Valentines Day- 3D Shoot

In a few hours, our February 15th, 2009 Valentines Flat Field 3D shoot will begin in Burnaby, British Columbia. We average about 1 3D outdoor tournament a month in the lower mainland and tri cities, with 2 or 3 outdoor 3D tournaments in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Attendance averages around 100-150 archers.


The Challenge

What will be interesting is my friends wish to see which bow is better in terms of accuracy and performance. Is a newer bow better and more accurate than an older bow? Does new technology outperform older technology, and is it worth the increase in price?

Background

Every time I bring my 17 year old Oneida Areoforce to Tournaments, I get nothing but admiring glances with tons of questions about my Aeroforce, as everyone except old timers want to know what kind of NEW Bow is this? Can I hold it?

Old Timers 40 years old plus, go into reminiscent stage and talk lovingly of the Oneida Areoforce in the 1980s and 1990s when they owned an Aeroforce and one of the better bows (“technologically speaking”) on the Archery market.

My response is then why are you still not shooting an Oneida? Their response is always the difficulty in Oneida’s tenability (20%) and lack of Pro Shop dealers (80%)who know how to tune and repair any Oneida Bow. Unfortunately I had to agree with them. Not all of us are as mechanically inclined to tear down a bow, any bow for that matter!

But I tell you, when the Oneida Areoforce is finely tuned, if Kicks Ass! I have always maintained to my friends that my 17 year old Oneida Areoforce is equal or better than the $1,000.00 plus bows these guys are shooting.

We will be shooting at unknown distances ranging from 50 meters (60) yards to 5 Meters (8 yards).

I own both Recurves and other bows, some New, some Old, ranging from two Martins a Bengal 1995 and a Cougar Magnum 1983, Hoyt ProElite 2008, Alpine 2007, ChekMate Hunter II 2008, Black Widow 1965. And my 1992 Oneida Areoforce.

I love all of them and shoot them all regularly in tournaments both 3D and Fita and hunting. But my Oneida is my favourite all around bow.

As I have always been a instinctive shooter, feeling sights just get in the way, regardless if shooting at a target at 60 yards. For this bow comparison with my friends I am going sights.

Though I average about 4-6 inches from the bulls eye shooting instinctively at 60 yards, versus dead on and about 1-2 inches with sights.

So to make it fair for me, I will be shooting with a set of standard 3 pin PSE sights. The other guys will be using various sights as well

We will all be of equal poundage 55-60 pounds.


My Setup

I will be shooting 55 pounds with 2312 Eastons X10s (30" inches) with feathers (410 grain) and 80 gr nibs. and a 10 inch Jim Posten Stabilizer!
Two of my Friends are Pro Shooters for Mathews and Martin.

My Competition and their Setups

My friends will be shooting relatively newer bows 2006-2008.

The Bows I will be competing against will be:
2008 APA Mamba
2007 Hoyt UltreliteElite
2008 Matthews
2006 Hoyt ProElite
2007 Martin Bengal
2008 Browning Mirage
2008 Recurve

All 8 of us are equal in points score ability and archery experience. The only difference will be bow and sight setup and arrow weights. All of us will be shooting with release aids. My release is a Cobra Jaw Release I purchased in 1992 with my Aeroforce.


Final Outcome will Determine

The 6 issues are:

1. "Are all bows equal in performance"?
2. "Are new Bows better than older Bows ?"
3. "Is price an indicator of performance ?"
4. "What is the tournament points spread between New faster bows and my Oneida?."
5. "Bottom Line " Does Oneida perform just as well or better than New Technology?."
6. "Will I kick their Asses and Embarrass em?" My response "Does a Bear Shit in the Woods?"

I will post photos this week on this forum.

Good luck, time to them wheel bows what its all about.
As for your no dealers comment or tunability, Joe now offers accurrate web cam support and recently helped me rebuild my Extreme over the internet.
This was a great support offered and if more people new about this maybe they would take the plunge and buy these bows.

Thanks Joe for the support the Extremem shoots great now. Considering i am in the UK surley web support would work in the USA, many dealers saying that they can pass Joe's details on.

All the best

The end result is already given, You will kick ass!!!
It's almost unfair to your compeditors!

I will watch this topic with great anticipation! I have the outmost confidence in you!

Okay, here are the results of the shoot, though I came in 4th, I was 9 points from the 1st place winner and only 2 points from 3rd place. Still not too shabby for a 18 year old bow. The early morning had a mist, and me shooting feathers dammit! So I lost a point of two at long range.

Afternoon the sun came out and was a warm 60 degrees, some of us in T shirts, (Sorry East Coasters to rub it in).

I will attempt it again at the next 3D shoot in March. The shooters who placed were 82 Airborne and APA Mamba took 1st and 2nd place, 3rd went to Hoyt. and yes, 4th went to me $25.00 is still a great 4th place than a ribbon.

You should know all these bows were 2008 Bow Technology, with all the bells and whistles, scopes. Nano arrows etc. Total average cost of their setups around $1,300.00 in Canadian Funds.

Compared to older technology and what a 18 year old Oneida Areoforce on ebay would cost an archer under $200.00.

Still no excuse, I should have done a wee bit better.

Anyways all, give me another chance and I promise to place next tourney in March 2009.

I do think I proved my point in that for the sake of 9 points, you can save almost a grand with older technology from Oneida, that still can go head to head with new and more expensive technology. For my money, sometimes older is better or at least a $1,000.00 dollars cheaper.


I will send photos to Joe on Monday for posting.

Congradulations Barry, great shooting and story. Look forward to recieving all the pictures. Thanks Joe

Hey Joe I just sent a few photos to you a minute ago for posting.
I tell ya, the friggin field was so muddy I almost did a face plant when I went to move to the firing line,. hahaha.

Though I did not place 1st, 2nd, 3rd, how many bows do you know today that can compete in 3D at unknown distances out to 60 yards and be as flat shooting? Very Few, while I think I will keep my oldie but a goodie Aeroforce.

By the way a perfect score hitting a 10 in everyone of the twenty 3D animals would be 200 points, I got a 173 with my competitor who got 1st place got 182.

Still respectable for an Aeroforce.

With a bit more tuning, and various arrow tuning, perhaps some Fatboys and Quickspins (instead of feathers), or my Bemans or ACCs I may be able to better my score. I have a month to experiment to find out and will post the next tourney on here. Since these guys were using 6X scopes and clarifiers,

I may use a scope and clarifierto even the score. What does everyone think, any tips? Fletchings? Arrows? Drop aways? Poundage adjustments?

I gotta beat em, so best I get some input on here on everyone's success and failures in setups!

Hi Barry great shooting. With your bows IBO of 280 shooting against bows shooting well above three hundred you did very good. As long as your bow is tuned properly I would try a scope using different lens's and if needed a clarifier. The scopes I tried shooting different freinds bows I liked the lower power scopes like the two or four power. You will have to check out a couple to find what you like. Sounds like your yardage estimation is very good and with the right scope could improve your score. Good Luck

Thanks Joe

Great shooting Barry! You uphold the reputation of old Oneidas very well!

Barry,

You forgot one of of the most important things of all.

You had the coolest looking & shooting hardware than all of them!

Definitely the best looking bow on the market!