Editors' review
The Outdoor Group has made a splash in the target archery world producing a variety of highly engineered bows capable of putting shooters in a position to shoot high scores. The Victory X is basically a Victory 37 made more efficiently at the Elite factory giving the bow one of the lowest prices in the target world with an MSRP of $949. Although this price is still a decent chunk of money, for a target rig, it is priced pretty competitively. The cam system is a traditional Elite two track system, with the option for shooters to go with 75-90% let-off. Unfortunately, the Victory X is only offered in three color choices, which is pretty limiting for a trade rig, especially when Elite has other finish choices they chose to not allow on the Victory X. Elite has done target archery very well in the past, and with this bow having a lot of the highly sought after features of previous models, and with the cheaper price point, a lot of target archers are going to be thrilled with this offering from the Outdoor Group.
Finish
Elite has always done a great job with their finishes, and the Victory X is absolutely no different in regards to the quality produced. Some shooter may be disappointed in the limited choices offered on this particular model from Elite, but no one will be disappointed in the craftsmanship and quality of the finish they choose. For the target archers, three options are available in Ninja Black, Cobalt Blue, and Graphite Gray. Obviously, it would be nice to see the Victory X offered in the same choices as the rest of the target line up from Elite, but aside from that the choices are great, and look really nice. There is still an opportunity to add some personal flair and color with accessories if these three options do not offer enough flavor in how they look.
Riser
The riser used on the Victory X makes up the majority of the 37-inch axel-to-axel measurement. It always tips the scales at a reasonable 4.4-pounds prior to adding accessories, which is not too shabby considering many Elite hunting bows have a shorter frame and an over 4-pound bare bow weight. Although the bare bow weight is not as polarizing as a hunting bow's weight, the Victory X still allows shooters to add weight where they would like it based on personal feel to get the balance they prefer. The geometry of the reflexed riser design also creates a decently forgiving brace height of 6 3/4-inches.Other than tried and true technology, the Victory X is not overly fancy in what it offers for the riser design. The cable containment system is a typical cable slide, and the string stop system is a standard issue, rear facing system. The front mounting stabilizer bushing is designed in line with the string stop system, and the rear mounted stabilizer bushing sits down on the riser a ways.In terms of looks and design, the Victory X is like older Elite risers, prior to the cage designs of the current 2018 model year. Those liking that style will appreciate how this bow looks. The grip is integrated right into the riser as well, which gives it a nice streamlined look overall. The Elite "E" is branded on the riser shelf also, very tastefully, with the Victory X badge below the grip area. To get the bow's price point where it is, Elite was able to streamline the machining process from the previous Victory 37 model to get the price down a bit when compared to the rest of the target line. The Victory 37 has two stabilizer mounting bushings off the front of the bow, and the Victory X only has one, which also helps with the overall cost for the X.
Grip
The Victory X grip has a great shape and feel to it. As mentioned earlier, the grip is an integrated portion of the riser, and does not have side plates or a removable grip. This V-grip was designed by the Elite pro-staff members, and has a flat back design, which sits easily in the shooters hand. The thickness of the grip feels just about right as well, not being too skinny or too think in how it feels. This makes it comfortable for shooters to curl their fingers around the front of the grip area while keeping the back in a comfortable position against their thumb pad. For shooters wanting to tweak the feel of the grip by adding some grip tape, there is room to do that as well given the starting place.
Limbs
The limbs on the Victory X are the exact two way laminate, solid limb design located on the 37. Shooters will get black limbs regardless of which riser choice they decide to go with. The limb graphics are well done, and display the company logo with white lettering that looks sophisticated and in great taste. The solid limbs are offered in three configurations with 50, 60, and 70-pound limbs available, each with the standard 10-pounds of adjustment. Solid limb construction is becoming a bit outdated on many hunting bows, but they are a bit more popular on target bows. Elite has done these limbs very well in the past, and have it down to an exact science. Shooters should buy with a great deal of confidence the limbs will function flawlessly.
Eccentric System
The cam system is a typical Elite two track cam, with a draw length adjustment from 26-31-inches. The modular based draw length adjustments are easy to make, and can be made in half-inch increments as well. Although not many shooters go over the 31-inch mark, it would be nice to see Elite offer this target bow in something longer draw shooters could purchase as well. The rest of the specs would work well for larger shooters, and it would be nice to give them an additional option. The speed rating goes up to 327 feet per second, which is not blazing fast, but still pretty good for a target model. Shooters also have the ability to adjust the let-off from 75-90%. Like other Elite bows, the back wall is aided by dual limb stops, which create one of the most solid back walls on the market.
Draw Cycle/Shootability
The first thing many shooters will notice is the lightweight 4.4-pounds the Victory X weighs in at before accessories are added. This weight is pretty light for a target bow considering its 36 3/4-inch axel-to-axel measurement. Although target bows tend to be a bit heavier than hunting bows, shooters are going to stack stabilizer weight on this to get it where they want anyways. To start a bit lighter weight will make it so shooters do not have too heavy of a rig all set up, which is a nice thing for some.The draw is a typical Elite draw cycle, which means the cams spend less time at peak weight, while still giving the performance shooters need to be successful. The cams transition nicely, and the back wall is truly outstanding as with all Elite bows. The adjustable holding weight allows shooters to be more traditional with their let off for target archery, or stick with the Elite version of high let-off depending on what each shooter feels best. Letting down is the trickiest part of the cam system given how the valley and let off feel. Shooters will almost feel as though they have to push the string forward to let down. After the shot, the design of the bow does s nice job of absorbing the noise and vibration, or sending it away from the shooters hand. The Victory X holds well on target, and it as effortless to aim as any bow on the market. The string angle of the almost 37-inch bow is easy to get used to as well, and keeps the head as upright as possible during the shot sequence.
Usage Scenarios
The Victory X is a designed target bow. Just as the name suggests, this Elite bow is strictly designed to put shooters in a position to win tournaments whether that is 3D, field, or target archery. With that being said, shooters more comfortable with a longer axel-to-axel bow may find the Victory X a pretty good hunting bow as well with it having similar features to the older Elite models prior to switching to split limbs and the caged riser design. Overall, the Victory X will be most comfortable as a target bow, but that should not deter shooters wanting a longer framed bow as a hunting rig.
Elite Archery Financing
Elite allows shooters the option for financing their products. Although the Victory X is one of the better priced target bows on the market for 2018, the $949 price tag is still far from cheap. The Outdoor Group uses Klarna to create low monthly payments for shooters allowing them to gradually pay off their new bow in smaller chunks. For the Victory X model, prices can be as low as $58 per month to pay off. This is not an option for every shooter, but the fact that Elite is offering this as a choice is pretty cool.
Summary
The Victory X is basically a Victory 37 from a few years ago, with limited finish options, and the lose of a front stabilizer mounting hole (it still has one mounting hole). However, the $949 price tag should be more than enough to get people on board with the new price for such an excellent rig. For shooters interested in getting started in the target archery world, it can be difficult to get started because the bows are generally over the $1000 mark. The Victory X has everything shooters need to become serious about the target world or archery. The engineering behind the Victory X, although slightly dated in comparison to the technology Elite offers in the new line up of 2018 bows, is tried and true. It is very difficult to find anything wrong with the Victory X as a target rig, and the reduced price tag should make a lot of shooters very happy.
