V3x 33 setup/ review

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
This is essentially a review and mid level dive into my thoughts and experiences thus far with the new V3x 33. I bought the bow and shot the stock strings a little to get them somewhat settled so they make decent backups. The draw cycle at my DL is great. Not better or worse than my v3 31. I’m shooting this bow at 30.5” and 70lbs with 85% mods. I am considering 80% but letting this bow down is no worse of and experience than any other I can really think of.
74F049FA-FA08-4DC2-8AD5-E3E124E24A88.jpeg

I ordered Gas strings for the replacements. My peep damaged the string and Gas being the great company they are, they helped me out significantly with a new string. I received that this week and put them on yesterday morning.

FB6D747B-682A-4D10-BF61-6ECED3E4897A.jpeg
0919AA0C-4443-421E-B6C2-4B76F82717EC.jpeg

I hadn’t ever owned a Mathews before until last year when I traded a Hoyt for a v3 31. It took me a little bit to get use to the grip. Not sure why but I just never really liked it. Which was the reason I never bought one the last few years. Turns out I just needed to get use to it because I like it now. Stock, the 33 came in at 33 3/16 ATA, 6 5/16 BH, perfectly timed, and 71lbs. With the Gas strings I started at 33 1/8, 6 3/8, perfectly timed, and 69lbs. With some twists to bring the poundage back up, I had an ATA of 33 exactly, BH 6 5/16, timing damn near perfect, and 70.5-71lbs. Good starting point to tune for me.

687A177B-6D25-4E1C-A8BD-D00A4D35767F.jpeg
7E724EA3-81C0-4548-B7E8-91D0808DCC91.jpeg

Now that I had a chance to finally see how well this thing was gonna tune I took it out yesterday and had it bareshafting at 20 perfectly. I shot it that way for a while knowing I’d be back the next day to shoot it some more.

92B9581F-1764-4032-BB80-411D17AA9C09.jpeg

This morning I went back to the range and had a lot of fog to contend with. I confirmed BS was still on at 20 and got a few reps in at 40-50 to warm up. After stacking arrows from the get go, the bow and I were ready to stretch its legs. I went straight to 40 with the BS and hit slightly low left. I confirmed this a couple times and made the adjustment. Shot again at 40 and had good impact angles a couple inches apart. 50 was next. Now I was about 4” left and 2” low with good angles into the target. Being fully aware that at 50 it could just be me, I made tiny adjustments. This yielded three consecutive rounds of perfect BS flight. This pic is the best of the three, but the other two were still a 2-3” group perfectly straight.

194C67A8-8B23-4916-90B2-20AF85B2476D.jpeg
1645AC09-D865-4A81-ADE0-15E1DD8348CD.jpeg
0E35D592-4A16-44E7-BED4-A27A5400991A.jpeg
For me personally, the thing I noticed about this bow was the forgiveness it provides. The v3 31 shoots fine at my longish DL, holds good, but it’s not to the level of this bow. Typically the arrows hit a little better than what I feel they should when the shot breaks. The 33 holds incredibly well. It’s better but alot like my old realm x, and ventum 33 did. Those two bows were very accurate for me, and I wish I still had the realm x. The overall weight of the bow isn’t bad at all. Fully kitted up it weighs 7.8lbs.

6E2B9DAE-A491-493A-8783-8DBDB46681D5.jpeg

In the end I hope this helps some of the people that have been considering this bow as an option. I never owned a traverse but now wish I had. Is it an upgrade from your traverse? I’m not sure but this bow does have new features that the traverse doesn’t. I utilize the bridge lock sight mount with the fast eddie xl double pin, and the small ring. With my 2/3 axis correct I’ve shot it out to 100 thus far with plenty of adjustment in the sight after sliding the bar all the way right. Once in a while we make a purchase that we regret. This wasn’t one of them. For me. Great bow, great shooting experience.
 

MT257

WKR
Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
1,222
FYI when determining between let off mods, make sure you watch what the state max's are. For example to hunt in Montana you cannot use more than 80% letoff.
 

LONE HUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
213
Nice review! I also bought this bow and would say my experience has been very similar. The bow holds well. I was shooting it out to 80 yesterday and doing quite well with it. I also agree the grip takes some getting used to. My bow was pretty far out of time when I brought it home, I timed it and got my peep tied in and just did a basic paper tune. I am shooting the stock zebras so I will do a full tune when I have about 600-800 shots through it. I have put about 350 arrows down range and the string is still stretching. I will say, I think I am going to switch to the 80% mods, I think they will make it hold even better. My Hoyt ultra has 80% mods on it and I notice the pin float is slower.
 
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
Nice review! I also bought this bow and would say my experience has been very similar. The bow holds well. I was shooting it out to 80 yesterday and doing quite well with it. I also agree the grip takes some getting used to. My bow was pretty far out of time when I brought it home, I timed it and got my peep tied in and just did a basic paper tune. I am shooting the stock zebras so I will do a full tune when I have about 600-800 shots through it. I have put about 350 arrows down range and the string is still stretching. I will say, I think I am going to switch to the 80% mods, I think they will make it hold even better. My Hoyt ultra has 80% mods on it and I notice the pin float is slower.
Thank you. If and when you make that switch to 80% let me know what you think about it. I’ve been toying with the idea myself.
 
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
FYI when determining between let off mods, make sure you watch what the state max's are. For example to hunt in Montana you cannot use more than 80% letoff.
That’s very true
 
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
The final arrow setup that tuned for me is the same I used the last couple years. This should give an idea of the type of leniency the bow provides. I have had two other bows that tuned the same setup, so it was expected on my end. It may be helpful to someone entertaining the idea of a heavier setup that haven’t before.

VAP 250- 29.5” carbon
G nock
4- hybrid 26
20g valk sleeve
180g head
530g total
 
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
Nice review! I also bought this bow and would say my experience has been very similar. The bow holds well. I was shooting it out to 80 yesterday and doing quite well with it. I also agree the grip takes some getting used to. My bow was pretty far out of time when I brought it home, I timed it and got my peep tied in and just did a basic paper tune. I am shooting the stock zebras so I will do a full tune when I have about 600-800 shots through it. I have put about 350 arrows down range and the string is still stretching. I will say, I think I am going to switch to the 80% mods, I think they will make it hold even better. My Hoyt ultra has 80% mods on it and I notice the pin float is slower.
Have you been enjoying the bow still?
 

LONE HUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
213
Have you been enjoying the bow still?
Yep I am. I am about 1000 arrows in now. I ended up going to the shadow creek winter edition side plates. I just had too many left and rights with the engage grip. I haven’t got the 80% mods yet either. I did set my draw length perfectly for me and get my bow bareshaft/broadhead tuned though. Shot my black hornets to 65 yards stacking with my field points. Overall I really like this bow. The stock strings are meh and the original grip isn’t for me. But other than that it’s solid. For the record though after about 500 shots the strings haven’t moved at all. Cams have stayed in time since then too.
 
Last edited:
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
Yep I am. I am about 1000 arrows in now. I ended up going to the shadow creek winter edition side plates. I just had too many left and rights with the engage grip. I haven’t got the 80% mods yet either. I did set my draw length perfectly for me and get my bow bareshaft/broadhead tuned though. Shot my black hornets to 65 yards stacking with my field points. Overall I really like this bow. The stock strings are meh and the original grip isn’t for me. But other than that it’s solid. For the record though after about 500 shots the strings haven’t moved at all. Cams have stayed in time since then too.
Good to hear. I still have mine as well. Having never bought a new mathews before to gather my own opinion, and always hearing the horror stories about the zebras made me nervous. That’s the only reason I bought new strings right off the bat haha. Can’t hurt to keep them as a backup though. We’re you switching mods for your draw length or playing with the strings and cables?
 

LONE HUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
213
Well it ended up being two fold I guess. I took the engage grip off so that added maybe 1/4 inch or so and I was already maybe an 1/8 too short on my 28.5 mod. Since Mathews can’t measure and it’s more like a 28 and 7/8 mod. After putting the side plates on i untwisted my cables about 1 and 1/2 and dialed right in.
 
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
8,945
Location
Shenandoah Valley
Well it ended up being two fold I guess. I took the engage grip off so that added maybe 1/4 inch or so and I was already maybe an 1/8 too short on my 28.5 mod. Since Mathews can’t measure and it’s more like a 28 and 7/8 mod. After putting the side plates on i untwisted my cables about 1 and 1/2 and dialed right in.

When you change your letoff it will change again, about 1/8" shorter going to 80%.
 

LONE HUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
213
When you change your letoff it will change again, about 1/8" shorter going to 80%.
At this point I’m inclined to leave it at 85 until next winter when I get in my tuning and tinkering mood. Think I’m going to rock it the way it sits for hunting season
 
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
At this point I’m inclined to leave it at 85 until next winter when I get in my tuning and tinkering mood. Think I’m going to rock it the way it sits for hunting season
Ya I’ll check out some 80s next year when I have more time. 85s are nice too, no complaints.
 

Dschwan

WKR
Joined
Feb 1, 2019
Messages
360
Location
South Dakota
What color is that on your bow string? Silver or gunmetal maybe? I just picked up a V3X 29 granite color and want to get some new strings. Thanks
 
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
What color is that on your bow string? Silver or gunmetal maybe? I just picked up a V3X 29 granite color and want to get some new strings. Thanks
Solid guess. Ya I went silver cause the bow appears more grey to my eye. Enjoy the new bow, they are pretty nice.
 
OP
406unltd

406unltd

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
668
What color is that on your bow string? Silver or gunmetal maybe? I just picked up a V3X 29 granite color and want to get some new strings. Thanks
What color string did you end up with?
 
Top