# My new Admiral



## Screeminreel (Jun 2, 2004)

To begin with I got back into shooting last year with a Bowtech Tomkat. I went with it due to having surgery on both elbows and not knowing if I would even be able to shoot. I didn't want to tie up a bunch of bucks and figured if it didn't work out it would make a great bow for the nephew. Well it worked out great. I had both of the mods and went from the smooth set at 60 up through the pounds to 70 with no issues. Swapped over to the fast and repeated the process. No issues. So in the end months of last year I begin looking at and shooting a LOT of different higher end bows.

In the past 5 months I have made trips to several places and shot various '09 bows which seem to be all the rage. At the onset I had a few requirements, that to me, would make the deal. Just like underware and socks, everyone has differences which make one fit better than another. The wife knew I was looking and decided to surprise me with telling me to pick out which ever one suited me and she would get it for my anniversary present.

In the past month I had narrowed it down to only a few which were tough to decide on. The main reason was it was hard to get to the shop when they had them all on hand to shoot side by side. At the same time I was also comparing them side by side to my Tomkat. I figured if they couldn't exceed the performance I got form it then there was no since wasting that kind of cash. Some did some didn't, mainly due to personal preferences. I admit the Tomkat isn't a speed bow, nor is it too awefull smooth or quiet. However if will shoot and shoot great. It pushes my 470gr FMJ's to 250fps set at only 67#. So that was also something I wanted to compare with. while not a speed demon nor overly quiet, it was very effective both on target and game.

Most of the new bows are fast and I see very impressive speeds using not much over IBO rated arrows. Speed to some extent isn't as much of a concern for me as quiet and ease of use. The last two bows I shot were the Admiral and the Monster with a DXT and Reason thrown in here or there.

My choice was the Admiral, simply due to personal preferences on the draw cycle not only pulling but letting it off as well. The speeds when compared side by side at 65# were all right in there with my arrows. The main deciding factor was adjustability, and balance. The Admiral is simply able to be dialed in to a more perfect fit then able to be tweaked in ever so small degrees. The Monster while being fast, wasn't too hard to draw but the let off was something else. I also simply could not draw it fully with it set over 67#. I know that this is something that can and in most cases has to be worked up to, but still it didn't appeal to me knowing and feeling the condition it was putting my elbow through.

Yesterday, I had a brief amount of time to set out targets and adjust my sights out to 45yds. This will be my max distance to loose an arrow at. I also had a limited amount of checking several arrows across my Chrony and was very pleased with the results. Shooting each arrow only three times isn't a great amount of info but better than simply guessing about it. The three I shot were my FMJ 340 at 29"-470grs, my friends FMJ 400 at 27.5"-420grs, and a CE 340 at 28.5"-430grs. When initially measured for the Tomkat I went with a 28" draw, with the Admiral I set it at 28.5 and 65#. The 340 FMJ went 265fps, the 400 went 275, and the CE went 270fps. While these aren't breaking 300fps, they are putting up VERY respectable KE figures for all. I can easily put them close enough already that shooting the same spot isn't a good thing. Groups with this bow under 40yds are simply asking for ruined arrows.

I went with the QAD rest, Black Gold Solaris .019" sight, and an Apex Bone Collector Quiver. Overall it makes up a great light weight short hunting rig which will work out great for either stalking through the thick stuff or for stand hunting. As of yet I haven't decided on a stabilizer as I haven't really seen the need. I am sure that it will help out with wind deflection but for now I am simply getting used to shooting a very well made bow. I probably have around 200 shots through it so far and am very pleased with it.

All of the new and some of the older bows I have shot over the past 8 months have been great. Some exceeded my expectations but had minor issues I didn't personally like. I am not a fan boy of any company. I look at it like a fine woman, everyone has their personal preferences, looks don't make the deal, nor do the accessories, the total package is what comes home with you.

If your looking for a new bow, all I can say is shoot as many as you can. Take the bow you have, and shoot them side my side at the same draw weights. If you don't have one, still try and compare them side by side, narrowing them down as you go. Ask about changing things up like draw length, or other adjustments you might want to make. If you have to haul it to a shop or use a press to make all adjustments this might narrow your choices as well. Compare features that you might use later on to custom fit it for yourself. Build a list of things you like about all of them on one page and look for these in a particular bow. Don't simply jump out there based upon the hype of one particular bow or company. They are all good nowadays, just some will be better for you personally than someone else.

Now day's, picking out just about any bow is a decent investment not to mention some of the more sought after name brand ones. I wanted something I would be able to use for quite a long time, not something that in 3-6 months I would be looking to swap for something different.

Anyway, I like it a lot and the more I shoot it the more I am convinced I made the right choice. So here are some pic's for those interested.

















































AS you can see in the last pic, there is quite a bit of adjustment available for this bow, most of which is not needing a press to accomplish. Even swapping cables and strings can be done with out being pressed if needed. (according to the manual).

LAter,
SR


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## TXPalerider (May 21, 2004)

Congrats!! That is one sweet looking bow.


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## SaltwaterAg (Oct 7, 2004)

Looks like a great setup!


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