design (reflex, vertical grip position, lateral placement/torque, etc.)
5. Cam design (twin-hard, twin-moderate, twin wheels, single-hard, single moderate, hybrid-
CPS, hybrid-Hoyt cam.5)
6. Limb length/design (straight, recurve, split)
7. Limb pocket angle
8. Other?

Just wondering what you all think. I presently have a single cam bow that is pretty short, has split limbs, and I am shooting off the string, and the thing is very easy to tune and shoot.

PABowhntr

When a bow that is typically expected to be "unstable" is, in reality, stable for a shooter then I usually chalk it up to "synergy". In other words sometimes some bows just naturally fit an individual's shooting style, preferences, form, etc.... I had much the same experience with that Havoc. By all rights it should not shoot very accurately for me but for some reason it was the most accurate bow I have ever shot.

All in all, when you put such things aside though, the "usual characteristics" are the most reliable for the average shooter. As for what I personally put stock into.

1. Manufacturing tolerances
2. Brace height (for my form and size this makes the most sense).
3. Axle to axle length
4. Cam Design
5. Overall Bow design
6. Riser Geometry

Arthur P

I've never had a bow that shot better for me than Hoyt's ProVantage series. 46-48" axle to axle, mild cams or energy wheels w/ 50-65% letoff, massive deflexed risers, solid recurved limbs and 10" brace heights.

Lots of guys are shooting well with insanely hard cams, severely reflexed risers and comparatively low brace heights, but they all say the same thing. The bows they shoot will shoot accurately "as long as the shooter's form is good."

How does the bow shoot when your form is NOT good? That's what tells you how stable and shootable a bow is. My old ProVantages suprized the devil out of me, more than once, on the NFAA field archery course, when I knew I jerked, choked, hiccupped or otherwise totally blew a shot on a 65 yarder and still got an X-ring.

c903

Amen, Arthur!

Some other considerations are required to be factored in regarding the short and high-energy bows.

-How long do the bows stay well tuned?
-What is the comparative malfunction rate?
-How long do these bows last?
-How consistently accurate is the shooter when in the field shooting under actual hunting conditions?

ijimmy

Axil to axil is critical to me , can't shoot a short bow worth a darn . A bow with around 38 - 40 inches works nice for me . Something else is balence , by adjusting weight between front and back stabilizer holes a bow will hold vastly diferant for me , front heavy is a nono for me , a bow that just sits in my hand after the shot works well . Most bows are front heavy , and then we stick a stabilizer up front and it falls forward after the shot . Bace height on the other hand seems not to be a big deal , I can shoot a 6" brace bow well , as long as the other qualitys aply . Im sure everyone is diferant , some guys shoot short bows well , and others like a bow that tilts forward at the shot .

Oh and #5 = love a twin cam , or hybred , Im done with singel cams .

JoshKeller

To me, one of the most important things to ensure a good shooting bow is balance. Especially those goofy bows that have the grips below the center. Never could shoot those well. I also have a Havoc, and feel it is an AWESOME shooting bow, almost as good as my Liberty.

JOE PA

Well, at least 3 people have found the Havoc to be a good shooter for a short bow. I can't help but think the minimal riser reflex is part of the equation there, and the 8+ inch brace. I have had single cams in the past that have seemed to "throw" shots at times, but perhaps I was not consistent enough with back tension.

I know a lot of you seem to like the bows with a lot of reflex in the riser so the limbs can be angled to cut the recoil. I haven't owned one yet that seemed to be forgiving for me at least. I seem to do well with a fairly straight riser for some reason. One of the easiest bows for me to shoot well had a long, straight riser, only 7" brace, a force draw that I really didn't like all that much, and may have been the fastest bow I ever owned. It still shot great. Never should have sold it, and may have to try to get another some day.[:@]

Bigpapascout

what makes any bow shootable and stable
is determined by how tight the nut holding the bow is[8D]