Merlin Excalibur?.

[spark]

Originally Posted by scooby3xs

Hey all!

I finally received my Excalibur (EX34) on Monday of this week in the U.S. Though the bow has been in the states since the 3rd week of July at Merlin USA (waiting for replacement cams from UK and strings and cables from Vapor Trail to arrive), it is finally in my hands! Let me say....Ben and Chris has certainly out done themselves on this bow! I have shot everything from Max2000, SuperNovas, Max3000 and the XS, and this bow certainly takes a little bit of the techonology of all of them plus new, out of this world technology and rolled it into one awesome shooter!

Received it from Kevin at Merlin USA and it was in awesome condition - no dings or scratches - he had personally set up my bow for me as close as he could per my specs and equipment I shipped up to him. He is a life saver. Just now I have to do a few tweeks on peep rotation and d-loop position and I am set! The bow once at full draw (wich a smooth draw I may add) just sits - it certainly feels like there is absolutely no weight being held. Very smooth release and NO noise whatsoever. I am going to be totally estatic this indoor season and cannot wait for outdoors to begin again to get this bow out there and shooting some fita.

Specs and pics are below:

I am so glad to be back shooting a Merlin and know this is the bow I will be shooting for the remainder of my shooting career. Thanks everyone!

Denise Shirk

Excalibur (EX34) - blue/black lava
24 1/2" draw length, 45 lbs indoors (will be 47 outdoors)

STRINGS: Vapor Trail strings & cables (I believe it is BCY 452X material)
REST: Golden Key Infinity rest with launcher blade
PEEP: GKLSuper peep
SIGHT & SCOPE: Axel 4000 fita sight with CR Apex target scope and 8x lens (indoors) - 6x outdoors
RELEASE: TRU Ball ST-360
STABILIZER & V-BARS: Doinker 28" rod and 10" v-bars
ARROWS: Currently shooting Easton X7 Colbolts - 2312's cut to 29" with 4" feathers (not sure of point weight) - indoors; Outdoors: Easton ACE 670's - cut to 26 1/2", 100 gr ACE points, Vane Tec 1.75 fita vanes - g-nocks

The cams look very small compared to other compounds i have seen.

[scooby3xs]

Plumber man:

I have #5 cams on this bow due to my short draw length. And even for a short draw and medium poundage of 45 lbs, I have not chrono'd it yet but I can guarantee it will have some definate zip to it.

Denise

[field14]

Denise,
I will have zip!

My Excalibur is set at 47# peak and 27 1/4" amo draw length.

Here in the USA, we can legally compete (excepting FITA or NAA events) with 27 diameter shafts. I'm currently shooting GoldTip XXX shafts with 150 grain points and cut 7/8" past the launcher. Then entire arrow weighs in at 430 grains.

The Excalibur shoots these at 217 fps, which is 5 fps FASTER than my Merlin XV that is set at 49" peak weight with same DL.

My cable strut is set in the "smooth" mode. If I went "turbo" on it, I'd probably gain another 10 fps or so.

Ben and Chris have definitely produced a winner with this bow.

There are so many advantages I've already found that I can't list them!

ONE big one, however is that I don't have to set my Evolution Plus release aid at 3-4 pounds over holding weight because there is no "mush" at the wall on the Excalibur. I have the Evo+ set at 1.5# over holding and it is still too much! This is sweet, because the "to-anchor' draw length is critical with the Evo+ release...and you hit to anchor drawlength nearly perfectly every time with this Excalibur cam.

field14

[Nightimer]

Why have you changed the strings and cables to Vapour Trail.
Are the Merlin ones not any good?

[field14]

Originally Posted by Nightimer

Why have you changed the strings and cables to Vapour Trail.
Are the Merlin ones not any good?

I don't think there is anything WRONG with the previous Merlin factory strings. I've shot those on my Merlins for years.

I think something is underfoot with Vapor Trail and Merlin to accommodate the strings and cables into the Merlin mold and improve things.

I cannot answer any further than that, however mostly because I don't have the answers, ha.

field14 (Tom D.)

[scooby3xs]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Merlin stock strings. I have always used Vapor Trail strings on all my bows in the past (and also on their Pro Staff) so when the bow got to the US, I asked Kevin to get me a set. If I recall, my first Merlin bow, which was a Max2000 - I used stock strings a full season and never had issues. Strings, like bows, are a personal preference. Hope this answered your question. :-)

Denise

[LunkShooter]

There's an EX37 on eBay...

[bassplayer34]

Originally Posted by LunkShooter

There's an EX37 on eBay...

This is the 3rd time its been listed!!

[spark]

Originally Posted by bassplayer34

This is the 3rd time its been listed!!

It doesn't say hoyt on it so ebayers don't know what it is.

[Nightimer]

Someone must have been impressed with it!!!
Maybe it didn't stick them all in the 10 ring at 90m.