A&H ACS CX- Would you modify the grip?

[Matabele]

Hi all,

Narrowing down my choices on a new bow and was wondering what the opinion of ACS owners would be on modifying the grip by reducing the heel height, making it much more of a low grip??

It seems the ACS can be a bit twitchy regarding the grip pressure and I have always prefered a low wrist grip anyway.

Any thoughts if you would do this and what changes you'd make?

[Chuck Mullaley]

Good morning Matabele!  (Well it's Saturday morning in Muscle Shoals, Alabama - I suppose it's much later than that in Zimbabwe!)

I received my A & H ACS-CX about 2 weeks ago, and you're right, it has a higher wrist grip that a classic longbow shooter may find too high.  I've been shooting recurves (Black Widow with Asbell's grip option) for several years now and I find my grip on the ACS to be virtually identical.  That's a good thing for me, I can shoot the bows without altering my grip.  

Good shooting!  
 

[MRD]

I, too, prefer a lower grip on a bow.  The grip on the ACS is, in my opinion, the fatal flaw in an otherwise excellent bow.  For me it is not so much that it is too high a grip, but that it is far too small.  There is no way to hold it comfortably (for me).  If you have larger hands, it may be a problem.  And reshaping the grip may make the issue worse.  Just my opinion.  Like the bow, hate the grip!  I even considered making my own riser, and using the ACS limbs on that.  Also, I draw 28", and the 62" bow seems a little stiff at the end of the draw.  I believe I would prefer a 64".
Just my thoughts.  Take care.

Mark

[Chuck Mullaley]

MRD, you're right about the small grip.  I've thought about adding a leather grip, but I have a beautiful kingwood riser, I'd hate to cover it up.

[Bjorn]

My third ACS is in the UPS truck as we speak. The grip is pretty much the same as many other R/D's and recurves-it is nowhere near as exaggerated as some. I got used to mine pretty quickly,
and would not modify it-what is the resale value of a 'modified' Morrison, ACS, or BW?

[Matabele]

Hi there Chuck, thanks for your opinion, its appreciated! Yep its a bit later here than in the US, I'm getting ready for dinner now:)

Thanks for your input gents it has helped. I have smaller than average hands so Im not too worried about the small throat its more the heel height that worreis me, never got used to that before.

Stay well!

[kawika b]

  i thought this was pretty low,,, or at the least low enuff  

[MikeC]

I'd sell it before modifing it.  If you ever wanted to sell it, resale value will be low if you can find someone willing to buy it.

Love my DAS want to change grip shape no problem.

[Matabele]

Kamika b, now that is more like it!!

I take it thats an OL Adcock custom ACS? I wish the A&H bows offered a grip like that, sure dont have the money or 4-5 years for a Adcock....you a lucky man, looks like an awesome bow  

[Shawn Leonard]

Ya do not have to modify the grip, just order one how ya want it. They will do most any grip ya ask for as long as you want to wait for A&H to make ya one, just as OL would do. Shawn

[redant 60/65]

I agree it is alittle high for a long bow, but I new going into buying a A&H it was a Hybred long bow,and in time I found that the grip, if held right is one of the great things about it, besides the limbs and speed.Just my take.  

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by Shawn Leonard:
Ya do not have to modify the grip, just order one how ya want it. They will do most any grip ya ask for as long as you want to wait for A&H to make ya one, just as OL would do. Shawn

Shawn,

A buddy of mine asked John this past June at the Compton shoot about ordering a bow with a grip other than the standard that's offered. He likes a low wrist grip too.

If memory serves (and I'll apologize in advance if I'm incorrect), John told him he only offers the standard grip. Nothing custom in that regard.

[John Havard]

Our exotic wood risers are designed with an extraordinary amount of fiberglass for stiffness and strength which enables us to make the throat of the grip small enough to minimize the probability of the archer torquing the bow.  We won't make the throat of the grip any smaller because we don't want a riser that flexes.  That only results in performance reductions.

We will (and have) reduced the height of the heel for those folks who want a lower-wrist grip.  

However, as I try to tell everyone who asks, not only our bow but ANY bow will shoot more accurately if we archers minimize the contact our hand has with the bow.  So the ideal grip for minimizing the amount of torque or twist or yip all of us imperfect humans can impart to the bow upon the release is one in which we cradle the bow between our thumb and ring finger with the majority of the draw weight being supported by the web between those two fingers.  

By taking a death grip on the riser we maximize the probability of imparting unwanted forces on the riser (and ultimately the arrow).  That's why we designed the riser the way we did.  We weren't trying to make the riser to conform to some notion of how a 3PTD longbow riser should look - we were simply trying to design the best riser we could.  Another example of that would be my decision to always cut the sight window a full 3/16" past center.  It simply makes for a better-shooting bow that's more forgiving and readily shoots a wider range of arrow spines.  It also enables the archer to tune his bow to the arrow by building out the sight plate if his arrow spine is a bit weak.  Again, just a way to make a better, more forgiving bow.

However, to be clear, we will and have reduced the height of the heel of the bow grip if that's what our customers want.

John