Sell me on a stabilizer
Equipment
I’m looking to add a stabilizer to my Elite Impulse 31.
I shoot out to 70yds. But hunt thick stuff for elk.
Give me some ideas.
Bee stinger microhexx 10" Or a bee stinger micro hexx counter slide 12"
Hey Brad I just went with the 1017 Crossover stabilizer and love it so far. I was iffy on how the quality would be but it’s a great product so far and love the adjustability.
I also shoot the 10" Bee Stinger. I went to my local archery shop and shot a few different stabilizers at longer ranges to see what I liked best. Ended up with the 10" Bee Stinger.
--Mitch
You can't go wrong with a Bee Stinger they come in various sizes. I like 8 to 10 models.
SIMPLE LIMBSAVER will suffice
Which ever one is $100....that`s the best one.
Suggest making your own weights.
Just buy a used Bee Stinger (carbon shaft) without the weight. Use a bolt with multi washers to balance your setup on the shot. Weigh the washers and built your own lead weight.
Then melt tire lead weights, old sinkers, etc and make your own weights. Suggest making them the same diameter as the rubber sound dampener (B-Stinger). Drill a hole for the bolt, and spray with black rubber coating a few coats.
I used one of those cheap candles you get in a pack of 20+. Thin metal form.
Brad I have a b stinger 10”. I wonder if it’s even necessary? I might try shooting with it off next summer and see how my groups look.
I took my ten inch B Stinger off last spring. Just got tired having it in the way and getting snagged in the brush. I'm going to machine an offset and use just enough weight to offset my quiver. I'm a poor enough shot that the stabilizer makes no appreciable difference anyway.
Thanks guys, Keep it coming.
Ive been without a stabilizer for a few years, and was just wondering how much difference there would be with one.
Not much but I shoot a 4" limbsaver to help with some vibration
They pretty much sell themselves; I've shot a 24" front bar on my hunting bow off/on for 10 years with no downside.
It must either have Michael Waddels name on it or Mathews or else it sucks.
For the past 10 months or so I've been shooting with a limbsaver stabilizer. Always in practice out the 60 yards. It works good but it doesn't stabilize the bow as well as a good quality extended B Stinger stabilizer does.
Last month when I drew down on a good-sized buck up in Iowa, I had only a couple seconds to settle and make the shot. Settling the pin did not come easy and my shot was off by about 6 in.
When I return home I took that stabilizer off and put my bee stinger back on. Bow settles probably 75% faster with a good stabilizer out front.
I agree with Russell. Too much is made of balance with stabilizers and not enough Emphasis on improved pin float. If a stablizer isnt slowing down your pin float then you dont need it. If your not seeing any difference then go to a longer stablizer, not necessarily a heavier stablizer. The weight should be out front and you should be able to slow pin float down.
I have two 31 inch elites that are danm close to the I31. On one I go 12" micro hexx counter slide,8/4 foward to side. 1 oz weight out front and 2 on the side. On my other 31" elite I run a straight 10" microhexx out front with 1oz of weight.
Evidently I'm not good enough an archer for different stabilizers to make any noticeable improvement for ME. Was at my local pro shop 2-3 years ago while a indoor shoot was underway and was in the market for a new stabilizer to replace my $15 Limbsaver because EVERYTHING I read said a bigger/better/more expensive stabilizer would make a difference in minimizing pin float. Several archers were gracious enough to let me try out their high dollar stabilizers. The pro shop has out door targets to 50 yards and as I said I am evidently not a good enough archer that change in stabilizers was able to improve my accuracy and even though I felt rather embarrassed I ended up going back to my Limbsaver stabilizer.
Look at widowmaker stabilizers. They are on Facebook. My brother in law makes them. Great quality , cheaper than b stinger, lots of options. And no I am not involved in this. Worth looking into it. I personally use a 6 in on my elite 32. Longer will help on distance shooting. Greg
Actually he has a website. Shows my involvement.
I've hunted with a 10" front and 8" back bar for years and never had an issue maneuvering it around. It makes the bow hold so much better, especially in a stressful hunting situation, I wouldn't even consider hunting without a front and back bar anymore.
I have two B Stingers and hate them. They certainly do help my groups over 40 yards, but they absolutely suck for mountain hunting. They're heavy making your bow weigh more - which weighs you down when you're carrying it all day. Compounds weigh enough already without a lance on the front of it. But far more importantly, they're big and bulky and get caught on brush and make fitting through tight spaces that much more cumbersome. They also make it tougher to fit in cases so you have to take it off frequently for travel.
For me, they're a 3D tool, not a hunting tool. Almost all of my hunting shots are under 25 yards with more than 1/2 coming under 20 and they don't do a damn thing for me at that range.
It should be easy to sell you on one if you need it. Just try one of the suggested stabilizers out at the bow shop and if it helps buy it. If it doesn’t help you don’t need it.
The idea of Earl Hoyt's initial archery stabilizer was to create a moment arm. That has evolved into front and back bars that enable you to tune the physical weight distribution for a better hold and bow recoil management. Those benefits work equally well for target and hunting rigs. Simply slapping a 10" bar on the front isn't going to do much other than add physical weight unless you get real lucky.
Haven’t used one for a couple years and notice no downside other than that I used to use my stabilizer to push down electric fences and now I don’t have it anymore. I see no reason to add one other than for weight training purposes lol.
No stabilizer for me. Too awkward to carry the bow around with it on.
With the modern bows of today a stabilizer isn`t as necessary as it was in the older compounds. Nowadays I use a stabilizer to hold my wrist sling in place....lol
On my Elite I use the small black one that came with the bow. On my High Country I used a small Limbsaver with 2 Limbsaver knobs screwed into it.
IMO the prices on these bow add ons are going through the roof. A friend of mind just bought that $799 sight....lmao....I almost slapped him.
I picked up a Crossroads 821 a year ago. It carries like a normal short stabilizer then you can extend it out as far as you like. I shoot mine with one section out, balances my Answer perfectly there. I know from past posts that you don’t care for the extra weight, but I think you’ll find the Crossroads is worth the slight weight gain.
Go to your nearest archery shop that has a range and see if they'll let you try shooting with a few different stabilizer set-ups installed. Everyone is different, so you might find something that helps you. Personally I haven't found anything that improves my pin float or bow balance, at least not enough to make me start hunting with a stabilizer. I did find that a dampening-only type unit would slightly quiet my RX-1 turbo. For that reason I'll use one when hunting out of a blind for hyper, string-jumping animals like Coues Deer and Pronghorn. But not for mountain hunts where weight is at a premium. Just personal preference.
I am not carrying a stabilizer around in mountains unless they pay me. Ditto the midwest, keep it simple and light weight
I'm not a big stab guy (hunted without one for over 5 years) and I don't like to change up my set-up very often. Having said that, I added a 8" B-Stinger a few years ago and I couldn't be happier.
After all the hype on here about the B-Stinger I tried one. It did not help, was heavy and bulky, I would not lug that thing around the mountain, or even to the back 40 of the 80 acre farm. So I got rid of it. I went back to a short inexpensive one.
B stinger. Does what a stabilizer is supposed to do. I use a 12” rod
I find them to make me more accurate. To me accuracy is important when it comes to bowhunting. I’d rather deal with weight and be more accurate.
It also functions as a nice kickstand for when I put my bow down haha
Just depends if you want the added weight and length? If it makes it too heavy then do some muscle building one your arms. For me I’ll deal with a little weight (heavier bows generally shoot better for me than a real light one.). It depends on your setup thou. But for me a real stabilizer shoots tighter groups than without one.
I've changed my philosophy on stabilizers over the years. Now I just select a stabilizer that quietens/deadens my bow. Without adding weight and side rods that become annoying over time due to bulkiness I find no real benefit. The stabs do slow down pin movement but my accuracy doesn't really degrade by using a small hunting stabilizer, my pin movement just gets worse. As long as you can tolerate more movement you won't see much difference in accuracy. If you are a world class shooter or a person that demands a dead solid pin, stabs are a big difference.
They make a great kickstand!
I have one for "looks". My shooting is mediocre no matter what I do.
Well there you go, cnelk. That was quickly settled. lol.
Brad, I think I have an 8" B stinger that I tried for a bit......I didn't like it. Let me know if you want to try it out and I'll see if I can round it up. I know its around here somewhere! I didn't like the extra weight and didn't notice anything different in my shooting. I went back to a small lite one.
John Dudely often does a spring bear hunt near my town and a few years ago he did a seminar for us. I asked him what his preferred stabilizer length was. He said for 3D, it had to be long enough that he didn't have to bend over to reach his bow when it was leaning against his leg.
I think, like many other endeavors, there is a top tier that is looking for and can benefit from that tiny fractional advantage. Then there is that group just under that uses whatever they can within practical reason. You wouldn't be carrying a 24" stabilizer on a sheep hunt, which oddly enough is where you might want it. But it would be no problem out of a tree stand, where shots average less than thirty yards. In a ground blind, it could be very problematic. Open country hunting, it's just a matter of how much extra weight are you willing to carry for your incremental gain in accuracy. If you really believe you shoot better with it, then even the confidence factor is worth it.
I use the 8.5 inch Fuse Carbon blade. I have for years. I've tried others like the b-stinger and alike, but always come back to the carbon blade. I think it's all personal preference I know guys that don't use one at all and shoot great out to distance. But I would say the ideal length in my opinion would be between 6-10 inches (that's what she said. Ha ha couldn't resist) but in all seriousness between 6-10 inches and the weight would be dependent on how the rest of your bow is set up with how the weight is offset to stabilize your shot. Try a few and see what feels the best, you may find out that what you're currently using or not using is best
I think this is an ok stabilizer.
Forgot the pic! Not stable yet!
Wow. Responses all over the place.
Never considered my a bad shot. Killed animals with and without a stabilizer.
Maybe I’ll just try one to confirm I don’t need one.
When hunting elk I generally kneel....when it`s shot time I plop out my "kickstand" and it stabilizes my shot....lol
Brad, as you can see, it all boils down to personal preference.
I’ve shot the Bee Stinger Extreme Hunter Kit for years, on both my 3D and hunting bows. The kit includes both the front and rear stabilizer. Once properly adjusted, the weight of both the sight on the front, as well as the quiver, is counter-balanced. When I come to full draw, I don’t have to adjust for anything. The bow, therefore the sight, is perfectly aligned front to back, side to side. The pin settles in, floats without having to force it in any direction, and I pull through the shot.
Does it make enough difference on a 60yd 3D shot? No doubt. Does it make enough difference on a 40yd hunting shot? Maybe not, but I don’t like to deal with maybe’s. A stabilizer, not a vibration dampener, allows me to settle in my pin quicker, whether it be a 3D target, or a live one.
I hunt very thick timber as well. Never been an issue. When dealing with hauling an 800ib beast out of the woods, I don’t worry about an extra pound or so. For some it’s not worth it. For me, it is.
I've always shot without one too, Brad, but also wondered if it would make an measurable difference.
Older I get, ounces count! I hunt the thicker stuff too, plus bare bow, so my shot distance is limited to less than 50. Let me know what you think, if you decide to add a stabilizer...
To answer your question-60X Extreme stabilizer. But...if you use heavier arrows such as 9 or 10 gpi and not 5 or 6 gpi (which seems to be the norm) you won't need a stabilizer.
Redhead, please explain what arrow weight has to do with stabilizing your bow. Just curious.
Personally I shoot a 4" limbsaver to help with some vibration. About 10 years ago I dumped the long 12" heavy stabilizers and have never looked back. My shooting has never been better out to 80 yards. It's personal.
I currently use a 15 inch beestinger. This was my first season with it. My hikes are often a mile or more to my stands and through some thick stuff. Never notice it when walking. It goes under my armpit and actually helps me to carry the bow. It is never a problem once in a tree because it is shorter than my arrow at rest on the bow.
It is a fact that longer stabilizers add stability. Does it matter for a 20 yard shot? Probably not, but I try to do anything possible to reduce the chance of a bad shot.
This is a great subject because it comes up so often. I constantly question whether or not I need it, and I will experiment some more during the off season. I just got a new bow after shooting the same thing for thirteen years. The new one is better balanced for sure, so I will play around with the various length stabs that I own.
The other benefit of a longer stab is the ability to use less counter weight to achieve results; assuming you are trying to stabilize and not just dampen. Pete
Switched to a B Stinger 4 years ago and my trophy photos have never been better.
I tried the B stinger and found a noticed difference in felt vibration and noise from my bow. I switched back to my 6” fuse and love it. The sound and vibration dampening stabilizers are more effective to me for hunting than a true stabilizer. Less vibration and a quieter bow is a better trade for me. I would recommend shooting your bow with a Fuse or limbsaver and see if you notice any difference.
"It is never a problem once in a tree because it is shorter than my arrow at rest on the bow."
I always love that argument. It's never in the way, unless of course, you need to swing the bow left or right after drawing, which is sometimes/often required depending on animal movement, or where you happened to be set up when the shot presents itself. Even in a blind I frequently draw to the side, well away from shooting windows before aiming out of it. Maybe not as much of a concern from a tree stand, especially the power-pole naked trees I often see guys set up in. Not the type I typically use.
Long stabilizers don't add any significant advantage at reasonable bow hunting ranges and they definitely can get in the way in some circumstances. If you only hunt a certain way, maybe not an issue, but for some of us that hunt many different animals in vastly different habitats, I never found them useful.
Any one who thinks a stabilizer does not help, just try a couple of shots with a Bomar stabilizer,from California, at one time most national Champions in the bowhunter class had them on there bows, I believe they are oil filled, different weights, in 9 to 12 inch, I have them on several different hunting bows, there is no other stabilizer in there class they come up on Ebay now and then or contact Bomar direct in Ca.
I've still got a 6" old school Saunders Torque Tamer stab on my Bowtech. I've yet to find one I liked any better. Of course my Bowtech is a 04 model and I still shoot aluminum XX75 shafts, LoL. When something aint broke, why change for the latest and greatest? I believe that old Torque Tamer is as good now as it was then...
This is a great article I found that I had save in my computer. It may help you with some of your questions about stabilizers.
I personally use one for anticipated close range hunting (inside of 25 yds.) and a front and back for yardages anticipated further than 30 yds.
check out the u-tube videos, guys shooting with and with ut a stab out to 100 yards with out much if any difference
I bought a new bow, had just a bit of vibration, installed an 5inch Octane vib dampner. now no vibration, 15 bucks well spent....
There is nothing else I know of in archery you can just screw onto your bow and instantly shrink your groups at longer yardages. If you only shoot 30 yards and in, I'd agree it isn't going to matter much. At 60+ it starts to matter. Fractions matter. I'll take all the help I can get.
WRT weight....... bows are light. If the weight of a bow in your hand is that bothersome..... I really don't know what to tell you...... My rifles and shotguns were heavier. Mine is 12" including the QD. I'm told that is the limit in "hunter class"? There is a reason they limit stab length in various 3D classes. Weight I'm using 8 to10 oz. I hunt in some thick stuff on the ground. A 34" bow with a 12" stab is isn't an issue, especially with the new riser designs. Never been an issue. Ever. Never been on the mountain wishing I didn't have it, a couple times I was glad I had it, saved the bow from some knocks. It's NOTHING compared to some who carry a 50-60" bow. As mentioned..... it makes a great kick stand and guard for your sights. =D I actually use mine a fair amount when crawling too.
That a TRUE stabilizer, not just some rubber baby buggy bumper, adds at least some to accuracy is inarguable. Just a fact. Physics. You need only look to how much they are used in target archery. And as to how they are limited by rule in various classes. How much difference? How much makes them worth the money and effort? The beauty is in the bow-holder.....
UPDATE:
SBH graciously sent me a B Stinger to try out. Once it gets here Ill give it a whirl and get back to you all with what I determine
Thanks to all that replied
bee stinger is hard to beat when it comes to stabs. lots of options. i prefer to have a 6, 8, and 10 to play with when setting up a bow for hunting season. currently my evoke 35 like a 8 inch with 6 oz of weight on the front.
Whocares will you move the bottle and retake the picture? Stabilizers I can't help with took mine off years ago and never looked back
320 Bull! Now thats funny! Good eyes.
Looking forward to seeing what you think Brad. Hope it helps. Should be there today or tomorrow at the latest. Good luck!
320 Bull... next time I’m out looking for arrowheads or Morels.... I’d like you to go with me.
Anything BUT A Bee stinger. Worst stabs made with regard to shot noise mitigation, and that is huge on a hunting bow. Doinker are probably some of the best, Fuse also makes some really good ones. I would stay 6" or longer, but I generally don't go over 10" on hunting set ups. Make sure your not just "adding weight" to your bow, get more out of it than that. The right stabilizer can completely change how a bow feels, vibration, and shot noise. If your bow isn't night and day different sounding/feeling the minute you take it off/put it on. You got a piece junk weight strapped to your bow.
Nothing helps Hoyts, they are running forks from the start.
Listen guys... don't confuse a stabilizer with a vibration dampener. A true stab won't have any rubber on it and may actually increase noise and vibration. BUT, it WILL help you aim better and hold better. That is it's purpose. (Original Bee Stinger)
A vibration dampener will be made mostly of rubber and will reduce shock and vibration noise without much stabilization. (Sims Limbsaver)
There are many hybrids out there that compromise the two. (newer Bee Stingers, Doinkers)
Sorry but today's stabilizers are both. This is 2019.
if you need a stabilizer to dampen vibration and sound in a bow in 2019 you got the wrong bow. I use a stabilizer on one thing and one thing only. Slowing down pin float. If you cant see a difference in your pin float with a stabilizer its one of two things. Either you don't have enough length and/or weight out front to acually slow it down. Or you shooting isnt good enough to notice in that it case it won't make a difference anyway. For practical situations there maybe times that added weight isnt worth the trade off for improved pin float. Thats something you have decide based on your skill set and the actual hunt. No way in hell I am owning bow that I need to run a stabilizer on to site it down and make the shot tolerable because it vibrates like a tuning fork. Too many great bow options out there to suffer with a bow that sounds like and feels like crap on the shot
“Sorry, but today’s stabilizers are both. This is 2019.”
Yep, and that’s why it was stated that there are some that now provide actual stabilization as well as vibration dampening.
Stabilizer arrived. Thanks again SBH.
It’s a pretty nice day here in Colorado today. Went up ice fishing this morning, set the hook on a couple lakers and came home.
Attached the stabilizer and immediately went out to 40yds. And shot 3 groups of 3 arrows.
You never get a 2nd chance for first impressions.
Any guesses what those impressions are?
To be objective, you should shoot three with it on, three with it off, alternating for several rounds. Then again tomorrow.
Early retirement and doing the pro tour for Elite?
I've always heard "Big Stabilizer Small ****"
Here are my first impressions and observations. (I don’t need to shoot without the stabilizer as I’ve done plenty of that lately)
1. Added weight for sure.
2. Definitely reduced pin float by quite a bit.
3. The second group of 3 arrows I broke a nock.
4. The third group of arrows I tore fletching off.
5. Matching color doesn’t matter
I typically do not shoot the same spot, but since this was a beta test I figured WTH, stack em in there.
Maybe this weekend I’ll get some 50-60yds shots in and report back in again.
But for now, I’m liking the positive results
Very interested in you longer range observations. Is that a ten inch?
Nice! That's a great looking group Brad. Very cool to see.
@Ambush
Stabilizer measures 8.75" - total length. I dont know the weight
Very nice groups. maybe you should become a pro. :)
Another nice morning here in Colorado so I ranged 60yds.
Layed em right in there.
I guess I’m ‘Sold on a stabilizer ‘
SBH - email on its way.
Welcome to the Dark Side Brad. ;-)
I spent $800 to have a tungsten stabilizer custom made for my 52" recurve. Ridiculous? Well, that's what it cost and not only did the extreme mass of the stabilizer help reduce noise, it reduced my groups by around 50 percent. It's only 5"' using steel, I would have had to made the stabilizer over a foot long to achieve the same mass. Now I have a very short hunting bow that is almost as accurate as a even more expensive full blown tournament bow...
It was an expensive experiment, but it worked! How badly do you want success...?
Ok cnelk, I'm going to put my B Stinger back on and I better start shoot groups like that! Thanks for the real world demo.
Excellent shooting cnelk. I assume that you are a good shot without the stabilizer as well. It is remarkable how such a fairly simple piece of equipment can have a profound affect on shooting ability. I may tinker with the weight on my front stabilizer to see if things tighten up - Thanks for the pictures.
Recently bought the B Stinger to see if I could be more locked in at 60 yards. Wow! Even an 8” stabilizer makes a significant difference in accuracy without adding too much weight. The other bonus was the vibration dampening technology which noticeably reduced noice. If you’re a bowhunter on the fence like I was give it a shot you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
