Bow Review 2007 - Browning Mirage By Jason Balazs
Aug 21, 2007 - 9:47:48 AM
All of the 2007 model bows will be using the same rest, shooting the same arrow, through the same chronograph at same distance. The rest that I used are Quicktune 800's from New Archery Products. These rests proved to set up quickly and painlessly. For setting the bows up, I used an R.S. Bowvise and levels along with the Easy Eye Center Laser. I have mentioned this before; I would be lost with out the R. S. Bowvise and laser from Easy Eye. For the arrow, I will be shooting a 365.5-grain, Vforce HV500 carbon arrow from Victory Archery cut to 28" on my Apple Archery arrow cut-off saw. All of the bows that I am shooting are set at 70lbs with a 29" draw. I was able to ensure that all of the bows were set to the exact measurements and poundage by using my Apple Super Pro Bow press outfitted with the new Bow Tuning/Drawing tool. This thing is awesome because it allows you to measure and set the draw length on every bow. Along with the Bow tuning/Drawing tool, I will be using the new Parallel Limb bow adapter for the bow press. This minimizes potential damage to expensive bows, while saving valuable setup time.
THE MIRAGE
Riser & Grip:
The riser on the Mirage is Machined aluminum with nine cutouts that reduce the mass weight of the bow. The cutouts are very large on this bow and give the riser a skeleton look, which adds to its attractiveness. The grip is fully machined out of the riser and has two wood grips to ensure a comfortable feel.
Limbs & Cams:
Browning makes some of the most durable limbs in the archery industry. Each limb is equally crafted to CNC standards and ensures that stress is distributed throughout the entire limb. The Mirage single Cams design is unlike any other. The Trance Cam features four inches of draw length adjustment and draw length adjustment from 85% to 65% without a bow press. The new asymmetric idler wheel is standard on all 2007 Illusions and provides an equal draw throughout the draw cycle of the bow. All of this comes together with the new Hyperlite Unibody limb pocket that provides enhanced limb support. The Unibody design is secure and reliable for accurate limb alignment. Thus, having a parallel limb design not only reduces noise but hand shock as well. Top this off with a beautiful Mossy Oak Break up finish and you have an awesome looking bow.
Testing:
Like all the other bows in the review, the first test I conducted was the grip test. I drew the Mirage 10 times and would always grip the bow a little different each time. This way, I was not just utilizing my grip in the testing. The results I was looking for were if there was any torque on the bowstring or cams. The Mirage's machined grip was very universal with no to little torque. This bow is less than 30 inches long, which usually indicates that you will have a lot of hand torque due to drawing the same distance back as the bow is long. This was not the case here. There was only minimal torque that is easily corrected with proper hand placement.
Next, I wanted to test the draw of the bow at 70 lbs, so like all the others I drew the bow 10 times. The Mirage feels like you are pulling 70 pounds initially, but the asymmetric idler wheel ensures that the draw is smooth and complete. This in combination with the let-off ensures that you can easily pull the bow back and be able to hold it when needed. There was little to no play in the Mirage's wall at 29".
For testing the speed I shot through my Chronograph from Competition Electronics 10 times. The average speed of all ten shots was 308fps. There was very little hand shock and little noise. The parallel limb design along with the smooth flowing string travel created by the asymmetric idler wheel and Trance cam controls all of the vibration and shock as it is dispersed throughout the bow. This makes the bow quiet and very pleasant to shoot.
Conclusion:
It is good to know that Browning has not fallen to the wayside when it comes to archery equipment. This is a proven fact, because the Mirage is a top of the line bow that all hunters or 3D shooters will love. Tree stand hunters are also going to love this bow for its compact design and superb craftsmanship. 3D archers are going to love this bow for its blistering speeds and shootability. It will be interesting to see how Browning is going to top the Mirage next year. But one thing is certain; they have built an awesome weapon and have kept true to the good name of Browning.
