Bowtech Shooters Which Bow
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
Which bow are you shooting and will you upgrade this year, depending on 2020 models?
Realm SR-6. I’ve had it for less than 9mo, so I’m not looking to upgrade. Fact is, it’s more than likely the last bow I’ll ever buy.
I’m shooting a Sentinel...for the 10th or 11th season!-) Can’t remember for sure when I got it. But I’ve killed a lot animals with it. Including two elk this year. But...after 10 years there have been noticeable improvements! I shot some new models last year before my shoulder surgery and loved them. Healed up well and Lord willing I see a lot of bowhunting left for me. So, a new bow is in order. Just can’t decide which model yet???
Have a Realm X and a Reckoning..... no need to upgrade for a few years
I own two Invasion CPX bows (2011 & 2012). Don't plan on upgrading in the foreseeable future.
Wow, good to see the older bows still prevail...I still have my Destroyer 340! If I were to go newer, the Realm SS would get a hard look...
RealmX and no won’t upgrade. I have it less than a year but it shoots much better than me. I really like this bow.
I’m shooting a Realm and no plan to upgrade. No need to. It shoots lights out. I’ve also shot the Reign 7 which I really liked as well.
Being 6’4” makes options extremely limited.....it’s the Mag-X for me. Love it! A bit heavy but that’s the reality with a 32” draw length.
Prodigy, probably won’t upgrade, unless I find a lightly used realm for sale
Shooting the Realm and Realm SS for my travel hunts. Both setup slightly different. Have my Prodigy setup for WT's and it stays at my cabin. It got moved there this year when I bought the SS and it replaced my 2006 Allegiance as my primary whitetail bow.
Doubt I'll make any changes this year, but you never know...
Hey 0hndycp, I’ll trade ya!
Ike...I didn’t know which thread to respond to! ;). In 2019 I’ve owned a Hoyt RX3 Ultra, Bowtech Realm X, Bowtech Reign 7, and a Bowtech Realm SS. My favorite of these three was the Realm X. Patiently waiting for the 2020’s to hit. If they don’t release something similar spec wise to the Realm X, I’m going to pick up a “carry over” Realm X and call it good for 2020.
After shooting a Bowtech Old Glory for 14 years, I bit the bullet this year and purchased a Realm X. The Old Glory was a shooter, but I have to admit the draw cycle on the Realm X is a step or two above. It is also fast and quiet. Tomorrow is the first day of hunting for me. I hope to christen her with a nice deer.
Pete
Bought my Liberty VFT new in 2005 and thought that was my last bow. Had it at 69lbs however after two shoulder surgeries over the years I've backed it down to 63lbs and even then it was difficult to shoot more than 25 arrows per session. Got a great deal on a 2017 Reign 7 all set up off craigslist for $600 earlier this year. Thing shoots darts and at 59lbs, the limbs are close to maxed out and it is enjoyable shooting again. Very smooth draw cycle and the valley seems a little longer so its easier to hold at full draw.
Anxious to see what they come out with using the new cam system. Going to have to keep my Experience at least one more year because I need a TT bike this year.
George, I still have my D-350!
Shooting the Prodigy. Love it! I have so much confidence with it. I went back and forth about upgrading my 2005 Liberty VFT 2 years ago, but in the end it has been a great decision. I killed a PILE of game with the Liberty... the Prodigy is definitely following suit well: 4 whitetails, 3 pronghorn (buck and 2 does) and a cow elk so far. No upgrades for me in the foreseeable future beyond new string & cables. Pete
D350 still a killing machine! Love this bow at 10 years old. Don't plan on upgrading anytime soon.
Ha, I'm still shooting my Carbon Knight !!!
I've tried all the new ones and only the SR6 was actually an improvement according to my weird standard. Actually bought a RealmX and sold it as it was slower and way heavier than my CK. I hunt in a ton of super bushy stuff and all the overdrive cables and such are a pain in the rear. Still love that thin limb binary cam set up when you get the spacers right instead of the over drive yoke tuning.
Crazy how some bows just suit you. Looking forward to seeing what new ones come out for this next year though.
Cheers, Pete
Shooting a 70 pound realmX for elk and moose and have a 60 pound experience for deer and bear, both awesome bows, no plans on changing although the new reckoning cam looks interesting
RealmX. Love the draw cycle.
I have 3 Bowtech BTX28, Bowtech SR6 and a Reckoning....I am always up for a new one.
Experience...no plan to buy a new one
Does a Diamond Black Ice count?
Still have my old assassin, might upgrade in a few years but it still shoots fine for me.
I just upgraded to the Realm this summer and kept the Destroyer 350 for a back up. The Realm will most likely be my last compound bow purchase.
I have the Realm X for hunting and Reckoning for target. Very happy with both. I may possibly get the 2020 hunting bow when its released.
70lb BTX28, couple years old now but it shoots lights out, unfortunately I took a fall in Idaho this past september hunting elk and came down on the bow, one limb has a small delamination in it now, its minor, I'm hunting with it this season but debating between limbs or a new rig. Time will tell.
NAV
Realm and Realm X. Probably last bows I will ever own.
Love the stability of my CPXL, not planning on changing for a WHILE
Until My Admiral breaks, wait I have an extra set of limbs... I guess I won't be buying a new bow then. I also have a camo Captain and a target Sentinel so I'm set.
Hunt with a D340 and have a custom guardian for target no need to upgrade.
Still using my Guardian, haven't found something else to make me part with my money yet.
60 lb Reign 6 for me, deadly fast, quiet and old man friendly! Carbon might be the next step up for me.
2006 tribute. It's been a great bow but this is probably the last year due to wear/ rough use.
You need to absolutely 100% wait for what's coming...
SR6 for me. Easiest drawing bow I have ever owned.
Bought a used Prodigy a few years back. It performs very well.
I shoot a 2013 Experience and also kept my 2006 Allegiance as a back-up. Probably the last two CP bows I'll ever own...
Invasion CPX
I have a Carbon Icon as a backup.
Bowtech Experience no plans for anything els.
Realm X and a CPX before that.
Almost a lil surprised at the amount of Bowtech Shooters! Almost...
I’ve been a “closet” Bowtech shooter for a long time Ike. I’m finally to the point of not feeling like I’m cheating on Hoyt anymore. ;)
Lol...I hear ya! Go back and forth myself...
After 10years I traded to an SS. It's a smooth shooter. At29.5 DL I felt it was smoother at 70lb than a 60lb SR6. -Jeff
I have a Destroyer 350 and I can't think of any reasons to upgrade, if I did do an upgrade it would be some Barnsdale limbs, not a new bow.
For you guys shooting the older Bowtechs...Don’t shoot the new ones. It will cost you about $1100! Loved my Old Glory, Loved my Allegiance, Loved my Destroyer 340. The Realm series will blow you away.
Thanks Cory, exactly what I was trying to stay away from...Lol
You’ll be able to buy last years Realm X at a discount as I think we are going to see a replacement for that bow this year. It is still my current favorite amoungst all Bowtechs. (and that includes the SS, SR6 and Reckoning)
Kota...the realm is definitely a step over the old glory, but it just hasn't given me the wow factor over the cpx. Idk maybe I haven't shot it enough? I will wait for the hunter series of the Reckoning. Elkman... you have the inside scoop?
Carbon Icon. The weight will spoil you and it’s a shooter too. And hard to find a better value if you can still find one new.
I’m one of the few that didn’t care for the Reckoning. It is a tuners dream, but it did nothing for me. So, I hope everything for ‘20 isn’t just based off the Reckoning...
I have shot the Mathews Halon 32 since 2016 (and have really liked that bow) and a Hoyt Nitrum before that but someone I was elk hunting with this year told me that I needed to try out the SR6. I went to my bow shop and shot the SR 6. The SR 6 was noticeably easier for me to draw than my Halon 32 (with the SR 6 on comfort setting) and that matters a lot to me for my shoulder wear and tear (I am 60) and for ability to hold on target and be accurate. It is also lighter than my Halon. I have only had the SR 6 two weeks but really like it. The Halon and Nitrum are fine bows, but I think the SR 6 on "comfort setting" is the easiest to draw and seems to be a very good shooting bow for accuracy and will probably be my main bow this year getting ready for 2020 hunting season. I guess I also have listened to Randy Newberg extol Bowtech enough that I was persuaded to give it a try!
The SR6 is VERY impressive
Assasin. Bought an RPM 360. Sold it on eBay after a month and went back to my old reliable Assasin.
Realm SR6, bought new this past summer. Such an ease to shoot with an old man’s shoulder. Absolutely NO plan to upgrade.
I’m surprised you guys picking the SR6 over the SS. When I shot them together, the SS seemed WAY smoother/easier on the shoulders to me.
Even on the smooth setting for the SR6 Cory?
Cool, the SS was one I’ve shot and liked, albeit it was a righty! ;-) Plus they both have close to same specs, if I remember right...
Very interesting thread.People that you ‘follow’ and respect having such different opinions.In my case when I shot the Reckoning,I sold my ‘X’ and put the SR6 on the shelf as backup.Not speedy but smooth,quiet and for me holds and shoots like a dream.Reminds me of Hoyt’s some years back.
I actually prefer the SR6 on the performance setting over the comfort setting and the SS both.
That’s why we have choices. I actually went to the Pro Shop to buy a Reckoning. Shot all three (Reckoning, SR6 and SS) and left with the SS. And I didn’t care for the performance setting at all.
Realm SR6, new to me this year and I plan to keep it for at least 5 years or so. To give an idea the bow it replaced in my lineup was an Elite Pulse. The SR6 was the easiest drawing bow in the shop and that's what sold me on it. I tried Mathews, Elite, Bowtech and Hoyt.
Still using my crackerized 2016 Bowtech BTX and not feeling the need for anything else at the moment.
I had a "Crackerized" Allegiance! Is that guy still working his magic?
CBT shows a FB Page, but not much activity since last summer...
"I’m surprised you guys picking the SR6 over the SS. When I shot them together, the SS seemed WAY smoother/easier on the shoulders to me."
Cory, the SR6 is the smoothest drawing bow I've ever shot. After drawing it, I didn't even try an SS, since there was no reason to sacrifice 15fps. I agree with you...I HATE the Performance setting! I like the valley to be longer than, oh I don't know, razor thin. ;-)
How’s the ‘back wall’....
Rock solid, just like every BowTech.
G, hope you’re healing up quick!
Nice..Still pretty laid up, but at least I’m not feeling the ribs move around like they were...If I don’t cough or sneeze, I’m golden! :-) Thanks for asking!
New stuff drops to public first week of Nov. Dealers are getting early looks now. Smoother draw and a bit better balance is what I heard.
Hopefully they drop some weight...Christmas in November!
Well I definitely have shoulder issues. I shot both the Realm, and the SR6 on both settings, and was satisfied to pick the performance setting on the SR6. Oh, and BTW, the Hoyt and the Mathews I tried were quickly put back on the rack.
Those who think you give up performance going "down" to the SS haven't shot them thru a chrono. The SS at a more normal 28.5" draw and a hunting arrow around 450-500 grains will spec out 1-5 fps slower than the sr6. Certainly not enough real world difference.
I love my SS. With a heavy arrow, the thing is deadly silent as well.
Great to have choices!
Cory, we may finally talk Bill into a new bow...
That's not what we are seeing in all our testing and tuning. The SR6 is significantly faster until you get into the very short draw lengths. Then it gets a little closer, but always more than 1-5 fps...
Dammit, im looking at a 60 pound SR6 to replace my experience, this would be my deer and bear hunting bow, I've always used bows with at least a 7" brace height for deer, clothing clearance, wondering if the SR6 would be ok with heavy clothing?
It would be just fine. These newer bows with the string stops and all the new technology are completely different in that regard.
They are, but I still prefer closer to 7" than 6". The Realm X was about perfect at 6 3/4". When I'm wearing my Sitka Incinerator Jacket, I get a little slap from the SS.
I went and shot some at Rocky Mountain Specialty gear. The Revolt x was awesome. I’m a long time Hoyt man. But I might have to get one
Just picked me up a 2008 Guardian that is in excellent condition. The shoulder is not what it once was so I have done the Ted Nugent thing and dropped down to 50lbs. I have always been a big fan of the bowtech models.
I pulled the trigger on a SR6. time will tell if it's an upgrade. I can say that it is slower than my D350. When in Max tune and draw weight cranked up to 72#, I gotten 327 fps with the 350. The SR6 has only hit low 300's at 70#.
Shot a revolt yesterday, ordered one on the spot
I have about a hundred shots on my new revolt. It's an upgrade from my 8 year old Assassin.
I’m shooting an allegiance. I’m am not looking to upgrade because I’ve only had it for 14 years and according to my wife I just got a new bow.
I am shooting a Diamond Black Ice, also by Bowtech. No plans to upgrade here either.
I bought a new sr6 back in November, crazy deal $800 CAD, thats 595USD! shipped to my door, I haven't shot it yet, the draw and back wall is amazing. I was a little sad selling my experience the other day, it was a killer!
Last week ordered a Revolt in 50 lbs. I am a Hoyt guy but shot the big 3 at Scheels a month ago. Liked the Revolt the best . Tried to talk myself into another Hoyt. Couldn't talk myself out of the Revolt.
Will wait for final analysis after shooting it enough, taking it hunting and seeing if everything stays in place. Might end up selling it. Still not totally sold on the grip.