[NeilM]

I know there are a good number of archers who look at this forum for advice and to see what we are shooting, so I thought I'd start ANOTHER thread on finger bows.

Yes, I know we've done it before, but everyone likes to talk about their personal choice of bow, don't they?

Let's keep the fanboy stuff to a minimum, I'm not looking to force feed here, just offer some choices, so I'll start first.

Current Stable:

Athens Excell on order. ATA 41". Draw lengths up to 32". Draw length set by cam, in 1/2 inch increments. More info when it arrives.

Martin Shadowcat 2010 and 2011 models. ATA 41". Draw Lengths up to 32". Fast, accurate and can be a little noisy after the shot. The factory STS may or may not work and there have been some limb failures on the 2010 model range, more often with CAT 2.0 cams. A pretty easy 'fast' bow to live with and very smooth for a Binary cam type bow. Pretty easy to tune, with minimum of cable / string twisting. Multiple draw length modules (that's a BIG bonus).

2008 Bowtech Constitution (retired). ATA 40". Draw Length up to 30.5". Fast, accurate and reasonably quiet (especially with an STS). Holds it's tune almost forever and is easy on cables and strings. On the downside, you either love em or hate em, a very unforgiving bow. Draw length change by modules (you may have to hunt for the ones you need).

 

[nwjhl]

I shoot the Athens Exceed 45 pound at 27 inch draw length. Its 37 inch ATA. My husband has the Athens Excell, 32 inch draw 55 pound. Both really nice to shoot with fingers.

 

[minnie3]

2009 martin mystic. ATA is 39inches. small furious cams , shoot through cable set up, 1H elite (recurve style)limbs, small modules for my 25 inch draw. but will allow 24 1/2 to about 27".
with this combination i shoot 36# but have 25-40# available. cavalier freeflyte elite rest and plunger. nice slim line riser for a small hand. no grip required. 65% let off. easy draw and hold. well balanced. no problems. one happy 3d barebow shooter here.

 

[zestycj7]

I have 2 Martin Shadowcats, they are my babies...:wink:
The first pic is of the 2nd of my Cats with her new paint job.
Don.

 

[OBE]

It would be great to see pictures, along with the descriptions.

 

[arrowshooters]

2009 Mathews Drenalin LD. 37" AtoA, 67 pounds, 30" draw, 80% let-off. Cams are draw length specific. I use a Vapor Trail String and Cable and after a few shots and fine tuning I don't touch them until I replace them. I do wax them of course. Also part of my package are a Trophy Taker drop away rest and G5 Rock 5 pin sight. This thing puts the arrow right where the pin is aimed.

 

[zestycj7]

It would be great to see pictures, along with the descriptions.

Both of my bows are setup the same.... 28" draw, 57 pounds, shooting Harvest Time HT-4's cut at 28.5 carbon to carbon, 100 grain glue in points, 3" Gator feathers. total weight..356 grains, 9% FOC, shooting at 369 FPS.

 

[StringHusher]

I have two Oneida Black Eagle bows (a 2003 and a 2004 model), both set at 26” DL and 64 DW. When the outer limbs are parallel at full draw, there's only about 33" between the limb tips. That's a bit short, but with a two finger hold below the nock and a smooth release with a tab, these do just fine.

StringHusher

 

[BOHO]

Both of my bows are setup the same.... 28" draw, 57 pounds, shooting Harvest Time HT-4's cut at 28.5 carbon to carbon, 100 grain glue in points, 3" Gator feathers. total weight..356 grains, 9% FOC, shooting at 369 FPS.

369? for real? wow

 

[NeilM]

Think that's a typo, like the time I claimed my Shadowcat was set to 3000 fps Oooops.

 

[BOHO]

Think that's a typo, like the time I claimed my Shadowcat was set to 3000 fps Oooops.

LOL good one

 

[catkinson]

Mathews apex 8 . 42" axel to axel ( wish it was 3" longer).

 

[ebutler]

Hoyt V antage LTD accuwheel ,Protec LX 4000 limbs wheel1/2 ,and Protec with 3000 limbs cam 1/2

 

[Harperman]

My current favorite in my Hoyt Vantage X-7 , factory stock, except for the tune.....I've also been shooting a Hoyt ProTec, with LX Pro limbs, fitted with a set of old Hoyt E-Wheels...At 46" A-T-A, and almost 9" of brace, it's smooth, and forgiving...not as slow as some would think...I occasionally shoot my old Redman, or my PSE Mach 9, both with Energy wheel type eccentrics, between these two, I like the PSE better....Currently shopping for next years 3-D bow, but the only thing that I've shot that could replace my Vantage, is a Vantage Elite, or the PSE Dominator Pro...Still kicking around on buying a Hoyt Alpha Elite...I love the way a longer A-T-A parallel limb bow shoots, with Fingers, or a hook...I might even try to find a used Katera XL...I use either a Golden Key micro-adjust blade rest, or a plunger/flipper combo for all my shooting, if i hunt this year, I'll mount up a Whisker Biskit....Arrows are normally my tried and true PSE Radial X-Weaves....I did shoot some this year with Carbon Express CXL 250's...Great arrow in all respects, but kinda spendy at $140.00 a Doz........Jim

 

[2413gary]

Hoyt 2005 and 2006 Pro Tec XT4000 CAM & 1/2 They are the most consistant bow I have ever shot. and have shot every thing Hoyt has made except the Vantage LTD

non sight and fingers

 

[eric schmaus]

Hoyt Vantage LTD, xt3000 limbs, accuwheels. 30"dl 60#.

 

[Harperman]

I think that a good addition to this thread would be to include what type of shooting we all do with out bows, since this is probably the biggest factor in our bow choices...A treestand hunter here in the East wouldnt be happy at all with what a Barebow Field shooter would use out West...Myself, I'd hunt with a 34"-35" Parallel limb bow , but I;'m sure that bow would be almost useless to a Spot shooter...Ya know??.......Myself, I am primarily interested in a 3-D bow, with casual Indoor Spot shooting and maybe some Bowhunting , hence my choices in bows.....Jim

 

[Robert58]

Scepter IV Elite. Furious X Cams.

 

[BOHO]

I think that a good addition to this thread would be to include what type of shooting we all do with out bows, since this is probably the biggest factor in our bow choices...A treestand hunter here in the East wouldnt be happy at all with what a Barebow Field shooter would use out West...Myself, I'd hunt with a 34"-35" Parallel limb bow , but I;'m sure that bow would be almost useless to a Spot shooter...Ya know??.......Myself, I am primarily interested in a 3-D bow, with casual Indoor Spot shooting and maybe some Bowhunting , hence my choices in bows.....Jim

well I'm looking for a hunting bow for fingers. I know I wouldnt be interested in a 45" ata bow so I'm trying to look for 40" and under or really close to that anyways

 

[Harperman]

well I'm looking for a hunting bow for fingers. I know I wouldnt be interested in a 45" ata bow so I'm trying to look for 40" and under or really close to that anyways

.....Boho...What is Your draw length??..And how many fingers on the string do You shoot with??....Hard or soft back wall??...These things will help Ya narrow down the choices....A personal suggestion for a short-ish bow that would (Might??) work well for ya is the PSE Vendetta XL....Light, fast, quiet, draws like butter, and behaves well in hand...Not too tricky at full draw(decent valley), and easy to tune ..This bow is shorter A-T-A than what most Fingershooters would suggest, but the large eccentrics, and parallel limbs make for good string angles at full draw.....Jim