PSE Full Throttle Review

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Ethan Smith
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Video fastest bow ever made

Editors’ review

The Full Throttle is the fastest bow ever produced, but nothing except the specification numbers would lead a shooter to believe that. For this much performance, the Full Throttle draws very well, feels balanced, holds steady, and has minimal hand shock. The valley is on the short side of things, but those wanting a speed bow already know this, and often shoot better being forced to pull hard into the back wall. It really is too bad short brace height speed bows get a bad reputation of being unforgiving and hard to shoot because many shooters will not even give the Full Throttle a legit chance because of it. However, those shooters willing to give it a test shot are going to be impressed no doubt.

Finish

PSE and Mossy Oak Camo go with each other like peanut butter and jelly. PSE has been finished with Mossy Oak for what seems like forever, and 2014 is no different. The finish options available make the entire lineup look spectacular, and the Full Throttle is no exception. Shooters have three options available without going through the PSE custom shop for an almost endless amount of finish options. Mossy Oak Break up Infinity is the traditional camo pattern option, joining an all black look, and the popular Skullworks edition pattern. All options look and feel great and are capable of withstanding the abuse hunters put on their equipment from being out in the wilderness.

Riser

Like the rest of the bow, the riser of the Full Throttle looks aggressive and mean. The riser cutouts give the bow an attitude that makes it look like no other bow currently on the market. The overall mass of the bow tips the scales at just over 4-pounds, but it by no means feels heavy even completely rigged. Although the cutouts and riser character is different than anything else PSE has this year, it is still obvious the Full Throttle is a member of the beloved X-Force line of things. The evolution of this bow has been great to watch, and it will be interesting to see how engineers improve on this solid foundation in the future. The Flex Cable Slide works like a limb and allows the shooter to fully customize the feel of the shot. Made from the same material as the split limbs, the cable slide adjustments allow for less torque while drawing and shooting the bow. While the arrow is drawn, the slide flexes in toward the arrow, after the arrow has been fired, the slide returns back to its normal position and allows for full clearance of the arrow and fletchings. The Backstop 2 rear mounting dampener does a fantastic job stopping the strings forward movement after the shot. The rubber haults the string, and cancels out noise and vibration very well transferring any residual vibration to the front mounting stabilizer hole. The riser shelf also features tuning and alignment marks as well to give tuners a good idea of where to start before fine-tuning for the perfect tear on paper. These engraved timing marks do not take away from the look of the bow, but adds a lot in functionality.

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Grip

The chosen grip for the Full Throttle is fantastic in most shooters opinions, It is narrow and skinny and fits very well in the shooters hand for a repeatable shot. It may take a little getting used to for shooters coming from a thicker more contoured grip, but those interested in perfect hand placement for limited torque and improved accuracy will love the overall feel of this grip. The rubber sidepieces feel fine, but the grip will get chilly in cold hunting situations being a part of the machined riser material. PSE is aware of this, and sells a neoprene grip cover for those wanting a warmer option without compromising the great feel of the riser in hand.

Limbs

PSE bows, especially the X-Force lineup features highly pre-stressed split limbs to help store energy and power the arrow downrange. These limbs have undergone lots of testing to make sure they hold up to everything engineers demand of them. The limbs are adjustable in ten-pound increments and have four maximum weight configurations: 50, 60, 65, and 70-pounds. Although it would be nice to have a 40-pound weight range, most shooters interested in a speed bow are covered in the standard 30-pound range available. The Centerlock Speed Pockets keep the limbs fixed to the riser. Based on the successful Centerlock pockets, the speed pockets sport a shorter design, which helps add a it of speed while eliminating some extra weight as well. The overall package is adjustable, lightweight, and fast while functioning very well.To help dampen vibration, the limb bands from PSE do a great job at reducing even more noise and vibration. The old design required the limbs to be detached to replace or put on. This generation band can be added or removed with the external locking system featured on the rubber dampeners. Shooters wanting a more customized look will also appreciate the varied colors the bands are available in as well.

See also  .45-70 Government for Grizzly Or Brown Bear Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Grizzly Or Brown Bear Hunt Hunting Calibers 04 Apr, 2020 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors Is the .45-70 Government a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for grizzly or brown bear hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .45-70 Government is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear. As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the grizzly or brown bear, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the grizzly or brown bear in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. [Click Here to Shop .45-70 Government Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a grizzly or brown bear in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .45-70 Government within the ideal range of suitable calibers for grizzly or brown bear hunting?” our answer is: No, the .45-70 Government is UNDERKILL for grizzly or brown bear hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .45-70 Government Animal Species Grizzly Or Brown Bear Muzzle Energy 2270 foot-pounds Animal Weight 595 lbs Shot Distance 200 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .45-70 Government? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .45-70 Government round is approximately 2270 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male grizzly or brown bear is approximately 595 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .45-70 Government Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in grizzly or brown bear hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for grizzly or brown bear to be approximately 200 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .45-70 Government. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the grizzly or brown bear being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .45-70 Government is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear - and to this question, the response again is no, the .45-70 Government is UNDERKILL for grizzly or brown bear hunting. [Click Here to Shop .45-70 Government Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting grizzly or brown bear to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. 22 Comments RJ Adkins - Jan 02, 2024Completely disagree with article. The 4570 is the caliber of choice for many bear hunting guides. With correct bullets and charges it’s great for penetrating through bones in big bears. Also, I n a short lever action, it gets on target quickly with capability of fast follow up shots. Also quoted energy in the article is about half of the cartridge capability. Craig Sellier - May 23, 2024What I don’t understand is it’s been said by many that while fishing, camping, hiking or any other activity in Alaska or places where there big Grizzly bear 🐻. That a 44 magnum or a 454 casull is sufficient enough to carry for bear 🐻 protection for handguns. Yet for long guns they saying that the 45-70 and the S&W 500 magnum rifle’s are not suitable for hunting Grizzly bear. 🤔 Well, that 45-70 and that 500 Magnum 50 caliber shooting from 500 to 700 grain bullets is serious medicine. It’s been said many times that the 45-70 will kill the big 5 along with the 500 S&W also. I’d really like to get a real truthful answer so I’d know if I’d be safe are am I just going out there to feed the bear 🐻 me. I really need to know. I believe that 45-70 with 405 hard cast Barnes bullets would break shoulder bones and come out the other side. The 500 S&W magnum lever action rifle is capable of shooting through and through a car engine the 45-70 as well but they are not powerful enough to hunt Grizzly bears. I do realize some Grizzly bear 🐻 🐻‍❄ will go over 1000 lbs. And stand 10 feet tall. That’s a serious Animal and there’s no room for errors. Craig Sellier - May 23, 2024What I don’t understand is it’s been said by many that while fishing, camping, hiking or any other activity in Alaska or places where there big Grizzly bear 🐻. That a 44 magnum or a 454 casull is sufficient enough to carry for bear 🐻 protection for handguns. Yet for long guns they saying that the 45-70 and the S&W 500 magnum rifle’s are not suitable for hunting Grizzly bear. 🤔 Well, that 45-70 and that 500 Magnum 50 caliber shooting from 500 to 700 grain bullets is serious medicine. It’s been said many times that the 45-70 will kill the big 5 along with the 500 S&W also. I’d really like to get a real truthful answer so I’d know if I’d be safe are am I just going out there to feed the bear 🐻 me. I really need to know. I believe that 45-70 with 405 hard cast Barnes bullets would break shoulder bones and come out the other side. The 500 S&W magnum lever action rifle is capable of shooting through and through a car engine the 45-70 as well but they are not powerful enough to hunt Grizzly bears. I do realize some Grizzly bear 🐻 🐻‍❄ will go over 1000 lbs. And stand 10 feet tall. That’s a serious Animal and there’s no room for errors. JTAC - Jul 04, 2024I am confused by this article… rated as “Underkill”. I got charged by an 800 lb male grizzly that surprised me after I stumbled upon a fresh kill. I had just enough time to pull my rifle up and get 2 shots off. The first round was so rushed I barely grazed the animal. The second round I tighten up my mechanics and took my shot for its chest. Right as I squeezed the trigger the bear dropped its head and that 45-70 405 round blew its skull cap off and dropped that bear about 18 yards from me. A lot closer than I ever want to be to any Grizzly in a full speed charge. I would suffice to say it was very effective. I get ethics of hunting shot placement and everything else when hunting. But, most of the time you do not normally get a 200 yard shot, depending on your location. I know if I hunt using my 45-70 for bear I am trying to take my shot between 100 to 125 yards away. Big hard flat tipped rounds work great. Z - Jul 04, 2024With the custom loads I have for my vintage JM Marlin 1895, I am confident 45-70 would be prevalent over any mammal indigenous to this planet. (Maybe not in one shot, because placement is a big factor…) I stand strong on this statement. Robert House - Jul 04, 2024With the right load the 45-70 Government can take any game on this Earth like with +P Hard cast and +P Underwood Extreme penetrator. EBob - Jul 04, 2024🤣 Have you ever actually hunted Grizzly Bear, or had to defend yourself against a Grizzly Bear dude? This article is total B.S.! LOL! Drew - Aug 10, 2024You can’t look at the most anemic factory loads and suggest a hunter might use those for a once in a lifetime brown bear hunt. Have you ever heard of Underwood, Buffalo Bore, Hornady or other +P hardcast or solid copper loads? Come on now, some approach 4000 ft/lb of energy. My own go to load throws a 300 gr Speer hotcore @ 2430fps @ 12’. Use your bullet energy calc. That’ll stop anyting on the planet except Elephant, Rhino, hippo or cape buff.. Mike - Sep 09, 2024Every article posted by foundry outdoors always states the same thing. Yall assume a lot. Never assume cause it makes an ass out of you and me. People aren’t quite as ignorant as assumed by writers and politicians. 4570 has killed bears for decades. No body armor on these critters. Shot placement is . 223/5.56 with 55gr fmj does it all the time do in reasonably sure a 45/70-430gr hard cast or a 325gr extreme hunter mono bullet will do the trick. G - Oct 18, 2024This article about .45-70 being underkill is full of blasphemy. Old time hunters were using black powder 45-70 with 405 grain bullets and they STILL stopped bears and any other critters that got in their way. Even to this day, .45-70 can be used to take down Safari game such as tigers and lions, albeit a bit light for that use but is practical. Whoever wrote this has clearly never hunted before or is trying to spread untruthful facts. 1 2 3 Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

Eccentric System

The Full Throttle cam is a masterpiece in archery engineering producing the fastest speeds ever from a compound bow coming in at 370 feet per second. The cams look aggressive and produce amazing performance. With draw lengths available between 26.5 and 30-inches in half-inch increments, the Full Throttle is sure to fit almost all shooters interested in a speed bow. Made out of high strength aluminum, the draw length specific cams are designed with speed in mind. The cams also feature a 70% let off, which may take a little to get used to if shooters are coming from an 80% let off, but will perform very well.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

Unfortunately, speed bows have a terrible reputation for shootability and feel. That is before the Full Throttle! This bow is amazing and shoots very well in the hands of just about anyone. The aggressive cams are designed to be tough at first, but smoother towards the end, and that is exactly how they feel. No part of the draw cycle in unmanageable, and the draw cycle transitions are very smooth. Those giving the Full Throttle a legit test shot will rave about how awesome it feels from start to finish.The back wall is solid, but the valley is a little short for some personal preferences. However, many shooting experts prefer a shorter valley, which forces shooters into a proper push and pull technique leading to improved accuracy. It may take a little more getting used to for some, but those willing to give it a try are going to be pleasantly surprised at the difference it makes. After the shot, there is a slight vibration with the bare bow, but nothing a few accessories cannot correct. The bow holds well on target, and is a bit on the heavy side of things spec-wise. It does not feel heavy in hand or holding on target, but in comparison with some other lightweight models, there is a difference when held side by side.If for no other reason, shooters should try this bow out to get a feel for what speed truly feels like. The Full Throttle is an engineering victory for how well it draw and how fast it shoots. Even with the short brace height, the Full Throttle is a dream to hold and shoot. It stacks arrows and will produce enough kinetic energy for the majority of animals hunters set out for.

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Usage Scenarios

The Full Throttle is a speed bow designed for hunting, but could help eliminate some yardage errors on the 3D course as well. With a 33 1/4- inch axel-to-axel measurement, the bow looks great on paper as a multipurpose bow even though it was designed with hunting in mind. For the $1099 price tag, it may help justify the cost for some shooters if it could be used for more than one purpose.

Comparisons

Both bows are speed demons, and great performance bows. They are designed to push the limits of speed in the compound world, and do so with a solid foundation and great shootability. With that being said, a large majority of shooters feel the PSE Full Throttle is an improvement in almost every way over the PSE X Force Omen Max. Although the Omen has a cult like following, shooters wanting speed also appreciate the smooth draw and improved back wall the Full Throttle has to offer.

Summary

Speed bows do not get the attention they deserve for the simple reason they are not giving a fair shot. Most shooters are going to walk in to a pro shop, take the Full Throttle off the shelf and test it out set at the same poundage as the bow they have at home, and walk out of the store complaining at how overpriced and hard to draw it is. Unfortunately, those shooters are missing the biggest advantage of shooting a speed bow, and that is the option to significantly decrease the draw weight and maintain the same solid performance. Shooters seriously interested is trying out the speed demon Full Throttle should have the speed of all the bows they are considering set the exact same and shoot them that way. Of course a Full Throttle is going to draw a bit differently than other bows, it is shooting 20 feet per second faster than most other fast bows on the market. Realistically, the Full Throttle can be shot 10-15-pounds lighter than what shooters are used to and still shoot the same speed. The Full Throttle is a great shooting bow in all areas, and deserves a test shot.

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Ethan Smith
Ethan Smith is a seasoned marine veteran, professional blogger, witty and edgy writer, and an avid hunter. He spent a great deal of his childhood years around the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona. Watching active hunters practise their craft initiated him into the world of hunting and rubrics of outdoor life. He also honed his writing skills by sharing his outdoor experiences with fellow schoolmates through their high school’s magazine. Further along the way, the US Marine Corps got wind of his excellent combination of skills and sought to put them into good use by employing him as a combat correspondent. He now shares his income from this prestigious job with his wife and one kid. Read more >>

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