'08 Firecat bit me today, I'm pissed.

[goodwrench19]

i have the 09 bengal and this is just the way these bows just happen to do, when i first started shooting this bow it would slap me just about every 10 arrows or so, and i know it is from the way i was gripping it,,this being said it is a very small amount of movement that makes it good or bad,, just a touchy bow. still love the way it shoots although the string is junk and string silencers are junk, and it doesnt come anywhere close to the rated speed, i ended up putting the sst on just to stop hitting my arm.

[Jake-the-snake]

il disagree with you on this...hand position is everything when it comes to arm slapping, especially if your draw length is too long, and i thought the bengal comes real close to its advertised speed, because my dad has a 2007 bengal, still with the factory strings, (he will be changing them in a few months) and with the original string silencers (bowjax), and his bengal is dead quiet and shoots 285...this is with a 29" draw length and 72lbs. draw weight...it all depends on where your string silencers are (closer to the cams the better) what kind of rest and peep sight you have as well as arrow weight.

[goodwrench19]

il disagree with you on this...hand position is everything when it comes to arm slapping, especially if your draw length is too long, and i thought the bengal comes real close to its advertised speed, because my dad has a 2007 bengal, still with the factory strings, (he will be changing them in a few months) and with the original string silencers (bowjax), and his bengal is dead quiet and shoots 285...this is with a 29" draw length and 72lbs. draw weight...it all depends on where your string silencers are (closer to the cams the better) what kind of rest and peep sight you have as well as arrow weight.

i didnt disagree hand position is key,, but i shot a darton for 10 years never having the problem, and then a hoyt for the last 4 years still no problem, and am shooting heavy arrows 28.5 inch goldtip xt hunters with 100gr tips so just over 400 grs and at 65lbs the average shot speed is 264fps long ways from 318 oh i pull 30inchs the bowjaxs were on the bow, out of the box, i shoot a trophy taker drop-away, the pronghorn i cant remember the peep c5 i think

[NewNYBowhunter]

OK My bow is sent back to Martin, will let them look at it, They should have it there today.
bfisher, you were wondering about a few things. The draw weight should have been set at 70#, the arrows I was using are Easton carbon raider 55 70's, the arrows are cut at 30 1/2 inches, and I have 100 grain tips that put my arrow weight at about 411 grains(this was weighed at my local archery shop range). I don't know how that helps your questions, but that's what I was shooting.
Oh I think I'll be using a guard from now on with this bow, lesson learned

[Montalaar]

I do not know how old those arrows are but they might be not stiff enough for your setup. Although they say from 55 - 70 lbs they may cannot store the energy. Compared with a too long arrow and a too heavy point.....

[NewNYBowhunter]

Montalaar,
I bought the arrows last season, so they're not old, as far as I know. I may have to get a set just for this bow. Glad I don't ask permission too much

[Jake-the-snake]

NewNYBowhunter, did you get my pm?

[NewNYBowhunter]

I thought I did but lost it after reading

[NewNYBowhunter]

I just got my Firecat back and got sighted in at the indoor range. I wanted to test the speeds of the bow on the chrono, and here are some of the results. right off the truck, and with no tweaking (yet). Bow set at 65#, draw length 30" full 80% let - off. 411 grain arrow 272 fps. 368 gr. 292fps, 322gr. arrow 308fps. bow has a tube peep sight, a Martin whisker biscuit, and a release loop.
Needless to say, the bow shoots nice, and Ed who helped me set up and get sighted in was impressed with the speed out of this bow, as were a couple of older guys who were shooting what looked like some target set up bows.
One of the things that happened a few times was the string stop bushing flew off.
I was shooting tired and hungry at the time, and I still need to practice to get used to this bow, but I still managed at 10 yards to put 3 arrows inside the circle of my fingers. Now if I can start doing that at 20 and then 30 I'll be real happy.