Thoughts on APA bows

[mikeboehm]

Was at huntfest today and was talking to the APA rep. Pulled the mamba 6 , mamba 7 and the king cobra. Love them. Very smooth and no creep whats so ever. I love the features. Change the string in the field without a bow press. I think im going to buy one. By by PSE hello APA


What are your thoughts

[TheProvider]

I'm with you, I was hoping to get down to huntfest to try one but took the family to marble canyon for a lil camping trip. I haven't heard any cons about them. Most people love them. They have great features. Being able to change the string in the field is a huge plus. I'm looking at buying a new bow and wouldn't be surprised if its an APA.

The mamba 6 has my eye. With their "test drive" promotion I don't have any worries about ordering a bow and then not liking it and being out the $$

[mikeboehm]

The mamba 6,7 and king cobra all use the same came

[TheProvider]

WEll I figure the 6 for the for the speed but still with a shorter A2A than the King Cobra. Even though a couple inches doesn't seen like much I do tons of hiking in thick woods

[kelmore]

I think im going to buy one. By by PSE hello APA


What are your thoughts[/QUOTE]

me too

[Ike]

I've been shooting a King Cobra for hunting and 3D for a year now. I also have an X-force (that is nightmare story I will post about soon) that has been nothing but problems.

My personal opinion is:
1) Canadian Company - I want to support those if I can.
2) Great customer communication and service - Any time I have contacted APA I heard back immediately and dealt with Nibal (the owner) directly....no trying to get a PSE (or other) rep in the US
3) Great bow overall, tough and easy to maintain. I accidentally dry fired it with absolutely no damage (zero, nada - tore it right down and it is all fine) It didn't even go out of tune. Try that with an Omen
4) Super fast - advertised speeds are not exaggerated on mine
5) I find the short brace height good since my draw length is only 27.5"
6)Way more accurate than I am, I have printed a 5 arrow 3 1/2" group at 80 yards

It may not be the absolute smoothest or quietest bow on the market but for a hunting bow it has the features I want, and is free of things I don't want.
Cheers

[000BuckJr]

Those APA bows don't get much better... I would rather get a APA than a brand new matthews or carbon element or any of the big brands... Seriously APA is the greatest, but to each his own opinion... Mine is mine, but I guess bows all do the same thing, I just really love APA and have NEVER had a problem with it. My 2 cents.

[Brambles]

I have a mamba x2, since birth in 2007 i havent had a single issue with it and still on the same string. Can't go wrong with an APA!

[TheProvider]

I've emailed a couples times with different questions and have always had a quick response. There's a couple bow companies I emailed an never gotten a response back.

[Vader]

Had my APA Boa since 09. No issues except the rubber string stop failed, split open due to square cut carbon rod. Phoned Monday and by end of week had new rounded carbon rod and rubber stopper. Pumps a 397 grain arrow, 29 inch draw, at 294 FPS at 70 lbs dw, which is totally ok for a bow with an IBO of 328. Bow shoots better than I do and the features are real handy. My bow doesnt get stepped on at 3D's because I can hang the thing anywhere there is a 4 ft tree!
Buy Canadian, you won't be dissapointed. :-D

[Bowzone_Mikey]

I have been toying with APAs since their inception in roughly 2004 .... I love how far they have come in a short time .... from using Bowtech Cams and contracted riser machining to doing most everything themselves.

The APA is a great hunting bow for sure ... I personally dont like the way it feels for me ...nor the way it balances for me as I would need substantial counter weights for it to balance they way I like ... I find them wanting to fall forward when in my hand bare, I dont like that ... Its a personal thing ...

I am not a big fan of their sideplate/riser... .. but grips are easily customizable ...

If anyone is in the Market for a new bow ... It would be in your best interest to take one or 2 models out for a spin

[BCHoyt]

After seeing the APA's for the first time in person... Im definately sold on one for my next bow..

[Jonas111]

I have been toying with APAs since their inception in roughly 2004 .... I love how far they have come in a short time .... from using Bowtech Cams and contracted riser machining to doing most everything themselves.

The APA is a great hunting bow for sure ... I personally dont like the way it feels for me ...nor the way it balances for me as I would need substantial counter weights for it to balance they way I like ... I find them wanting to fall forward when in my hand bare, I dont like that ... Its a personal thing ...

I am not a big fan of their sideplate/riser... .. but grips are easily customizable ...

If anyone is in the Market for a new bow ... It would be in your best interest to take one or 2 models out for a spin

X2 for me as well. I am not a fan how they feel in my hands and the weight of the bow once you get it balanced. Its one of the heaviest bows I have held.

Good customer service though.

[Brambles]

Had my APA Boa since 09. No issues except the rubber string stop failed, split open due to square cut carbon rod. Phoned Monday and by end of week had new rounded carbon rod and rubber stopper. Pumps a 397 grain arrow, 29 inch draw, at 294 FPS at 70 lbs dw, which is totally ok for a bow with an IBO of 328. Bow shoots better than I do and the features are real handy. My bow doesnt get stepped on at 3D's because I can hang the thing anywhere there is a 4 ft tree!
Buy Canadian, you won't be dissapointed. :-D


So how come your shooting a pse now?

[mikeboehm]

I wanted the fastest bow on the market. I love my omen pro. I wont be getting rid of it

[HIGHRPM]

I went, I saw, I loved them. The mumba 6 is my next choice ! So well thought out and Canadian to boot !

[Vader]

Nearly went with a APA XLR36 for target.. I found shooting the APA last year at the seniors games that pulling 72 lbs a couple hundred times over two days is a bit much to be real accurate with.. especially when you are shooting against folks with 50-60 lb pulls and adjustable scopes etc. A hunting setup is not real practical

I did a lot of research before I chose the PSE Supra. There is a lot to be considered when you want flat shooting and weight ratios that can be matched to the bow/arrow combination. Speed is hard to control and from my experience I could not find a target arrow that would fire from the XLR 36 that would equal the efficiency of the Supra and Victory 400's combination. Not at least on paper.

Besides there is a big difference between a hunter bow and a target bow. Had there been a pro shop to go and try before I buy scenerio I may have changed my mind.

There is a 3D component to the games and I need to shoot the PSE as much as I can to be confident/competitive. You can bet that once the summer is over it's back to my ever faithful Boa...

I hear your looking to upgrade as well..

[Brambles]

Nearly went with a APA XLR36 for target.. I found shooting the APA last year at the seniors games that pulling 72 lbs a couple hundred times over two days is a bit much to be real accurate with.. especially when you are shooting against folks with 50-60 lb pulls and adjustable scopes etc. A hunting setup is not real practical

I did a lot of research before I chose the PSE Supra. There is a lot to be considered when you want flat shooting and weight ratios that can be matched to the bow/arrow combination. Speed is hard to control and from my experience I could not find a target arrow that would fire from the XLR 36 that would equal the efficiency of the Supra and Victory 400's combination. Not at least on paper.

Besides there is a big difference between a hunter bow and a target bow. Had there been a pro shop to go and try before I buy scenerio I may have changed my mind.

There is a 3D component to the games and I need to shoot the PSE as much as I can to be confident/competitive. You can bet that once the summer is over it's back to my ever faithful Boa...

I hear your looking to upgrade as well..


Yeah I've picked up a used strother infinity to try with the intention of sliding into a Strother Moxie for 3D competetion, I just gotta find the money to go through with it. I can't complain about how the APA shoots. It was me that won the Nelson shoot a month or so ago, seen you there but you were talking to other guys and I had to get home to relieve the wife so she could go to work. For me at this point is a mere price thing, I can get into a Strother for a lot cheaper then an APA and its a high quality bow as well.

[Vader]

Yeah I've picked up a used strother infinity to try with the intention of sliding into a Strother Moxie for 3D competetion, I just gotta find the money to go through with it. I can't complain about how the APA shoots. It was me that won the Nelson shoot a month or so ago, seen you there but you were talking to other guys and I had to get home to relieve the wife so she could go to work. For me at this point is a mere price thing, I can get into a Strother for a lot cheaper then an APA and its a high quality bow as well.

Saw you there with the younguns.. You shot well.
It isn't cheap no matter which way you go. $800 start with end up being $1200 or more by the time you do full conversion to target. And for 3d, I prefer the Bow hunter unlimited class as opposed to the open class. More people in there for competition and it's what I hunt with.

[Ike]

Rather than start a new thread I pulled up this older one, summarizing my experience with APA's customer support .....

In April I managed to dry fire my bow; the limb jax flew off but the bow didn't even go out of tune. I stripped it down and inspected everything with NO visible signs of damage so decided not to bother X-raying the limbs.

Well on day one of the Nationals at Silver Star my top limb split, I guess there was internal damage that took a while to come out. When I got home I called Nibal at APA, he appreciated my honesty about dry firing the bow and offered me a great deal on replacement limbs - I decided to drop from 70 to 60# limbs and change colour too. We spoke late Wednesday afternoon and the new parts arrived Monday, which for me in 'Middle of Nowhere' BC is phenomenal! Bow was back up and running in less than a week.

There was no "we only ship parts to dealers", or "two month wait for parts" crap I got with my other bow. APA's customer support is absolutely top notch!
Cheers

[hardnocks]

I really like my king cobra ..except for the sight screw holes being to high . Service is excellent

[Bowzone_Mikey]

Rather than start a new thread I pulled up this older one, summarizing my experience with APA's customer support .....

In April I managed to dry fire my bow; the limb jax flew off but the bow didn't even go out of tune. I stripped it down and inspected everything with NO visible signs of damage so decided not to bother X-raying the limbs.

Well on day one of the Nationals at Silver Star my top limb split, I guess there was internal damage that took a while to come out. When I got home I called Nibal at APA, he appreciated my honesty about dry firing the bow and offered me a great deal on replacement limbs - I decided to drop from 70 to 60# limbs and change colour too. We spoke late Wednesday afternoon and the new parts arrived Monday, which for me in 'Middle of Nowhere' BC is phenomenal! Bow was back up and running in less than a week.

There was no "we only ship parts to dealers", or "two month wait for parts" crap I got with my other bow. APA's customer support is absolutely top notch!
Cheers


Yep Nibal will bend over backwards to make sure you are happy .... some companys have the Motto "were not happy untill your not happy " APA is NOT one of them ...

I talked to Nibal a few times now and last time he asked me what it would take to get me to shoot one ... I told him an adjustment to the riser /grip area(similar to the Elite risers or the PSE Supra/Freak risers) where I can just pick it up and I dont have to hunt for that sweet spot.... and a bit of rebalancing/weight distribution.... He then said he was on his way to the drawing board ....

I like the tool center on the bow (would use the sharpener the most I suspect tho ...)... as well as the "Fangs" to hang from a branch.

[325]

There was no APA dealer anywhere near me when I was in the market for a new bow. The APA Viper had caught my eye and I called the company and told them I was interested in buying one, but of course I wanted to handle and shoot one first (I had never even seen one other than online). Nibal sent one to me (with a credit card for security) and told me if I didn't like it I could send it back. He told me he often sends bows to people to try, and at that time he said he had never had a single one returned. Anyway, I loved the smooth and quit Viper, and kept it. I was impressed with the whole experience and still really love my bow.

[copeyshort]

Ive shot a mamba xl 7.0 for the last two years. i will never own an APA bow ever again. yes their customer service is great and next to none ill give them that. i have lots of buddies that shoot apa aswell and the first year shot them good the all of a sudden great difficulty keeping in tune. we all talked to nebal at the r100 asked him about it and his responce to all of our bows doing this seemly suddenly was i dont know why my bows do this. i got the impression that he is aware of this issue. i shoot with guys who shoot hoyts pse and mathews with the same.custom strings and in rain or heat they have no issues only difference is the APA bow. in my opinon these bows need to stay in sask in the
-30 cause they dont do well in heat or rain. my bow shoots great in spring or.indoor shoots but as soon as rain or heat comes timing is out. if you want my advice stick to the more proven bows i know next season ill be shooting a hoyt or a pse.

[hardnocks]

Ive shot a mamba xl 7.0 for the last two years. i will never own an APA bow ever again. yes their customer service is great and next to none ill give them that. i have lots of buddies that shoot apa aswell and the first year shot them good the all of a sudden great difficulty keeping in tune. we all talked to nebal at the r100 asked him about it and his responce to all of our bows doing this seemly suddenly was i dont know why my bows do this. i got the impression that he is aware of this issue. i shoot with guys who shoot hoyts pse and mathews with the same.custom strings and in rain or heat they have no issues only difference is the APA bow. in my opinon these bows need to stay in sask in the
-30 cause they dont do well in heat or rain. my bow shoots great in spring or.indoor shoots but as soon as rain or heat comes timing is out. if you want my advice stick to the more proven bows i know next season ill be shooting a hoyt or a pse.
My king cobra must be defective.... It always shoots right were i aim it ....Change your string supplyer

[copeyshort]

They're custom hand made strings with no issues on any other brand of bow one of the bows being a pse omen pro at 72lbs. I think that omen would be putting that string through its paces more than a 60 lb mamba. dont get me wrong my mamba shoots great 8" pie plate groups with a target set up. now i know your going to say operator not equipment. but i can take my mathews witha hunting set up and touch 3 arrows in the X out to 60 yards. also can shoot my buddies hoyt and pses and do the same. only difference is the apa.

[hardnocks]

No i wouldn`t say its the opperater . I`m saying the stringes or the tuning

[copeyshort]

The strings have no issue holding timing on any other bow that the same string/cables are on. this apa (and others that ive seen) are consistently coming out of tune. personally i dont like having a bow that requires timing tuning every 100 arrows or so. I know its a never ending battle on makes of bows same as ford chevy or dodge. the guy asked for thoughts on apa bows. im giving my opinon as a pure customer meaning im not a shop owner that sells bows (apa dealer)

[325]

I've had my APA for about 3 years. Still shoots awesome. Maybe mine's defective too?

[Jonas111]

Ive shot a mamba xl 7.0 for the last two years. i will never own an APA bow ever again. yes their customer service is great and next to none ill give them that. i have lots of buddies that shoot apa aswell and the first year shot them good the all of a sudden great difficulty keeping in tune. we all talked to nebal at the r100 asked him about it and his responce to all of our bows doing this seemly suddenly was i dont know why my bows do this. i got the impression that he is aware of this issue. i shoot with guys who shoot hoyts pse and mathews with the same.custom strings and in rain or heat they have no issues only difference is the APA bow. in my opinon these bows need to stay in sask in the
-30 cause they dont do well in heat or rain. my bow shoots great in spring or.indoor shoots but as soon as rain or heat comes timing is out. if you want my advice stick to the more proven bows i know next season ill be shooting a hoyt or a pse.

Thanks for the honest post. I've shot with a few guys that had APA and half way through the course there bow started to shoot way off. They were brand new bows. I'm not sure what happened but it scared me away from APA.

There risers are too heavy and off balance for me. I hunt with an Elite but my target bows are Hoyt.

[donny.brooke]

I have owned every APA except the king cobra over the years, it seems the bows dont change at all just the names and colour schemes, the cams havnt changed at all over the years also. They seem to be the only company that keeps a true dual cam in there high end lineup which is old and outdated and time for a serious upgrade, try shooting a 2012 binary cam or hybrid bow and you will never look back. I know there a canadian company and buying local so to speak is a good idea but there is so many other better options out there with new technology that it swayed me from them, the first time i shot a GT500 Elite i was hooked and now only shoot Elites. I am a true bowhunter and hung up the rifle and love my Elites for that purpose.

[Ruger4]

it seems the bows dont change at all just the names and colour schemes, the cams havnt changed at all over the years also. They seem to be the only company that keeps a true dual cam in there high end lineup which is old and outdated and time for a serious upgrade, try shooting a 2012 binary cam or hybrid bow and you will never look back. I know there a canadian company and buying local so to speak is a good idea but there is so many other better options out there

100% correct , well said x2..................

and as for a previous post about Nabol getting out the pencil and paper for some new drawings , don't hold your breath

[Ike]

Well everyone has a different experience so I can only say that my KCobra has not gone out of tune (even immediately after dry firing it) and it shoots to advertised speeds..
I ran my two bows through the chrono the other day to try out the new limbs, chrono was at 6'
Arrow 1 - 344grains Arrow 2 - 309grains

Bow 1: 2011 APA King Cobra (IBO 362) 60# and 27.5" dl, G5 peep sight and D-loop on string
344 grain arrow - 318 fps
309 grain arrow - 334 fps

Bow 2: 2010 PSE Axe 6 (IBO 345) 60# and 28" dl, G5 peep sight and D-loop on string
344 grain arrow - 303 fps
309 grain arrow - 317 fps

Just my bow and my findings but I can't complain.
Cheers