I haven't done a bow review in a longtime.
Its been a pretty good week.I got my Custom made Argos and also got back my Renaissance that I had been wanting back for sometime thanks to Burton!Its the handsomest and most elegant longbow I have ever had.It has the the sweetest most intricate trappezoid cross section of any bow I have ever had.Including a few other of his high end bows that I have had like the Appollo and a few other Renaissances.It really stirs the emotions when viewed from the belly side of the bow.Both bows are 66 inches.My favorite length in this type of bow at around 29.5 inches draw.Plenty smooth and good power working those limbs just right.Not too long.Not too short in this style of bow of more mild R&D design.
I have had 8-9 Berry's over the years.So I guess you could say I appreciate them.All were reflex deflex.Except for 1 Vixen ASL.
Back to my new Argos.I wanted something different than my other Berry's that all had clear glass except for the Vixen.That had all brown glass.I also have had many brown and black glass bows.So I went with white glass belly and back.I had requested to James about trying Gaboon ebony for the riser.As I wanted the extreme contrast of white and black.Well he had some really dark Wenge that looks pretty black.So he used that.I like it.
The riser is 12 inches.Shorter than my other Berry's.So thiers alot of limb for me to bend and it comes back really sweet.The riser is framed in with bamboo and wenge.It has 2 fadeouts through the lams on back of riser of Wenge.The riser overlays are wenge and bamboo.Black leather completes the positive locator style grip.This bow is cut to center.I am getting good arrow flight.I had the grip made as small as J.D could make it without comprimizing strength.It fits well
The limbs core has 3 lams of bamboo encased in 2 lams of wenge.So thiers two really nice black laminations running like pinstripes just under the white glass belly and back.You get the picture.Looks great!Nice touch James!
Tips are overlayed in wenge and bamboo.The ends of the limbs are very elegant with the gradual taper of the laminations.Thick at the fades and steamlined toward the tips for a very sleek elegant limb when viewed in profile.Very sexy.
This bow has a gloss finish and I think that compliments this bow very well.
Hows it shoot,right?Wonderfully.Its really smooth on the draw and just as important on the release as well.It is quick.I assure you.My groups are tight and thats speaks to very stable limbs and a good feel for this particular bow on my part.The marriage is a good one and thats the most important thing for me when it comes to bows.Ofcourse its very quiet with only a very slight bump to the hand when shot.It feels GOOOD
I rigged the string with home made wool puffs 16 inches down from the tips.Brace hieght works well at 6 and 3/4.Nock hieght 1/2.Carbon Express Heritage 150s cut to 31" and with 175 gr. point wieght including insert is the ticket.A Reasonably heavy arrow of over 10 grains per pound.I will probably make up some woodies for it later.The Argos is 44#s at 29.5 inches.
The ASLs of James are a hot ticket for sure.But if you want a really nice R&D that strings up in a D shape you might want to consider the Argos seriously.
Sorry no pics.I know I know.That bites.I guess my knuckles are still dragging the ground in this modern age.