Posted: 8/7/2013 7:59:11 AM EDT
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I haven't shot a bow in a long time (I had a youth bear bow 20+ years ago), but I want to get back into it. I have been doing research and I found a couple bows that interested me. The PSE Drive was the first one that caught my eye and the Bowtech Assassin was the second. My biggest thing is value and both of those bows seem to have good reviews. I don't need the best of the best b/c this is essentially a first bow, but I don't want a cheap POS either. When I went to a local bow shop I got to shoot the Assassin. They are listed as a PSE dealer, but they don't carry PSE anymore. The vague answer that I got amounted to the owner didn't like them because they didn't take care of customers on warranty issues. I can't find anyone close that carries that bow either. The big box stores carry PSE but not that bow. While I was there he showed me a 2011 Hoyt CRX 35. The bow is new (as in it never has been owned even though it is two years old), and it is on SALE. I can pick that bow up for $400 (Was originally $800 or $850) and then add things on as I would like whereas the Assassin is a package and a couple hundred more. The Hoyt was a little more comfortable to shoot, but my questions are as follows.
1) Should I stick with Bowtech or Hoyt because of the warranty or should I try to find the Drive before I make a final decision? 2) Am I giving anything up by buying a 2 year old Hoyt (a higher end bow when it came out than the Bowtech I am looking at) or is the technology in two years so much better that I will be happier with a lesser budget bow in the Assassin? 3) Am I screwing myself with the longer bow? I am about 6'3" tall and I have a 30"+ draw length so it doesn't feel huge, but it is quite a bit larger than the Bowtech I am looking at. Plus, the bare Hoyt is listed at 4.2 lbs and the Assassin weight (which I assume is the weight with the RAK package) is 3.8. That means there is going to be at least a full pound difference when it is ready to shoot. Intentions with the bow are to be able to target shoot and get back into the sport. I may hunt with it some day, but that is a year or two off I am sure. Thanks for the help. |
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You can always look at the Hoyt Charger. It is Hoyt's ready to shoot bow, costs about $600
I would opt for either the Bowtech or the Hoyt over a PSE any day of the week. Just a better bow overall, that said I would probably stick with what you feel you shoot the best Shoot the Bowtech and the Hoyt, if a bow feels better than the other then go with it. CRX is a great bow though that is a year I skipped on buying a bow it is an improved Maxxis which I do own and it is one of the better bows made. |
| The charger is an interesting package. I am going to call the bow shop tomorrow and see if they have one to shoot. He didn't mention it when I was in there so I doubt it. I asked for the PSE Drive and the Bowtech Assassin. The Charger seems like it was designed to compete with that tier bow package so surely he would have mentioned it if they had them in stock. |
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Old bows work fine.....nothing wrong with new ones either.... http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_15_7/388_Newly_converted_bow_hunter____.html |
| I hear you. The thing about the bow industry is that it is like the tech industry in that everything is always trying to get lighter and faster (at least that is how it seems to me). The technology in firearms hasn't changed that much in a long time. It for sure doesn't change as fast as the bow industry. There are different models out constantly, but they don't necessarily do anything different, they just look and feel different. You get a trigger, a barrel, some sights and a projectile. Some people do it better than others but the technology is the same. That doesn't seem to be the case for bows. The materials used, how their used and their output once they are configured are completely different from one company to the next. A two year span in a market that changes this fast could mean that even at half price, a two year old bow that was top of the line could be overpriced compared to a middle of the line bow that has the newest technology at the same price. The problem for the new guy is that you don't know what you don't know. You only learn through experience and education. Education is tough because everyone has an opinion and they are largely biased by someone's allegiance to a specific brand. I am just looking for the best value based on the technology that is currently out. |
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Quoted:
I hear you. The thing about the bow industry is that it is like the tech industry in that everything is always trying to get lighter and faster (at least that is how it seems to me). The technology in firearms hasn't changed that much in a long time. It for sure doesn't change as fast as the bow industry. There are different models out constantly, but they don't necessarily do anything different, they just look and feel different. You get a trigger, a barrel, some sights and a projectile. Some people do it better than others but the technology is the same. That doesn't seem to be the case for bows. The materials used, how their used and their output once they are configured are completely different from one company to the next. A two year span in a market that changes this fast could mean that even at half price, a two year old bow that was top of the line could be overpriced compared to a middle of the line bow that has the newest technology at the same price. The problem for the new guy is that you don't know what you don't know. You only learn through experience and education. Education is tough because everyone has an opinion and they are largely biased by someone's allegiance to a specific brand. I am just looking for the best value based on the technology that is currently out. Hoyt really improved with the RKT cam that came out about 2 seasons ago. I have a Carbon Element with an RKT cam and it is as perfect as you can get. Shoots better and have an easier draw at 65 pounds than my Bowtech Insanity at 60 |
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Quoted:
Hoyt really improved with the RKT cam that came out about 2 seasons ago. I have a Carbon Element with an RKT cam and it is as perfect as you can get. Shoots better and have an easier draw at 65 pounds than my Bowtech Insanity at 60 Quoted:
Quoted:
I hear you. The thing about the bow industry is that it is like the tech industry in that everything is always trying to get lighter and faster (at least that is how it seems to me). The technology in firearms hasn't changed that much in a long time. It for sure doesn't change as fast as the bow industry. There are different models out constantly, but they don't necessarily do anything different, they just look and feel different. You get a trigger, a barrel, some sights and a projectile. Some people do it better than others but the technology is the same. That doesn't seem to be the case for bows. The materials used, how their used and their output once they are configured are completely different from one company to the next. A two year span in a market that changes this fast could mean that even at half price, a two year old bow that was top of the line could be overpriced compared to a middle of the line bow that has the newest technology at the same price. The problem for the new guy is that you don't know what you don't know. You only learn through experience and education. Education is tough because everyone has an opinion and they are largely biased by someone's allegiance to a specific brand. I am just looking for the best value based on the technology that is currently out. Hoyt really improved with the RKT cam that came out about 2 seasons ago. I have a Carbon Element with an RKT cam and it is as perfect as you can get. Shoots better and have an easier draw at 65 pounds than my Bowtech Insanity at 60 Awesome. That actually helps. |
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congrats. Sweet bow, you won't be disappointed. Quoted:
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bought the crx 35. picking it up tomorrow congrats. Sweet bow, you won't be disappointed. Thanks. I got too good of a deal to pass it up since it was a model year old (still a new bow). Even after I added a 3 pin sight, peep sight, stabilizer, wrist strap (not sure if there is a technical term for that), whisker biscuit, release and a half dozen arrows, I was still over a $100 under what the original sticker was on the bow. I have about the same amount of money in this bow as I would have had in a kit bow like the Charger, Assassin or Drive (I guess a little more than the drive), but supposedly I have a better bow for the money. the shop only had a 10 yard range so I got the first pin dialed in at 10 yards. I still have to go sight the other two pins in. I got a target to put in my unfinished basement. Moving next week so I will probably wait to set anything up until we move. |
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Don't write-off PSE. I bought a Hoyt Vector 32 with the new RKT cams last year and that bow is scary accurate and quiet, but I recently retuned my old buddy, the PSE Vendetta XL and that thing shoots like a dream. Very smooth draw and nice let-off, with a solid backwall. Nicer draw than the Hoyt.
The Vendetta XL is a 35" axle to axle bow and I don't have any problems with it hunting in the woods or from a climbing stand. The longer axle-to-axle length bows tend to be more stable, but not quite as handy in confined spaces. Bows with longer brace heights tend to be more forgiving (but slower). |