# Anyone shoot wheel bows?



## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

Ive been trying all diffrent bows especilay my Bowtech Pro40 and the only bow that shoots consistent is my old PSE Fireflight its an old bow but I shooting softball sizes groups tonight at 35 yards.

It seems stupid to me but I love instinctive shooting that much that I would ditch 2 brand new bows just do I could do it. Does anyone have problems like me where you cant shoot a cam bow?


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## capool (Aug 5, 2003)

*Wheel Bow*

I have a Hoyt Wheel &1/2 I like it but don't shoot it any better than my cam.5 Hoyt


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## shadowhunter (Oct 12, 2003)

*Hoyt wheels*

I also have the wheel and 1/2 and and old Bear bow with wheels. Had a cam and 1/2 but it was too spooky for me.


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## luckyhit (Dec 8, 2006)

I have exactly the same problem. See my post "What is good finger shooting" for the details, although they sound just like yours. I was shooting a friends Hoyt Oasis last night.... tennis ball groups at 20 yards. I shot my 40" Reflex bighorn as well.... dinner plate groups at 20 yds.

After my post, I got an email contact from a very experienced and succesful tournament and bowhunting finger shooter here in Alaska.

There are a host of problems with the new bows. For me, one of the biggest issues is letoff. I shot way better with 50% than 65%. The gentleman that contacted me told me that is usual, but can be overcome with practice and attention to hold and release. What style of hold are you using on the string? What kind of anchor?

The next problem is the critical valley on a cam bow. It poses a problem at first, but my new friend has proved that this can be turned to an advantage once you tune your style to it.

Of course, string angle is important. One thing I've learned is that many factors come into this. Brace height, cam size, and obviously draw length are variables in the equation that can surprise you if you think that axle to axle length tells the story. Regardless of what I hear, I still think 40" is a very, very short finger shooters bow. Maybe, if all the other factors are favorable, they can make it work. If one of the other details is also against you (as is the short length), it seems to me the bow will be too critical.

The best that I ever shot in my life was with cams, though. That was waaayyyy back in '86. The cams were mild compared to today and were 50% LO. I'm thinking of fitting one of my bows up with the Wedel cams from Bowman or the Tristar E-wheels from Barnsdale. That would be an alternative to throwing them all in the garbage.... my first idea.


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## big cypress (Jul 31, 2006)

yes,old provantage . i'd like to get a newer bow [preferably used] but don't know what to get . 45# and 30'' seems to be an odd combination ,not many used with those parameters ....peace


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## fingershooter1 (Sep 12, 2005)

I know tha barnsdale bows will work for you. I have a redman. It is set at 50% letoff. He could probably set one up for you at that letoff. If I had the extra $ I would consider getting another one myself.


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

Ive decided the PSE Fireflight is my best bet I shoot good with this bow for being a dinosaure of a bow its actully a pretty smooth machine. IM shooting a deep hook if you look at a shooting glove IM almost the end of the pad and I anchor by the side of my eye. It has worked well for me but I havent been shooting enough as I should be.

Heres my instinctive group at 50 yards last year.










What do you think?


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## fingershooter1 (Sep 12, 2005)

If it works, keep it up.


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## skydog (Sep 20, 2004)

I shoot pse lazer flite and a mach 6 both round wheels and i have a hoyt meridian round wheels all at 65% let off don't like the cam bows to much like work pulling them back.


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

skydog said:


> I shoot pse lazer flite and a mach 6 both round wheels and i have a hoyt meridian round wheels all at 65% let off don't like the cam bows to much like work pulling them back.



What poundage is your PSE set at? Mine is at about 97lbs right now and it really performs its pretty fast and shoots an arrow unbeliveable. Its amazing how these old bows can out perform the new bows in certain ways.


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## tacoben (Jun 24, 2004)

*Vintage Finger Bows*

These are my favorite finger bows. They're old "WHEELIES" but still shootable.

L to R

Fred Bear Victor Tamerlane Target Bow
Fred Bear Alaskan Hunting Bow
Jennings Arrowstar


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

Nice setups Ben I too like the old wheel bows they are neat. I got a twin to my PSE Fireflight just have to get a string for it. 

Would anyone know how much an old tear drop string would run for price wise?


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## tacoben (Jun 24, 2004)

BowHunter6666 said:


> Mine is at about 97lbs right now and it really performs its pretty fast and shoots an arrow unbeliveable. Its amazing how these old bows can out perform the new bows in certain ways.


Wow! 97 lbs is awfully high. I honestly don't of a bow with that high a poundage. Becareful, you can hurt yourself.


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## tacoben (Jun 24, 2004)

BowHunter6666 said:


> Nice setups Ben I too like the old wheel bows they are neat. I got a twin to my PSE Fireflight just have to get a string for it.
> 
> Would anyone know how much an old tear drop string would run for price wise?


They are really cheap...about $12 bucks (string) or so. Teardrop cables are around $35 bucks. Proshop install is around $10. Really easy to do yourself with a portable press.


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## BowHunter6666 (Dec 28, 2005)

tacoben said:


> Wow! 97 lbs is awfully high. I honestly don't of a bow with that high a poundage. Becareful, you can hurt yourself.


The bow is rated for 75-90 but cranked all the way to the stops its 105lbs. The 97lbs actully is easy to pull for me I can pull it in every postion ive tried. At 90lbs it pulls like my Hoyt at 70lbs.


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## Bowfishen Sully (Jun 2, 2005)

Hay I think that's my old Bear Alaskan Hunter tacoben has in his pic LOL 

The last time I saw it I was wearing platform shoes and polyester bellbottom pants ! Some one stold it out of my brand new 79 F150 I bought for $3500 off the lot.


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## skydog (Sep 20, 2004)

about 50# I shoot alot want to be comfortable when i get good arrow flite thats where i stop.


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

I'm an old school wheel/finger bow shooter. Provantages/prowheels and Barnsdale Classic/tristars...But I must say, I'd really like to try a cam and a half or an Apex, but I don't think there's any way I could shoot them with a clicker. There's people out there shooting some fantastic scores with these bows and fingers. Good to see a Tamerlane.. I used to shoot one in the 70's; a real classic. Haven't seen one in years. 
I also once saw the results of a guy shooting a 105#bow without an arm guard. That's self explanatory..And the heck of it was the guy was showing it off like it was some kind of trophy. I'd have been on the way to the emergency room.... If I felt like I had to shoot that much weight, I'd just stick with Weatherbys'......


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## shadowhunter (Oct 12, 2003)

*lOld Bear bow*

I have an old Bear Kodiak Express my soon to be wife bought for me in 1990. It has a wood riser 65% letoff with wheels. Oh so ssmooth. It has been my favorite to carry all day in the woods hunting for elk. I've had one Browning and three Hoyts but still enjoy shooting it with the Saunders T-dot pins that just seem to turn on at dusk. My 2006 Hoyt with wheel and 1/2 at 65% is just about as nice to pull and I do love the Spot Hogg Hunter sight but can have trouble seeing the pins in some parts of the day even with Fitzfiber modified pins.


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## WoolyWelsh (Sep 9, 2006)

*Wheel Bows?*

How's aboot a Browning Coyote that has no cable guard? The helix wheels push the drawn string to the side; no cable guard is needed. Once this bugger is set up, I can crank it up to 70# peak. 

No perpetual tuning. No constant "what if I tweak this/that?"

I shoot this gem _off the shelf_, instinctive. And practice. And practice. And practice. 

If you want a fast hunting machine, try _some_ form of instinctive; be it compound or pure trad. I am not talking arrow shaft speed; I'm talking see deer-go-to-full-draw-release-done. No sights, no peep sight, no squeaky arrow rest, no screwed up mech. release.....ad nauseum...

You won't be able to purchase accuracy or precision this route. However, you will be able to fire a line drive to first base STAT. If you practice. 

And, have a bit of luck, too. We all need that,from time to time. 

Good Loosing!


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## tothepoint (Dec 22, 2006)

Guys how long do you think any of these vintage bows with teardrop cables are going to last if you're shooting them at 97#. I've drawn some heavy weights but 97#. The only reason you'd need new equipment is to replace the old stuf when it finally implodes. At 97 # my old prohunter would probably shoot somewhere in the 300fps neighborhood. Of course I'd only feel safe shooting it wearing a fullface motorcycle helmet and chest protector.


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## Unclegus (May 27, 2003)

Don't forget the cod piece.......


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## luckyhit (Dec 8, 2006)

*Heavy Bows*

Well, how long it will last would depend on whether it was designed to pull 97#. If a bow is designed to do that, it will last as long as any other bow.

I had a 100# TSS Quadraflex that I bought in about '87 or '88. It had teardrop cables and no problems. The bow could be cranked to a bit over 100#, but I couldn't. So, I shot it at 100# even. Shot it a bunch, never had a problem. Wish I still had it. Not sure if I still have the stuff to pull it, but it was a great bow.


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## tothepoint (Dec 22, 2006)

luckyhit
I Absolutely agree with your designed to handle it statement. I guess I didn't make my original point clear. We’re not talking about shooting a 97-100# bow designed in the late 80s and being shot brand new straight out of the box “in the 80s”. We’re talking about "vintage" bows that are now almost 20 years old with potentially a lot of load and shock cycles put through them (fatigue) I’ve personally seen many a bow explode after being shot (teardrop failures) we all have, but I’ve also seen risers snap in half at full draw and crack the shooters head wide open. I’m just advocating some caution to those who enjoy shooting vintage equipment, even if it was designed for high draw weights.


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## ia bhtr (May 22, 2002)

I have also seen several of those old hi poundage bows that had the risers break right in the shooters hand ....... almost everyone of them were PSE Machflite 4s that were being shot at around 80#s ..... PSE always stood behind them , but when they broke , there was usually blood involved and sometimes ( like in my case ) the blood came from the shooter beside the bow that blew , not the shooter himself .. but all of those instances were with relatively new bows , I would think if it has lasted this long , youre probably safe 

The tear drop cables , if they havent been replaced , I would , that is the real weak point in the older setups

Had a fireflite myself and like you shot it barebow only at 65#s , really a great little bow , served me well for many yrs


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## luckyhit (Dec 8, 2006)

Wow, that would be trippy to see a riser break! I'vd seen limbs split. I saw a guy break a string and launch his limbs and rigging down range.

Getting whacked in the head with half a riser..... ouch.


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