Just got a used Martin Phantom 2. Got back into archery about 2 months ago after not shooting for at least 25 years. Didn't realize how much I missed it. Guns are fun but so are bows.
55# Bear Kodiak Magnum, homemade (stained, painted crest and fletched) cedar arrows topped off with personal fine tuning sharpened Zwickey broadheads. I can not wait until October 1st!
Here is my set up.
Mathews DXT
60# [set at 55#]
28" draw
Gold Tip 55/75 Pro Hunters.
Short-n-Sweet release
Spot Hogg Hunter Hogg It w Wrap
Custom torqueless grip
Mathews T5 quiver
Mathews convertible II rest.
I shoot a hoyt but agree that the technology out there is uniform and any preference can be found with all major suppliers. I have 5 bows from different makers...hoyt, merlin, diamond, and proline and think that they all are good
I only shoot Traditional bows. All of my bows are built by John Brooks here in Indianapolis. I have a short Indian Bow, English Long Bow and a Static Recurve backed with snake skin. I also have a couple of his 12" bows to shoot in the garage.
If you were at the Indy 1500 the last show of 2008 and the Jan 09 show, you may have met John and seen his bows.
Have a PSE Mach-12 single cam. I have it maxed out at 30" and 75+lbs. I have been having fun "tweeking" it in but have done all I can to it. Technology is changing so much with the new parallel limbs and faster cams on the newer models. The newer bows are faster right out of the box!
Had a few aluminum arrows left from a Browning Bridger II. They did not last long with the Mach-12's agressive CAM. Carbon Express arrows are holding up fairly well.
Biggest mistake was trying a no peep sight. It mounted just above the arrow rest. It was optic and had a dot that you aligned in a circle. Very sensitive to adjust. Also hard to keep in line when looking at the pins.
Do not know if anyone mentioned the range at Huntington Resevour. Bring your own target though. The targets there will not stop a arrow with much velocity.
I have used an old Bear Whitetail 2 that has served me well for the last 20 years, and I was recently gifted a Paul Bunyon archery set from the 1940's or 1950's complete with the original box, arrows, targets.