If you are a bowhunter and have any vital signs at all, you have undoubtedly noticed a great surge in the bow manufacturing industry - SHORTER! The consumer seems to be generally happy with today's speeds, noise levels and shock levels however they want all of it in one package, a shorter more maneuverable one. 

Darton responded to this demand the same way that they have been responding to other demands for over 50 years - with us in mind! Instead of quickly jumping on the band wagon to pick up a few more dollars Darton took their time and designed a winner, the Magnum 33. 

The test bow I received has been a blast to shoot and has one "Robin Hood" to its name already! I would like to keep the "What's in it for me?" tradition going from my previous Maverick Express 2000 review. Quite a few bowhunters from across the nation positively commented on this approach so we will stick with it! I like to know what all of the technical "ins" and "outs" of a bow are as much as the next guy, but when it comes right down to it, what I'm really interested in is what they do for me.  To bring all of the Magnums technology and features into perspective for everyone concerned, each technical point or feature will be followed by a "what's in it for me?" commentary.

Eccentrics:
The Magnum 33 is equipped with the C/P/S (Controlled Power System) Express single cam.  This isn't your average single cam though.  It is something quite different.  The C/P/S system consists of a large diameter upper control wheel and the bottom power cam. 
The upper control wheel has a dual track with an eccentric groove that allows the exact length of string out to match the bottom power cam.  This results in perfectly level nock travel (many manufacturers claim level nock travel however, as far as I know, only Darton has the physics behind their design to make this possible).  The large diameter of the control wheel also reduces the amount of friction or hysterisis.  Tuning marks are inscribed on the control wheel making the sometimes-difficult task of tuning rather easy.  If the control cable passes just above the top tuning line, you need to add twists to your cable.  A control cable that is just below the bottom tuning line requires you to untwist the cable for proper set-up.  It is that simple. Also, Darton has incorporated a sealed ball bearing system for the upper axle.

What's in it for me?

• Level nock travel achieved through the dual track eccentric groove gives you easier tuning, greater consistency, and also, greater accuracy.
• The reduction of friction from the large diameter gives you greater efficiency, increased arrow speed, and a high level transfer of stored energy.  In other words, more of the bow's power is placed where it belongs upon release?.in the arrow!
• Engraved tuning marks are ingenious and give you ease of eccentrics tuning.  This is a feature that impresses me greatly because it is simple and gives the average guy like me the ability to easily determine if my rig is out of tune - no hassle!

Matching these locations controls the relationship between the upper control wheel and the power cam.  Other one-cam set-ups are at peak performance only at specified draw lengths - any deviation from that select draw length and sacrifices are made in performance and nock travel.

What's in it for me?

• A cam that is shaped in such a way to cycle as describe above, gives you an ultra smooth draw (feels almost as smooth as round wheels) and still packs the power and speed of a radical one-cam. 
• The adjustable and interchangeable modules give you a wide range of draw length adjustment, which in turn allows you to custom fit the bow to your draw length.
• Controlling the proper relationship between the upper control wheel and the power cam gives you the bow's peak performance at any given draw length.

What's in it for me?

• The use of Power-Tuff to construct the limbs ensures trouble-free and long- lasting performance. Superflauge is an attractive camo pattern.
• Magnesium cast limb pockets give this important component strength and consistency.

What's in it for me?

• The short riser and limbs of the Magnum give it an amazing maneuverability factor.
• The use of aluminum and machined cutouts gives you one of the lightest bows on the market making long walks "back-in" less of a burden.
• The narrow rubber grip gives you comfort and less hand contact area, which may prevent torque problems.
• A reflexed riser translates into a longer power stroke, enhancing the Magnum's speed.
• Standard mounting holes gives you the ability to "deck out" your Magnum with most of the accessories available today. 
• The Superflauge camo on the riser and limbs provide a consistent good-looking pattern.

What's in it for me?

• The materials selected to construct the cables and string are designed to resist stretching which gives you a bow that stays in tune longer (translated: less hassle!). The short length and even distribution of the string also limits uneven stretching. 
• The efficiency enhancing nock-sets add to the already great speed.

As with the Maverick I couldn't get over the pure enjoyment this bow provides through an ultra smooth draw and quiet shooting. I have drawn and shot most of the short bows the market has to offer and the Magnum, while not the fastest, is the smoothest one of the bunch. This translates into "fun" which to me is one of the most important factors in bow selection. Lets face it, a bow that shoots 330 feet per second is great unless it is as loud as a rifle, rough as a rocky mountain road and generally stressful to shoot! 

The Magnum is a bow that will keep you out shooting longer (more practice) and leave you wanting more. Now, this is not merely my sole opinion! I conducted a little poll of Magnum 33 owners on the Internet to find out why they chose this particular bow. Far and away the two factors that made them fall in love with this bow over all of the other short bows they had to choose from was the fact that it is quiet and fun to shoot. The narrow rubber grip found on the Mag is one of the major factors in  making this bow a pleasure to shoot and quite a few of those polled remarked about how good the bow felt in their hand. Another factor that weighs in on the shootability of the Magnum is its generous 7 3/8" brace height, which is abundantly forgiving.

AMO and IBO standards call for a 30" draw length to rate a bow's speed however because of the stubs (i.e. arms) sticking out the side of my body are short I was unable to test at the necessary draw length. I still tested the speed of the bow using a Shooting Chrony Inc. Chronograph, 28" draw, 65lbs of pull and 27 ½" Carbon Express 300 Series arrows tipped with a 100-gn field point. 

Ten arrows were consistently shot through the chrony with an average 267-fps. For me, being draw length challenged, this is a fairly fast bow! A variance of only 2-fps was experienced through the ten shots. 

I checked with a well-known pro shop owner in a neighboring state to see if he had the chance to test the Magnum at AMO and IBO standards. He stated that with only a few minor variances the bow performed as advertised by Darton. Thank you Darton for not inflating your speed ratings - one of my pet peeves! 

Before installing any silencers or vibration reducers on the test bow, I found the noise level to be low and hand shock to be minimal.  The addition of limb savers and the Doinker hunting stabilizer made the bow deadly quiet and shock free. 

Now, on to testing the defining characteristic of the Magnum - short axle to axle length. 

My testing set out to answer this one question: Does the short overall length of the Magnum give us any tangible benefits?
First up on the testing agenda was to take Stubby (my nickname for the Magnum) and a friend's 38" axle to axle back-up bow up in a tree stand where most of my hunting takes place. I got high into the tree among many branches and without any doubt the Magnum was much more maneuverable in that situation. The 33" length gave me more of a window at hard angles behind and beneath me where the other bow's bottom cam hit the tree stand.

Next I took the two bows for a stroll through my hunting area which is tangled tightly with brush. A couple of years ago I cut a few trails through the brush that are barely big enough to fit through in some areas. At times you end up crawling on your hands and knees to navigate the trail. The Magnum 33 was impressive in this environment. Not only was I able to more easily handle and guide the Mag but I didn't even scratch it once!  My friend's bow was much more difficult to maneuver and frequently got caught up on the surrounding brush.

Conclusions:
Fun - Accurate - Smooth - Fast - Maneuverable. These are the words that highlight this exceptional short bow from Darton. Let me say it again - FUN! Thanks to the CPS System this is one of the smoothest cam bows you can find. The Magnum's short axle to axle length, high level of stored energy, arrow speed, quietness, and accuracy make it an ideal bow for both 3-D and hunting situations. The bottom line is that the Magnum 33 is going to give you the ability to easily maneuver while in a ground-blind (Look out turkeys!), in a tree stand or while walking through the brush. All that in a package that is a top-notch performer as well! Are you looking for a bow that appears small enough to fit into your back pocket but packs all of the performance of a more conventional size rig? If so, look no further than Darton's new Magnum 33!

Spec Sheet

• Family: Premier Pro
• Approximate Pro-Shop cost: $500.00 to $550.00
• Draw weights: 50/60/70
• Draw Lengths: 24 7/8-31"
• Axle-to-axle length: 33"
• Brace Height: 7 3/8"
• Mass Weight: 3.45lbs.
• Let-off option#1: AMO 65% - Effective 70%
• Let-off option#2: AMO 75% - Effective 80%
• Eccentrics: C/P/S Express
• AMO speed: 237
• IBO speed: 302
• Available finish: Superflauge camo 
• Power cable: 12-strand Brownell S-4 Fast Flight(34-7/8" length)
• Control cable: 14-strand Brownell S-4 Fast Flight(38-1/16" length)
• String: 14-strand Premium 450 (56-5/8" length)
• Grip: rubber two-piece
• Riser: cnc machined 7075-T6 aluminum
• Limb pockets: magnesium cast
• Limbs: Power-Tuff solid straight
• Cable guard: high-mount straight

Darton Performance Archery Equipment
3540 Darton Road
Hale, MI 48739
(517) 728-4231
Visit the Darton Archery web site at www.DartonArchery.com