I took my recently refurbished 25-year-old Reflex Xtreme to the range to try it out: I clocked 425-grain arrows at an average of 245 fps, which equates to 56.57 ft-lbs of kinetic energy and .46 slug-fps of momentum.
In other words, it was hitting pretty hard. Not grizzly bear or Cape Buffalo hard, but certainly enough to dispatch the stoutest of zombies.
Next I slid the speed button along the string and noted the effect on arrow velocity. I found that it worked best where I’d originally put it: about an inch away from the lower cam.
I sighted in the pins out to fifty yards and declared the project nearly complete: none too soon, because the draw cycle on that bow–though much improved–was BRUTAL.
Bare shaft arrows grouped well with fletched ones. For a final tuning check, I shot groups of broadheads at 20 and 40 yards and found that they hit the same aimpoints as field tips.
It was then I learned that shooting “mechanical” broadheads into stiff foam targets is contraindicated: these deploy on impact, tripling their cutting area, which works well in a zombie scenario but makes it difficult to pull arrows free of the target.
I put my bow on top of the bale, then tugged violently to free the last, stubborn arrow. After an especially vigorous tug the whole bale started to tip toward me; the bow slid off and, since unlike your lightweight, high-tech modern bows it weighs about the same as the spare tire on a pickup, proceeded to mash my thumb painfully as I lunged for it.
Weeks later, that thumb is still not a sight for sensitive eyes.
Lesson learned.
After resting my mashed thumb and aching shoulder for a while I was ready to start on the real project: refurbishing my PSE Stinger X. It, too, was an older, single cam model, although only half the age of the Reflex.
I ordered a new string and cable from 60X Custom Strings, which arrived shortly thereafter in excellent condition.
Having learned from my experience with the Reflex, I’d measured the old strings before ordering the new. I also knew to unhook one end of the old, then “follow” it with the replacement. It was therefore comforting, but in this case unnecessary, to have made a precautionary video of string and cable routing before starting.
I again installed a Pine Ridge XL Nitro speed button on the bowstring, along with a Southland Archery 3/16″ plain black aluminum peep sight, before taking the bow off the press. As I mentioned in a previous post, I needed a set of L-bracket adapters to make my Bowmaster work with the Stinger’s split limbs.
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I tied nock points and D-loops onto the bowstring using skills learned on the Reflex.
Arrow Rest
Paper tuning for nock high/nock low tears requires you to slide the nocking point down or up, respectively, on the bowstring; however, it’s difficult to slide it exactly where you want with any degree of control.
An easier way of correcting for nock high or low tears is to raise or lower the arrow rest, but my original Whisker Biscuit “Quick Shot” model didn’t have that capability.
Turns out the folks at Trophy Ridge make several upgraded versions of the Whisker Biscuit, including this Kill Shot, which allows you to make windage–left/right–and elevation–up/down–corrections. After ordering the correct size–“medium” for my arrows–I was ready to set up my sight.
Bow Sight
I learned from working on the Reflex that bowsight ease of adjustment makes the difference between really dialing in your bow and just getting it “close enough.” This Trophy Ridge Fix 5 sight allows you to make quick, precise corrections to windage, elevation, and “second-axis” (side-to-side tilt).
It also has an illuminated ring (which I don’t expect to use much), and a built-in level (which I do).
Stabilizers
The outrageous arm-quivering, thumb-smashing weight of the Reflex did have one advantage: the bow was extremely stable.
Since the Stinger was lighter I was concerned that it would be more susceptible to twitches and shakes, but I knew from training next to competitive archers at our local indoor range that there was a solution: bow stabilizers.
These consist of weighted arms that stick out from your bow, dampening motion and torque. The longer (and heavier) they are, the more effective: basically, your bow becomes more “forgiving” to shoot.
Since I intend to carry this bow around with me in the field, there was a practical limit to the size and weight of my stabilizers . I chose this Bee Stinger Hunter Xtreme set: a bracket with a 10″ front stabilizer and an 8″ side/rear stabilizer.
After experimenting with weights–I’d ordered an extra 3-pack–I decided to go with 3 oz. on the front bar and 4 on the back. Mine gave the best results with the rear bar canted about 35 degrees down and 25 degrees left.
I thought the yellow logo, while fun, didn’t go with the rest of the bow so I covered both stabilizers with leftover Mossy Oak “Original Bottomland” gun wrap.
Hands Free Carry
My youngest son gave me a gift this year that I didn’t know I needed until I saw it: a Bow Spider.
This contraption performs the same function as a rifle sling: the post, which you mount on your bow, fits into a slot on the receiver.
The receiver can be threaded on to a belt–my preferred set up–or a harness, backpack, etc., holding the bow in place and keeping your hands free until you’re ready to shoot.
Range testing
After paper tuning for “bullet holes”–much easier with the new, adjustable rest–I went back to the range to check everything out.
I sighted in the bow while checking arrow speed over the Labradar: my 350-spine Carbon Express Maxima Red arrows were leaving the bow at 245 fps.
At 410 grains per arrow that yields 50.24 ft-lbs of kinetic energy and .43 slug-fps of momentum at 20 yards. In English, they were hitting hard enough for elk-sized game, should the need arise.
The speed button on the Stinger, like the one on the Reflex, worked best 1″ from the bottom cam.
Rather than risk my “good” arrows further during testing, I switched to (slightly heavier) 340-spine Stalker Extremes from Cabela’s. At 426 grains, these left the bow at 239 fps. Although the sight settings were probably “close enough,” I made the small corrections needed to re-zero them for the slower arrows.
Having preset the pins with my trusty Uno phone app, I then checked them at ranges out to 60 yards.
The stabilizers worked well, keeping the pins steadier before, during, and after release.
I was ready to call the Stinger upgrade complete.
Cutting Arrows to Fit
I decided that while shooting my Cabela’s practice arrows was fun, I should probably stock up on the “good” ones so I wouldn’t be so reluctant to risk them in the field.
It was cheaper–and faster–to order them uncut. While several local businesses would cut them to length for me for a small fee, none would do it on the absurdly short notice I wanted.
After researching it thoroughly, I decided to cut them myself. No pressure, I thought: other than possibly ruining my brand-new arrows, what was there to worry about?
I sent away for a half-dozen arrows, plus a bottle of glue to hold the nocks and inserts in place. I planned to rough cut the arrows with a Dremel wheel, then square them with this bit mounted in a drill.
I had a vise block that would hold the arrows steady. After measuring them all to my preferred 29.5″ length (from the fork in the nock to the end of the insert) and marking them accordingly, I made the cuts, then squared them off.
Assuming that carbon arrow dust is probably bad for you, I wore eye protection and a Covid mask to avoid inhaling too much of the stuff.
I checked each cut for true square–I didn’t want the inserts and arrowheads to go in crooked and spoil the arrows’ flight.
After gluing in the inserts I inspected the finished product: because I hadn’t used an official arrow saw, I found minute variations in length. At least they all looked straight…
Although I found the same–or less–variation in weight among these arrows than the “shop-cut” ones in my quiver, I was still worried about those lengths.
It was therefore with no little trepidation that I went back to the range and shot each of them out to 60 yards with good, consistent results.
Whew!
Still, if I ever cut more arrows I think spending the money on an arrow saw equipped with a guide/ruler would make the whole operation much less stressful.