# PSE CENTRA Riser ????



## pencarrow (Oct 3, 2003)

Does anyone out there know anything about the PSE Centra recurve riser ?
Thanks
Fritz


----------



## Serious Fun (May 12, 2003)

pencarrow said:


> Does anyone out there know anything about the PSE Centra recurve riser ?
> Thanks
> Fritz


The dates of these posts should be informative.
http://margo.student.utwente.nl/sagi/artikel/usenet/centra.html


----------



## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

pencarrow said:


> Does anyone out there know anything about the PSE Centra recurve riser ?
> Thanks
> Fritz


yes, it was introduced by PSE in the early 1990s' I recall it being in the 1994.PSE Catalog and it remained for a couple years overlapping the UNIVERSAL (used by Rod White on the winning 1996 Atlanta Team) and then being phased out before the ZONE came along.

It was the first machined riser PSE FITA Recurve-it was a contemporary to the radian and avalon by Hoyt and Earl's great Conquest Sky riser. The first limbs were supplied by Earl Hoyt and were essentially sky jack wood or sky jack carbon limbs.


The advertising campaign was "DARE TO COMPARE" and featured former USAT member Courtney Kane (who sort of faded from view about the time the Centra did) and Ilario Di Buo of Italy who is still a well known International level competitor.

Never shot one, I got a PSE Universal as part of being a staff shooter for RELO in the 1996 era and still have it. The universal was far more popular (and cheaper)

25" PSE Risers were in this order

CENTRA
UNIVERSAL
ZONE
INTREPID
X Factor

They also had a 23" riser aimed at kids and women called the sierra which was available about the time the Intrepid came out


----------



## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Fritz - 

I have and shoot two of them from time to time. What exactly would you like to know. (Sorry I never kept track of dates etc, but I believe mine (risers and limbs) are 1994 vintage.)

Viper1 out.


----------



## TheAncientOne (Feb 14, 2007)

I just listed a left-hand Centra riser on ebay, here is an excerpt:



> PSE 026 Centra 25" Recurve Riser. The riser is made from 7075-T6 aluminum and weighs 3 lb. 6 oz. Recommended brace height is 9". If you know anything about this riser, you will remember it was known for it's deep throated design. The archers that I know use this with the AAE/Cavalier Free Flyte™ rest with great results.


I hope the information helps.

TAO


----------



## pencarrow (Oct 3, 2003)

Serious Fun: Thanks, I had found that already with a Google search, in fact that was the only thing that said anything about the Centra.

Jim C & Viper 1: If you each have one then you know the good and bad, advantages/ disadvantages , the particulars, that is what I am looking for.

TAO; I saw your listing and suggested it was left handed. Depending on what information I can find, I may bid. I like older stuff, since I am old stuff.

Thanks all
Fritz


----------



## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Fritz - 

1. The riser weighs a ton (3# 6oz as TAO said). That's a plus or a minus depending on your preferences. 

2. Appearance wise it has a very angular or "machined" look. That's a plus or a minus depending on your preferences. 

3. Fully adjustable ILF limb pockets (+), seems to have more REFLEX than some other risers and it's VERY rigid. That's a plus or a minus depending on your preferences. When combined with the right PSE Centra (Hoyt) limbs of the era it's one of the fastest rigs I've shot to date. (+) It also seems to be a bit touchy with arrow selection and the way I have mine tuned can be a little critical to shooter error (-). 

4. As TAO said, you're pretty much stuck with a wrap around or NAP centershot rest due to how far it's built past center. I haven't tried some of the newer offerings on it, as the Freeflytes work fine.

5. It has the optional adjustable grip that I don't think any one actually uses. 

6. Might be hard to find replacement parts. (Not sure about grip options, as I like the stock low grip.)

7. You don't need a special clicker as long as you have the thick strike plate. 

* Did I mention it looks really cool?

Viper1 out.


----------



## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

The biggest issue was the center shot-it appeared to use much of the same machining program as a compound. Indeed, the third major riser they offered-the zone-was advertized as NOT HAVING so much centershot!!

They were heavy.

I don't recall seeing anyone shooting them a year or two after they stopped being sold while you saw radians, avalons, elans, etc being shot long after they were discontinued. That tells me something


----------



## c3hammer (Sep 20, 2002)

I have one also Fritz. Unfortunately it was my son's riser and right handed. If you need any pictures of it or want to know anything very specific about it I can get it for you.

I shot it in 2007 left handed with my string hand upside down to keep the paradox going the right way for the right handed riser. Just a crazy test, but I have video at my shop of me shooting it that way.

It's a pretty cool bow, but they cracked by the limb pocket cut out over time from what I've heard. If you shoot them alot they will go like most bows of that vintage (1994).

The Centra limbs from that generation are still some of the finest limbs ever made. If you run across a set of those on the cheap and they are still true, I'd highly recomend picking them up 

Cheers,
Pete


----------



## TheAncientOne (Feb 14, 2007)

> TAO; I saw your listing and suggested it was left handed.


I sold a right hand version last month and based this ad on that one.



> Depending on what information I can find, I may bid. I like older stuff, since I am old stuff.


They do call me TheAncientOne so I can appreciate that! (the nickname comes from another hobby).

I liked the PSE riser, but I have 4 Hoyt recurve risers, 5 sets of limbs, one Hoyt target compound (older model) and 8 other bows. I am clearing out what I don't use so I have room for new stuff<grin>. 

TAO


----------



## TheAncientOne (Feb 14, 2007)

> The Centra limbs from that generation are still some of the finest limbs ever made. If you run across a set of those on the cheap and they are still true, I'd highly recomend picking them up


A pair of 40# PSE competition limbs went for about $85 last week, I have a pair of 40# Hoyt FX limbs so I bid low in hopes I could get them cheap. Missed it by that much!

TAO


----------



## pencarrow (Oct 3, 2003)

Thanks all, for your replies.
Pete: Leave it to you to try something different. Sounds interesting though, I might try it, might help my release.LOL Are you going to the Nationals this year? This will probably be my last one.

TAO: Like you I have more "stuff" than I can use, but it is so much fun trying out new/old things. One last question, will my G-3s fit in the Centra ?

Thanks
Fritz


----------



## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

If I understand things correctly, the early PSE limbs were made by Earl Hoyt Jr. (SKY) for PSE and they still had the black/white/black limb tips. The later PSE limbs were made by W&W and only have black tips. Someone may know better though. I have owned two pairs of the SKY/PSE carbon limbs and they are in every way the same as my SKY Jacks that I can tell. I bought a pair for $80 shipped! to put on my hunting riser that accepts ILF limbs. Still one of the best bargains in limbs if you don't just have to own the latest and greatest.

Good luck Fritz! I shot with an excellent senior NFAA trad. (barebow) shooter who loved those risers and eventually owned three of them. Because of their weight, they make good barebow handles. As for the rest, I can recommend the relatively inexpensive AAE/Cav. Champion II stick-on rest for that bow, since the long arm is highly adjustable. I think that rest is still only $25 or so. Quite a steal for what you get there.

John.


----------



## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

John -

You're correct about the PSE limbs (PSE has never to my knowledge made their own recurve limbs). They even have a "Designed by Earl Hoyt" on them. Combined with the Centra riser, fast doesn't begin to describe them. I'd be curious if the new Cav rest would work on them, as they are really far past center. 

A few interesting comments above. I've shot the Centra riser/limbs over 50# at my draw for some time with no signs of failure and in relation to other bows of that era: a number of the Hoyt Radians were known to have a factory supplied twist and the Avalons had a nasty habit of snapping in half, requiring a mid-life conversion to the Avalon Plus. The Centra and even PSE's hunting version, the Raven (also with Hoyt limbs), were modeled after compounds and do fit a certain niche. Things go in and out of vogue for less than valid reasons all the time; while I wouldn't swap out my Aerotecs with the Centras (or any other riser this year) as my go-to rig, I'm not in a hurry to unload them either. 

IMHO, if you can handle the physical weight and can deal with the rest/centershot issues, they ain't bad risers.

Fritz - Yes, they are fully ILF compatable and the bolts are a couple of 0.001"s smaller than Hoyt' so just about ANY limb will fit easily.

Viper1 out.


----------



## TheAncientOne (Feb 14, 2007)

> TAO: Like you I have more "stuff" than I can use, but it is so much fun trying out new/old things. One last question, will my G-3s fit in the Centra ?


Yes, I have mounted my G-3's in the Centra riser. 

Pencarrow, please see my PM's to you

TAO


----------



## pencarrow (Oct 3, 2003)

John:
You know me, if it ain't at least 10 years old or I can' make it, I don't have it.LOL. The only things new are my vanes & nocks.
Are you coming to Ohio?
Fritz


----------



## Teucer (Aug 19, 2007)

*anyone want one*

I have a RH Centra in mint condition. I fell in love with my Hoyt Excel so I don't use the PSE at all.


----------



## TomG (Dec 4, 2002)

If I recall, the center of the bow is at the plunger and not the grip. This creates a different balance of the bow, both in weight and dynamic...

For those that still have one, compare where the nock points are on the string with a string for an othe bow.

TomG


----------



## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Fritz, I'd love to come to Ohio, but I won't this year. 

There will come a time in my life when traveling to archery tournaments will be the thing I most look forward to. Right now, it ain't it. I have limited vacation time, VERY limited funds, and three kids and a wife that need me close to home. So, these (many) local Texas events are good for me. I've shot more this year than in the past 3 years in fact! But no Ohio. I wanted to go to Utah and watch some of my former students shoot too, but can't afford to.

So, you have to keep shooting at least until I get my older two out of high school. Then we can go play with our bows somewhere... 

Can't wait.

John.


----------

