Vinny_HC

I have a short limb High Country Split Force X1 bow that is about 10 years old. I have not shot it that much, but I am getting serious about bowhunting this year. This bow has good draw weight (not sure what max is). I recently emailed HCA and said some paint/covering was coming off the bottom limb and asked if there was a way to make it stop peeling. It seems every time I shoot it loosens something.

Anyway they have been bought out and what they do now is an trade in program.

So firstly, should I be considering upgrading my bow? Is there a way to wrap limbs with some kindo flexible covering?

They said if I traded in my bow I could get an Iron Mace for $399 or a Speed Pro for $599. Is this a deal or is this just regular retail price? Should I be considering other brands in lieu of HCA for this price range?

kickin_buck

I shot HCA for a very long time (88-07) and loved every HCA I ever owned. However, their customer service was flakey at best in the end. They did just recently get bought out and I have heard the new owners are very serious about getting HCA back to where they were 15 years ago, but have no personal experience with the new ownership and I am sure there are very few that do since this is a very recent change, so the jury is still out.

As for the prices they quoted you, I would say they are good deals. I shot the Iron Mace and it is a very, VERY nice bow. It has a very big following in the HCA world. It shoots very nice and is very quick. I have never shot the Speed Pro and I don't know anyone that has, so I cannot help you there.

For the price ($399) for the Iron Mace, you would have to look either at used bows or mid range new bows, such as the Bear Lights Out or something from Mission. The Lights Out and every Mission I have ever shot are all very nice shooting bows, but they don't have the speed you are going to get out of the Iron Mace.

For the price ($599) for the Speed Pro, you can get a very good used bow or something like the Hoyt Turbo Hawk, which is nothing more than the Hoyt Alpha Max with a slightly different riser.

If you want to stay with HCA, I would give the Iron Mace a go and see how their customer service works out. If HCA does turn the ship around, you will have a very nice and fast bow and you would have gotten it at a good price.

One thing to think about is if there is a HCA dealer around you where you will be able to have your bow serviced if needed. A good pro shop within a decent drive should be a major factor in your decision.

Vinny_HC

Thanks a lot for the info! I called back HCA and what happened is that since the company got bought out there is no longer any support for the older bows (part, warranty, etc). The new owners said they would buy back bows that were supposed to be still under warranty, such as mine, and give us a deal on the new bows.

So I traded in my bow today and the Iron Mace will be arriving in the mail