When is a side bar not worth it?

[rhendrix]

So I just picked up a Carbon Element with fuel cams (personal preference). Had a CE a year and a half ago and loved it, was perfect for hiking around public land and chasing critters. I wasn't hunting out west yet though, and because of that I was just using a 6" stabilizer out front. Worked well for what I used it for, but since hunting out west I'm realizing the benefits of running a side bar...am I negating the benefit of having a light weight bow like the CE by running a side bar? I know the benefits of running a side bar, especially when I could be taking 40-50 yards shot at a mule deer, I just don't want to lug around anymore ounces than I have to.

 

[boom]

i couldnt do it.

i can really only afford one bow. so it needs to multi-task. i crawl thru too much plant-life to hang out a grappling hook on the side of my bow. the front stab hangs up enough. i am however thinking of getting an offset mount for my front stab to help. i could use some counter balance on the side..that Fuse offset stab might work for me.

 

[lintond]

Might consider one of the simple offset brackets. Allows you to simply offset your stab to the left/right without the weight penalty of the side bar.

I'm going to give that a try this spring to see how I like it. I don't want to add a lot of weight to my bow, much like you.

 

[E-2]

I have been using an offset bracket for my front stab when hunting it it works pretty well. It does not counter the front to back of a bow, but I feel it does a sufficient job at fixing the cant created by the sight and quiver.

However, I feel like if you ran a stab such as the fuse blade for a side/back bar and kept it tight to the bow that it would not hang up to bad when climbing through thick stuff.

 

[tipsntails7]

The one and really only place people should never try to save weight is their bow. It needs to shoot where you aim it. If you lug around a 4 pound bow but can't hit the broadside of a barn with it there's really no since In having it in the first place. Where as if it's six pounds it's a tack driver for you. Cut your toothbrush in half, cut the straps of your pack Invest in lighter gear, do more squats at the gym. Whatever it is make your bow shoot as best you can inside your effective range. Now obviously use your head, if you've got 8inch groups at 50 yards and 7 inch groups after you add a side bar you can probably leave it off but if you get down to 5 inch groups at 50 I'd say that is well worth the weight penalty.

 

[RosinBag]

Personal preference....stabilizers can generally be lighter with a lighter bow such as a CE. Also when you run a side bar you can drop weight off the front. So if you ran 11 or 14 ounces out front and went to a side bar you could probably run 8 out front and 4-6 in the back. The weight gain would be minimal and worth it if your shooting improved.

I wouldn't think hanging up on stuff would be a huge deal. Run your side bar down and within a couple inches of the riser and it should be fine.

 

[rhendrix]

I'm not all that concerned with it getting in the way of me moving through the woods, I just want to find that fine line between accuracy and weight. So far my bow shoots the same whether I'm running 8 ounces out front or 4 ounces out front and 6 on the side bar. The only difference I can tell when I'm shooting with the side bar on is that I can acquire my sight picture faster. I've only shot out to 50 yards so far and my groups seem to be relatively close.

 

[E-2]

Coming from Whitetail country and having to hunt HIGHLY pressured deer here just an hour west of D.C...

The fact that you can acquire your target faster would be enough for me to run one. I have had situations where I didn't get shots because I took to long to get on target.

 

[Neil B]

Might want to check out a Dead Level Hunter stabilizer from Dead Center Archery. You can change the degree of offset by pivoting the mounting bar closer/further from the riser, the side bar portion pivots in and out, and both the front and side bar are QD. They are kinda pricey but I was able to find one on Ebay for about $80.

Neil

 

[RosinBag]

The stabilizer are designed to quiet your sight picture, meaning to have your pin move less. That translates usually to tighter groups. No one can hold a pin dead steady, it has to move. Controlling the amount thru all the other variables is the goal. The stabilizers is just one of those variables.