I'm not gonna lie, I hate wait times on custom builds. I don't think I'm alone. As picky and fickle as I am when it comes to bows it does not bode well for me $-wise when I have to put a deposit on something and then patiently await the end result...in the past and even recently I have shaken my head in mock disgust and kicked myself for being guilty of buying and selling a mess of easily available used or stock new bows during the wait just to tide me over when all I really wanted was the custom bow I ordered. So it goes for bow aficionados everywhere no doubt
BUT, the wait times are just part of how it is; most bowyers must earn income through other means, not to mention the backlog of orders that is common when a bowyer is popular and "in demand". I'm really happy I've got this one finally. Now that it's here I'm down to a small handful of true 'keeper' bows that just work perfectly for my style of hunting.
As I admitted in my review of the 2014 St. Jude's Java Man Elkheart review, one of my motivators for bidding, aside from the main one of helping the kids, was knowing that my wait time would be exceedingly short, LOL. As an aside, let me just say that the Java has become my #1 of late, since arrival she has gone both 3D shooting and hunting with me even managing a sweet close range out-of-season practice stalk on a deer and we are now one.
Anyway, it's 8 months later and I now have in my hands a similar bow to the Elkheart: Leon Stewart's Lil Slammer 56 hybrid longbow, and I can say happily it was worth the wait. They are similar in that the Lil Slammer is, just like Gregg's creation, a fast, quiet, and SHORT hybrid longbow built by a master craftsman. Where I believe they differ is the approach. To me that is a beautiful thing, because to me the bows these two fellows build have a style that is so individual to who they are. Gregg's creations have an edgy, primal and organic feel to them...predatory, with an air of mystery, echoing the call of the Wild and traditional archery's march into the future. All this in a similar spirit to Jim Neaves at Centaur, another of my personal favorites.
Leon's bows have a simple grace of perfectly proportioned curves charged with potential energy, lovingly finished surfaces and elegant attention to detail that reflect, as he would be first to point out, "Old World" craftsmanship...the timelessness of hunting and its traditions, the legacy of artisans from ages past...I can easily picture a Stewart bow transported back in time held in the hand of an early European settler of the Americas as he or she scanned a river valley from a distant ridge top, OR cradled gracefully in the arms of an ancient Greco-Roman sculpture of Cupid or Artemis.
I do love to compare and contrast these wonderful tools and artworks we're so lucky to have for our enjoyment in this age. Of course, let me temper my enthusiasm by coming back down to earth and stating that surely a simple stick and string will do the job. After all, it is the shooter that ultimately matters, and I'd be the first to admit I'm no Howard or Robin. But, it is undeniable that the allure of the quest for the peerless weapon has enthralled warriors and hunters alike for aeons.
That sure saves some work!
It always requires a longer discussion when the bow in question is a markedly stand alone model within a bowyer's lineup. You basically have to cover the whole scope of shooting characteristics to paint a picture of how the bow performs. Really what I have realized after sampling the Lil Slammer and several other Slammer models as that we're really talking about one brilliant design with several "sub-models". This is no mean feat when one considers that the Slammer range as a whole, including the 3pc, is available from lengths of 56-72"!!! I can only imagine the subtle tweaks it takes to get them all shooting the same over that big of a spread.
The Lil Slammer, if you close your eyes, literally feels, sounds, and shoots exactly like its bigger brothers and sisters. I laughed out loud on the first shot I took last week when I unpacked it on my day off. It was just as eerily quiet as the longer Slammers I have owned, dead in the hand, and QUICK with the superb cast Slammers are known for. I was shaking my head thinking "How can this 54" strung LITTLE bow feel and shoot EXACTLY like a 68" one??? Crazy.
My draw is a whisker over 29" and the Lil Slammer 56, just like the Elkheart, eats my draw for lunch and feels great doing it. Leon says the limit for this one is 30", and me overdrawing the bow to test this statement confirmed it. If you draw over 30" definitely consider a 58" and up Stewart model. The nice thing about my draw is that at a whisker over 29" I'm well within the sweet draw range but using everything the bow can give performance wise. It's a quick Lil sucker. I want to reiterate how quiet it is as well. Leon's Slammers have always been a benchmark for me as to what a quiet bow truly is.
The bow is very pointable. At first glance Leon's grip shape looks pretty standard..no thumb rests here or finger grooves, as cool as those features are, but if you try one out and examine it closely you'll see that a lot of careful shaping, with a gradual palm-side contour and perfect amount of swell results in a master class in how a classic-style r/d longbow grip should be shaped. I am not alone in this assessment. I have read many other comments to the effect of "Leon's grips just feel right". Naturally, like any custom bowyer Leon can work with the customer on any subtle changes or sizing. I happen to be lucky in that I love his standard grip dearly.
The only major difference as I have pointed out is that the Lil Slammer is just plain shorter than the other Slammers and the only noticeable effect this has is that you have to be a little more on your game when shooting longer distances with this bow as far as ensuring a good follow through on your shot and keeping a steady hand. My Elkheart in contrast is a more forgiving in this respect due to quite a bit more deflex in the riser and because of the added mass of the half-phenolic riser and Bow-bolt system. This Lil Slammer is a 1pc with hardwood riser and boo core limbs, so it is feather light as far as bows go. I can confirm that if you opted for maple, yew, or osage cores, and perhaps even a Dymondwood riser, the mass weight of this model would increase and some additional stability would result. And I mean purely inertial stability. As far as "shot stability", i.e. resistance to string torque, straight limb tracking etc., well the Lil Slammer just like its longer siblings is world-class in that regard. Slammers are among the most consistent shooting bows I have tried.
Well, I think I have hit the high points here haha, if you want to read more do a Tradgang or Google search on Stewart Slammers in general and the whole time just think SHORTER, LOL. Read Leon's blurb about the bow on his website, in which he made many similar comments as I have, with my voice in your head going "YUP!" If you're a treestand hunter or ground hunter who likes to stalk the thick stuff, this "Lil" bow will be your best buddy. This bow has been added to my list of short bows that have made me love short bows. I used to be a dyed in the wool "long" longbow guy, but of late I look at my bow rack and have realized that I have gradually become a happy convert. You just can't beat the Lil guys when it comes to stalking the swamps and tight spots in the woods.
And now...here come the pics!!!
Topic: Meet the "Badass": Leon Stewart Lil Slammer ride-in-the-saddle review (pic heavy) (Read 2029 times)
