PSE Rally Review

Editors' review

The PSE Rally was initially introduced to the archery lineup in 2011 for the 2012 PSE line of compound bows and remains a strong seller today. Management went to the engineers and told them to design a bow that offered tons of adjustability and would comfortably fit any archer and last. With that, the Rally was born. At 4.5 pounds, 33 3/4" ATA, and a 308 fps IBO, this rig fits almost every shooter in any archery scenario. The bow is not lightning fast as it is about 25 fps slower than the average compound bow, but is smooth, accurate, and definitely fast enough to tackle whatever the shooter throws at it.

Finish

This rig comes standard in the Mossy Oak Breakup Infinity camo pattern. This film-dipped finish ensures a high quality finish that aids in reducing noise while protecting the riser from those little bumps and dings that are normal for the sport of archery.

Risers/Limb

This bow was designed around a one-piece ultra-rigid machined aluminum riser. The riser was designed to absorb shock and enhance comfort and shootability. The riser is beautifully crafted and is capped with a newly designed aluminum pivoting limb pocket that allows 10 full turns of adjustability from the bottom. The limb pocket has rubber bushings that maintain constant contact with the limb to ensure control. The limb pocket also utilizes a pin-key alignment system to keep the limbs in proper alignment throughout the shot cycle. This rig uses a parallel limb design. The limbs can be purchased in 50#, 60#, or 70# max weight sets. Although the Rally offers a lot of adjustability, it requires a combination of limbs, limb bolt adjustment, and cable position on the cam to perform this versatility. The draw length will also have a major effect on the draw weight. The bow usually comes standard setup at 50# draw weight and 29" draw length unless specified otherwise.

Other Components

This bow comes as a bare bow or as a complete ready-to-shoot package. As a bare bow, that is what you get. The standard equipment includes the bow, the Raptor Grip, easy to use tuning marks, and a cable slide. If the archer purchases the RTS package, it will also include a whisker biscuit rest, Gemini Sight, Mongoose quiver, Peep Wheel and Nock set.

Eccentric System

This rig comes with the PSE Opti-Cam system. This cam system produces good speed based on draw length and weight while offering 14" of draw length adjustability. The Opti-Cam system allows the draw length to be easily adjusted simply by loosening the draw module and rotating it to the correct position and tightening the screws. The cam system also provides for adjustments to the draw stop. The back wall of this rig has been described as "mushy."

Draw Cycle/Shootability

The Rally is very versatile with a consistent draw cycle at all draw weights and lengths. Some shooters have described the first part of the draw cycle as having a slight "bump," but the draw is smooth from beginning all the way through break-over. As with any bow, the draw starts smooth and has a steady build up to break-over without being overbearing for the shooter. The rig transitions through break-over with relative ease and is easy to hold for a nice shot. Many feel the back wall is spongy, but this can probably be corrected with proper adjustment, or maybe even replacing the draw stop. Let-off can be set for a maximum of 70%. The bow is very shootable and can be adjusted to fit almost any shooter. The draw weight is adjusted with a combination of limb bolt adjustments and mod adjustments. Draw weight is directly tied to the draw length. Also, in order to keep a constant peak weight at all draw lengths, the string can be routed off of the mod and onto the guide track of the cam. All adjustments can be made quickly with only using a hex wrench. The draw length can be adjusted from 18" - 31" while the draw weight can be adjusted from 18# - 70#. One word of caution though, the bow comes with your choice of 50#, 60#, or 70# limbs. This will be the deciding factor of just how much adjustability you will get out of this bow.

Silencing Package

This bow has some inherent silencing built into it, but comes with very little in the way of silencing hardware out of the box. The bow does have a small set of string silencers, and the Mongoose quiver is designed to reduce vibration when attached to the bow, but if the shooter wishes to quieten the bow further, it is a must they quality silencing equipment be added before using this rig to hunt with.The bow does not come out of the box quiet as it is primarily an entry level bow. It is not as loud as some bows, but it does need work if the owner wishes to use it as a hunting rig.

Comparisons

Bow	PSE Rally	Diamond Infinite Edge
Version	2013	2015
Picture
Brace Height	7.5 "	7 "
AtA Length	33.75 "	31 "
Draw Length	18 " - 31 "	13 " - 30 "
Draw Weight	40 lbs - 70 lbs	5 lbs - 70 lbs
IBO Speed	300 fps - 308 fps	310 fps
Weight	4.5 lbs	3.1 lbs
Let-Off	70%	75%
Where to buy Best prices online	$300 to $350 Compare prices	$115 to $500 Compare prices
	compare more bows

Based on the price, marketing, and adjustability, the PSE Rally can be compared with the Diamond Infinite Edge. Each rig is marketed as an entry level bow that will fit almost any archer. Both are said to grow with the shooter and cannot be outgrown. The PSE retails for $299 bare bow, and the Diamond retails for $349. The Diamond offers more versatility with four more inches of draw length adjustment-13" - 30" compared to the 18" - 31" from PSE. The Diamond also offers more draw weight adjustment - 5# - 70# as opposed to the 18# - 70# offered by PSE. Also, the Diamond does not require the limbs to be changed out with the upper limits of the weight adjustments.Physical characteristics of each bow is fairly comparable, and both offer about the same speed; 308 fps for the PSE and 310 fps for the Diamond. Each can also be ordered in a ready to hunt package with comparable hardware.

Usage Scenarios

The PSE Rally is a versatile bow and can be used in any archery situation from target to 3D to hunting. This bow is an entry-level target bow. The bow is smooth and easy to hold on-target, making it a very good 3D rig. It also has the speed to make it a very effective hunting bow. It depends on what the shooter wishes to use this bow for, but it will fit well in any situation.

Value

This rig retails for $299 for a bare bow package, but can be ordered ready to hunt for as much as $520. The bow is a good bow for the novice shooter, but if the archer wishes to use this rig for hunting, there are better bows out there for the money you will ultimately spend on this rig before it is really ready for the woods.

Summary

The PSE Rally offers 12 inches of draw length adjustment and up to 52# of draw weight adjustment. The bow comes in a very nice looking Mossy Oak Breakup Infinity making it easy to overlook the fact that it is an entry-level bow. With a 33 3/4" ATA and a 7 1/2" brace height, this rig looks every bit a hunting rig, which it very well can be. The Rally offers a 308 fps IBO, this bow is smooth, easy to draw and hold on target, and is accurate. With the amount of adjustability offered in this rig, it is a very good bow for any beginner and will grow and advance through the various stages of age, growth, and skill levels of the shooter. Just because this bow is marketed as an entry-level bow, that does not mean it should be overlooked.