opinions on Martin Stick??

[P.W.Smith]

What're your opinions on the Martin Stick...is it fast, slow, accurate, stable, light,...etc??
I just got a used one (60 lb version) and was wondering if you could compare it to any other bows???
Thanks,
Derek

[ChristopherO]

I've not shot one but did hold one just yesterday, and was wondering the same thing.  Man, I don't know about a bow that is so small, thin and light.  Looks to take a master to be accurate with it.  Will keep an eye open to see what those experienced with it think.

[Hoffman]

The one i shot had ALOT of handshock. That's just me.

[SteveMcD]

It depends on what you want. The old addage.. you get what you pay for. They stack a little bit, but not too much. As for handshock - yes, if you don't adjust the brace height, the handshock will rattle your dental fillings. They are an economical starter bow, but they are no comparison to just about any custom bow. They are slow bows, but will hit where you are looking.

[texas terror]

severe handshock and the grip is more for a 5 year old

[mrkbsm]

I've never shot one with heavy draw weight.  My wife shoots a 35# version and she loves it.  But... I could see how that design could get a bit iffy when you up the draw weight.  If you get handshock, try a nice, heavy arrow - that might help make up for the light riser.

[Roadkill]

shocky tot he max

[P.W.Smith]

ok...yeah I noticed that also - but heck...it was the only bow I could afford on my current budget and I think its a fairly fast bow for a 60 lbs "straight stick" of a longbow...
Derek

[SteveMcD]

Derek... for the money it's a decent as any bow. I still have mine too! Martin has been making them for some time. The "Stick" will do what is expected. A good shot... is a good shot... and that's up to the archer, not the bow. I wish you all the best with it.

[P.W.Smith]

thanks steve, and good shooting to you too and to all who contributed...
Thanks,
Derek

[whossbows]

i have one,it is 45lb,,light as a feather,i shoot 26in draw,so im shooting about 39lb,with a 1614 arrow,its good for  targets,pretty fast with those,and mine dont have much hand shock,,i like it just fine

[Swamp Pygmy]

I LOVE this bow. And I wouldn't recommend it to hardly anyone.

Its shelf is too small but that can be taken care of.

But the main problem is length. its only 62in and it's almost a straight bow. Stacks like hell.

My draw is 26in. and that is the MAX I would recommend someone get this bow. 24-25 more like it.

It's a 62in near straight limbed longbow that is feather weight with a broomstick handle. If you have a problem with hand shock its a better chance you have a problem with physics. It's actually got very low handshock for a bow of this design. The incredibly low brace height will hit many peoples wrist every time. Due to design of the bow I wouldn't get it more than around 45lbs at your draw. at 44lbs at 26 in I shoot for hours with no real handshock problems.  

But I love this bow because it's ungodly silent. When I got my first traditional longbow, a bear montana, I was really impressed by how quiet it was. But when I shot the stick right I was shocked. It's nearly inaudible. The arrow is significantly louder than the bow and the sound of the arrow hitting the target sounds deafening compared to the bows shot.

It's not the end bow for me. But it will honestly have a large part in the end bow for me. I want to figure out what exactly makes it so darn quiet and replicate it in a longer longbow with a larger customized grip and a larger arrow shelf.

When I first shot the montana I was planning on going to a reflex deflex like a savannah. Turns out I want the exact opposite. LIke a hill with a better grip and prettier. At the speeds all traditional bows shoot its alot more important for  them to be quiet rather than fast. It's not like the arrow is going to be faster than the speed of sound or the animals reflexes. They need to not be bothered by the shot.

[bentpole]

I shot one years back. They do stack and  have a tremendous amount of hand shock.I think it's more of a bow for a youngster.  I would check the Classifieds and look for a good used Longbow instead. Run a thread on the Classifieds "Wanted good used Longbow" and see what happens.There are probably a few folks here that have a decent one laying around that they don't use anymore.I should add check with our Sponsors like Sipsey River etc,etc they have a bunch hanging on their racks. Plus they can be a big help in your decision.

[James Wrenn]

It is ok for short draws.The grip is so small it is hard to consitant for a lot of people.A little work on the tips and a good 10 strand d/97 string helps the bow a lot.I gained a whopping 16 fps on mine with a few minuites work and good string and took care on most of the shocky feel considering how light weight the bow is.
 That being said I feel the Samick Verna is a much better bow for the money invested.jmho

[2fletch]

I have had several of them and was pleased with them. Three of them shot well with little hand shock. A fourth one shot okay but did have moderate hand shock.  

Overall I'd say that they shoot were they are pointed, have a little hand shock, and (as with any short straight bow) tends to stack at 28 inches. At their price range they are a good buy, especially for someone just getting into traditional archery.

[P.W.Smith]

well, at my 28 inch draw I don't seem to notice any stacking...(maybe thats because the draw is so heavy)(60 lbs) and I've "gotten used" to the bit of handshock...honestly, I had a recurve that had a LOT more handshock than this...and I must say...The "broomstick handle" is actually kind of nice, because (with my fav. style of grip) (HH style) it allows for more consistency...(at least for me) and at 60 lbs, it seems plenty fast...
Derek

[Swamp Pygmy]

Yeah thats probably what it is.

(I'm just starting to get into archery and understand the mechanical component to bow design so forgive me if I'm wrong on any of this)

My bear has what I think are 3 parallel maple lams at 64in. with a mild deflex reflex design. It pulls ten lbs heavier than my stick but I can still feel it pulls with no stacking past my draw, but the actual draw itself is pretty stiff. which I think has to do with the tri parallels. (or would the deflex reflex play a larger part in a higher tension at brace height?)

The stick appears to have one parallel center lam with two highly tapered lams on back and belly. It makes the tips much thinner which I think may have something to do with the silence factor, but it also draws considerably smoother than the montana; (I'm aware it's ten lbs lighter as well) and the weight isn't "all there" from the beginning of draw. With the stick it feels like its getting heavier smoothly, with the bear it just always feels heavy. From beginning of the draw to the end.

But the stick does stack, I can definitely feel it right at my draw (26) it goes from smooth pulling to VERY stiff.

LOL. But I'm just like you. I love the straight grip too. I put one of those selway rubber strips on the back of the handle before I wrapped it. made it bigger but still straight. give it a shot if your handle is too small. Without a wrap it pinches the skin in my finger joints.

The stick in the closest thing I've shot to a hill or straight longbow, so I know I'd love a hill at the right length for my draw. I think howard hill recommended 66in for 26in draw.

[P.W.Smith]

Swamp Pygmy...yeah...I can feel the stack, and this specific "Stick" is made of three lams, and seems to have two parallel lams on the back of the bow, and one "highly tapered" lam on the belly of the bow...(this might have been done to achieve the weight required @ 60 lbs) - and the fact that 60 lbs is higher than the normal draw weight thats commercially available on the Stick (they normally only make weights up to 55 lbs available) - (unless its a custom)?? I'm not sure what year mine was made, but it seems, to me, that it has a diff lam configuration than normal "Sticks" have...and this might account for it being smoother (by a little bit) - oh and reflex-deflex normally is involved increating a higher F/D curve (and resulting high early draw weight) that helps it be smoother and faster than your basic HH style longbow...and I think that I prefer a Hill longbow to a R/D longbow...I don't know why, I just seem to shoot that much better with one than the other...
Derek

[Swamp Pygmy]

Yeah when i started I really hoped I was going to like recurves. I love the way the tips look and the pistol grip handles.

But they are just too loud. I'm a silence freak and the D bows are where its at for glass lam bows. Short of a selfbow I think the straight bow is the most quiet design? I've got alot to learn though.

But the straight grip definitely feels natural for a bow. Feels like a bow should.

The simple D bow isn't a real eye turner, at least not to me. But I will always take function over vanity. Low pistol grip handles and recurved tips look cool, but feel unnatural to me.

[P.W.Smith]

yeah I know...I own a couple of recurves, and prefer my longbows to them anyday...simple, sweet, and accurate...and btw, some selfbows are very quiet (I own a 2) and have made one more that is dead silent (whats surprising is the fact that it pulls 90 lbs...)(and still is quiet)...and yes I prefer "function over vanity" as well...thats why I seem to shoot better with the $100 bows than with the $600 bows...
 
Derek