Les, you couldn't be more right...I did not even think about Norm as a source of great info. I think I'll give him a call. Thanks



Edited by - tribalscream on 03/01/2002 22:17:18

mlaubner,

I have a few suggestions for you.

1. Ignore Big John <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

2. Definitely try out each of these bows at a reputable pro shop. I am not too familiar with Maryland but I believe you are close to where Len's shop is at. Head over there and he will let you shoot whatever you want.

3. I had the chance to shoot the new Legacy and Icon today..and I must say that I am really impressed. Both bows were very quiet and the draw cycle on the Icon is like no other. You don't even feel the transition into the valley!

3. I have used the Zero Effect rest from Muzzy and I think it would make an excellent choice for a mostly hunting/some 3D bow. No negative comments on that piece of equipment from me.

Good luck with your search and make sure you pick the bow that is best for you.

To answer your question, I don't know of any top 3D shooter shooting the SQ2, as shootable a bow as it is said to be. The Q2 isn't all that extreme however, Tom Crowe has shot it successfully for Hunting, 3D, and spots, just changing arrows and winning several national title last year.

Though most 3D shooters are shooting longer bows, the Q2 with its outsize cams is probably in the same range as a lot of 36&quot; bows that have tradtionaly been very effective on 3D, and continue to be actively campained by a lot of the ladies (probably amount others). A few years ago, a 36&quot; bow like the Ultralight was all the rage for 3D, and I think that is the kind of thing the Q2 builds on.

On the hunting side of the equation, unless hunting equals buying the shortest bow in the universe, I don't see the need to go for the SQ2 either. The best you can say about such bows (other than that lots of people love theirs), is that it is a useful trend of the last few years, it is far from essential. The are lots of folks out there with 72&quot; longbows just tearing up the big game. Only you know whether there is something about your local topography or tactics that mandates such a short bow.

Presumably you are asking the question you are because you plan on doing both hunting and 3D, in which case I say go for the Q2.


I haven't even seen decent pictures of the new Mathews bows. My sense is that if you like the Q2 you will love the Legacy, worst case it is just quieter without any string slowing silencers.

I am actualy thinking of the Icon myself since I think that the smooth draw is as much of an asset in the field as a short bow. If there are Mathews shooters out there beating folks shooting the Q2 or the Legacy on the 3D range, chances are they will be shooting the Icon or the C2.

As to the Zero Effects, I like it too, but as far as the Icon or Legacy are concerned, you can't run it with their trademark new cable guards. What we need is for these bows to license the Jennins swing arm guard, and integrate it with a ZE and a sound supressor. We may have to wait a while for that desired state of affairs.

I agree with the guys that said to shoot as many bows as you can get your hands on. don't rule out some of the other brands. mathews, in my opinion, aren't any better than some of the other brands out there. they just have alot of advertising hype, that people really get suckered into. Stick a darton into your lineup to feel a really smooth draw cycle. ~DREW~

A big THANK YOU, to everyone who replied to this thread. I was really looking for your opinions. I have tried some other bows over the weekend and have had a chance to decide for myself wether the Mathews name is marketing hype or real performance. I looked at High Country, Hoyt, Browning and Darton. I still liked the Mathews best overall.
My next question: For hunting and 3-D, is a 60# or 70# better? (I understand I am asking for opinions, but please give your reasons)

http://www.insidebaltimore.com/abc2/...-seafood.shtml

For either it is most important not to be overbowed. When I went to the PSE shooter school in '96 or '97, out of a class of @ 30, selected from a population of active shooters, most people aren't even interested enough to go to one of these, 3 out of about 30 weren't overbowed. All of the rest of us were.

If I had to advise a person I would say this: There are bows you can draw, at that time I had shot bows up to 100#, and my regular bows were various @ 75# recurves and longbows. But I would say that even I knew that with cam bows I wasn't gaining any effectiveness by going 80# and up. My regular bows were all 60-70# Mathews in the compound area. I had as much right to be shooting these bows as all the other 27 people in my class who were overbowed. My real handelable weight was a ridiculous 50-60# rubber band bow, and of course if speed really didn't mater dropping down to 40-50 indoors would have been nice. What this tells me is most people should be handling two bow weight ranges down from where they perceive the cutoff is.

There are a lot of other things you hear said, like can you draw it sitting down, and so forth. I could do all that stuff and I was still overbowed.

Put differently, in ten pound ranges: There is the bow you can pull back easily enough but would never seriously want to shoot regularly; there is the bow you can easily pull back, but you can't shoot, but you don't know it; and then one hopes there is the bow you can shoot.

Keep in mind that even at 60# modern bows develop more energy than the recurve Fred Bear shot his elephant with.

It isn't how well you shoot the first shot, how well will you shoot the 40th shot. But interestingly the PSE lasers show that virtualy none of us had enough time to shoot the first shot properly either (though we had been shooting a fair bit before lunch).

People will say hey there is only 2 lbs difference between 60 and 70 # at full draw with an 80% let-off. It's the area under the force draw curve you had to displace to get there that maters right along with the holding weight.

Also don't listen to a word anyone else here says, because in a post a few weeks ago it was revealed that almost all these other guys are manic weight lifters.

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So then a 60# Q2 w/the Muzzy ZE rest would probably be a really good first bow?
I was also thinking about the Cosmic Air Lite sight? any thoughts on this?

Oh yea,... how can I be sure that I am &quot;sized&quot; properly for my draw length?

Is there a tool for determining your draw length?