The ACS Advantage
Our Patented ACS Limbs
All of our bows incorporate the patented ACS limb design which offers unsurpassed performance and smoothness. Speed and forgiveness are not mutually exclusive. By designing these bows from the ground up to use carbon on both the back and belly of our limbs (most of our limbs use 4 layers of carbon) and incorporating the inherent benefits of the ACS design we offer the archer a unique product that shoots as well as it looks. Incorporating cross-sectional geometry (the patented ACS concept) into the limbs enables us to build limbs that are stiffer and stronger – without making them thicker or wider. The advantage of this technique is clear -our limbs weigh less than conventional limbs and therefore deliver more stored energy to the arrow. In addition, we have carefully designed where the limb bends and the amount of bend to further increase the energy storage. In our limbs, more stored energy is delivered to the arrow. This is what makes ACS bows perform the way they do. The process of designing, laminating, and tillering ACS limbs is very different from the building of bows with conventional limbs.
Difficult procedures requiring extraordinary precision and the use of expensive components such as four layers of carbon makes the ACS limb difficult to build. Not everyone can do it. Yet we believe that once you try one of our bows you will see and feel the difference.
With an ACS you can almost always achieve the same or even higher levels of performance to which you’re accustomed with less draw weight than before. So please consider dropping down a few pounds in draw weight when filling out your specs. You’ll be glad you did! Before making a decision, please read our information on how to define performance. For more information on how your ACS bow will perform please read our bow test results page.
The process of designing, laminating, and tillering ACS limbs is very different from the building of bows with conventional limbs. Incorporating cross-sectional geometry (the patented ACS concept) into the limbs enables us to build limbs that are stiffer and stronger – without making them thicker or wider.
The advantage of this technique is clear – our limbs weigh less than conventional limbs and therefore deliver more stored energy to the arrow. In addition, we have carefully designed where the limb bends and the amount of bend to further increase the energy storage. In our limbs, more stored energy is delivered to the arrow. This is what makes ACS bows perform the way they do.
3 PIECE TAKEDOWN LONGBOW
Our 3PTD longbows are offered in lengths ranging from 58” to 68”. These final bow lengths result from combining a variety of limb lengths and riser lengths. 3PTD limbs typically incorporate 4 layers of carbon, actionwood laminations, solid fiberglass wedge, and are carefully molded in our CNC-machined three-dimensional limb molds. Using a CNC machine to shape the limbs ensures consistency and perfect alignment. But the all-important process of finishing them by hand ensures that they are as perfect as possible. Limb length is referenced to a finished bow length assuming they are mounted on a 14” riser. Using this nomenclature, limbs ranging from 58” to 66” in length are offered.
Three different riser lengths are offered: 14”, 16”, and the 18” Apogee (special order only). All risers are rough-shaped with our CNC. This guarantees perfect limb alignment with the riser and also allows complete interchangeability between different limbs and risers. The 14” riser is offered with the standard (“ST”) grip, with a low-wrist grip (the “JK” grip), and soon will be offered with a recurve (“RC”) grip. The 16” riser can be ordered with either the ST, JK, or RC grips. The 14” and 16” risers can be made with either customer-specified exotic wood or solid aluminum. The 18” Apogee riser is available on only a limited basis by special order only. Like our other aluminum risers, it is machined from a solid block of aluminum for maximum strength and durability.
SHORT 3PTD LONGBOWS
We now are offering two short three-piece takedown longbows ranging in length from 56” to 62”. These new short 3PTD longbows are the result of over two years of development and testing. Our new line of short 3PTD’s store energy like no other short bow we have ever tested. The result is a line of short bows suited to draw lengths that will accommodate most everyone and (here’s the key) provide performance that rivals our very best longer bows. The new 56” bow will be well suited to draw lengths ending at 27”. The new 58” bow will accommodate 28” draw lengths with ease and possibly 29”.
The 60” and especially the 62” bows will be comfortable for draw lengths up to 29”. These new bows incorporate an entirely new limb design and an entirely new riser design. They are unique from the rest of our existing line of bows and offer our customers something very different and new. The two designs are based on two different risers, both of which are 12” long. The riser for the 56”-58” bow uses geometry optimized for that length as does the riser for the 60”-62” bow. Limbs for the 56”-58” will be purpose-built to fit the matching 56”-58” riser. Likewise limbs for the 60”-62” bow will be purpose-built to fit the matching 60”-62” riser. They will not be interchangeable on the other length 12” riser, nor will they fit onto our existing line of risers. This was necessary in order to optimize the performance of each length bow.
Fitting both sets of limbs on a single riser would have resulted in compromising performance for both length bows. Compromising performance is not in our nature! Both of the new 12” risers will have standard grips much like our longer RC risers. Lower grips can be ordered for a small extra charge. We are now building these bows and are taking orders for them. We will add photos to our website as they become available. If you want to learn more about this exciting new line of bows please give our shop a call.
ONE PIECE LONGBOWS
Our 1P longbows are built on three different molds which enable us to offer 1P bows ranging in length from 56” to 66”. Each mold is precisely milled from solid aluminum in order to offer perfect balance between the top and bottom limbs. All 1P bows typically use 4 layers of carbon, along with actionwood laminations. Each length mold is specifically designed to offer optimum performance and smoothness. We are very confident that once you try a 1P ACS longbow it will fall into a class by itself for performance and utterly quiet-in-the-hand feel. 1P longbows are built with a strong locator grip and mild thumb rest. This grip design is most often the one chosen by experienced archers because it ensures consistent placement between the bow hand and the grip. Lower or higher grips are available at a modest additional charge.