Which one to buy??

[savannah]

Ok, I previously posted I had it down to the new Micro 355 or the new Bulldog 400 and was going to go with the micro 355. Well I had the chance to handle both side by side and now im back to square 1. The bulldog being 45FPS faster really wasnt too much bigger or any more difficult to handle. I love the compactness of the micro 355 and 355 is pretty darn fast. But the difference in size wasnt too bad. I will be using it for hunting deer and none of my spots are too tight where size is an issue. We have large blinds and open stands. Its comes down to handling, speed, power and balance more then anything. Ultimately here is the dilemma- the 355 feels very good to hold and maneuver with, is obviously lighter and more compact. The new 400 is bigger, but handles well and is 45FPS faster. I certainly cant afford both(or really either for that matter) I dont want to get the 355 and wish I had more speed. I dont want to get the 400 and realize I could have done everything the same with the 355 but had a smaller more compact xbow. I would say the farthest shot I would take after a lot of practice would be 50 yards. What are your thoughts?

[Boo]

The only words of advice that I can give you is that, if you're going to do any spot and stalk, get the micro.
Have fun!

[Riflemanz]

I vote 355!

[georgiaboy]

The 355 will kill anything the 400 will. Both are going to blow through your game unless you have an Africa savannah hunt planned or elephant's in your neck of the woods.
Fifty yards on a live animal in real world conditions is a long long shot. Yes it can be done but that's an argument for another day.
The 400 is faster yes, but IMHO the 355 will be easier on strings, serving's, back etc. The difference in speed at 50 yds can be measured in fractions of a second.
The biggest advantage of the 400 to me is the ability to shoot heavier arrows and still be in the 350fps ish range. My 350LE is slinging a 421gr BEE @ 321fps.
Plenty fast and plenty heavy for a big south jawga hawg!!
My vote is for the 355 but that's just my two cent's.
Good luck & keep us posted.

[savannah]

Great points so far, please keep the opinions coming.

[sproulman]

Deleted......

[8ptbuk]

400 BD !

[savannah]

Sproulman-I made this post for opinions, not lectures. CALM DOWN, CAPS ARE NOT NECESSARY. The opposite of your opinion is that anyone that gets a fast xbow is unethical. It's hard not to take that diatribe personal. I am not new to anything, a kid or anything else. I have been bow hunting for over 15 yrs. Due to shoulder and back problems (service connected) I can't draw heavy pound compound bows anymore. My whole transition to crossbow is because last year drawing 50lbs at about 20 yards I shot a doe in the shoulder and clipped one lung. I finally found the deer days later and the meat was wasted. I felt horrible, because I am an ethical hunter. That's the reason I'm looking to get a crossbow and spend 1000+ dollars on it. The only first it will be for me is a recurve type. Thank you for posting but please be careful throwing out words like easy and ethical not having any idea who your talking to.

[Buszone]

Just my .02 but I shot my "vintage" micro 335 last year and blew the 100gr. RamCat thru 5 deer like they were made of paper including one rather large south central Wi. buck. all my shots were under 35yds based on terrain. The 335 crony's for me around 326 to 328 FPS. total arrow weight at 386.
If I was starting all over I would buy the 335 micro again. The extra $250.00 isn't worth the extra 20 FPS based on real field results that I experienced. Best of luck with your choice and based on what I read here you cant go really wrong with any of them.

[amythntr]

....Honestly, if cocking it is not the issue i would go with the 355. I believe that if you buy the BD you will say to yourself I wish i bought the 355 because it is more compact. I do not believe the same will be said the other way around.

Case in point; I have both the 380 and the 335. Although people have said that i shoot the 380 better...I am definitely more fond of, enjoy shooting more and have carried in the woods- ".....Bada Bing " ....I have never felt that I am under powered with the 335 and its slower launch speed and down ranch trajectory....It is the compactness that matters more to me!

Hopefully that helps....If it doesn't, buy both...every hunter needs a spare

Anthony

[paulaboutform]

Sorry for the hijack, but I've shot deer beyond 35 yards (well beyond actually) and never considered myself an unethical hunter because I shot within my personal effective range. Don't be bullied into getting more or less horsepower because someone else thinks you should or shouldn't have it. This is a tough choice because there is no wrong answer. Make a list of your needs and wants then number them in order of importance. Then write down the positives and negatives of each bow. It's what you already know but it helps to see it on paper sometimes.
Personally, I haven't seen the micro 355 or the bulldog. I have seen the micro 335 and went with the 405 Mega instead. Seemed like too much effort for what the micro offers.....the 355 offers a little more though. Hmmmm Good luck.

Paul

[Tom]

The speed of the bow is only a personal preference. Only you will know if shooting a bow with a speed drop like you mentioned will effect your mindset.

To me, speed means very little (I still shoot a 150lb model) but balance means the most. I have shot the micro last summer and I did notice that I could hold the bow in shooting position longer and more comfortable then I could the Matrix 355.

Speed will only get the arrow to the target faster and have a little flatter trajectory. Smaller more compact will normally have a better balance to make shooting easier.

You do have a dilemma on your hands on what to choose.

Tom

[Deaf jeff]

if your on the fence between these 2 models make it easy on yourself and flip a coin. you cannot go wrong either way. good luck and shoot straight

[Michiganhunter]

To me I believe that if you buy he 355 you will always be wondering if you should have bought the 400 BD. If your hunting style or location is not affected by the slightly larger bow that the BD is then I guess I would just buy it and be done with it. The extra speed means a little flatter trajectory which in a hunting situation can make a difference if your range estimation is off by a few yards. The 355 and 400 will both kill an animal just as dead as the other one will. Maybe you should just get a 380 and compromise... Good luck!

[savannah]

These are some great points. It looks like a few of you that have posted have the matrix 380. When I wrote all the numbers down the matrix 380 is very similar to the 400 in limb width, weight, etc. Hypothetically, if a straight trade were available would any of you give up your 380 for the more compact micro 355? Do you ever feel your 380 is a little bulky or cumbersome to hunt with? Or do you simply love it and not trade it for anything...