I'm interested in buying a Martin bow

[Gabriel454]

I am new to archery... well sort of. I used to shoot in pathfinders, a church organization like scouts, when I was a kid and could shoot pretty well when I was 11.

So, basically I'm new, just have natural talent if you will.

Anyways I don't have any idea what modern bows are like. I would just go to the nearest archery shop and look around and ask questions, but the nearest one is 30 miles away and I don't have a car. I can't get someone else to drive me there, and therefore I can't get there. They DO sell Martin bows though. =0)

My question is what makes the threshold less expensive than other Martin bows? I fail to see much of a difference between it and say a $500.00 bow.

All the current stats for bows seem to be mainly hype based off figures that are dynamic and have nothing to do with accuracy. Again, I'm new so please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah the more expensive bow will shoot a little faster, but isn't the 'speed' of a bow relative to the size and weight of arrow shot from it and the poundage set? If that is fact, speed is not going to be the same across all bows in a given price range and therefore a really really horrible way to compare bows. Right? I mean who says that the "fastest bow in the world" isn't shooting a tiny 190grain structural foam arrow at 450fps? If that is the case, I could probably make my Martin Lynx magnum shoot 350fps at least once or twice by changing cams, cranking up the poundage, and firing it into a vacuum. (Don't try this at home...)

What about accuracy? I never see anything stating that at 150yds this bow will shoot a 3 inch group of 5 arrows. Doesn't tuning matter more than anything else when it comes to accuracy? Lets say that a bow was tuned properly by a professional and then fired from a vice. The results of a test like that would be more meaningful to me than speed, brace height... yada yada.

Speaking of brace height, how about a power rating? Couldn't there be a rating that shows the ratios between poundage, power stroke, and actual energy released during the power stroke? That might be something I would like to compare between bows, right after accuracy that is.

Last, but not least, quality. There is nothing saying how many times a bow can actually be fired. or dry fired even You wouldn't buy a tire that is only going to work for 1,000 miles, why pay big bucks for a bow that would only work for 1,000 shots. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but a bow can only be shot so many times before it starts to fail just like an aluminum bar can only be bent so many times before it fails.

In conclusion, I see no real data being displayed about the quality of a given bow. It just doesn't exist. I'd like to see a bow shot in a vice like a rifle is so that I know if that bow is the one I want because, to me, accuracy is paramount. I personally don't even care if my bow is 3.6lbs or 3.8lbs. Wouldn't it make more sense to say that a bow is 3.6lbs with a center of gravity at such and such a position with the included accessories that way I know more what I'm looking for? Balance is important to me too but only because I want a bow with sights. If I were shooting completely by instinct, which I can, then it might not matter as much.

[bowgramp59]

all bows are the same i don't care if it is a mathews, hoyt, martin, bear, a compound bow if set right , rest in the center, at 90 degree to the string, the right spine arrow in other words tuned as close to perfict as possible, they all do the same thing. they all have a string tied to a set of wheeles ,pull it back and let it go, one cam might have a different curve than another, there is only so many curves that can be tried on a cam, in my opinion there are several cams on bows right now that have the same geometric design . you can take several bows from differant archery companys if tuned properly and shoot them in a vice or a shooting device will do the same thing . it is the person behind the string that determins the accuracy of a compound bow. each person has to choose what archery co. he or she is compfertable with and stick with them. i chose martin
because first of all i like the looks of thier risers on most of thier bows and thier great customer service which i haven't had to use all that much but when you do they treat you right . now if you want a good all around bow to shoot the onza 3 or alien xt would be my choice , i think if you ask 10 different people you will get at least 8 different answers. there are some areas at martin that have room for improvement as with all companys. all said & done i'm very sastified with my choice. [ J M O ] to answer your question they give me all the
stats i need draw wt. , draw length, capable speed, ata , brace ht , string & cable length . its up to the buyer to properly tune the bow for maximum performance

[kylecurtis04]

Your poll question is very broad. Are the stats good enough for what? For modern day technology? For the consumer to be satisfied? For the bow to meet the designated numbers? Please explain what you are trying to get out of the poll and what the real question is. Thanks.

[Gabriel454]

Your poll question is very broad. Are the stats good enough for what? For modern day technology? For the consumer to be satisfied? For the bow to meet the designated numbers? Please explain what you are trying to get out of the poll and what the real question is. Thanks.

I mean to really be able to pick out the best bow for the money.

[Spiker]

"Last, but not least, quality. There is nothing saying how many times a bow can actually be fired. or dry fired even You wouldn't buy a tire that is only going to work for 1,000 miles, why pay big bucks for a bow that would only work for 1,000 shots. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but a bow can only be shot so many times before it starts to fail just like an aluminum bar can only be bent so many times before it fails. "


I have a couple early '90's Martins that probably have around 100,000 shots thru them (or more) and there still isn't anthing wrong with them.
Never replaced anything on them but strings and rests...

Comparing an aluminum bar to a bow limb is not apples to apples.

[Gabriel454]

its up to the buyer to properly tune the bow for maximum performance

Okay, but I still think some bows will be more accurate than others even if the same person tunes them up.

EDIT:: I mean I had this old York USA bow that no matter what you did to it, move the rest, move anything on it, it did not matter, it would shoot an inch right on the first shot and an inch left on the next. No matter what you did to it the trajectory was always just sloppy and off.

[Gabriel454]

"Last, but not least, quality. There is nothing saying how many times a bow can actually be fired. or dry fired even You wouldn't buy a tire that is only going to work for 1,000 miles, why pay big bucks for a bow that would only work for 1,000 shots. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but a bow can only be shot so many times before it starts to fail just like an aluminum bar can only be bent so many times before it fails. "


I have a couple early '90's Martins that probably have around 100,000 shots thru them (or more) and there still isn't anthing wrong with them.
Never replaced anything on them but strings and rests...

Comparing an aluminum bar to a bow limb is not apples to apples.

Okay maybe wrong comparison, but other bows, perhaps martin is an exception, will loose their stuff eventually. My old York USA bow as an example, the more I shot it, the worse it got till I finally pawned it and never went back for it. LOL!

[Spiker]

On another note - since you are a beginner, the Threshold would be a great bow to start out with. As you said, it is inexpensive. Buy one and shoot it for a year,
then you will see how it holds up, what you like and dont like about it etc...
This will give you a ton of personal insight as to what sort of 'high end' bow you want to invest your money on.

[Spiker]

Okay maybe wrong comparison, but other bows, perhaps martin is an exception, will loose their stuff eventually. My old York USA bow as an example, the more I shot it, the worse it got till I finally pawned it and never went back for it. LOL!

"I have a couple early '90's Martins that probably have around 100,000 shots thru them (or more) and there still isn't anthing wrong with them.
Never replaced anything on them but strings and rests..."

I still shoot these bows and they still max out at the same draw weight as they did when new.

[Gabriel454]

"I have a couple early '90's Martins that probably have around 100,000 shots thru them (or more) and there still isn't anthing wrong with them.
Never replaced anything on them but strings and rests..."

I still shoot these bows and they still max out at the same draw weight as they did when new.

All the more reason to go with Martin then? LOL! I bought one that I thought was newer than it is. It is a Martin Lynx Magnum. It is not set up right or anything, but I can still hit pretty close to what I'm aiming at. Well, till I dropped it and knocked the sight all whacky. Now It needs a new string cause I tore three strands off it with my coat zipper when carrying it around and changing hands. I like it a lot even though it is old and slow.