Thank you NU sensei. Your videos are inspirational and educational. You and Survivor Lily have taught me 80% of all I know about archery. Thank you . 🎯
i've been wanting to get into archery for a while now but i was always hesitant because of the cost, but i think i just found what is likely to be my first bow thanks to this review.
After having the 56" TOP Archery version of this recurve bow for several days and shooting many hundreds of arrows, I believe it to be the best deal going in quality recurve bows. If Indiana Jones had a bow, it would have been this one. ;-)
@@typhoon37351 but honestly, does it matter so much for archery when you start as a beginner? I mean there doesn't seem to be very difficult movements for either hand, so couldn't you just switch the hands and learn it the other way? (I'm new to this whole journey and genuinely interested, plus not very experienced)
Mandarin duck now supply the limbs seperately on their website so you can purchase a single bow and then different limb strengths. They also informed me via email that they are considering releasing a budget ILF riser as well which will be interesting. I suppose it will probably be priced to compete against risers like the Trad Tech Titan.
Maybe because he's a target/Olympic-style archer, which are often larger and weighted for better accuracy, and she's a survivalist/hunting archer, where mobility and sound profile is more important. Also, a lot of her bows seems to be make shift bows.
Inigo keep in mind, he’s an olympic archer and constantly has a bow in his hand, as opposed to lily whose muscles are in different areas like her arms because she does a lot of survival stuff
Survival Lilly had me half convinced this was the starter bow I've been looking for and your review has clinched it - many thanks. I am curious though about your comment on its use as a survival bow. I don't plan on using it for survival but would be interested to know your thoughts on it.
Great review my friend! Just ordered the 35# bow based off of your video. Had a chance to use it yesterday and loved it! I'm 5' 7" average build and don't find it hard to use. Shot about 80 arrows. Thanks man!
I currently have a mandarin duck phantom which i absolutely love. I originally bought it with 40lb limbs and i shoot off the shelf with a rug and strike plate. After a while i noticed the limbs started to delaminate. I ordered the 50lb limbs and still shoot from the shelf and went from 400 spine to 500 spine and it shoots lasers.
When you hunt you need the bow to be as quiet as possible so that your target doesn’t move before the arrow hits it, and it’s mainly a hunting bow because of its length, 56”, but for the bow to appeal to more consumers they added the threads and the inserts
Had my 30 pound Phantom at the range today thunking down feathered woods off the shelf and the guy in the next lane assumed it was a 40 pound at least based on the authority with which the bow delivers the arrows to the target. Great review and I think if you're undecided on a beginner bow or just want a second "truck bow" to have fun with just go with this model, you won't regret it, it literally punches above its weight
This bow is also known as the, Junxing F 179, and the Timber Creek Stalker. It's a very popular bow, I do intend on buying one soon!!! I have already have the, Junxing F 177, and it's a sweet bow, light weight, and very powerful. I like your channel, I think your video's are excellent. Cheer's!!!
This or the samick sage? I don't plan on changing anything, just a target bow. I have a compound for hunting. I have a black compound so I like this bow, but I don't want to have buyer's remorse.
Good day, NUSensei! I REALLY like this bow, and I'd really want it to be my first own bow (Now I'm shooting only with training bows from the training center), but there is one thing, that worries me - it's length. I watched your "Choosing Bow Size" video, but I'm still a little bit confuzed. My draw length is 29,5". And this bow draw length is 29" (As the MandarinDuck website states). Seems rather perfect, but this bow length is only 56" and that "recommended table" shows, that my bow length is about 68"-70". I heard, that you've said in that video, that this table is only a recommendation, but you've also said, that "there is nothing bad in shooting with a bow, that is slightly too short...". And that's the point - I'm not sure, that 56" is SLIGHTLY shorter, than 68"-70" xD It's 30cm difference. For example SF Axiom+ is 68" length with the same draw length and the same power (30lb-40lb). What's the difference? On the other hand, the MandarinDuck website says, that this bow is made for the 29" draw length and I think, that it shouldn't cause stacking and a "finger pinch" effect if my draw length is 29,5". It shouldn't...I think...or not? Would really appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance.
I'm considering buying one of these as a gift for my brother to get started in archery and this seems like a good budget choice. My concern is that hes a bigger guy at 6'3" and is probably going to have a drawn at 29"+. You addressed in the video that you can't really comment past 27", but I'm just wondering if you think this might still be a good choice or if I should just bite the bullet and go with a Sage or something else a little taller. As always, love the videos.
i bought two of the top archery bows. (it seems that the phantom and the top archery are the same). I bought the 56 inch top archery from amazon and I like them. I shoot the 50 lb and the 45 lb limbs. For $200, I have two complete bows. You are right to call them legitimate recurves. There is nothing wrong with them. I love the grip that is low grip. I love these bows.
This appears identical to my bow which is the Toparchery Archery 56" Takedown Hunting Recurve Bow Metal Riser Right Hand Black And goes for the same price on Amazon.
I bought the Toparchery 50lb takedown recurve bow, it looks pretty close to identical to this mandarin duck, was guessing different dealers same manufacturer. Arrives today so I’m looking forward to using it
David Lynch Gaming it was a good buy, I haven’t used it as much as I would of liked, a new job has kept me busy. The arrow rest that came with it was a cheap plastic thing that broke after about 60 shots so if you do get it you’ll need a better rest or build up the shelf a bit. Overall it’s a nice looking serviceable bow
@ NuSensei.I have bought and currently awaiting the 30lb Phantom bow and I have a 29 Draw. I found out from Mandarin Duck that it's IBO rating is 160 @ 40lbs. I want to get Easton Inspire 630 spine arrows which should be the right ones according to Easton's chart, but when I use the 160 IBO rating and the arrow info into a speed estimator(which I know is just a guess) it says the arrow speed is only 93 fps. Can you tell me if those numbers sounds correct? Or should I just ignore the estimator completely..
3 years later I find this video while looking for a good bow fishing platform. Btw they do sell the limbs by themselves. You can easily put an ams reel and a light in the stabilizer bushing.
I spoke with a representative by email this week and they are currently considering producing a budget priced ILF riser and also making the limbs for the bow in the video separately via their website giving the buyer the option of a single riser with various bow strengths.
I am not a bow owner or user, but want to get one in the future though, but the only brands I know about is the Bear, and Ben Pearson brands. I worked for the Ben Pearson company for a week and learned some about the bows like assembling, and adjusting the pull on them.
Just to touch base on the possible stacking issue, i have a 31" draw. A true 31" draw. My Hoyt Buffalo was a bit heavy for my aging shoulders at 45 lbs. It became 55 lbs at 31". So i thought for 100.oo i will order one of these Phantoms at 35lbs and see if it can even be shot at 31". It shot quite well and measured at 45lbs at 31" draw. A bit unstable as expected with a short bow and long draw but very accurate and i have taken 1st place twice in a row at 3d shoots overall top score over all longbow and recurves at the shoot. Very impressed at this 100.oo recurve. The Buffalo was 700.oo and imo was only a bit more stable cause its 62" vs 56". Buy one and see.
Do try to vary the brace height by twisting or untwisting the bowstring. Start at 6 ¾”, shoot a few arrows, note the noise level, twist the bowstring about 6 turns more or less until the brace height increase to 7” and shoot again. Continue at ¼” increase to brace height until brace height reaches a maximum of 8 ½”. You should find a brace height setting which is quiet and correct for this bow within this range. Good luck and happy shooting.
If you did what Surv did and yours is still loud, then you either did it wrong, or just don't understand what a silenced phantom bow is supposed to sound like
Robb, son of Otto I’m no expert but I’m gonna use a bit of physics here: The noise is coming from the string slapping the arms, so if you can decrease the speed at which the string comes in contact with them then you can decrease the noise. By decreasing the energy the string has, you’ll decrease the speed. One way to decrease the string’s energy is to use a heavier arrow, as the string will transfer more energy to move the arrow. TLDR: try a heavier arrow, maybe just get one or two and if it works, great. If it doesnt? Oh well
trust me low weight is a plus when hunting lugging a heavy thing around at ready for 8 hours sucks,i guess if you a stationary it doesnt matter that much.
i bought a pse snake on ebay for $45 USD and it is....SO WELL MADE AND SO COMFORTABLE. (they only sell pse snake as 18lbs, 22lbs, or 25lbs. If u live in the UK its called Rolan Snake- with same poundages.
The ordered 40lb just arrived this morning and I set it up pretty quick. Some thoughts. Riser is nice nothing crazy but nice. I dislike the small handle alot but its a prize not for me to keep. Im 6'1 185 and I draw 29.5 inches. With that in mind dear god does it stack. Given its short over all length 56 inches it stacks noticably after 24 inches of draw. My Oly setup doesnt at all. Its not a comfortable shooter if your bigger framed with a long draw. Sub 5'8 people drawing between 26 and 28 will like it though. Bow is top heavy as noted and could use a hunting stab to offset that. Shot window is small I would hesitate to put a target sight on it for fear of shooting it off lol. I think its a decent alternative to the steadfast Samick Sage but the limb stack is night and day in comparison. My opinion. Take what you will of it. 3 weeks to deliver to canada and well packed. String rest and allen key are good additions.
Shitlord Prime Not likely. Its tight pinches alot after 24 inches of draw. My target recurve is 68 and shoots fine for me. I dont feel cramped and can work on form better. The bow is nice if your sub 6 foot but it stacks aggressively. I will likely buy another. Just to have......lol.
Well, the MandarinDuck bows looks nice and represent good quality for their price, but there isn't much variety in their own store. I've seen that Lilly, as we can call, silenced one of their bows quiet well, with material that are rather accessible. I'm fine with a bow is being black, because I rather prefer camouflage over bright colors. I'm interested in a recurve bow that can can be reassembled rather fast from a back pack, somewhat obviously, bows that fit my physical parameters, one that I can move on from 15 to 50 meters with practice. I've seen some deer who noticed me when that animal was wandering out of the forest at the side of it and I was walking at the dirt road and I might get allowed to hunt them. I might have too specific requirements and it might be good enough for me to buy a bow from someone else who just wants to get rid of it, but to choose from those offers correctly, I think I would need even more experience, which I don't have. Later on, I might look for a modern compound one as well.
If assembly speed is the key, then I would recommend a recurve bow with ILF limbs, such as the W&W Black Wolf. The limbs snap into place with one click, so your process would simply be "snap, snap" and then string the bow.
Alright, gotta look it up which stores sell it in Europe. Suggestions about alternatives could be useful as well. I guess that where I live, traditional archery is at lest noticeably more popular and because of this, it can turn out that it is hard to find the specific stuff that I want, especially without detailed search in English. I'm from the same nation as one of the known speed shooters and the borders are considered subjectively since 1920. Specific people with knowledge about history should have the accurate guess about this.
@NUSensei Watched some more of your videos and as you actually told, the W&W Black Wolf is a luxury. ILF is a good keyword for guidance. The brand I rather encountered in my searches is Ragim, for example the Ragim ILF XT recurve T/D bow limbs. With the current exchange rate, those are around 78 USD. Those might be more expensive, because of the taxes here. Those are partly made from wood, as you can expect and I guess that from this point, it can easily turn out to be a shopping list for me. I already know your opinion and the deal about that, that it can take too much effort for you to respond to these messages and comments, so I rather ask you to review some Ragim products. Teach us sensei, not just me! It's unfortunate to see that it is not rare that a company, selling products for archery, doesn't have that good of a detailed offers on their own website with their own products. In the other hand, it is fortunate that now hunting-bow.com offers a free ebook for beginners. Their website could use some fine tuning as well. Someone like me, could consider to get the clothing category of accessories from non archer oriented sources. To compose it with my words, I'm not interested in professional(olimpic + target) style archery, rather in the intuitive(hunting + traditional) style, with modern ways to it. Especially at the start, I rather want to keep the accessories at minimum, similarly to how a traditional archer would do. In specific and rather old shooter games, I didn't preferred the standard zoom value, didn't had much idea about how to change it and I felt being forced to aim barely with my eyes, so even if archery sights doesn't have zoom function and still represent some quality, I feel like I am someone who will be fine without it for a while. I'd rather recommend for specific people, who see things rather clear and accurately, but have other problems with their vision, to shoot with one eye, as to myself. Cross eye dominance? I guess not. Rather kind of a sensitivity makes the portion of the sense to be lacking. For the beginning, I consider to shoot at an actual target with the rings drawn onto it (preferably sewn), some old used up rugs, compressed paper bricks and timber behind them. We got a mechanical device to make such paper from scrap. Just rip a good amount of paper into pieces, dip them into water, put them into the device, than spin down the screw-bolts with the human force that is available. It might be possible to keep recycling the used up paper bricks in that device, put them into paper container for regular recycling or just throw them into the fire.
Phantom by mandrin duck, top archery 56" takedown recurve, and the junxing bow all seem the same but with different prices? Bow is "much" louder if you get the 50#, which most people do. Top Archery sells there's currently for $78.00 off Amazon (shipping not included).
I believe it's made by Junxing. I'm new to archery and have the 45# I got for $67and Nika $15 for a dozen arrows, free delivery here in Thailand. A lot of fun and I shot accurately straight away!
This is likely a stupid question but what is the arrow resting on that it looks to sit about a half inch above the arrow rest/shelf on the bow ??? It is on the other side so I cannot see it. Thank you.
You stated you used 720 spine. I went from 500 spine I use for my compound to 350 spine carbon bone collector arrows and shut a much tighter group at 60 ft. Only changed arrows. Any thoughts?
Hello sensei, and everyone. I'd like to start archery and this now seems nice and affordable for a beginner. What kind of arrow is recommended for this bow ?
arrows depend just make sure its the correct length and spine. I made the mistake of buying arrows which were way too flexible for my bow so buying arrows before doing some research or talking to someone can be costly. Hopefully I'm not too late
I started out with a fleetwood monarch but now have this bow and this is so much better. It is an amazing bow and I love more than my monarch which was $130
Hi very good review. I just got one of the 45 lb models.One question, how did you get centershot with the rest supplied.I fitted it right to the riser and the arrow was pointing way to the left?
Thinking about getting one of these, I love my kingfisher, but it is the older model at 5.5 pounds in overall weight before attachments. Would a stabilizer and string silencers make the sound a little softer?
If you were going to give your opinion would you recommend this bow for a budget entry level bow and if you wanted to get into compounds would you recommend the Oneida Kestrel
Not really to both. The Phantom is not representative of recurves. It's a solid bow that is fun to shoot, but it's kind of a dead end, not similar at all to other recurve bows. So if you're thinking of "entry level" as referring to a first bow with the idea of moving into a better one later, the Phantom isn't really intended for that. It's a standalone bow that is very popular because it's so cheap. The Oneida bows are lever bows, which function like a compound but are otherwise very different to compound bows. Again, they're good bows and serve their function, but not reflective of what most people think of when they get into compound.
Maybe this has been asked but I couldn't locate in comments. What poundage did you get on this bow? Also what poundage is your average bow that you take to the range?
I thought about getting the phantom for my next bow, I currently have a recurve bow without a shelf and my next bow I want a long bow, something I can mount a reel on for bow fishing
sensei what would you recommend for a nice recurve bow for around 500 dollars... thank you for all your advice, my archery has improved alot from your wisdom.
For somebody who is planning on getting their first bow, would you recommend this? According to the arm span test, I have about a 24-25 draw length. I know this bow is 56", and I want to be able to shoot for hobby and later for hunting. Friendly competition is acceptable as well. According to the chart, 64" is my recommended size. I'm a huge fan and you have reignited my passion to relearn the bow. The last time i used one was when teaching a younger class while in Boy Scouts as an Eagle Scout
NinjaFoxProduct I actually bought this bow a week ago and I love it. It feels great and shoots well. I bought it for backyard shooting ( about 25-30 meters ) and for the cheap price it is worth it. I bought it for 80$
really I don't get it, I have the same bow, with same setup, but my sounds a lot more noisy than the video. One question how much do you have as brace height? I have the impression that bow string is shorter that it should be
Hi everyone. I wanted a beginner bow, so that I could eventually build my own aluminum takedown. I bought the phantom as a good functional cheap bow, and just got it in the mail. I have 2 questions: There are a few washers that are sitting under the bolt skirts ( cone shaped spacers; not sure what to call them), I assume that the limbs go flush against the riser with these under the skirt. Is this correct? Secondly, is any serving required/preferred with this kind of string ( I only have a hand me down longbow, which already has serving in place, but it also has a different type of string)?
I like this bow a lot. However I noticed it comes in 56" at the largest. I have a draw length of about 29 (28.8). Would it be a problem to have this bow if my draw length is that much?
So I'm currently starting to gain interest in archery because of NUsensei! Always loved archery, always were too afraid to try it! One question tho before I start going into a buying frency: The website and Nu himself state the bow is for the right hand only .. but he hold it in his left hand. Do they refer to the draw- or holding hand for that matter? I would personally want to handle the bow in my left hand and draw with my right hand. Can anyone offer me some help on this? :'( Thanks everyone, and thank you Nu for all these informative and great videos!
Wow, crazy! I totally didn't expect such a quick answer, thanks alot Nu sensei! Another quick question, I don't know if you did a video covering this, but I just found out I'm right eye dominant. Does that mean I should try to switch the side I want to draw with, or does it fit with my prefered style as stated above? Thanks again Nu, love your videos!
Hi mate , can you recommend a recurve for me . I'm 185cm tall with fairly long arms. I want it for target and possible hunting in the future. I'm in Australia. Thanks p.s I'm left handed
Hey NUSensei I just got a 45# phantom, my other regular practicing bow is a 35# samick sage. Question....I am shooting a bit high with the phantom. At very close range, (around 7 meters) it seems to be shooting around 2 or 3 inches higher than the sage. I thought my nock point might be too low on the duck, but it's quite high, higher over square than my sage is over it's square. In other words, I'd expect the duck to shoot lower than the sage is, if anything. Do you think this might have something to do with the geometry of the riser, how you said it's very top heavy? have you encountered yourself shooting a bit high with the duck, even though your nock point was ok?
I haven't come across the problem. It might seem counterintuitive, but try lowering your nocking point. Sometimes having it too high can cause the arrow to deflect upwards, especially at close range.
well, I'm astounded, but that advice has totally solved my problem. Not shooting high any more AT ALL. Lowered my nock point to 6/16" above square, (lower edge of nock point, that is) and shooting great now. And a better tune to boot, I'm shooting within the same square inch. (at only 6 meters though, LOL) Thanks, NUSensei....consider me subscribed!
Thanks for the review NuSensei! I think I'll be getting this bow for now and as I get better[and have a bit more money saved] I'll go for a better bow from Martin or Hoyt.
I just received the mandarin duck phantom in the mail today. I got the 50 pound draw weight. I was just wondering if I should unstring the bow after every time I use it or just leave the string on permanently?
Always unstring it and I would recommend using a bow stringer to protect those narrow limb shoulders. P.S. Don't leave it string in extreme heat such as in a vehicle.
anyone know what the max draw length of this bow is? mine is 32 inches to the mouth so finding something is hard. i'm fine if over draw increases poundage but some bow makers say their bows cant't be safely overdrawn.
Just ordered one to give away as a prize for an archery event I put on at a good friends pig roast. Gotta get the adults to shoot best pf 6 arrows and the high score wins.
Watching him shoot is oddly relaxing
I kind of love when he "nerds out" over how well it shoots relative to his expectation :)
Thank you NU sensei. Your videos are inspirational and educational. You and Survivor Lily have taught me 80% of all I know about archery. Thank you . 🎯
That look to the camera after every shot xD
StodOne haha I'm not the only one!!!
That look dow
StodOne I was getting a laugh at that also
i've been wanting to get into archery for a while now but i was always hesitant because of the cost, but i think i just found what is likely to be my first bow thanks to this review.
ua-cam.com/video/lTkNNbZk5Ms/v-deo.html
How's it going?
After having the 56" TOP Archery version of this recurve bow for several days and shooting many hundreds of arrows, I believe it to be the best deal going in quality recurve bows. If Indiana Jones had a bow, it would have been this one. ;-)
I have this bow under the toparchary flag, but mine is a 50#, and was quite loud out of the box. Much quieter now with more mods on the way, LOL.
Well that explains why my arrow rest wore out so quickly...I've been shooting with it upside down
Oof
"comes in right handed only" yes yes...the left handed curse strikes again..
Matthew Bullen they have left handed phantom bows now
Get ambidextrous nerd
I'm joking, if you couldnt tell
@@samueldurazzo5312 I don't see the Phantom in left-handed at all, anywhere.
lol Im a lefty but I do righty on most physical stuff.
@@typhoon37351 but honestly, does it matter so much for archery when you start as a beginner? I mean there doesn't seem to be very difficult movements for either hand, so couldn't you just switch the hands and learn it the other way? (I'm new to this whole journey and genuinely interested, plus not very experienced)
Great review. I will be purchasing this bow with the 35# limbs. I'm glad Mandarin Duck is now offering just the limbs in different draw weights.
NUSensei - You are NOT a snob, brother!
You just know what you're talking about.
People that call you a snob are know-it-alls and arrogant
Yes like that goldfish guy,....oh wait nevermind.😂
Mandarin duck now supply the limbs seperately on their website so you can purchase a single bow and then different limb strengths. They also informed me via email that they are considering releasing a budget ILF riser as well which will be interesting. I suppose it will probably be priced to compete against risers like the Trad Tech Titan.
Funny how Lilly said the bow was heavy and you said it was light.
Sir GentleSir Its very light. Just got it this morning. Its lighter than most hunting recurves. I trust Nu over her any day.
She said its heaver then her other bows. Not everyone uses the same bows.
And not everyone is the same strength. One person's "light" can be someone else's "heavy as hell".
Maybe because he's a target/Olympic-style archer, which are often larger and weighted for better accuracy, and she's a survivalist/hunting archer, where mobility and sound profile is more important. Also, a lot of her bows seems to be make shift bows.
Inigo keep in mind, he’s an olympic archer and constantly has a bow in his hand, as opposed to lily whose muscles are in different areas like her arms because she does a lot of survival stuff
I have created a Facebook group for this Phantom bow, please join and share your experience there!
facebook.com/groups/2061776687375205/
I bought this bow a month ago, it performs excellently and except for a small superficial paint chip I have no complaints.
Survival Lilly had me half convinced this was the starter bow I've been looking for and your review has clinched it - many thanks. I am curious though about your comment on its use as a survival bow. I don't plan on using it for survival but would be interested to know your thoughts on it.
It's pretty rugged. I'd imagine it would be a fair survival tool.
Thank you - greatly appreciated.
Llewellyn Patrick would love an extended opinion on the bow
What video did she have this bow in?
Great review my friend! Just ordered the 35# bow based off of your video. Had a chance to use it yesterday and loved it! I'm 5' 7" average build and don't find it hard to use. Shot about 80 arrows. Thanks man!
If you contact Mandarin Duck .. they will supply limbs separately. I have 2 sets in 2 weights
Angry Person they don't ship internationally do they?
They do
That's amazing. I can't wait to get mine by the end of this month hopefully and test it out in the woods
Angry Person but more money, right
For free or with for a price
I currently have a mandarin duck phantom which i absolutely love. I originally bought it with 40lb limbs and i shoot off the shelf with a rug and strike plate. After a while i noticed the limbs started to delaminate. I ordered the 50lb limbs and still shoot from the shelf and went from 400 spine to 500 spine and it shoots lasers.
When you hunt you need the bow to be as quiet as possible so that your target doesn’t move before the arrow hits it, and it’s mainly a hunting bow because of its length, 56”, but for the bow to appeal to more consumers they added the threads and the inserts
I have this bow (toparchary version) but had an heck oh an time fitting an hunting sight to it. Had to make an elevation bracket to it.
Had my 30 pound Phantom at the range today thunking down feathered woods off the shelf and the guy in the next lane assumed it was a 40 pound at least based on the authority with which the bow delivers the arrows to the target. Great review and I think if you're undecided on a beginner bow or just want a second "truck bow" to have fun with just go with this model, you won't regret it, it literally punches above its weight
A very interesting review - and very fair and balanced too. So much for you being a snob ;-)
Been thinking about buying one of these for a couple weeks now. Thanks for the review man.
I have come to enjoy your videos and the information they provide.
why do target recurves have a different grip design than target compounds
Thank you for this! I've been trying to save up for a Samick Sage, but now I might change my mind. Especially since it's cheaper!
Combat Archery Why's that?
I'm thinking of converting from compound to recurve, might have to give this a try now!
So it's a quack shot is it.. 😃
Keep that up and you're gonna have to DUCK and cover.
This bow is also known as the, Junxing F 179, and the Timber Creek Stalker. It's a very popular bow, I do intend on buying one soon!!! I have already have the, Junxing F 177, and it's a sweet bow, light weight, and very powerful. I like your channel, I think your video's are excellent. Cheer's!!!
Got this for Christmas. Looking forward to taking it out in a few days.
This or the samick sage? I don't plan on changing anything, just a target bow. I have a compound for hunting.
I have a black compound so I like this bow, but I don't want to have buyer's remorse.
hart well you’ll have less remorse buying this than a $300 recurve that you dont like, this is only about $90
@@doesitmatter1667 Same bow under top archery 56" recurve for $78 under Amazon.
@@theamazinggoldfish8713 The toparchery is a copy, and it's quality is much less. Read the reviews about the poor, twisted limbs.
I like it a lot. I also like the fact that it does not have a lot of printing on it.
Good day, NUSensei!
I REALLY like this bow, and I'd really want it to be my first own bow (Now I'm shooting only with training bows from the training center), but there is one thing, that worries me - it's length. I watched your "Choosing Bow Size" video, but I'm still a little bit confuzed. My draw length is 29,5". And this bow draw length is 29" (As the MandarinDuck website states). Seems rather perfect, but this bow length is only 56" and that "recommended table" shows, that my bow length is about 68"-70". I heard, that you've said in that video, that this table is only a recommendation, but you've also said, that "there is nothing bad in shooting with a bow, that is slightly too short...". And that's the point - I'm not sure, that 56" is SLIGHTLY shorter, than 68"-70" xD It's 30cm difference. For example SF Axiom+ is 68" length with the same draw length and the same power (30lb-40lb). What's the difference?
On the other hand, the MandarinDuck website says, that this bow is made for the 29" draw length and I think, that it shouldn't cause stacking and a "finger pinch" effect if my draw length is 29,5". It shouldn't...I think...or not?
Would really appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance.
The Phantom is a different kind of bow to what the chart is meant for. You'll be fine with the Phantom.
This is my bow, I love it and I'm glad you like it too NUSensei
Hi! What arrows do you use for this bow?
I use Gold Tip Traditionals 500/600 grain
thank you :)
no problem
I'm considering buying one of these as a gift for my brother to get started in archery and this seems like a good budget choice. My concern is that hes a bigger guy at 6'3" and is probably going to have a drawn at 29"+. You addressed in the video that you can't really comment past 27", but I'm just wondering if you think this might still be a good choice or if I should just bite the bullet and go with a Sage or something else a little taller.
As always, love the videos.
I had an order on some other cheap bow. As soon as I saw this I cancelled that order, and ordered this one :D Can't wait to get it.
i bought two of the top archery bows. (it seems that the phantom and the top archery are the same). I bought the 56 inch top archery from amazon and I like them. I shoot the 50 lb and the 45 lb limbs. For $200, I have two complete bows. You are right to call them legitimate recurves. There is nothing wrong with them. I love the grip that is low grip. I love these bows.
Please make a video about the PSE Kingfisher too! It's also an entry level take down bow, but with fiberglass limbs.
This appears identical to my bow which is the Toparchery Archery 56" Takedown Hunting Recurve Bow Metal Riser Right Hand Black And goes for the same price on Amazon.
Also goes by junxing, and seems the same to me.
I bought the Toparchery 50lb takedown recurve bow, it looks pretty close to identical to this mandarin duck, was guessing different dealers same manufacturer. Arrives today so I’m looking forward to using it
David Lynch Gaming it was a good buy, I haven’t used it as much as I would of liked, a new job has kept me busy. The arrow rest that came with it was a cheap plastic thing that broke after about 60 shots so if you do get it you’ll need a better rest or build up the shelf a bit. Overall it’s a nice looking serviceable bow
David Lynch Gaming my pleasure, I think I might pull it out today now lol
I just bought one! I can't wait!
@ NuSensei.I have bought and currently awaiting the 30lb Phantom bow and I have a 29 Draw. I found out from Mandarin Duck that it's IBO rating is 160 @ 40lbs. I want to get Easton Inspire 630 spine arrows which should be the right ones according to Easton's chart, but when I use the 160 IBO rating and the arrow info into a speed estimator(which I know is just a guess) it says the arrow speed is only 93 fps. Can you tell me if those numbers sounds correct? Or should I just ignore the estimator completely..
good review thanks for your info, would like to see a review of the Black Hunter take down recurve bow.
3 years later I find this video while looking for a good bow fishing platform. Btw they do sell the limbs by themselves. You can easily put an ams reel and a light in the stabilizer bushing.
I spoke with a representative by email this week and they are currently considering producing a budget priced ILF riser and also making the limbs for the bow in the video separately via their website giving the buyer the option of a single riser with various bow strengths.
awesome video dude, just found your channel and loving the content
I am not a bow owner or user, but want to get one in the future though, but the only brands I know about is the Bear, and Ben Pearson brands. I worked for the Ben Pearson company for a week and learned some about the bows like assembling, and adjusting the pull on them.
Just to touch base on the possible stacking issue, i have a 31" draw. A true 31" draw. My Hoyt Buffalo was a bit heavy for my aging shoulders at 45 lbs. It became 55 lbs at 31". So i thought for 100.oo i will order one of these Phantoms at 35lbs and see if it can even be shot at 31". It shot quite well and measured at 45lbs at 31" draw. A bit unstable as expected with a short bow and long draw but very accurate and i have taken 1st place twice in a row at 3d shoots overall top score over all longbow and recurves at the shoot. Very impressed at this 100.oo recurve. The Buffalo was 700.oo and imo was only a bit more stable cause its 62" vs 56". Buy one and see.
If 2" longer limbs were available for orangutang arms i think this would be as good as most high end bows
My Mandarin Duck is 45# and is very loud, any tips on how to silence it?
The noise is coming from the string slapping against the limbs.
There is a video from Survival Lilly of that bow being silenced. It's called "How to silence a recurve bow"
Yeah i did all that, and it's still loud.
Do try to vary the brace height by twisting or untwisting the bowstring. Start at 6 ¾”, shoot a few arrows, note the noise level, twist the bowstring about 6 turns more or less until the brace height increase to 7” and shoot again. Continue at ¼” increase to brace height until brace height reaches a maximum of 8 ½”. You should find a brace height setting which is quiet and correct for this bow within this range. Good luck and happy shooting.
If you did what Surv did and yours is still loud, then you either did it wrong, or just don't understand what a silenced phantom bow is supposed to sound like
Robb, son of Otto I’m no expert but I’m gonna use a bit of physics here:
The noise is coming from the string slapping the arms, so if you can decrease the speed at which the string comes in contact with them then you can decrease the noise. By decreasing the energy the string has, you’ll decrease the speed. One way to decrease the string’s energy is to use a heavier arrow, as the string will transfer more energy to move the arrow.
TLDR: try a heavier arrow, maybe just get one or two and if it works, great. If it doesnt? Oh well
I've the Junxing F179 version of this bow @ 50lb.
trust me low weight is a plus when hunting lugging a heavy thing around at ready for 8 hours sucks,i guess if you a stationary it doesnt matter that much.
i bought a pse snake on ebay for $45 USD and it is....SO WELL MADE AND SO COMFORTABLE. (they only sell pse snake as 18lbs, 22lbs, or 25lbs. If u live in the UK its called Rolan Snake- with same poundages.
The ordered 40lb just arrived this morning and I set it up pretty quick. Some thoughts. Riser is nice nothing crazy but nice. I dislike the small handle alot but its a prize not for me to keep. Im 6'1 185 and I draw 29.5 inches. With that in mind dear god does it stack. Given its short over all length 56 inches it stacks noticably after 24 inches of draw. My Oly setup doesnt at all. Its not a comfortable shooter if your bigger framed with a long draw. Sub 5'8 people drawing between 26 and 28 will like it though. Bow is top heavy as noted and could use a hunting stab to offset that. Shot window is small I would hesitate to put a target sight on it for fear of shooting it off lol. I think its a decent alternative to the steadfast Samick Sage but the limb stack is night and day in comparison. My opinion. Take what you will of it. 3 weeks to deliver to canada and well packed. String rest and allen key are good additions.
Shitlord Prime Not likely. Its tight pinches alot after 24 inches of draw. My target recurve is 68 and shoots fine for me. I dont feel cramped and can work on form better. The bow is nice if your sub 6 foot but it stacks aggressively. I will likely buy another. Just to have......lol.
Well,
the MandarinDuck bows looks nice and represent good quality for their price, but there isn't much variety in their own store.
I've seen that Lilly, as we can call, silenced one of their bows quiet well, with material that are rather accessible.
I'm fine with a bow is being black, because I rather prefer camouflage over bright colors.
I'm interested in a recurve bow that can can be reassembled rather fast from a back pack, somewhat obviously, bows that fit my physical parameters, one that I can move on from 15 to 50 meters with practice.
I've seen some deer who noticed me when that animal was wandering out of the forest at the side of it and I was walking at the dirt road and I might get allowed to hunt them.
I might have too specific requirements and it might be good enough for me to buy a bow from someone else who just wants to get rid of it, but to choose from those offers correctly, I think I would need even more experience, which I don't have.
Later on, I might look for a modern compound one as well.
If assembly speed is the key, then I would recommend a recurve bow with ILF limbs, such as the W&W Black Wolf. The limbs snap into place with one click, so your process would simply be "snap, snap" and then string the bow.
Alright,
gotta look it up which stores sell it in Europe. Suggestions about alternatives could be useful as well.
I guess that where I live, traditional archery is at lest noticeably more popular and because of this, it can turn out that it is hard to find the specific stuff that I want, especially without detailed search in English. I'm from the same nation as one of the known speed shooters and the borders are considered subjectively since 1920. Specific people with knowledge about history should have the accurate guess about this.
@NUSensei
Watched some more of your videos and as you actually told, the W&W Black Wolf is a luxury. ILF is a good keyword for guidance. The brand I rather encountered in my searches is Ragim, for example the Ragim ILF XT recurve T/D bow limbs. With the current exchange rate, those are around 78 USD. Those might be more expensive, because of the taxes here. Those are partly made from wood, as you can expect and I guess that from this point, it can easily turn out to be a shopping list for me. I already know your opinion and the deal about that, that it can take too much effort for you to respond to these messages and comments, so I rather ask you to review some Ragim products. Teach us sensei, not just me!
It's unfortunate to see that it is not rare that a company, selling products for archery, doesn't have that good of a detailed offers on their own website with their own products. In the other hand, it is fortunate that now hunting-bow.com offers a free ebook for beginners. Their website could use some fine tuning as well. Someone like me, could consider to get the clothing category of accessories from non archer oriented sources.
To compose it with my words, I'm not interested in professional(olimpic + target) style archery, rather in the intuitive(hunting + traditional) style, with modern ways to it. Especially at the start, I rather want to keep the accessories at minimum, similarly to how a traditional archer would do.
In specific and rather old shooter games, I didn't preferred the standard zoom value, didn't had much idea about how to change it and I felt being forced to aim barely with my eyes, so even if archery sights doesn't have zoom function and still represent some quality, I feel like I am someone who will be fine without it for a while. I'd rather recommend for specific people, who see things rather clear and accurately, but have other problems with their vision, to shoot with one eye, as to myself. Cross eye dominance? I guess not. Rather kind of a sensitivity makes the portion of the sense to be lacking.
For the beginning, I consider to shoot at an actual target with the rings drawn onto it (preferably sewn), some old used up rugs, compressed paper bricks and timber behind them. We got a mechanical device to make such paper from scrap. Just rip a good amount of paper into pieces, dip them into water, put them into the device, than spin down the screw-bolts with the human force that is available. It might be possible to keep recycling the used up paper bricks in that device, put them into paper container for regular recycling or just throw them into the fire.
Thank you for the Video ! i thing we will test it for Germany...
Love the channel good shit right here sincerely,
Some random dude from Kentucky.
Ah...I now can't decide between this and the Black Hunter.
Phantom by mandrin duck, top archery 56" takedown recurve, and the junxing bow all seem the same but with different prices? Bow is "much" louder if you get the 50#, which most people do. Top Archery sells there's currently for $78.00 off Amazon (shipping not included).
Can i use the mandrinduck phantom as a olympic style bow/ use stabilizers and sights
I`ve got this bow 50lbs one , what kind of arrows would you recommend for 30 inch draw ?
I believe it's made by Junxing. I'm new to archery and have the 45# I got for $67and Nika $15 for a dozen arrows, free delivery here in Thailand. A lot of fun and I shot accurately straight away!
Hello, what is the length of the riser of phantom?
Is this also known as the Junxing f179?
Nu Sensei, what type of stabilizer, or damper would you recommend to balance the bow more?
I would recommend a decent stabilizer which will add to balance and help with vibration.
This is likely a stupid question but what is the arrow resting on that it looks to sit about a half inch above the arrow rest/shelf on the bow ??? It is on the other side so I cannot see it. Thank you.
You stated you used 720 spine. I went from 500 spine I use for my compound to 350 spine carbon bone collector arrows and shut a much tighter group at 60 ft. Only changed arrows. Any thoughts?
Hello sensei, and everyone. I'd like to start archery and this now seems nice and affordable for a beginner. What kind of arrow is recommended for this bow ?
arrows depend just make sure its the correct length and spine. I made the mistake of buying arrows which were way too flexible for my bow so buying arrows before doing some research or talking to someone can be costly. Hopefully I'm not too late
Please may you do a review on the black hunter 60” recurve on mandarin duck because you are amazing at reviews
I am just starting out and need a bow... but I am not worried about the cast. Should I pickup a Samick Sage over this?
I started out with a fleetwood monarch but now have this bow and this is so much better. It is an amazing bow and I love more than my monarch which was $130
Hi very good review. I just got one of the 45 lb models.One question, how did you get centershot with the rest supplied.I fitted it right to the riser and the arrow was pointing way to the left?
Is the Black Hunter model better than this one, considering the grip especially?
Thinking about getting one of these, I love my kingfisher, but it is the older model at 5.5 pounds in overall weight before attachments. Would a stabilizer and string silencers make the sound a little softer?
If you were going to give your opinion would you recommend this bow for a budget entry level bow and if you wanted to get into compounds would you recommend the Oneida Kestrel
Not really to both. The Phantom is not representative of recurves. It's a solid bow that is fun to shoot, but it's kind of a dead end, not similar at all to other recurve bows. So if you're thinking of "entry level" as referring to a first bow with the idea of moving into a better one later, the Phantom isn't really intended for that. It's a standalone bow that is very popular because it's so cheap.
The Oneida bows are lever bows, which function like a compound but are otherwise very different to compound bows. Again, they're good bows and serve their function, but not reflective of what most people think of when they get into compound.
Maybe this has been asked but I couldn't locate in comments. What poundage did you get on this bow? Also what poundage is your average bow that you take to the range?
Nu sensei pls can you do a video about compound bows plsss
HE'S BACK, YAYYY
I thought about getting the phantom for my next bow, I currently have a recurve bow without a shelf and my next bow I want a long bow, something I can mount a reel on for bow fishing
sensei what would you recommend for a nice recurve bow for around 500 dollars...
thank you for all your advice, my archery has improved alot from your wisdom.
Thanks for the video. What arrow rest and what arrows have you found best for this bow?
For somebody who is planning on getting their first bow, would you recommend this? According to the arm span test, I have about a 24-25 draw length. I know this bow is 56", and I want to be able to shoot for hobby and later for hunting. Friendly competition is acceptable as well. According to the chart, 64" is my recommended size. I'm a huge fan and you have reignited my passion to relearn the bow. The last time i used one was when teaching a younger class while in Boy Scouts as an Eagle Scout
The charts are really only meant for target bows. Ignore them if you're not buying a target bow. Your draw length is perfect for this type.
NinjaFoxProduct I actually bought this bow a week ago and I love it. It feels great and shoots well. I bought it for backyard shooting ( about 25-30 meters ) and for the cheap price it is worth it. I bought it for 80$
Eslix Gaming what is your draw lenght? If i may ask
I've got the Junxing F179 version of this bow in 50 lb draw weight.
really I don't get it, I have the same bow, with same setup, but my sounds a lot more noisy than the video. One question how much do you have as brace height? I have the impression that bow string is shorter that it should be
Would this be ok for a 13 year old in the 20Ib version? Just doing 3d Archery at local NFAS club?
Hi everyone. I wanted a beginner bow, so that I could eventually build my own aluminum takedown. I bought the phantom as a good functional cheap bow, and just got it in the mail. I have 2 questions: There are a few washers that are sitting under the bolt skirts ( cone shaped spacers; not sure what to call them), I assume that the limbs go flush against the riser with these under the skirt. Is this correct? Secondly, is any serving required/preferred with this kind of string ( I only have a hand me down longbow, which already has serving in place, but it also has a different type of string)?
I like this bow a lot. However I noticed it comes in 56" at the largest. I have a draw length of about 29 (28.8). Would it be a problem to have this bow if my draw length is that much?
It wouldn't be a problem.
So I'm currently starting to gain interest in archery because of NUsensei! Always loved archery, always were too afraid to try it! One question tho before I start going into a buying frency: The website and Nu himself state the bow is for the right hand only .. but he hold it in his left hand. Do they refer to the draw- or holding hand for that matter? I would personally want to handle the bow in my left hand and draw with my right hand. Can anyone offer me some help on this? :'( Thanks everyone, and thank you Nu for all these informative and great videos!
In archery, "handedness" refers to the hand you draw the string with.
Wow, crazy! I totally didn't expect such a quick answer, thanks alot Nu sensei! Another quick question, I don't know if you did a video covering this, but I just found out I'm right eye dominant. Does that mean I should try to switch the side I want to draw with, or does it fit with my prefered style as stated above? Thanks again Nu, love your videos!
Look up "Eye Dominance in Archery" for my answer.
Hi mate , can you recommend a recurve for me . I'm 185cm tall with fairly long arms. I want it for target and possible hunting in the future. I'm in Australia. Thanks p.s I'm left handed
NuSensei , you use what arrow. carbon or fiberglass
Can you tell us the specifics of the arrow that you were using? so we have try our best to replicate what you are experiencing.
Thank you!
Can you review the Mandarin Duck Black Hunter bow?
I’m considering that as my first bow.
Hey NUSensei
I just got a 45# phantom, my other regular practicing bow is a 35# samick sage.
Question....I am shooting a bit high with the phantom. At very close range, (around 7 meters) it seems to be shooting around 2 or 3 inches higher than the sage.
I thought my nock point might be too low on the duck, but it's quite high, higher over square than my sage is over it's square. In other words, I'd expect the duck to shoot lower than the sage is, if anything.
Do you think this might have something to do with the geometry of the riser, how you said it's very top heavy? have you encountered yourself shooting a bit high with the duck, even though your nock point was ok?
I haven't come across the problem. It might seem counterintuitive, but try lowering your nocking point. Sometimes having it too high can cause the arrow to deflect upwards, especially at close range.
well, I'm astounded, but that advice has totally solved my problem. Not shooting high any more AT ALL. Lowered my nock point to 6/16" above square, (lower edge of nock point, that is) and shooting great now. And a better tune to boot, I'm shooting within the same square inch. (at only 6 meters though, LOL)
Thanks, NUSensei....consider me subscribed!
Can you use arrows with plastic vanes on the arrow rest that comes with the bow?
+BarreI Yes
This one or black hunter mk ii 60”? Which one is best?
Thanks for the review NuSensei! I think I'll be getting this bow for now and as I get better[and have a bit more money saved] I'll go for a better bow from Martin or Hoyt.
it wouldnt be awkward if i put arrow rest and plungers on it? instead of the usual 5pin sight and whisker rest
I just received the mandarin duck phantom in the mail today. I got the 50 pound draw weight. I was just wondering if I should unstring the bow after every time I use it or just leave the string on permanently?
Always unstring it and I would recommend using a bow stringer to protect those narrow limb shoulders. P.S. Don't leave it string in extreme heat such as in a vehicle.
Quick question, is it ok to use the fast flight string materials on the Phantom, or does it need to be Dacron?
anyone know what the max draw length of this bow is? mine is 32 inches to the mouth so finding something is hard. i'm fine if over draw increases poundage but some bow makers say their bows cant't be safely overdrawn.
What draw weight @NUSensei
Just ordered one to give away as a prize for an archery event I put on at a good friends pig roast. Gotta get the adults to shoot best pf 6 arrows and the high score wins.
You can buy replacement limbs on amazon different poundage. I got 45 and it hurts my shoulder pulling it back probably going to get 30
Dear Sensei....
I want to learn archery and i was wondering what kind of bow that suitable for a beginner...?