# Parallel or not?



## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

OK I can respond now I am done laughing 

I feel the same way as you about the mystical hand shock people whine about.....

I like to feel the bow some upon release...it might have to do with it being what I know and feel in love with over the years. But that is one reason that I didn't like the Mathews as much as the Martins and Hoyts....the other being the single cam ukey: but that is another thread:wink:

I am just not a fan of the parallel limbed bows....they are ok for hunting but I wouldn't want to nor would I shoot one for target. But it really just boils down to over all feel for me....and I like the way the non parallel bows feel.

But there are plenty of people shooting them for target...I am sure that Marcus will chime in as to why he prefers them now....but I think it is going to just be a personal feel thing because one isn't really better then the other accuracy wise.

But my S4 isn't parallel and the hand shock doesn't bother me


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## ZarkSniper (Aug 12, 2003)

The funniest part of that thread in the general section is the groups that some are saying they get. 2"-3" at 60 yards regularly...lmao

The one guy even admitted later that the pic he posted with the 2 arrows in the "X" at 58 yards from his BowTech Guardian, he pulled one of the arrows before the pic was taken. 

As far as the hand shock question...pffft I don't even consider it when selecting a bow. If I try the bow, and am impressed, and I'm not easily impressed anymore, I'll buy it.

I have worked P/T at an archery shop for more then 16 years now, I have shot/tried almost everything. Some I loved and bought, some I loved and didn't, some were downright horrible...not mentioning names....:wink:
At the end of the day it's "to each their own". Shoot what you like. If you want a bow with little hand shock, great....and good luck:wink:

I guess I'll add that I haven't shot a BowTech yet that I would buy...except MAYBE a constitution. I have absolutely nothing against the brand itself, as I think they make a good bow. It's just not for me...but you never know what the future holds. If they were to make a bow that really impressed me, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase one.

Cheers
-ZS-


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## tabarch (Sep 20, 2006)

I have shot both in comp. and I like the feel of the parallel bow but I have not been able to get the scores I did with the longer non-parallel bows. I shot all of 07 with a 37" parallel limbed bow and the best I did was a 538, I usually break into the mid 540's several times a year , on the other hand last winter shooting indoors I also had the second best year I ever had with the parallel limbed bow. So to answer your question is not an easy task, like I said I like the feel of the parallel bow but I also like the longer axle to axle I had from the other bows. I think my next bow will be somewhere in 38 to 40 inch non parallel bow just to see how I like it, probably a Martin Mystic or S4 with Mag limbs.


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## Hutnicks (Feb 9, 2006)

I think the truth of the matter is that modern compounds have NOWHERE near the amount of limb travel that older compounds did and therefore the hand shock on a non parallel bow is minimal nowdays. Better limb pocket designs and materials have added to this. Handshock is largely a leftover term from the old compound days when risers and limbs were wood or solid fibreglass and those tips were flapping about quite a bit.


Oh ya Hornet start that thread, solocams suck! I mean who wants to have a string jig that protrudes into the neighbours yard


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## youngarchery (May 31, 2006)

i love a long a to a bow for target the hand shock is no problem at all for me with most bows except one bow that the hand shock really was so bad i couldnt shoot it and that bow was the pse mojo 3D the MOJO is a great bow but the hand shock was rediculious in the 3d i also have a trykon that i love to shoot and i think that it shoots almost as good as my target bow


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## mdbowhunter (Oct 22, 2002)

I too get a charge out of the hand shock statements. For some reason, that is *THE* item that determines if a bow is good.  Give me a break. 

Frankly, I don't care. As *Hutnicks* said, the limb movement on modern bows has been minimized a great deal. Bows have come a *LONG* way. We enjoy some pretty smooth drawing and low vibration arrow slingers nowadays.  Remember when a radical design like the CAT cam would rattle the fillings in your teeth and sound like a .22 rifle?!!!  Put one of those bows in their hands...then let them experience some real 'hand shock'.  :wink:


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## NARLEYHORNS (Jul 7, 2007)

*Hand Shock ....*

I have shot a HCA bow of some kind for 20 years. This hand shock just came with the bow like a pot hole comes with a jar in the car. It wasnt untill I shot a parrell limb set up on a new bow ( IRON MACE) that I realized the missing hand shock. So as long as you can handle you tool ... I guess it wouldnt matter. BUT...shoot a parrell limb bow and you "WILL" feel the differance. It is truly amasing how solid it feels casting an arrow.


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

NARLEYHORNS said:


> I have shot a HCA bow of some kind for 20 years. This hand shock just came with the bow like a pot hole comes with a jar in the car. It wasnt untill I shot a parrell limb set up on a new bow ( IRON MACE) that I realized the missing hand shock. So as long as you can handle you tool ... I guess it wouldnt matter. BUT...shoot a parrell limb bow and you "WILL" feel the differance. It is truly amasing how solid it feels casting an arrow.


Nobody is saying that there isn't a difference between parallel bows and non parallel bows when they are shot...but it isn't *HAND SHOCK*. When a .44 magnum goes off that isn't hand shock either but it shocks your hand a lot more then any bow on the market ever did or will.:wink:

If any thing it is a reduction in vibration and since the limbs move about 2" there is less jump in the bow because there isn't the same amount of movement....but there is no SHOCK...if you don't grip the begesus out of the riser you don't feel it reall anyway:wink:


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## mdbowhunter (Oct 22, 2002)

NARLEYHORNS said:


> I have shot a HCA bow of some kind for 20 years. This hand shock just came with the bow like a pot hole comes with a jar in the car. It wasnt untill I shot a parrell limb set up on a new bow ( IRON MACE) that I realized the missing hand shock. So as long as you can handle you tool ... I guess it wouldnt matter. BUT...shoot a parrell limb bow and you "WILL" feel the differance. It is truly amasing how solid it feels casting an arrow.


If you've shot High Country bows for that long, I *KNOW* you've experienced some teeth rattling on some of their models! :wink:

No doubt, parallel limb bows are a joy to shoot and have little vibration or this 'hand shock' everybody worries about. However, these designs do not appeal to the majority of field/target archers. IMHO their axle-to-axle length, draw cycle, brace height specs aren't what these folks want. They were designed for hunting, not shooting at a spot 80 yards away.


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## swerve (Jun 5, 2005)

Personally and I have discussed this with other members is that the hand shock issue is a marketing tool rather that a shooting quality.

The constant " my bow is dead" I would hope so. Did you really shoot it? Or was it a figment of your imagination. Bows move, they vibrate, they do all sorts of neat things when you release the string but nobody seems to be able to come to grips with that or maybe that 's why they feel it.:wink:

Jesus we put up a target to prove our point and it looks like we were patterning a shotgun except for two arrows in the X ring.

Don't post pictures of groups to prove a point. Give the web address to the results of the last tournament that you shot in.


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## XP35 (Oct 11, 2005)

A few days ago I got an older bow in the mail, PSE Mach5X, and decided to service it and set it up. And, of course, I shot the old girl. After sighting in I cleaned house on a 5 spot with it. Even with the POS PSE sight/quiver combo on it. (I think the sight/quiver was the noisiest thing on it, but I've seen other identical ones and they made the bows sound like guns indoors.) I put a 28" aluminum stab on it (it's deflexed and this is the only stab I had on had that would balance it) and that sucker would go BOING after every shot. But it sure didn't make it any less accurate. The mushy wall is another story, but with attention to form and DL I shot groups at 40 yards with it just as good as my ProTec and I didn't even have a sling on it to keep it from "jumping clean out of my hand". Better groups than my parallel hunting bow on average. What does this tell ME? It tells me recoil doesn't mean a darned thing. And the PSE sure didn't hurt my tender, sensitive, little hand either.


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## 442fps (Dec 23, 2003)

I must only look at the numbers of X's that i shoot with my target bows ( Protec or a CSS System ) against the numbers of X's with paralell bows , and i can see clearly what i MUST use for serious target archery , clearly advantage for NON-Paralell :darkbeer:


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## target1 (Jan 16, 2007)

hand shock is not even a consideration. what I look at is the direction that the bow wants to tavel on release. The hoyts I've had, the bottom wants to come out first and hard. with stabs and weights i calmed them down. the mathews seemed fairly even and the martin fell like an olympic recurve.


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## Bobmuley (Jan 14, 2004)

I've had two parallel limbed bows. They were fine for hunting, but for day in, day out shooting I didn't like them. Both of these bows (Bengal & Trykon) were also shorter than I normally shoot, and both had 80% letoff. 

The combination of parallel, short ATA, and 80% letoff didn't fit me at all. I might be able to handle one of those characteristics alone, but not together.


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

Parallel limbs..... :thumbs_do worthless to me as boobs on a bore hog...


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

JAVI said:


> Parallel limbs..... :thumbs_do worthless to me as boobs on a bore hog...


LOL...tell us you really feel Javi. 

But honestly are boobs on a sow hog worth anything to you....:doh:


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

Brown Hornet said:


> LOL...tell us you really feel Javi.
> 
> But honestly are boobs on a sow hog worth anything to you....:doh:


A lot more than they would be on a bore....:wink: At least if I were trying to raise pigs...:tongue:


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## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

JAVI said:


> bore....:wink:


I think that's "boar". Bore is what the boar does to produce little boars. :wink::wink:


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

carlosii said:


> I think that's "boar". Bore is what the boar does to produce little boars. :wink::wink:


You're right... :wink: but then again it ain't boobs either....:tongue: and parallel limbs do bore me...


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## Michael396 (Mar 19, 2007)

I am glad I found this thread, I thought I was nuts for thinking exactly what you guys are saying. We are shooting bows, and not high power pistols, correct?


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## BOWGOD (Aug 11, 2004)

JAVI said:


> Parallel limbs..... :thumbs_do worthless to me as boobs on a bore hog...


i couldn't have said it better myself.


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## Jack NZ (Apr 7, 2006)

Every few years a new catch phrase pop's up.
And of course the manufacturers always have a cure.
Once it was cam timing,,,but I never had a bow that went out,,,but it was a biggie anyway,,,was gonn'a get me sooner or later,,,had to get a single cam.
Now it's handshock and every manufacturer has the answer.
Quess what,,,next time round it's going to be ultra light bows and every manufacturer will have a lighter one than the next guy.
And there's always going to be "Speed"
Funny thing is,my over all scores in field and success in hunting hasn't changed much at all in 30years.
I shoot a parrallel limbed bow,,,,,,cause that's what they was selling.:darkbeer:


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

Jack NZ said:


> Every few years a new catch phrase pop's up.
> And of course the manufacturers always have a cure.
> Once it was cam timing,,,but I never had a bow that went out,,,but it was a biggie anyway,,,was gonn'a get me sooner or later,,,had to get a single cam.
> Now it's handshock and every manufacturer has the answer.
> ...


Very true....but the manufactures weren't the ones calling it hand shock. :nono:

That term came from some goof ball on here and it just stuck.....:doh:


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## Michael396 (Mar 19, 2007)

Brown Hornet said:


> Very true....but the manufactures weren't the ones calling it hand shock. :nono:
> 
> *That term came from some goof ball on here and it just stuck*.....:doh:


If he was getting "hand shock", maybe he should have unplugged it... was it 120v, or 240?


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## OA3D (Feb 26, 2007)

Ok, did I miss something? I have been trying to follow this thread but get lost.
So we covered the 'hand shock' thing pretty well. 
Yes I'm new to archery and everything within, I read myself to death trying to learn.

Is there something physical about a parallel bow that makes it less capable of shooting paper? The bow knows not what it shoots at. Is it that most parallels have a shorter brace height? Too much speed? 
I'm still shopping for my 2008. I need base speed to get my setup around 250.
I like a bow that doesn't move or recoil much. Especially for that many shots in one day.
I'm just confused.


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

OA3D said:


> Ok, did I miss something? I have been trying to follow this thread but get lost.
> So we covered the 'hand shock' thing pretty well.
> Yes I'm new to archery and everything within, I read myself to death trying to learn.
> 
> ...


Simply... a parallel limbed bow is dead... it has no feed back during the shot... the better target archers want “FEEL” and the parallel limbed bows don't have it that's the whole purpose of making the limbs parallel is to remove the “FEEL”.

And they bore my pet boar....


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## AKDoug (Aug 27, 2003)

> One Arm Foam Killer


 In your case a "dead" bow may be to an advantage for you. I personally like the follow through and reaction a lively bow (read:non-parallel) gives me when I make a good shot.


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## target1 (Jan 16, 2007)

One day my bow decided on it own to get up and try to take a walk. I yelled at it. It didn't listen. It ticked me off. I used a friends bow and shot it...

now I have a "dead" bow.


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## njshadowwalker (Aug 14, 2004)

Im shooting a trykon XL for target....when i do my part, the bow does its part. There is no shock though.The bow sits there dead in hand and just tips foward. It gives me 300's with 50 plus x's and im shooting in the mid to upper 440's with it in a vegas round. Im not the best shot out there either obviously but im more then happy with the bow.


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## Marcus (Jun 19, 2002)

I have no problems with parallel limbed bows for target. All my PB scores have come with them. However I also like shooting non-parallel limb bows, I prefer the feel of a non-parallel bow on release. 
One thing I am finding is that the 80% letoff you pretty much have to use of a Bowtech is annoying me in windy conditions outdoors. The wall is good and helps, but the holding weight is too low. May have to get me a 65% bow for outdoor and keep the Allegiance for Indoor.


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## jing1117 (Jun 17, 2006)

I have been using a Hoyt Pro Elite for 3 years now and I have no complaints on it regarding hand shock (as long as the cams are timed and the bow is tuned), it is very minimal in my opinion and a lot quieter than any of the Mathews target bows. I just like the balance and feel of the longer A to A bow - plus the extra forgiveness and accuracy that it gives me. I have tried using a Hoyt Trykon XL for field and indoor but I have not had a good result no matter how hard I try - I'm always down by 20 points comparing to shooting my Pro Elite. 

Nothing out there that I have tried would come near to the performance of the Pro Elite - but this is just for me.


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