Best shooting bow i have ever had
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
I bought a rx7 altra and could not shoot it. I sold that bow and got a regular rx7. In almost 40 years i have never shoot better. The bow is incredibly forgiving. Its blowing me away.
That’s great Forest. I think mine was an Elite Synergy.
I don't know about the best shooting because it's actually a hard bow to shoot well. That said, I killed 14 deer in a season with a bowtec 101st airborne. If I did my part that was one deadly bow.
Nice!!
Back when I shot compound, it was the Limbsaver Deadzone for me. Seemed like I couldn’t miss an animal with it, It just made it so easy. One of the biggest reasons I moved over to traditional bows.
I really liked shooting my Mathews Switchback XT. It was just an easy bow for me to shoot and I shot it better than any compound I ever owned.
I still have it. It was a gift from my wife the year they came out. I killed a lot of deer with it.
I haven't shot it in a long while. I really enjoy shooting and hunting with my recurves now and especially my vintage Bear Grizzly.
Mathews Q2XL. That’s my favorite.
Good for you Forest. I’m very happy and confident with my set up too. Gonna be an awesome year with many straight arrows. C
Maybe my 1970 Bear B riser with #1 limbs . I like the physical weight of the riser and the ability to change limb poundage .
Hoyt Defiant from the 90s.
I had a Bowtech Pro38 that was awesome. Bows are smoother & faster these days but that bow felt like it was made for me. I had a Proline Point Blank that was pretty sweet too.
Love my Rx7. Plus I like to look down on all other Hoyt shooters that aren't in the REDWRX fraternity. Just kidding. But I do love it.
My Strother Wrath was probably more forgiving. I have never shot anything as well as I shot my 1988 Browning MagReflex though.
My current Elite v37 is the best shooting bow I have ever had. My dad says hands down his first bow ever was the best shooting bow he has ever had. It was a PSE Thunderflight
Alot of the older bows had big brace heights. This bow doesn't and its still making me look good. I love it
Until this year, the best shooting bow of my lifetime is the Mathews Drenalin LD (still own two). Bought a Hoyt RX7 Ultra last winter and experiencing great results with it on the target range. Have yet to actually hunt with the new Hoyt yet though. I will offer this is the first time I've used both a verifier and a sidebar on any bow. I'm certain both are making a difference.
My Mathews LX. Something about it...At full draw it was rock solid and the pin seem to be glued to the aimpoint. Smooth draw, quiet, rock solid.
My WF21 riser paired with an arsenal of limbs I have. And I don't have to termite proof the riser every five years because of the new lab bred Asian termites that were originally being dropped on us by the white balloons and are now just being imported. Yes keep trusting the guberment . The HT-21 riser is another bad mother , another excellent choise for those of you's avoiding the " Crib-ber " on your horse pack elk hunts seeking to chew your pricey wooden bows up usually as you sleep. Lol. Seen it happen.
Forest, What do you think the difference is between switching from an ultra to a regular?
Of all the bows i have owned over the years the best I shot was an Elite Answer. I shot it for 2 years and decided I wanted to give a Hoyt a try. Shot 3 different Hoyts and never could duplicate the accuracy I had with the elite.
This year I went to a mathews Phase 4 33. Is got it very well but have only owned it for a month or so.
My last bow, Prime Centergy. Why I sold it, God only knows!
Mathews Z7. I bought it in 2010 and still going strong. I'm gonna shoot that bow until something major prevents me from doing so.
I still shoot my Q2XL. After all these years it fits like a glove.
The best bow I’ve ever owned is the 2014 Hoyt Carbon Spyder Turbo. Very light and forgiving. Still own it and take it hunting each fall.
Hoyt carbon element for me. I just needed to look at what I wanted to hit, punch the trigger and the arrow hit right where I looked. Shooting an RX3 now. So this thread caught my attention.
Only bought 3 bows but the first was a Matthews Switchback XT and when I squeezed something died. Next was a Bowtech Prodigy and it was very accurate just didn’t feel a part of me the same way. Been shooting the Bowtech Revolt now for a couple years and it’s like a souped up Switchback with better tuning capabilities. Really really like it. It’s been good to me in it’s relatively short tenure.
I'm like OTC, what's the difference that you coudn't even shoot it to your favorite?
Im not sure. My groups are just way tighter than the altra. Maybe weight of bow its self. Speed arrows recover faster. Both bows tuned ok.
The one I don't have yet....
I shot a Bowtech Liberty that I absolutely loved! Not sure I have ever been that deadly with a bow before or since - but at 50 my eyesight isn't as good now either... I'm shooting an Elite Kure now and love it at the range. Hopefully shoot a few whitetails with it this season. Pete
Funny my first new car when I got out of college was also called RX7.
But yeah I also bought Hoyt's version of the RX7 when it first came out last year. Very happy with it. Also agree with the post above that mentioned the Carbon Spyder Turbo. The RX7 is IMO Hoyt's best-shooting bow since that CST model in 2014. Which is probably why Hoyt kept it unchanged for an additional year as their flagship bow. First time that has happened in a long time, if ever?
I go through so many bows, over a dozen in the last 3 years, right now I have pse omen with the ec2 cam, it might be my favorite, I also have a fortis 30 with the same cam on order, cant wait to get it!
I just picked up the Hoyt Z1S there flagship aluminum last year I believe surprised about lack of buzz around this bow. They are featuring as their speed bow but man its smoother than expected.
I'm with drycreek, love my Synergys. I bought an Elite Enkore this past winter and I'm not sure I'm going to stick with it. Been shooting it a lot and I shoot it ok, but something just doesn't feel great about it to me. Took the old Synergy out and immediately felt how awesome it was again. Solid backwall and just goes right where it's supposed to.
Bowtech tribute....I have regretted selling that bow since the day it left.
Martin Pantera (1990's). 50 percent letoff I think, long ATA. Perfect for a finger/ instinctive shooter.
Hunted with it until around 2013, it was like an extension of my body! Killed a giant pile of critters with that thing.
I haven't been able to shoot any bow better than my 2015 Elite Synergy. I've tried a lot of others and still go back to it every year.
MQ1, Featherlite, Ultra 2. Some of my favorites, still have them and shoot them every once in a while. Great bows
Interesting so much variability across the answers. Might lead you to believe that there is a lot of individuality in bow fit/feel.
Since I started shooting with a release (2014), I have owned two compound bows - a Mathews Drenalin LD and a Bowtech Revolt X. The Mathews is essentially a target bow painted camouflage, while the Bowtech has a more common ATA length (33"). On average, I shoot both bows equally well - but I have shot more one-inch groups at 50-yards with the Bowtech.
Early 80's,PSE Lazer Magnum.Very smooth and a long valley. Had two for targets and two for hunting all at the same time. Won many tournaments and killed many animals with them.
Switchback XT for me. I’m shooting a Vertix now, but still have my XT as my backup/turkey bow. It’s the smoothest, most forgiving bow I’ve ever shot.
MQ1, second bow I ever bought and it does so well--why switch.
Another Matthews Z7 fan here. I also bought mine in 2010 and I love shooting it - smooth, comfortable and accurate for me. I also have a Matthews Switchback XT for a back-up and I believe it's smoothest shooting bow ever made. I'm not a Matthews fanboy, or even a "brand" type of guy, but the two Matthews bows I have just fit and feel right for me, and I'm very accurate with them.
Michael: " I shit it for 2 years and decided I wanted to give a Hoyt a try." I hope after two years it all came out alright for you! Sorry had to!
Martin Cougar Magnum, so smooth and forgiving, loved that bow. Next is a Quest drive, great bow. Upgrading next year. so reading here.
So far my Elite Synergy wish it was a little lighter but soo smooth Lewis
Screwball, wow I guess I should have proof read that post. Lol Damn fat fingers. Or I should say thumb since I use my phone.
This season I moved from an Obsession Turmoil to my first "new" bow, a Bowtech SS34 in Verde. I looked hard at Darton and Hoyt but chose this primarily for the draw cycle. A bad shoulder has me really struggling past 60 lbs and being an elk hunter primarily, I needed SMOOTH. Problem solved. I just boosted draw weight to 65 lbs and I am shooting 4 inch groups from 40 yards.
Hoyt Carbon Spyder 34.
Owned 5 Matthew's, good resale, but just never fit, like my Hoyt
Another Hoyt Alphamax here!
Q2XL by Mathews and Hoyt Ultratec. Toss up which one I like best.
Hoyt RX7 Ultra gets my vote. Bow shoots lights out. Super stable and forgiving. I’m shooting a 536 grain arrow at 295fps (84lb DW and 30in DL).
Got a Hoyt RX7 ultra this year and it is really good. Own a carbon spyder 34 too that is sweet.
I cant explain it. The altra would not shoot for me.....but the regular RX7 is buy far the easiest bow i have ever shoot. 3 Arrow groups touching at 40+
Mathews MQ1 Without a doubt. I had to consciously move my point of aim, or I would “Robin Hood” another arrow. I do love my Switchback for pure enjoyment!
Mathews Atlas. I have two of them, set up exactly the same.
My favorite compound was/is my old Mathews Switchback XT. I have had it for years and I don't have any plans of getting rid of it. It has served me well.
Mathews Phase 4 (33). No hand shock, ultra quiet, and the grip fits well for me.
Diamond Black Ice, still shooting it.