Darton Rampage, first impressions.
02-24-2002, 09:05 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
Darton Rampage, first impressions.
Well, fist off this isn't going to be an attempt at a "bow report". I will leave that to JeffB or Matt/PA. I realy don't think I have the technical knowledge to even begin to give that kind of report! I have owned and shot a good number of bows, and I know what I want in a hunting bow. The Darton Rampage, on paper had everthing I was looking for. I did shoot and try several other bows before going with it. The only other real choice would have been the Bowtech patriot.
First off The Darton CPS system is very adjustable, somthing I realy wanted, it is is also fast, and Darton seems to be pretty "honest" in their amo speed ratings.
I like the fact That the CPS cam uses standerd length strings and cables, and the draw is realy smooth! I have been shooting hard drawing single cams for so long I forgot what a truley smooooth draw is like! The overall fit and finish of my bow are realy good, no flaws or blemishes that I can find, and everything is nice and tite.
Shooting this bow is realy fun, it has very little jump or "shock", even without limbsavers and a stabilizer. With these attached it is pretty much "dead" in your hand. I don't have a chronograph( 44 mag incident, proved to much for it, LOL) but shooting my standerd 420 grn carbons arrows I found arrow drop to be less at all distances than with my Stryker II or golden eagle evolution set at the same draw weight and length. This bow is realy a shooter! I set everything up by eye, and have not tried to tune it yet, but my groups at 50 yards are around 5 inches, and seem very consitant, much more so than ANY other bow I have shot. Most times when I have purchased a bow, I end up finding more little things I don't realy care for than than good, not so with the Rampage, the more I handle and shoot it the more I like it!
Now for the negitives, and I can only find one realy, and one that may be a problem for some. First It is not going to be the most silent bow on the market, I have string leeches on, with The PSE, Nv dampners( this is the first bow I have tried them on that they actualy made a differnce) and limbsavers, along with the Enhancer 2000 stabilizer. The shot noise is not terrible by any means, and it is plenty quiet for hunting, but It is not the most silent bow I have owned or shot. The only other "negitive" may be the draw stop. If you draw nice and smooth it is not a problem, but if you draw "hard and fast" it makes a clicking sound at full draw. Darton does include some felt pads to eliminate the sound. I don't find it a problem with my draw but it may be for you. overall I am realy impressed with my Rampage so far. If you are in the market for a new bow, take a hard look at All of the Dartons before you decide. The Mavrick recurve exp, was also a nice bow, a little faster, and lighter, with a little less brace height.
TAKE YOUR KIDS HUNTING AND YOU WON'T BE HUNTING FOR YOUR KIDS
First off The Darton CPS system is very adjustable, somthing I realy wanted, it is is also fast, and Darton seems to be pretty "honest" in their amo speed ratings.
I like the fact That the CPS cam uses standerd length strings and cables, and the draw is realy smooth! I have been shooting hard drawing single cams for so long I forgot what a truley smooooth draw is like! The overall fit and finish of my bow are realy good, no flaws or blemishes that I can find, and everything is nice and tite.
Shooting this bow is realy fun, it has very little jump or "shock", even without limbsavers and a stabilizer. With these attached it is pretty much "dead" in your hand. I don't have a chronograph( 44 mag incident, proved to much for it, LOL) but shooting my standerd 420 grn carbons arrows I found arrow drop to be less at all distances than with my Stryker II or golden eagle evolution set at the same draw weight and length. This bow is realy a shooter! I set everything up by eye, and have not tried to tune it yet, but my groups at 50 yards are around 5 inches, and seem very consitant, much more so than ANY other bow I have shot. Most times when I have purchased a bow, I end up finding more little things I don't realy care for than than good, not so with the Rampage, the more I handle and shoot it the more I like it!
Now for the negitives, and I can only find one realy, and one that may be a problem for some. First It is not going to be the most silent bow on the market, I have string leeches on, with The PSE, Nv dampners( this is the first bow I have tried them on that they actualy made a differnce) and limbsavers, along with the Enhancer 2000 stabilizer. The shot noise is not terrible by any means, and it is plenty quiet for hunting, but It is not the most silent bow I have owned or shot. The only other "negitive" may be the draw stop. If you draw nice and smooth it is not a problem, but if you draw "hard and fast" it makes a clicking sound at full draw. Darton does include some felt pads to eliminate the sound. I don't find it a problem with my draw but it may be for you. overall I am realy impressed with my Rampage so far. If you are in the market for a new bow, take a hard look at All of the Dartons before you decide. The Mavrick recurve exp, was also a nice bow, a little faster, and lighter, with a little less brace height.
TAKE YOUR KIDS HUNTING AND YOU WON'T BE HUNTING FOR YOUR KIDS
02-24-2002, 09:29 AM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
RE: Darton Rampage, first impressions.
Good post 5shot. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I would like to look at the Rampage but none of the local dealers have them in stock yet.
02-24-2002, 08:00 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Baltimore Maryland USA
Posts: 1,385
RE: Darton Rampage, first impressions.
Stop on by, Frank. I'll gladly let you shoot one. Anything to get you to the shop. You've been saying you'll stop by for several years. Can I entice you with shooting a Rampage?? <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
02-24-2002, 08:08 PM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Dover, PA USA
Posts: 5,497
RE: Darton Rampage, first impressions.
Don't sell yourself short 5-Shot.......that's a nice little report.
The Dartons are really a nice bow, I liked the Maverick alot, but have never seen a Rampage.
5-Shot....that "Click" you are referring to I actually noticed with BowTech's drawstop as well. It's not a gunshot going off, but I can hear it.......I guess it's tough to defeat that metal on metal(or metal on limb) sound and still retain the consistency of a pure metal surface.
Hey Len.....maybe I'll get Frank to drive halfway to here, and then I'll finish off the drive down 83 and get it over with already!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Edited by - Matt / PA on 02/24/2002 21:10:02
The Dartons are really a nice bow, I liked the Maverick alot, but have never seen a Rampage.
5-Shot....that "Click" you are referring to I actually noticed with BowTech's drawstop as well. It's not a gunshot going off, but I can hear it.......I guess it's tough to defeat that metal on metal(or metal on limb) sound and still retain the consistency of a pure metal surface.
Hey Len.....maybe I'll get Frank to drive halfway to here, and then I'll finish off the drive down 83 and get it over with already!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Edited by - Matt / PA on 02/24/2002 21:10:02
02-24-2002, 08:40 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Baltimore Maryland USA
Posts: 1,385
RE: Darton Rampage, first impressions.
I'd love to meet you guys. And don't forget to bring your bows. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
As far as the "click", it can be easily rectified by putting the little tabs on the stop or some moleskin will also do the trick very well.
Edited by - Len in Maryland on 02/24/2002 21:43:22
As far as the "click", it can be easily rectified by putting the little tabs on the stop or some moleskin will also do the trick very well.
Edited by - Len in Maryland on 02/24/2002 21:43:22
02-24-2002, 08:42 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CT, USA
Posts: 3,058
RE: Darton Rampage, first impressions.
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Don't sell yourself short 5-Shot.......that's a nice little report.
The Dartons are really a nice bow, I liked the Maverick alot, but have never seen a Rampage.
5-Shot....that "Click" you are referring to I actually noticed with BowTech's drawstop as well. It's not a gunshot going off, but I can hear it.......I guess it's tough to defeat that metal on metal(or metal on limb) sound and still retain the consistency of a pure metal surface.
Hey Len.....maybe I'll get Frank to drive halfway to here, and then I'll finish off the drive down 83 and get it over with already!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Edited by - Matt / PA on 02/24/2002 21:10:02
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
Matt, the I-cam has a rubber o-ring on the stop that eliminates that sound..are you referring to original PF or BK cams? Both of my I-cam bows make no noise at all when the stop bottoms out.
5Shot,
Great report..short and to the point..not egomanically verbose like mine! <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
All of the Darton dealers dried up round these parts...{
]
JeffB
Don't sell yourself short 5-Shot.......that's a nice little report.
The Dartons are really a nice bow, I liked the Maverick alot, but have never seen a Rampage.
5-Shot....that "Click" you are referring to I actually noticed with BowTech's drawstop as well. It's not a gunshot going off, but I can hear it.......I guess it's tough to defeat that metal on metal(or metal on limb) sound and still retain the consistency of a pure metal surface.
Hey Len.....maybe I'll get Frank to drive halfway to here, and then I'll finish off the drive down 83 and get it over with already!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Edited by - Matt / PA on 02/24/2002 21:10:02
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
Matt, the I-cam has a rubber o-ring on the stop that eliminates that sound..are you referring to original PF or BK cams? Both of my I-cam bows make no noise at all when the stop bottoms out.
5Shot,
Great report..short and to the point..not egomanically verbose like mine! <img src=icon_smile_tongue.gif border=0 align=middle>
All of the Darton dealers dried up round these parts...{
]JeffB
02-24-2002, 08:54 PM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Dover, PA USA
Posts: 5,497
RE: Darton Rampage, first impressions.
Jeff.....you know come to think of it I never really noticed the noise on any I-cam bow I've shot until tonight(I-Cam).
I was shooting my buddy's "Tech29" for kicks and it is a 28" draw.....every single draw it would "clink" to a stop. I'm not sure if I was slapping it too hard into the wall because of my 30" draw but it was there every time.
I'm trying hard to remember if I recall hearing it on the other I-Cam bows I've shot and I don't......I bet you his "O-Ring" blew out. (And after my spicy pork barbecue today it might not be the only O-ring he blows this weekend.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>)
I'm gonna have to call him tomorrow and get him to look for it. It's a definite "clink" sound.
I didn't have that problem with my MM's "PF" cam and I sure don't with my BK dual cams on my "Pro38".....neither of these is silent as it hits the wall either however. (a VERY SLIGHT "doink" sound as it snaps into the cam groove I imagine)..... His is a definite draw stop "clank" .
I never noticed that o-ring before as I don't own an "I-Cam" bow YET (Patriot coming)......thanks for bringing my attention to it, I'll alert him to it ASAP.
I was shooting my buddy's "Tech29" for kicks and it is a 28" draw.....every single draw it would "clink" to a stop. I'm not sure if I was slapping it too hard into the wall because of my 30" draw but it was there every time.
I'm trying hard to remember if I recall hearing it on the other I-Cam bows I've shot and I don't......I bet you his "O-Ring" blew out. (And after my spicy pork barbecue today it might not be the only O-ring he blows this weekend.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>)
I'm gonna have to call him tomorrow and get him to look for it. It's a definite "clink" sound.
I didn't have that problem with my MM's "PF" cam and I sure don't with my BK dual cams on my "Pro38".....neither of these is silent as it hits the wall either however. (a VERY SLIGHT "doink" sound as it snaps into the cam groove I imagine)..... His is a definite draw stop "clank" .
I never noticed that o-ring before as I don't own an "I-Cam" bow YET (Patriot coming)......thanks for bringing my attention to it, I'll alert him to it ASAP.
02-25-2002, 04:17 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
RE: Darton Rampage, first impressions.
Thanks guys. Meff, I know what you mean about Darton dealers. I had to drive 2 1/2 hours just to check this one out. He is only open monday through Friday, So I had to take a day off work as well. Matt, The click isn't bad at all with the draw length set properly, and a nice smooth draw. I am not even going to bother with the felt pads. I did have the draw length set to short at first, and I noticed it when I pulled into the wall.
TAKE YOUR KIDS HUNTING AND YOU WON'T BE HUNTING FOR YOUR KIDS
TAKE YOUR KIDS HUNTING AND YOU WON'T BE HUNTING FOR YOUR KIDS