My Verdict To Date On The AXE 340

[janesy]

Dan, you even beat Jeff!!!

Lol!

I think the AXE is a great bow. However not much faster than my Nightmare. I see no benefit for me to dish out the $800.00 to gain 5fps... lol

It's not even a bulldog. Sheesh

[ComfyBear]

Looks nice.

How does it compare to the Matrix Grizlly with the DR Stirrups installed for noise?

It would be like comparing a Chevy to a Caddy. The Griz has a composite (milk crate) mainframe, the Axe has an aluminum one. The Axe with SDS and Air Brake is a lot quieter than any of my other Excalibur crossbows which all have the DR Stirrups installed.
It's a premium crossbow at an entry level price. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to buy a crossbow.

[ComfyBear]

Dan, you even beat Jeff!!!

Lol!

I think the AXE is a great bow. However not much faster than my Nightmare. I see no benefit for me to dish out the $800.00 to gain 5fps... lol

It's not even a bulldog. Sheesh

Jeff, it's not what you would gain, but what you would lose. NOISE
The AXE with SDS and Air Brakes makes other crossbows sound like freight trains.

[Carnivorous]

Lol!

I think the AXE is a great bow. However not much faster than my Nightmare. I see no benefit for me to dish out the $800.00 to gain 5fps... lol

It's not even a bulldog. Sheesh

Jeff, it's not what you would gain, but what you would lose. NOISE
The AXE with SDS and Air Brakes makes other crossbows sound like freight trains.

The last animal I shot with my Nightmare didn't have enough time to move before the warp speed arrow plunged through the sweet spot!

[ComfyBear]

The last animal I shot with my Nightmare didn't have enough time to move before the warp speed arrow plunged through the sweet spot!

I agree with you on that. However, reducing noise isn't about the animals in front of the bow, but rather the humans behind it. I equate it to fishing lures, I feel they catch more fisherman than they do fish.

My AXE is fully equipped with SDS and Air Brakes, while my Matrixes all have DR Stirrup dB Killers. With the AXE all I notice is the noise of the arrow hitting the target, while with my Matrix the noise of the bow predominates.

Hearing is believing, prior to owning my AXE I could never have imagined the difference.

[xcaliber]

I’m gonna love mine like a new puppy!

[Carnivorous]

The last animal I shot with my Nightmare didn't have enough time to move before the warp speed arrow plunged through the sweet spot!

I agree with you on that. However, reducing noise isn't about the animals in front of the bow, but rather the humans behind it. I equate it to fishing lures, I feel they catch more fisherman than they do fish.

My AXE is fully equipped with SDS and Air Brakes, while my Matrixes all have DR Stirrup dB Killers. With the AXE all I notice is the noise of the arrow hitting the target, while with my Matrix the noise of the bow predominates.

Hearing is believing, prior to owning my AXE I could never have imagined the difference.

My Micro 335 noise doesn't bother me and I don't have all that speed robbing stuff on the front end.. Lol

its pretty accurate too!

[ComfyBear]

It's all a matter of preference. Speed over lack of vibration.

Having harvested many a deer with lesser crossbows, the few fps lost with those "speed robbing" devices doesn't effect or bother me. I'm not a proponent of "speed demon" bows. I prefer the quieter and gentler specimens, with less vibrations. The beauty with having the faster bows of today rather than those of yesteryear's, is that even when they're adorned with all those "speed robbing" stuff, they are still faster, quieter and gentler than their predecessors. That is why I, personally, like heavier strings & arrows and all the sound deadening devices that are available.

I have no desire to shoot a deer at 100 yards. For that I have rifles.

[NFH]

I'm intrigued by the redesigned riser and attachment system on the Axe. The lower (closer to your foot) stirrup looks like a nice improvement. Several early adopters have commented on the nice balance of these Axe bows, which makes me wonder how much lighter the new riser really is? As a future potential purchaser I'd also like to know if matching pattern cheek risers and quivers will eventually be available? I understand the idea behind a lower price point bow but it seems strange to me that not dipping the quiver saves any substantial cost in a production setting. One last gripe is with the new riser I will need to find a replacement for my Danny Miller top quiver mount because there is no longer a hole to mount it. All in all the new design looks promising and it will be interesting to see what new models build off from the Axe.

[ComfyBear]

I feel that the Micro Axe 340 is a harbinger of "good things to come". Excalibur has always been on the leading edge of innovations. Owning an AXE, I can confirm that it's a premium product at an entry level price. I won't be surprised if in the future it, along with other models based on its platform, will be priced according to their value. At this point, I feel that the consumer has been been given a golden opportunity to own a quality product at a bargain-basement price. How long will that last, only Excalibur knows for sure. That's the reason I was quick to act. I feel others would be wise to do the same.

[Cardinalsfanforever]

I had my arm in a sling when we went to a dealer with BowTech guy there, let my grandsons shoot the AXE, stood beside one, kinda behind the other, we were inside, Rep said maybe quieter outside, Defineately quieter than my 380, but thought it was good inside. Would like to compare outside, tho.