Mission Rally Review

Editors' review

The Mission Rally is the first target bow venture under the Mission brand from Matthew's archer. It is an entry-level rig that is affordable, adjustable, and can be shot by a wide range of archers of any skill level. At 4.1 pounds, it is not a heavy bow and is close to the average total weight of all compound bow. With a 37" ATA, 7 1/4" brace height, and the new Opti-Mod cam system, this bow offers accuracy, very little vibration, and an IBO rating of 300 fps, which is slower than the average compound bow. Although this bow is not lightning fast, even the most experienced target shooters enjoy shooting this rig.

Finish

This bow comes in a variety of colors that makes it easy to personalize this rig and be sure to stand out on the shooting line. It comes in Lost Camo, Lost Camo AT Pink and black for standard colors. It can also be ordered in White Carbon, Green Carbon, Pink Carbon, White Marble, Pink Marble, Green Marble, White Tiger, Green Tiger, and Pink Tiger.

Risers/Limb

This bow is built around a single-piece machined aluminum Extruded Riser. With the cutouts milled in just the right places, the overall weight is reduced while retaining the strength needed to provide a solid platform for the rest of the bow. The riser is capped with a strong set of matched limb pockets that provide strength to hold the limbs solidly in place through thousands of shots. This rig has traditional style non-parallel split limbs. Combined with the riser, this provides the 37" ATA. The limbs are rated at 70# peak weight and the draw weight can be adjusted from 26# - 70# without the need to change limbs. This is accomplished by changing out modules, and adjusting the limb bolts. The draw weight can be adjusted from 26# - 70#. The Rally will also maintain the 22" - 30" draw length adjustability regardless of the weight the bow is set for.

Other Components

Besides the Opti-Mod Cam System and the Extruded Riser, this bow comes with D-Amplifier silencing, Cable Guard with a Carbon Rod, and Zebra Hybrid strings. Since this is primarily a target bow, it does not come with a lot of bells and whistles as the typical competitive shooter will wish to meticulously outfit this rig. Some shooters will cut the D-Amplifier silencers off of the string. One shooter did mention that by removing the D-Amplifier silencers, he actually lost several fps. There are also some that feel the grip is a little large and awkward and takes some time to get accustomed to.

Eccentric System

This bow comes with a patented Opti-Mod Cam system for exceptional performance and a wide range of adjustability. This cam system allows the bow to be easily adjusted from 22" - 30" draw length, and 26# - 70# draw weight. The draw weight can be "coarse" adjusted by changing the mod, and fine-tuned by adjusting the limb bolts. The draw length can be adjusted by rotating the mod into the proper slot and tightening it back down. With this setup, the draw length can be adjusted through the entire range regardless of the poundage the bow is set to, making it a very versatile rig.

Draw Cycle/Shootability

This bow has a very smooth draw with a steady build up to break-over without being overbearing for the shooter. Many have even stated that the bow feels like it is drawing about ten pounds less than what it is actually set for. Once the shooter transitions to let-off, this rig is easy to hold the pins on target, which is exactly what an archer wants in a target bow. There is some vibration, but not so much that it is a distraction. There are some, though, that feel the draw is somewhat "funky" and awkward, with a spongy back wall.The draw weight is easily adjusted by a combination of adjusting the limb bolts and changing the cam mods. These mods come in 40#, 50#, 60#, and 70# settings. They can be changed simply by removing the screws with a 3/32" allen wrench. The draw length can be adjusted by rotating the mod into the proper position and tightening it back down. This can be done in under five minutes without a bow press.

Silencing Package

The Mission Rally is a target bow...simply put. There are some inherent silencing qualities built into the split limbs and the aluminum riser. There is also some silencing in the cable guard and the carbon rod and the D-Amplifier silencing system, but that is about it. Although this rig will be good in the field for a hunt, the shooter will need to take some extra measures to add some silencing components. Some limb savers for the split limbs and a hunting style stabilizer would be the bare essentials before hitting the woods. This does not mean that the archer should think twice about taking this bow into the woods. This bow will work well in a hunting situation. It is simply a "heads up." This bow will work well in any situation.

Comparisons

Bow	Mission Rally	Bowtech Specialist
Version	2014	2014
Picture
Brace Height	7.25 "	7.5 "
AtA Length	37 "	37.5 "
Draw Length	22 " - 30 "	26 " - 30.5 "
Draw Weight	26 lbs - 70 lbs	50 lbs - 60 lbs
IBO Speed	300 fps	330 fps
Weight	4.0 lbs	4.1 lbs
Let-Off	75%	65%, 75%
Where to buy Best prices online	Not available now. Please check later.	Not available now. Please check later.
	compare more bows

The Mission Rally is the inaugural design of a target bow for the Mission division of Matthews. It is versatile and has a wide range of adjustments, and is similar in size and specs to the Bowtech Specialist. Both have a longer ATA, with the Bowtech being 1/2" longer at 37 1/2". These are both target bows, but the Bowtech is designed for competitive target shooting meaning an overall better bow. While the Rally has a draw weight range of 26# - 70#, the Specialist only ranges from 40# - 70#. The Bowtech has 1/4" more brace height, about two ounces more mass, and both have up to 75 percent let-off. Draw weight adjustment on the Bowtech is limb dependent as the limbs have peak weights of 50#, 60#, and 70# and each has 10# adjustability by using limb bolts. The Rally uses one set of limbs and the weight is adjusted by a combination of changing out modules and using limb bolts. Although each of these bows are good bows in their own right, they are also different classes of bows. The Rally is an entry-level target bow, and the Specialist is a competitive rig. With this in mind, the Rally is a low-end bow that retails for $499, while the Specialist is for the more serious shooter in the competitive circuit and retails for $1,049. Both are very good shooters and both are accurate. When looking at purchasing a target bow, the shooter is advised to seriously evaluate where they are with their shooting and what they are looking for.

Usage Scenarios

This bow is an entry-level target bow. It is a Matthews bow distributed under the Mission brand that incorporates various technologies to provide an accurate bow with good speed for release and finger shooters. With an IBO rating of 300 fps, this bow will easily hit a kill zone beyond the typical 30 and 40 yard ranges. Even though this is designed for the target shooter in mind, it can easily be put into a hunting situation without any problems. As mentioned above though, extra attention will need to be paid to silencing this bow if using as a hunting rig.

Value

This bow has a retail price of $499. Although this is a very good bow, it is still at the lower end of compound bow lineup. At this retail price, it is about $200 less than the average compound bow. Most that have shot this rig have been pleased with the performance. Some that shoot higher-end rigs use this as a backup.

Summary

The Mission Rally is the first venture by Mission into the world of target bows. The rig was designed from Matthews experience in building quality, high-end target bows while incorporating many of the features found throughout the Mission line-up. With a 37" ATA, a 7 1/4" brace height, and the new Opti-Mod cam system, the Rally offers a huge range of adjustability while providing exceptional accuracy. It is a lower-end, entry-level target bow and offers 22" - 30" draw length and 26# - 70# of draw weight. Adjustments are easily accomplished simply by changing and/rotating the cam module without the need of a press, and can be done in a matter of minutes. This bow is easy to tune, and the archer can be shooting good groups consistently on the first time out. Many shooters describe the back wall as spongy, so changing the draw stop may be in order. With a $499 retail price, this is an affordable target bow, and although it is a lower-end rig, those that have shot it have been pleasantly surprised.