The compound bow category is full of options, so whenever I test out a new bow, I often think: If I were an everyday consumer and I picked up this bow at the local archery shop, what about it would cause me to choose it over all of the other options?

In other words, I want to identify what technologies stand out, and then evaluate how they measure up to the market’s dozens of other bows. It’s always a delight to test Bowtech bows because it’s easy to find reasons why consumers would choose them.

At a quarter of a century old, the Bowtech brand is relatively young considering that two other leading bow manufacturers have been at it for more than 90 years. Back when my family owned a pro shop, Bowtech had been out for only a few years, and although it took a few years for the brand to really gain traction and brand recognition, I could tell its bows could compete technologically with other brands that had been around longer.

Times have changed in bow technology, but Bowtech’s ability to compete has not. It has pioneered many leading innovations, and the 2024 Core SR keeps that tradition going. Following are some reasons why bowhunting customers will choose it over the market’s dozens of other options.

Test Bow Specs

• Axle-to-Axle Length: 33 inches
• Brace Height: 6 inches
• Draw Length: 28 inches
• Draw Weight: 67 pounds 
• Let-off: 85% (Flip Disc modules in Comfort setting)
• Bow-only Weight: 4.5 pounds 
• Accessorized Total Weight: 5.96 pounds (including sight, rest and front stabilizer)
• Velocity: 269 fps (with 468-grain Easton 6.5mm Acu-Carbon 340 arrow); 274 fps (with 456-grain CX Maxima Triad 350 arrow); 278 fps (with 441-grain Victory VAP SS 350 arrow)
• Kinetic Energy: 75.12 foot-pounds (Easton); 75.94 foot-pounds (CX); 75.60 foot-pounds (Victory)
• Test-Bow Finish: Black
• MSRP: $1,399
• Contact: www.bowtecharchery.com 

CenterMass Technology

The Core SR teems with purposeful features, but none more prominent than CenterMass Technology. This is Bowtech’s take on an improved bowsight mounting medium. The bar of Bowtech’s CenterMass Pro Hunter sight slides directly through the riser. It not only positions the sight’s mass weight to the center of the riser to improve balance, but it also eliminates a traditional sight bracket since the riser technically serves as the bracket. Rather than two screws required to bolt on conventional sights, the CenterMass sight bolts on with only one for a nice clean design.

Don’t worry: If your customers are loyal to a specific sight brand, they’ll still be able to mount a conventional sight with the provided mounting holes, though I believe CenterMass is a superior mounting medium. Bowtech also offers the CenterMass Back Bar Mount for a rear-positioned stabilizer. The Bowtech-exclusive model attaches to a mount that’s integrated into the riser on most 2024 Bowtech bows.   

Brand New Grip

If you’ve read any number of my bow reports, perhaps you recall that I put a high priority on bow grips. The Core SR’s grip epitomizes innovation. Unsurprisingly, it’s comfortable right out of the box, but GripLock Technology allows the user to adjust the grip in fine increments and track adjustments with reference marks. The out-of-the-box position is for archers who prefer a low-wrist grip, and you can adjust from there all the way up to a high-wrist grip based on preference. 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t recall any adjustable grips until now. GripLock not only makes the Core SR compatible with more archers, but it also gives individual archers the option to tweak the grip to achieve a position that feels best — think of it as several grips in one. It also has a small rubberized insert just beneath the throat to provide just enough traction for consistent hand placement. Overall, it’s brilliant.

A Tuning Dream

Dealers who handle Bowtech know that DeadLock Cams set the standard for tuning. Moving the cams left or right on their axles is done by simply loosening a set screw, moving the adjustment screw and then locking down the set screw. This technology has obviously been around for a handful of years, and it continues to be the tuning feature to beat.  

While the Core SR features proven DeadLock Cams, Bowtech has added another tuning feature. Say hello to TimeLock. Both cables attach to a peg that is adjustable by loosening a set screw, tweaking the adjustment screw, and then locking down the set screw. In the past, bows had to be pressed and cables twisted or untwisted to synchronize cams, which is a little bit of a hassle and also requires some guesswork. But, TimeLock is adjustable without pressing the bow, and you can make more finite adjustments to achieve perfect synchronization. This simplifies things for you, the dealer, and your technical customers will love that they can easily time their own bow.

Of course, Rotating Modules are back, which allow you to fit the bow to your customer quickly and easily. FlipDisc is also standard on the Core SR. In case you don’t know how it works, you can simply flip the Rotating Module between two draw cycles. The Comfort side gives you a liquid-smooth draw cycle and 85% let-off. You sacrifice a little bit of speed, but the draw cycle is arguably one of the nicest available. The Performance side boosts velocity at the expense of a slightly more difficult yet manageable draw cycle with 80% let-off. 

 

On the Range

While spending some time shooting the Core SR outdoors, I first noted that the draw cycle is unbelievably smooth. The test bow peaked out at 67 pounds — 3 pounds lighter than the listed peak weight — but it felt more like 62 pounds with the FlipDisc set to Comfort. The FLX Guard Cable Containment System also helps to reduce friction as the bow is drawn to enhance smoothness. The smoothness of any Bowtech model with the FlipDisc set to Comfort is tough to beat. And while some velocity is sacrificed by choosing Comfort, one of my 456-grain hunting arrows flew at 274 fps, generating 75.94 foot-pounds of kinetic energy — plenty of punch for almost any game animal. 

Set to Performance, the draw cycle definitely feels more stout, though it’s very manageable. Performance gets you several more feet per second, as I noted earlier, which is perfect for those who demand the extra velocity and don’t mind the extra draw effort. I’ll add that the wall at full draw is nice and solid without the Tink! because the draw stops feature thick rubber sleeves to mute cable contact.

Though I won’t call the Core SR the quietest bow on the market, it’s deadly quiet, virtually vibration-free and comfortable to shoot. It’s rigged with Orbit Dampeners on both riser ends to kill vibrations, and the FLX Guard also has a weighted dampener. I believe that the new CenterMass sight mount and the Integrate rest mount reduce vibrations, as well, since conventional mounting brackets are eliminated. The bowstring stop also manages oscillation and substantially reduces shot noise.

The Core SR is built for stability. That became evident the first time I aimed at my Rinehart Signature Mule Deer Target. It was nearly effortless to settle the pin and achieve a nice float with virtually a shake-free sight picture. What’s nice is that Bowtech outfits it with numerous threaded accessory mounts so that every individual shooter can customize the balance. It balances extremely well with a basic stabilizer, but the option to play with additional weights and stabilizers exists. 

The Core SR was a piece of cake to dial in, and it groups very well. I shot it out to 40 yards, and let’s just say that we got along extremely well. I was even using a whisker-style rest because it was the only rest I had on hand at the time of testing, and arrows flew like darts. Of course, I suggest a drop-away rest such as the Ripcord Drive IMS rest in order to leverage the benefits of a direct-to-riser mount and zero fletching contact.

Final Thoughts

Bowtech bows are the type I’d trust in the wilderness. The wide limbs have “dependable” written all over them. The Dual Lock Pockets lock the limbs to the pockets, and the pockets to the riser. The product is unrivaled repeatability, shot after shot, because the entire system locks together to essentially become one.

Speaking of dependability, let’s talk about the Core SR’s riser. It feels bulletproof. It has bridging at key points to widen its stance and enhance strength to avert flexing as the bow is drawn and shot. This reduces vibrations and makes the bow incredibly easy to tune. 

In summary, Bowtech’s Core SR is wildly tough and dependable. It’s one of the easiest bows to tune, thanks to its Deadlock Cams and new TimeLock feature. It can be set to super-smooth with decent speed, or you can give it some attitude to gain several feet per second. It’s highly stable, well-balanced and extremely accurate. Heck, it even has an adjustable grip. Regardless if your customer is a whitetail hunter or a sheep hunter, the Core SR is a bow they can trust to do the job when the shot of a lifetime presents itself. Would you expect anything less from a company with a slogan like “Refuse to Follow?”

Editor’s Note: Watch the author shoot the new Bowtech Core SR and learn from his insight in the 5-minute YouTube video below.

Additional Notes:

The Bowtech Core SR was set up using a Last Chance Archery EZ Green Bow Press and EZ Green Bow Vise, and the draw weight was calculated using Last Chance Archery’s Digital Bow Scale. A Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph measured the arrow velocities. Other products used were Easton’s Nock and D-Loop Pliers and Pro Hex Fold-Up Allen Set. Arrows were weighed on Last Chance Archery’s Pro Grain Scale.

In-the-field photos by Becca and Darron McDougal