# Merlin? What would it take?



## Jim Pruitte

If I remember correctly the weakening dollar had quite a bit to do with Merlin's situation on this side of the pond. So... you are still back to $$.


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## field14

Jim Pruitte said:


> If I remember correctly the weakening dollar had quite a bit to do with Merlin's situation on this side of the pond. So... you are still back to $$.


We are giving a thousand or more for a top of the line bow now....and then have to go and put another $100 or more into it to get proper strings and cables...and...maybe even CHANGE CAMS on it because of the "mis-fit" depending upon brand.
Some brands are known to come 1/2" long from what you order...so you try to second guess on what cam to order...and PRAY you are right.

Others come 1/2" to 3/4" LONG and you still pray...by ordering in the center and HOPING that they come in like they have been known to...and STILL put in more $$$ for new strings and cables.

You don't GET what you ORDER from mass produced bows.

Not so with MERLIN....so....they are CHEAPER in the long run...cuz you get quality workmanship, WHAT YOU ORDER, and the looks and feel of something special...and you do NOT wait 6- 12 weeks or more to get it either.

But, you are right, too...that weakening dollar had a TON to do with it....because the import duties AND the weakened dollar drove the cost up...but not REALLY out of sight when you figure WHAT you are getting and not having to "retrofit" to get what you ordered....

field14


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## Grey Eagle

field14 said:


> We are giving a thousand or more for a top of the line bow now....and then have to go and put another $100 or more into it to get proper strings and cables...and...maybe even CHANGE CAMS on it because of the "mis-fit" depending upon brand.
> Some brands are known to come 1/2" long from what you order...so you try to second guess on what cam to order...and PRAY you are right.
> 
> Others come 1/2" to 3/4" LONG and you still pray...by ordering in the center and HOPING that they come in like they have been known to...and STILL put in more $$$ for new strings and cables.
> 
> You don't GET what you ORDER from mass produced bows.
> 
> Not so with MERLIN....so....they are CHEAPER in the long run...cuz you get quality workmanship, WHAT YOU ORDER, and the looks and feel of something special...and you do NOT wait 6- 12 weeks or more to get it either.
> 
> But, you are right, too...that weakening dollar had a TON to do with it....because the import duties AND the weakened dollar drove the cost up...but not REALLY out of sight when you figure WHAT you are getting and not having to "retrofit" to get what you ordered....
> 
> field14


F14,

Your spin is somewhat different from my read on Merlin.

I shot Merlin bows for a few years, at that time I was paying near twice what it would cost me to own a North American bow. And though I really liked the personal service I got from Ben at Merlin, in the end the bows were no more reliant or better produced than anything made here. I had the same incident of failure/breakage that I have had with any manufacturers bow (I went through three sets of limbs on one bow alone). And despite Merlin's best efforts to be attentive to my issues (they really were good at CS) the sheer issue of them being in the UK and me being in North America led to time lags on warranty repairs. 

As to your comment on strings............ I never kept a single stock string on any of my Merlin bows, as I found them no better (or worse) than those of the other manufacturers. Meaning that they were the first thing to be changed out.

As for cost of ownership, Merlin bows are akin to another fine UK product, Jaguar cars. Both spendy to purchase, and both difficult and worthless to re-sell. The depreciation on a Merlin bow is amongst the highest in the industry, and your market audience is far smaller when trying to sell.

So while I agree with you that Merlin makes a fine bow, I'll have to respectively disagree with you that the advantages outweigh the downside.

Cheers


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## field14

Grey Eagle said:


> F14,
> 
> Your spin is somewhat different from my read on Merlin.
> 
> I shot Merlin bows for a few years, at that time I was paying near twice what it would cost me to own a North American bow. And though I really liked the personal service I got from Ben at Merlin, in the end the bows were no more reliant or better produced than anything made here. I had the same incident of failure/breakage that I have had with any manufacturers bow (I went through three sets of limbs on one bow alone). And despite Merlin's best efforts to be attentive to my issues (they really were good at CS) the sheer issue of them being in the UK and me being in North America led to time lags on warranty repairs.
> 
> As to your comment on strings............ I never kept a single stock string on any of my Merlin bows, as I found them no better (or worse) than those of the other manufacturers. Meaning that they were the first thing to be changed out.
> 
> As for cost of ownership, Merlin bows are akin to another fine UK product, Jaguar cars. Both spendy to purchase, and both difficult and worthless to re-sell. The depreciation on a Merlin bow is amongst the highest in the industry, and your market audience is far smaller when trying to sell.
> 
> So while I agree with you that Merlin makes a fine bow, I'll have to respectively disagree with you that the advantages outweigh the downside.
> 
> Cheers


Dennisk,

The re-sale of Merlins went in the tank when the XT/XS came out and the exchange rate hit the toilet. Up until then, the Novas, Supernovas, etc were bringing top dollar for used ones. I didn't take a hit hardly at all for my XT.

Notice that they are hard to find...but you are right when you find one the price is a STEAL.

too bad, but that's the crumbling cookie.

I had good experiences 12 years of shooting intensely and not ONE SINGLE failure of any sort at all...and I shot them a ton, too..and had many, many models due to changes mid-year, etc...

BUT...if you look at the NOVA-----what 7 years old?
Look at the Supernova....4 years old or older?

The PRICE of any 4-7 year old bow is going to be LOW!

field14


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## Ravenshorn

*Merlin*

I’ve had personal experience shooting Merlin and have spoken to many others who shot them while I was stationed in England and here in the States. The Brits recognized the quality of American made bows (Hoyt, PSE, Jennings, Mathews, etc.) and were always quick to pay top dollar (quid) for our archery equipment.

I did see a tendency out of Chris [Jones] to follow the trends coming from the states which made me wonder if there was much effort being put forth in innovations of his own. Of course, I guess that could be said for a lot of the U.S. companies as well. Any company that fails to track trends within their industry toys with failure. Our big three auto makers are a good case in point.

Having said all that, IMHO Merlin bows are no better or worse than what you can buy in the states. When Merlin is able to quote a TYD price that’s comparable to what we have now, I might consider owning one again. 

:tongue:


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## MerlinApexDylan

I still shoot Merlins.:darkbeer:


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## mightybaron

I still have a merlin super nova that I shot and bought brand new that now my boy is shooting. I will say this the machine work and quality work is second to none. In my opinion Hoyt is the only target bow that has the quality and detail in the machine work that Merlin has. Three things happened to merlin that ruined sales of their bows in the USA: 1 the money exchange rate didnt help them: 2 They needed a better plan in my opinion of getting them over here and parts supplied to do the warranty work and a little easier to get them out for ppl to shoot and try which I know pinwheel did his best to do that but maybe was a lot for 1 man to do and lastly #3 and this was the biggest of all that hurt them in my opinion You have to have winning shooters shooting your equipment over here in the USA to sell things. I dont care what anyone says on this their shooters were nice ppl but none won big tournys and if you dont win here ppl dont buy period! Look at nascar and all other big sports and in this sport who sells the most bows? Hoyt Mathews Martin and Pse and why cause ppl who shoot them win tournys and that gets ppl like us to buy them. Would I buy another heck yeah I would I love mine they just dont have a lot of options and no way to test them right now. I wish they did.


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## Cuthbert

I just recently took my merlin XT back out of it's case after not having shot it for about a year and set it up for BHFS. I had forgotten just how much fun it is to shoot such a well crafted compound bow as I had been focusing on recurve shooting and related product development. 
It is one of 4 Merlins in our family, however not all of them are in one piece at the moment as my Supernova's rapid cams are currently working out very well on my Barnsdale Classic. Over the years, Merlin has really made really great products, but I do agree that they broke faith with a lot of the american fans when they developed the X-Range bows and failed to follow up with anything new in the long ATA market. They didn't even try to excite anyone on this side of the pond by so much as finishing their website for over 3 years. As yet it still hasn't changed since the product launch.

The problem as I see it is that Merlin designed bows in the X-Range line that don't fit in any of the market catagories. They don't have a speed bow. They don't have a traditional target bow and what they do have fits into a catagory that is damn near impossible to penetrate (3D) because of market saturation by American companies that offer lots of choices at a lower price. If Merlin ever want's to get back into this market, they are either going to have to work in the niche market of target bows or develop something revolutionary in a speed bow that knocks the socks off of anything we make here. I for one would love to see both, but that would require a significant sum of capital and a commitment to working on American distribution or manufacturing a bow to their specs here in the states.


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## tjandy

Still shooting my Xrange XT for 3d and lovin it. I need to find a back up for when I wear this one out. :thumb: :wink:


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## field14

When Merlin comes out with the new target bow, you can bet it will be premier class all the way.

As I said earlier, if it is 41" ata or longer and has a BH of 7.75" or more...the order is in. I know it won't be a "slam cam" and that the workmanship will be impeccable. I'll get what I order, too.:thumbs_up:thumbs_up:shade:

field14


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## blindbat

Have to agree with Field on some of the issue-ATA but the XT cam designs were a factor in many of my shops guys moving away from them. Couple that with Merlin NOT standing behind a customers limb failure made it very easy to drop the line. They made a great bow at a fair price and some of the early service ideas-limb exchange etc were fantastic.


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## field14

What I'm finding interesting.....is that you can pretty much find just about any other brand out there FOR SALE, and lots of them...but there are two brands that trying to find one for sale is like pulling hen's teeth:

Merlin
Barnsdale.

Sure, some nay-sayers will say it is because it is the "value" that has declined....but I'm figuring it is the QUALITY and SATISFACTION with the bows that is the main reason people won't part with them.

Sure, you can go on here and find several Merlins for sale....but you ain't for finding 25 or 30 of them listed on a daily basis like a few of the other brands....and the Merlins that are for sale haven't been recently listed either.

People may not be buying what few there are for sale...but from experiene, trying to find one that the person wants to part with....??? VERY difficult.

field14


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## kgoold

I really like the look of Merlin bows,how much do they go for?


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## field14

kgoold said:


> I really like the look of Merlin bows,how much do they go for?


The official Merlin, USA distributor is Pinwheel12 (Kevin Speckman). He manages ALL the Merlin sales in the USA, and the dealers are under his guidance and direction.

Kevin has the current pricing for the new Merlin bows, and can give you information on OFFICIAL Merlin dealers in the USA.

Here is his e-mail: [email protected]

Ask him for details, pricing, and availability.

I do see a new Merlin XV on AT for sale from Kevin. The price is very good for a NEW bow, and the XV is a shooter. If the DL was shorter on it, I'd take it myself! Here is the link to that:

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=799483&highlight=merlin

field14


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## thenson

I shoot a rebuilt Oneida Black Eagle, Rytera Triad, Martin Mystic and a Merlin XV. They are all very different bows and the Mystic is destined to become one of my favorites but the XV is a fantastic shooting bow. Just like I've always heard, the bows Merlin makes are truely as well designed and shoot as well as they say.

From what I hear, Merlin has some new stuff coming in 2009. I'm anxious to see what they come up with.

thenson


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## Indianbullet

Love my Super Nova I was selling a few Merlin's before the big D and they could ship tmd with free shipping and their bows like the super nova were over $200 cheaper than i could get a Hoyt tec bow. that was in 03
Every one I sold the first thing the cust would say is WOW fit and finish like none id seen at that time 
I would love to have a new bow but i cant justify 1K for a kewl-aid bow now.. 
guess i could pull the Accutec off the wall or put the ol Meridian back up and people would come up and think is was a brand new model? 
Granted my Super Nova is 6 yrs old but it shoots better than i can and like said above when you want 28.5 dl by God thats what you got 
Id like to have an Apex to try or maybe a C4 or a new hoyt but until the cash flow gets better think I'll pour the money into Arrows...
but hey thats just this reporters opinion


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## field14

Do you all think that the recent unveiling of the new Excalibur Range of Merlin bows is going to open some eyes.....just once more?

The new model will have its first test at the Nimes Tournament on Jan. 23. Production will begin in earnest shortly thereafter.

Mine has been ordered for months....right after I found out Merlin was launching a new target bow line for 2009.

With Merlin bows, there isn't a worry about doing this...at least not for me...after having shot the Merlins for 11 years...never should have left.

Can't buy back an old one....nobody wants to part with theirs.

field14


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## Indianbullet

I don't know Field don't you think it would take them "Merlin" throwing lots of money and equipment at those folks that have their names on the top of the leader boards.. 
Seems like thats what, especially 1 big company did when they started to get a name out their.. Their bows which where the highest priced bows at the time... and in my opinion caused all these other manufactures that had been in the business 3 times as long go gee these idiots are paying that much for that????!!! "We can do it too" as in see ours cost more so they must be the best, and they have all these folks shooting them and therefore you have all the idiots that think points can be purchased going gee I'll pony up $800 for this and all my arrows will go in the dot.. then it seemed like they changed and played that other game where you could say ""gee i miss judged that distance "" and they still never shot any better with that new Matthews than they did with that wore out Darton or York bow. they just missed lots faster for the most part 
in my opinion the only real good changes that have came over the last 20 yrs are in string material people ain't chasing marks like we used to.
But hey thats just this reporters opinion.. 
and id love to put hands on a new Merlin  and maybe all of my indianbullets would go in the dot? 
NOT


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## Unclegus

For my two cents worth, let me say that the reason there are very few Merlins and Barnsdales for sale as used bows is because anyone that has the insight and knowledge to buy either of these isn't the type of shooter that changes bows as often as they change their socks.....


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## Unclegus

Well put Field, When I got my new Barnsdale last year, I sold my old one. I recently bought it back after a lot of whining , crying , and pleading..... I won't let that kind of brain fade happen again.


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## field14

Unclegus said:


> Well put Field, When I got my new Barnsdale last year, I sold my old one. I recently bought it back after a lot of whining , crying , and pleading..... I won't let that kind of brain fade happen again.


I seem to be addicted to bows...and have been for years. However, in retrospect, there are only a FEW that I should have kept..

1. ProVantage Carbon Plus that I shot ALL of my lifetime personals bests with....force-draw wheels, 48" ATA (they told me I couldn't shoot that long of a bow with my measily drawlength....I guess you can't "Shoot" 60X 300's and mid to upper 550's with too long of a bow, hahaha).

2. My first Merlin NOVA. Sure would like to have it back...Again, another twin cam energy wheeled bow! Close in scores to the ProVantage....but never any 557 field score with it.

3. My first Merlin Max3000 with Rapid Cams on it. A "twin cam" bow.

4. Merlin Supernova with Omega cams on it. What a shooter! This was well after my heart attack, so I cannot expect 60X-300's or 550+ field scores anymore...but this bow sure was forgiving.


BUT...if I still had these bows..then when the Merlin XV and the Merlin Excalibur get here...I'd have SIX bows in the house...and that is simply too many...so what does this mean?

Well...GOTTA HAVE the Excalibur (might could do without the XV)...so....which of the above goes....simple. The max 3000 cuz the cams were a bit aggressive for my style of shooting. But what a hard choice that would have to be.

However, like and IDIOT...I don't have any of the 4. listed...so...now I have a Merlin XV coming within a week or so, and then the Excalibur coming in March.

field14


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## Indianbullet

Field ya gotta have seven that way you can take one out and play with it everyday of the week it could be target Tuesday super slam Sunday forgiving bow Friday etc lmaoo  
I always said if i had more money then sense id have a different muscle car to drive for every day of the week and I'm thinking id have to do the same with bows
problem is it takes me a long time to figure out how to shoot the ones I've got
I know what you mean about those pro vantage, great bows
dam I loved my Person also it was 48" ata as well as my hoit meridian it was 47 or 48 
But now I'm really truly enjoying my SuperNova again I've had to take a few years off from shooting but its doing well for me, I'm still tinkering a little but once I brought my DL down about 1/4" things really got steady shot a group at 70 yards yesterday while I was calibrating some new arrows and 5 of em would fit in a 20 yard dot so for me i felt pretty good it just takes trigger time as we say on the pistol range.
Good shooting to ya


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## field14

I dun forgot about my "other" Merlin Bow....
A Merlin recurve bow with Merlin Carbon Limbs on it! I'm thinking of breaking it out for shooting on one of the teams for league that starts on Sunday. I was in the learning process of shooting RIGHT-handed with a recurve and fingers. I shot several 300's with a recurve and fingers many years back...but those were all while I was shooting left-handed.
This recoive shooting is sure a ton of fun...try it, you might LIKE IT...if you can stand the "humble pie", that is, hahahaha

field14



Indianbullet said:


> Field ya gotta have seven that way you can take one out and play with it everyday of the week it could be target Tuesday super slam Sunday forgiving bow Friday etc lmaoo
> I always said if i had more money then sense id have a different muscle car to drive for every day of the week and I'm thinking id have to do the same with bows
> problem is it takes me a long time to figure out how to shoot the ones I've got
> I know what you mean about those pro vantage, great bows
> dam I loved my Person also it was 48" ata as well as my hoit meridian it was 47 or 48
> But now I'm really truly enjoying my SuperNova again I've had to take a few years off from shooting but its doing well for me, I'm still tinkering a little but once I brought my DL down about 1/4" things really got steady shot a group at 70 yards yesterday while I was calibrating some new arrows and 5 of em would fit in a 20 yard dot so for me i felt pretty good it just takes trigger time as we say on the pistol range.
> Good shooting to ya


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## Indianbullet

yep i grew up in the recurve days. My dad still has a wall full of his wing, root and a few other traget recurve's and hunting recurves
sure had a lot of fun back then as a kid being dragged from one archery tournimnet to the next all through out the 60's and early 70's 
as i remember i dont like looking for arrows that much


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## field14

Indianbullet said:


> yep i grew up in the recurve days. My dad still has a wall full of his wing, root and a few other traget recurve's and hunting recurves
> sure had a lot of fun back then as a kid being dragged from one archery tournimnet to the next all through out the 60's and early 70's
> as i remember i dont like looking for arrows that much


Root? You did say "Root", didn't you? I still have a Root Rangemaster...68"....45# @28" that I took a 4x5 bull elk and several mulies and pronghorns with back in the early 1970's...
My father has a 1970 model Hoyt Pro-Medalist recurve, 70" long 33# @28" that is in pristine condition. My oldest brother has a Groves GS300 II take-down recurve bow in left handed model as well. We also have a couple of Swift Wing recurves too.

I can remember the fun, whooping, and just plain Jibing around while we shot 56 field targets in one day...and were off the courses before 330PM to boot!

Yes, you read it right 56 field targets (224 arrows) in one day..and we didn't have any "let-off" in our bows either...we pulled and held the weight! Sure, we weren't as accurate, but shooting over 500 on a field course was a challenge. 
I still cherish my first "500 Patch" as one of the best accomplishments in my archery career....I was the first one in Wyoming to ever shoot over 500 field with fingers and a recurve. I was also the first one in Wyoming to ever shoot a 560 perfect animal round with fingers and recurve too...and both of those accomplishments were done on Casper Mountain. The ranges up there were laid out in 28 target sets...not 14's. Target 14 was as far as you got from the picnic area...and then you crawled back outta that "hole". Between target #1 & #14 there is about a 600-800 feet drop in elevation.

Then, there is the "20 Pin" situation...back then, you had to shoot a "20" on a target with the 18" face FIRST; then you were eligible for the rest of the tournament to get more "20" pins. Couldn't just up and buy them like you can now. That 80-yard "20" pin shot with fingers and recurve is still a cherished item, as is the 50 yard "20 pin" and also the 65 yard "20 pin"....tough pickens in those days.

No scopes, clinometers, computer tapes, etc....Just got out and shot and had a whale of a time doing it.
Those were the days; but today, THESE are the days and it is a completely different game.
field14


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## Indianbullet

Dam those were the days i can remember my folks shooting 56 thats the way it was back then and i also remember as a kid being at shoots where there was a range that was separate and a few of the club members would take the kids in groups and we shot separately from the rest of the adults i think there is a lot to be said for that speeding things up... but that would be a challenge to accomplish now days but we can wish cant we.

I love my 20 pins i put a post up in the history with some pics of pins that i still have from the 60's that my dad had left over from the disbanded club he ran
love to have that hoyt pro med


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## field14

I Lived in Sacremento for a year and a half while going thru flight training at Mather AFB. I was a member of the El Dorado Hills Archery Club during that time. We also shot indoors at the old Frontier Archery Center that was run by Roger Erlandson (now deceased). Kevin Erlandson was a pretty good FITA style shooter back then, and of course Denise Libby, Vic Leach, Jim Yochum (inventor of the stabilizer coupler), Bud and Dot Clifford, Jim Sweeney, and Ron and Peg Cady, along with friend and finger shooting rival, Carl Noss were all people I shot with regularly. 
I can remember my first tournament there when I came to the club and there were several Continental Trailways busses in the lot...all chartered by clubs that wanted to shoot the El Dorado Hills novelty shoot we were having...What an experience that was! Musta been 300-400 shooters at that local club event! Those days of REAL field shooting are gone...we hardly get that for a National event, let alone a local one, ha

field14



Indianbullet said:


> Dam those were the days i can remember my folks shooting 56 thats the way it was back then and i also remember as a kid being at shoots where there was a range that was separate and a few of the club members would take the kids in groups and we shot separately from the rest of the adults i think there is a lot to be said for that speeding things up... but that would be a challenge to accomplish now days but we can wish cant we.
> 
> I love my 20 pins i put a post up in the history with some pics of pins that i still have from the 60's that my dad had left over from the disbanded club he ran
> love to have that hoyt pro med


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## BIGBC

Figure you guys might be interested in this :



BIGBC said:


> Seeing as I only live a 40 minute walk away from them I figured I would go down and check it out, and I have to say; that is a very, very nice bow.
> 
> The feeling in hand was all very refined and the bow felt quality. The new handle design is really slim and comfortable, helps reduce aftertouch/interferance from the bow hand.
> 
> It was also light in the hand, not too light to get decent feedback, but noticeably lighter than my beloved Hoyt's Im sure some of you will be pleased to hear.
> 
> Im glad to see that they have revised the limb design this year and gone for a split limb as their solid limbs caused alot of people a lot of trouble. It will be good to see how they stand the test of time.
> 
> These new cam's are also very nice. The bow I shot was a couple of inches short for me and set at 60lb. peak. The cams felt smooth through the draw and settled into the valley nicely with a good solid back wall. The peak did feel a little higher than my Cam.5+'s 60lb, but still comfortable.
> 
> At full draw the bow held like a rock, we were indoors so I couldnt really see how it faired in the wind but there was no woble/twist in it at all (it was only set up with a single long rod).
> 
> On release the bow reacted beautifully; very little vibration and a gentle fall forwards. There was still plenty of feedback to keep you in check.
> 
> This bow is definitely one to look into, Id be happy to have one.
> 
> I got a few decent pictures that i will post later when I get them off my camera.





BIGBC said:


> Here we go, it is a good looking bow =]


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## MerlinApexDylan

Something tells me, that put into the right hands, this thing is going to light a fire in the target world.


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## BIGBC

I talked to them again a couple of weeks ago and they said production is going well. Theyve made some slight adjustments to the cam and handle and are really pleased with it.


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## field14

BIGBC said:


> I talked to them again a couple of weeks ago and they said production is going well. Theyve made some slight adjustments to the cam and handle and are really pleased with it.


I'm anxiously awaiting my Excalibur; I know it will be here soon and will be well worth the wait!

In the meantime, I have a Merlin XV that is shooting circles around anything else I have shot the past few years. Took the thing out of the box, set it with the same settings I've used on my other Merlins, and went out and shot it; never had to touch a thing on it.

The XV, I think, was overlooked by many shooters, and they (including me) missed the boat with this bow.

I have a feeling, like others, that when the Excalibur is finally in our hands, we are going to be super impressed; just as we were with the other Merlins.

field14:darkbeer::teeth:


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## lane preston

field14 said:


> When Merlin comes out with the new target bow, you can bet it will be premier class all the way.
> 
> As I said earlier, if it is 41" ata or longer and has a BH of 7.75" or more...the order is in. I know it won't be a "slam cam" and that the workmanship will be impeccable. I'll get what I order, too.:thumbs_up:thumbs_up:shade:
> 
> field14


i have NEVER had a bow that whn order properly wasnt what i asked for. i havent seen a bow thats better built than a barnsdales,hoyts,mathews, or any of the us manufactures. i think the merlin bow looks good but its not in a league of there own. i really think the barnsdales and hoyts are the surperiors bows out there but thats my opinion. and dave barnsdales service is far better that any i have seen, archery or not!


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## field14

lane preston said:


> i have NEVER had a bow that whn order properly wasnt what i asked for. i havent seen a bow thats better built than a barnsdales,hoyts,mathews, or any of the us manufactures. i think the merlin bow looks good but its not in a league of there own. i really think the barnsdales and hoyts are the surperiors bows out there but thats my opinion. and dave barnsdales service is far better that any i have seen, archery or not!


When it comes to delivering what is ORDERED and no guess it is close enough...then the BIG THREE are, IMHO, and not in any special order:

Merlin
Barnsdale
Bowman

All three of the above, IMHO are a "cut above" the mass manufacturers in more ways than one, but the biggest one is DELIVERING WHAT IS ORDERED and not simply "close enough." And of course the cost? As good or better than the mass producers too.

I own a Barnsdale Classic X and it is outstanding...but my Merlin XV and those other Merlins I have owned in the past are as good in most respects and better in others than the Barnsdale. David builds a fantastic bow; but of course, right now, you cannot get one and won't be able to for quite some time.
I hear that Bowman is in the middle of re-engineering for the Accu-Riser III and may be available this October?

field14


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## Indianbullet

Dam I want one


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## MerlinApexDylan

lane preston said:


> i have NEVER had a bow that whn order properly wasnt what i asked for. i havent seen a bow thats better built than a barnsdales,hoyts,mathews, or any of the us manufactures. i think the merlin bow looks good but its not in a league of there own. i really think the barnsdales and hoyts are the surperiors bows out there but thats my opinion. and dave barnsdales service is far better that any i have seen, archery or not!


http://www.barnsdalearchery.com/

a site like this certainly isn't a selling point. Perhaps they should get in contact with me and I can build them a site that will show the true quality of their product. Just a thought, IMHO.


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## scooby3xs

I know I can't wait for mine to arrive. Was hoping to have it for Texas next week but it certainly will be worth the wait.

It will be nice to be back home again.......:banana:


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## adresler

I just bought a new Merlin TM5 for my wife. I am very pleased with the engineering and manufacturing quality of this bow. However, putting aside fluctuations in the currency exchange rate, I belive Merlin has a long row to hoe before they could be successful as a major contender in the US.

I base this on my purchasing and post-sales experience:
1) Merlin's web sites are extremely disjointed and totally underwhelming. The websites are not ready for prime time either with respect to marketing collateral, product support, or as a sales mechanism.
2) The TM5 arrived without a users manual. The manuals listed on the website are years out of date. I tried phoning Merlin's main number over several days during UK business hours.....nobody ever picked up the line. Finally got an email response. The response...."We don't have a users manual for this product.". Granted, the TM5 is not difficult to figure out, however, this all lends to the perception of professionalism and being ready for prime time. I don't need a users manual for most things I buy but I darn well expect to get one on a new out-of-the-box purchase.
3) There is one US dealer listed. However, you have to hunt 'n peck to find out who that dealer is. Once you finally find the US dealer's web site.....there is no marketing or sales information on the Merlin product line....just a teeny Merlin logo that, you guessed it, brings you right back to the Merlin/UK website.

So, IMHO, putting aside engineering and currency exchange factors. Merlin is gonna hafta improve their marketing and customer support by an order of magnitude. I may be willing to test the waters with Merlin on a $400 TM5 but am truly hard pressed to justify why I should get into bed with them on a $1,000+ purchase if I am not pleased on the sales front nor comfortable or confident on the product support front.


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## field14

Unclegus said:


> For my two cents worth, let me say that the reason there are very few Merlins and Barnsdales for sale as used bows is because anyone that has the insight and knowledge to buy either of these isn't the type of shooter that changes bows as often as they change their socks.....


Well said, Unclegus

Only problem I have with that is...over the past couple of years...unfortunately, I fit right into the mold of changing bows...and you know what.....it all came right back to haunt me....and now I'm back to Merlin and will stay there.

Why? Cuz MERLIN, like, delivers what you order and certainly doesn't rush the cart before the horse and worry FIRST about how many bucks they can make with "rush it out" products, and "close enough" since the shooter will change the strings out anyways mentality.

I'm waiting my time for the new Excalibur; yes. However, I also know from my experiences in the past that once I get it, I won't have to fiddle with it to get it RIGHT....cuz it will be right the first time, delivered AS ORDERED.

Will I positively hit more X's....? Probably not....but will it be what I want and what I ORDERED without me having to hassle around trying to figure it out after paying a fortune for it.

And...you naysaysers saying the Merlin is too pricey here in the USA...you'd better look again, folks! Take a look at the MSRP for the other top of the line bows that are built here and sold here. Then consider that the Merlin is NOT more pricey than they are...INCLUDING the import duties and excise taxes and shipping from across the pond to get here! Looking at it that way, and taking off those excess taxes...the MERLIN is way less in cost than the other USA manufactured bows.

Couple more weeks, and others can eat their hearts out, and then....the others can literally get out there, redesign...and try to keep up with the JONESES.....PUN INTENDED...

You see...the family name of the builders of MERLIN bows....happens to be JONES...and now, once the Excalibur is here in the USA...others will be trying to keep up with the design innovations...not just the cams either, but many, many other things that will make the Excalibur something to strive for and envy.

field14


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## Dilligaf

Hi there field 14 i to are waiting this bow but i do hold reservations on its ability( i have a bad elbow and any vibration give it heaps so i really want to hear about what is felt on the hand), It certainly looks like its going to be a real performer. I think i will wait to hear what people have to say when they start getting out there before i order one though.

I would really like to see someone shoot a 1400 FITA90m with one maybe that could be me but i wouldn't be holding my breath on that one.


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## BIGBC

It is odd field14, Merlin's reputation over here is the oppposite of what you seem to have experienced. 
I know and shoot with 6 people who have shot Merlin, 5 of which had major issues with limbs and fixtures causing real problems with shooting them. 4 of them have switched to other manufacturers (Bowtech, 2xHoyt, Mathews) and the other is Merlin sponsored. The other Merlin shooter has had a few minor issues but as he is (like me) only 30min walk away from Merlin he got them sorted relatively easily.
Chris had the tiller on his TM5 go to pot, the bolts simply wouldnt hold, and even though it was within a year of purchase Merlin refused to replace or fix without charge. He moved to a second hand XS(or XT) shot it for a week encountered a problem then bought a Bowtech. His dad has a XS/XT which is untuneable, various international coaches and archers have tried, as has Merlin themselves to tune it in and it still wont shoot right.
James had the limbs on his XV fracture whilst at an international tournament, when he contacted Merlin about it they claimed the limbs had been shot too much.

This reputation is something Merlin are more than aware of and have told me they are really working to change with the Excalibur, which is partially why they have delayed release further. They are getting everything perfect on what was already a superb bow. Last I heard they were tweaking the cams to get higher efficiency.
If the Excalibur proves to be a reliable bow I will likely end up owning one.


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## field14

BIGBC said:


> It is odd field14, Merlin's reputation over here is the oppposite of what you seem to have experienced.
> I know and shoot with 6 people who have shot Merlin, 5 of which had major issues with limbs and fixtures causing real problems with shooting them. 4 of them have switched to other manufacturers (Bowtech, 2xHoyt, Mathews) and the other is Merlin sponsored. The other Merlin shooter has had a few minor issues but as he is (like me) only 30min walk away from Merlin he got them sorted relatively easily.
> Chris had the tiller on his TM5 go to pot, the bolts simply wouldnt hold, and even though it was within a year of purchase Merlin refused to replace or fix without charge. He moved to a second hand XS(or XT) shot it for a week encountered a problem then bought a Bowtech. His dad has a XS/XT which is untuneable, various international coaches and archers have tried, as has Merlin themselves to tune it in and it still wont shoot right.
> James had the limbs on his XV fracture whilst at an international tournament, when he contacted Merlin about it they claimed the limbs had been shot too much.
> 
> This reputation is something Merlin are more than aware of and have told me they are really working to change with the Excalibur, which is partially why they have delayed release further. They are getting everything perfect on what was already a superb bow. Last I heard they were tweaking the cams to get higher efficiency.
> If the Excalibur proves to be a reliable bow I will likely end up owning one.


I shot with and FOR Merlin for over 12 years, and in that time, I shot every model they made very extensively...and in all those 12 years, I never had a single issue or failure of any type, period. MY experience? The ONLY brand of bow I've ever owned where I didn't experience failures, or ordering issues, has been Merlin. I've been in competetive archery and the hunting aspect of archery since the very early 1960's...and as far as USA brands go...I've shot and competed with most of them at one time or another, and a few I came back to after getting rid of them.

I went away from Merlins a couple of years back and lived to regret that mistake; which won't happen again.

I'm not saying that the failures didn't happen, and failures are sure to occur...but I can guarantee you that ALL of the brands have issues sooner or later. However, in my experience, I"ve had riser failures on 4 other brands of bow (on one particular brand I had 3 riser failures in a period of a month!)...not a single one on a Merlin. I've had limb failures on 5 other brands, not a single one on a Merlin. I did have a string stretch on one of them that was really a bad stretch.....if you want to call that a failure....but at least the RIGHT HARNESS was on the bow to start with, ha.

Guess I"m lucky or something.

I know I won't look back at another brand for what is left of my archery career, however. My experiences with Kevin Speckman and Ben and Chris Jones have just been too good to pass up on.

field14


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## capemaybowman

FIELD hate to tell you but I have seen alot of Merlin limbs fail. Rockers did not fit limbs right on the Nova's and would oval holes in limbs. Also my 55# Nova has 65# limbs. After sending back to Chris it shoots great but still have to back it almost all the way down to get 55# . Last the string and cable sizes on my speck sheet that came with bow are different that what is in tune charts. I think Merlin does make one of the best bows but they are just like all other companys and have problems. The shoot through system was great and help me get many new archers started because the string would not hit your arm no mater what and lack of tork made it easy to shoot. Still have two Nova's ready to shoot as a last ditch back-up.


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## field14

capemaybowman said:


> FIELD hate to tell you but I have seen alot of Merlin limbs fail. Rockers did not fit limbs right on the Nova's and would oval holes in limbs. Also my 55# Nova has 65# limbs. After sending back to Chris it shoots great but still have to back it almost all the way down to get 55# . Last the string and cable sizes on my speck sheet that came with bow are different that what is in tune charts. I think Merlin does make one of the best bows but they are just like all other companys and have problems. The shoot through system was great and help me get many new archers started because the string would not hit your arm no mater what and lack of tork made it easy to shoot. Still have two Nova's ready to shoot as a last ditch back-up.


Like I"ve said previously, my personal experience has been stellar, without a single faliure or problem of any type through 12 years of shooting Merlins. Some years, I had two different models to shoot with in one year, plus keeping a hunting model as well, and not a single problem other than the one string stretching problem I mentioned. I shot the delights out of those bows, most of the time shooting 6 or 7 days a week and several hours a day.
I don't shoot that much anymore, but in the past 2 years away from Merlins, I've had more problems than you can well imagine, ESPECIALLY in getting the drawlength that I ordered....I had to try to "out-smart" the order charts and always ended up ordering the next smaller cam to get the DL range I needed.

As you may well tell, that is my biggest gripe about the USA manufacturers...as in delivering what is ordered and NOT 1" to 1 1/2" or more LONGER than what is ordered.

Having Kevin Speckman (Pinwheeel12) here in the USA as the "Go to guy" and the Merlin, USA head honcho, is a big boost. If people would go thru Kevin, they'd probably save themselves a lot of time. Kevin is always right on top of things, and can get things done expeditiously. That is not saying that Ben and Chris aren't also on top of things, but....when you are talking 5 or 6 or more hours time difference, it is far simpler to just contact Kevin.

I'll take any of the Merlins I've owned in the past, and presently the XV over ANY of the bows I've owned over the years...with ONE exception....the Hoyt ProVantage Carbon Plus that I shot all my personal best scores with. Pretty hard to top 557 field and 557 hunter scores, and numerous 300's with 60X indoor rounds and 450 and 300 Vegas scores, know what I mean? Of course, I was many years younger then and I didn't know of the existence of Merlins until much later.

field14


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## BIGBC

It wouldnt surprise me if the bows Merlin sent out to the USA were the cream of the crop to help avoid costly returns, or if Kevin gives them some secondary quality checks.
But my previous experience with their bows have been virtually all negative.


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## thenson

I've not had the experience that Field14 has had with Merlin bows, but I have owned 2 different models, the XT and the XV. I still have my XV and both have been superb bows. The XT was just not as good a fit for me as the XV.

The XV is the closest thing to "the perfect bow" for me. The balance and feel @ full draw is great, the wall is rock solid and the bow shoots perfect. The bow is MUCH more capable that I am. The "ONLY" wish I have is that the draw cycle had a bit more valley before hitting the wall. And from what Ben told me, the Excalibur sounds like it might have a draw cycle I would like better. 

I don't have an Excalibur on order but will definitly watch for used ones in the future.

I too maybe be one of the lucky ones but I've had no real issues with bow parts and/or bow companies and as Field14 has stated, dealing with Kevin has been a real pleasure. 

I've also had great luck with Martin. The people at Martin and their service is world class and the bows I have had which include all of the Rytera models (Alien on order) have been great....

just my 2 cents,
thenson


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## field14

thenson said:


> I've not had the experience that Field14 has had with Merlin bows, but I have owned 2 different models, the XT and the XV. I still have my XV and both have been superb bows. The XT was just not as good a fit for me as the XV.
> 
> The XV is the closest thing to "the perfect bow" for me. The balance and feel @ full draw is great, the wall is rock solid and the bow shoots perfect. The bow is MUCH more capable that I am. _The "ONLY" wish I have is that the draw cycle had a bit more valley before hitting the wall. And from what Ben told me, the Excalibur sounds like it might have a draw cycle I would like better. _
> I don't have an Excalibur on order but will definitly watch for used ones in the future.
> 
> I too maybe be one of the lucky ones but I've had no real issues with bow parts and/or bow companies and as Field14 has stated, dealing with Kevin has been a real pleasure.
> 
> I've also had great luck with Martin. The people at Martin and their service is world class and the bows I have had which include all of the Rytera models (Alien on order) have been great....
> 
> just my 2 cents,
> thenson



We are going to love the Excalibur. Note in red above from your post...you are getting your wish, from what I've heard! The Excalibur will have an adjustable draw cycle on it! Use a "harder cycle" for outdoors to gain a bit of speed and oomph, then use the softer cycle for indoors for smoothness and more comfort....and NOT change the poundage or letoff, or so I'm told.
"This is a quote from Ben Jones himself from the Archery Interchange web-site forums:
Just had another thought. There is a new feature to the Excalibur I haven’t mentioned yet that you may like. An adjustable force draw curve. The cam modules would not be changed at all to do this. It is controlled by the cable guard position. We designed the new cams to work with a fixed position roller guard. Depending on the placement of cable guard changes the force draw curve. We have pre-drilled holes in the rod so it can be adjusted. By moving it backwards and forwards changes how the weight is held through the power stroke. You can have a softer power stroke for indoor shooting, or a easier draw if you wanted. Change it back for outdoors."

Yep, one more aspece of th MERLIN EXCALIBUR that will have 'em trying to keep up with the Joneses. hahaha.

Soon, field14 and scooby3x's, very, very soon.....

field14


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## scooby3xs

field14 said:


> Soon, field14 and scooby3x's, very, very soon.....
> 
> field14


I am so excited to be able to get a Merlin back in my hands again. Sometimes you just have to "go back home". :wink:

~Scoobs~


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## RobVos

Hey field14, I haven't been posting much lately due to work and other things keeping me occupied. Anyway, I will chime in on this post.

I shot Merlins for several years. I liked the bows and they shot well for me. I no longer have any of them. I had a Shadow, a Max2000 and the 16th made Supernova. (Edit, I do have a Hunter's Quest with whisper cams -- I got it for my dad and he can no longer shoot a bow, so he gave it back_

I was waiting for the 3-track 2 cam that they claimed they were going to make for the Supernova -- I was very disappointed when they switched over 100% to hybrid type cams. I was also very disappointed when they when to mid-range A-A bows exclusively as well. The soft paint on the limbs was so easy to scratch off, you could not put the bows in a rack for fear of it getting nudged and ruining the limb paint. The fix (those ugly rubber limb skins) looked terrible.

When I sold my Supernova, I had to practically give it away, and it took forever to sell -- as I recall, it was around a $900 bow at the time I bought it, and I think I sold it for about 1/3 that, my sell price included shipping, extra cams, all the different modules, extra strings and new strings that I installed.

I like the bows a lot, but Merlin turned away from what appealed to many folks.

I like what I am seeing in this new Excalibur (which was a name that I submitted when they had that contest back when they introduced the Hunter's Quest). I hope this bow puts Merlin back on the map. This offering may bring some people back to them.

To answer your original post, I think Merlin lost a lot of their shooters when they went to short bows and hybrid cams exclusively. They were known as a unique target bow and went away from that.

It will be hard for them to recover -- I am very happy with the Martin bows I shoot. I wish Merlin all the best and hope the Excalibur is what I think it will be.


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## field14

Guess the June 9 update is in order....I had "lost" this thread in the archives...ha.

Check this out:

http://www.archery-interchange.net/...iscussion-news/20954-merlin-excalibur-25.html

If you go to page six of the above thread, Ben explains fully the why's and how's behind the design and the innovations on this new range of TARGET bow.....

Then, you can also check the You Tube link out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpa0nkReUj8

And finally, new picture updates of all three lengths of the Excalibur from the Merlin Web-site. Scroll down through the others to the June 9 update.

http://www.merlin-bows.co.uk/

Here is contact information for Merlin, USA: Kevin is taking immediate orders, and orders are supposed to be filled in the order received:

USA Enquiries 
Merlin USA 
P.O. Box 196 
Rindge 
NH 03461 
USA 


Phone: (603) 899-9888 
Fax: (603) 899-6716 
General Email: [email protected] 

field14


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## Master Yoda

The only problem I have with the excalibur is that you can't get them down to anything lower than 65% let off. I have my XT a 55% and love it. It's by far the easiest bow to tune I have ever shot It's impossible to get out of time. The question I have is it possible to retrofit a set of Viper cams onto an Excalibur? How wide is the space in between the limbs? what is the axle dia.?


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## field14

Master Yoda said:


> The only problem I have with the excalibur is that you can't get them down to anything lower than 65% let off. I have my XT a 55% and love it. It's by far the easiest bow to tune I have ever shot It's impossible to get out of time. The question I have is it possible to retrofit a set of Viper cams onto an Excalibur? How wide is the space in between the limbs? what is the axle dia.?


Oh, but Master Yoda....the Excalibur has something innovative that no other compound, to my knowledge has! The new Merlin Excalibur has and ADJUSTABLE force-draw curve. You can set it more aggressive, for more zip outdoors, and then set it for a smoother "draw cycle" for indoors, if that softer force draw curve is more to your liking. 

In addition, if you read below and onward...you will find that you are NOT "stuck" on 65% letoff either!

See Below about the Cam Letoff.

Concerning your questions about the Axle diameters and CAMS....Read on:
The axle diameter is LARGER....here is a quote from Ben Jones about the AXLES: "2) Axles. You may also notice we are mounting the axles externally. By jumping up to 6mm diameter and thinning out the limb tips, cross drilling an axle hole through would compromise the strength, forcing us to thicken the ends again. Just what we do not want to do. Also, you will see we do not use eclips, but lock the axles solid. The machined limb tips are more precise in relation to the top face of the limb and over the width of the limb. Plus no risk of axles ripping through the limbs!"

And about the CAMS: 6) Cams. Always loved twin cams for their symmetry, equal mass weights and guaranteed straight line nock travel. You just need to know what you are doing when timing them. So we have based our new cams around the latest twin cam concept that utilises a 3rd track to slave the two cams together. This eliminate having to time the cams like an ordinary twin cam. 

We will be offering multiple cam sizes, as well as a convenient modular draw length adjustment method. 65% let off, _but you can twiddle the let off a bit if required._ Rock solid stop. Fast peak weight build up, but a very smoothed off draw cycle with smooth let down into the stops. A little bit slower than our Viper cams - but then they were hard! - though with the gains in speed made else where we don't expect to be down. I'm not publishing the numbers yet as I've been shooting the bow at a 'normal' draw length and arrow weight. And it performs well enough in that department. But you know these standard IBO speeds ... 70# 30" draw length. I'll get around to that later..To sum them up. Rock solid, fast, smooth, easy to set up. Sounds like an advert. "

To read ALL about what Ben Jones has to say START from this link and read forward, tarting with post #58 on page #6:

http://www.archery-interchange.net/...discussion-news/20954-merlin-excalibur-6.html

That should answer most all of your questions...I don't recall any other manufacturer going thru the WHYS and HOWS of their bow design out in the open?

As far as retrofitting, that is a tech question for Ben Jones, but with the larger axles and repositioning, I seriously doubt if you can. However with the new innovations of the NEW CAMS and design on the Excalibur...they are a "constant acceleration" cam....why would one want to retrofit?


field14


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## Master Yoda

The reason I would want to retro fit is because I love the feel of the viper cams I have mine set so they feel just like a spiral X cam on a Hoyt. And I like the feel of 55% let off. I don't find them to have a harsh draw curve at all. I just don't know if I want to spend upwards of $1,500 on a new bow if I'm not sure if I'm going to like the feel of the new cams at least with a Hoyt I'd have a better chance of getting my money back out of it (not that the Excalibur is junk just the opposite) I like the design of the new riser it's just that there aren't as many people interested in Merlins. I love my XT but I would like to try an Excalibur.


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## field14

Master Yoda said:


> The reason I would want to retro fit is because I love the feel of the viper cams I have mine set so they feel just like a spiral X cam on a Hoyt. And I like the feel of 55% let off. I don't find them to have a harsh draw curve at all. _I just don't know if I want to spend upwards of $1,500 on a new bow _if I'm not sure if I'm going to like the feel of the new cams at least with a Hoyt I'd have a better chance of getting my money back out of it (not that the Excalibur is junk just the opposite) I like the design of the new riser it's just that there aren't as many people interested in Merlins. I love my XT but I would like to try an Excalibur.


Where on earth are you coming up with that 
"I'm not sure I want to spend upwards of $1,500" from? Good grief, I'm pretty positive that the new Excalibur is nowhere near that expensive. The HOYT might be MSRP that expensive, but I certainly don't think the Merlin is, even with excise taxes and import duties. You really need to get ACCURATE pricing information from Kevin Speckman!

From what I"m told, if you set the system on the "aggressive mode" you are going to be very, very close, but SMOOTHER than the Viper cams anyways. In addition you CAN tweak the letoff as well. 10%? That I don't know.

Mosey on up to Kevin's in a few weeks and give an Excalibur a try....they should be arriving here in the USA any day now.

I love my Alpha cams that are on my XV (vipers FOR ME are too aggressive), but I know full well that the acceleration curve of all the prior cams on any bow have a "flat spot" in them...and the new MERLIN cams do not. 
I do like the idea of going back...to what, some 37 years or more was done with the axles, that is,....to having those axles OUT of the limb tips, too, let alone beefed up axles and a way stronger/more stable cable strut. In addtion we end up having that angled grip back that I liked so well on my Novas and Supernovas, and WIDER split limbs, and......getting what you order.

Again, I am pretty sure your "price quote" of $1,500 is way off target, and you should perhaps get a better "site setting" before shooting; I think you have yourself a very high "3" or maybe even petticoat on your first shot at the price! Since you should be dealing with Merlin, USA on pricing infor and availability, it is liable to save you a ton of money...and WAITING TIME...Speak with Kevin about this, and then give us the "scoop" on pricing.

USA Enquiries 
Merlin USA 
P.O. Box 196 
Rindge 
NH 03461 
USA 


Phone: (603) 899-9888 
Fax: (603) 899-6716 
General Email: [email protected] 


field14:darkbeer::darkbeer:


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## Koorsboom

I am in South Africa and far from a pro shooter, but I am on the lookout for a proper target bow that I would not want to replace in the near future. Althought the exchange rates nail us regardless if we buy from the US or UK, it seems like the Merlins would not be THAT much more than a top of the range Hoyt for example.

I have read through this post and fnd the comments very interesting, but do want to ask, if I am not going to go for the Merlin, what other top quality target bows are there to look at? Please be specific with brand name, model, limbs, cams, etc. as I find the availability of reliable information on this side a bit scant.

As far as I am aware Barnsdale is not available in South Africa, although I have not specifically asked for it.

Thanks

Andre


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## field14

Koorsboom said:


> I am in South Africa and far from a pro shooter, but I am on the lookout for a proper target bow that I would not want to replace in the near future. Althought the exchange rates nail us regardless if we buy from the US or UK, it seems like the Merlins would not be THAT much more than a top of the range Hoyt for example.
> 
> I have read through this post and fnd the comments very interesting, but do want to ask, if I am not going to go for the Merlin, what other top quality target bows are there to look at? Please be specific with brand name, model, limbs, cams, etc. as I find the availability of reliable information on this side a bit scant.
> 
> As far as I am aware Barnsdale is not available in South Africa, although I have not specifically asked for it.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Andre


I won't list cams and limb specs as those are lengthy and too individual...however, from a personal standpoint here's how I would opt to choose, in order, if I was ever to stray away from MERLIN again...and that is NOT likely to happen, haha.

Mathews...Probably Apex or Apex 7
Barnsdale (if they are available)
Hoyt (not the shoot thru riser models), probably Spiral cams
PSE (NOT their super speed bows, however, I'm NOT into speed for the sake of speed)
Martin (Definitely NOT the FuryX cam system, been there and dun that, ha)

I'll get blasted on that order of things, but that is the listing I would use. I wouldn't have to go past the Mathews, however, since there are Mathews dealers well within driving distance.

field14


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## Koorsboom

The use of the roller guard to change the "force" of the bow sounds similar to the bow turbo idea ... If it is an fact the case, how did Merlin get around the problems associated with the bow turbo (increased draw length, etc)?


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## Koorsboom

The use of the roller guard to change the "force" of the bow sounds similar to the bow turbo idea ... If it is an fact the case, how did Merlin get around the problems associated with the bow turbo (increased draw length, etc)?


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## Koorsboom

ttt


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