Compound Bow Comparator

Launched for the 2023 model year at a $1,599 launch MSRP and carried unchanged through 2026, the Reckoning Gen2 36 is Bowtech's target and 3D platform that still hunts. It stacks the brand's complete press-free tuning kit - DeadLock cam shift, TimeLock timing, GripLock grip angle - onto a 36-inch riser and adds the one tool the hunting bows skip: an adjustable draw stop that builds a back wall you cannot pull through. Two cam options and a short-draw variant carry the fit from roughly 23 inches to 32.5 inches, and the chronograph backs the speed for a target bow, 326 fps in Performance at a 60-pound, 300-grain setup. At 4.6 to 4.7 pounds bare and more set up, with non-parallel limbs that send a little movement forward at the shot, it is built to hold dead still on a stake rather than to pack light into the backcountry. Having spent more time on its wall than its speed, what stays with me is how planted it feels at full draw - anchored, quiet, and endlessly tunable. An excellent bow for the target and 3D shooter who wants a flawless back wall, class-leading finish, and complete do-it-yourself tunability in a platform that still crosses over to hunting season. Buyers who want a shorter, lighter, hunting-first rig should look at the Bowtech Proven 34, while those chasing maximum target stability should also consider the longer Bowtech Reckoning Gen2 39. Read full review...

Launched for the 2025 model year at a $1,449 launch MSRP and carried unchanged into 2026, the Proven 34 is Bowtech's no-compromise tuning platform - the bow that puts every press-free adjustment tool the brand makes onto one 34-inch hybrid chassis. DeadLock walks arrow flight, TimeLock syncs cam timing, GripLock sets the grip angle, and a FlipDisc moves the draw cycle from a smooth Comfort pull to a faster Performance setting, all without a bow press. The two cam options carry the fit from a 25-inch compact draw on the Standard cam to a 33-inch reach on the Long cam, and the chronograph confirms the speed - 333 fps at 30 inches, 70 pounds, and 350 grains, holding steady after a thousand arrows. At 4.7 pounds it is no featherweight, and its deep Performance back end rewards a shooter who stays engaged, but those are the costs of a long, stable, endlessly tunable platform. Having spent more time tuning it than shooting it, what stays with me is how rarely it needed touching once set - a thousand arrows, one re-time. An excellent bow for the crossover hunter and 3D shooter who wants long-axle stability and complete do-it-yourself tunability over the lightest possible rig. Buyers who want a lighter, compact build should look at the Bowtech Solution LS, while those who want a faster, dedicated hunting bow at a similar price should also consider the Bowtech Alliance 33. Read full review...

Launched for the 2023 model year at a $1,799 launch MSRP and carried unchanged through 2026, the Reckoning Gen2 39 is the most stable, most tunable bow Bowtech puts on a target line. Its 39-inch riser barely moves at the shot - the least deflection of anything in its class - and behind that forgiving hold sits the brand's complete press-free toolkit: DeadLock cam tuning, TimeLock timing, an adjustable triangle draw stop that builds a limb-stop-firm wall, GripLock grip adjustment, and a let-off that dials anywhere from 65 to 85 percent. Two cam options carry the fit from 26.5 inches out to 33.5, and the chronograph confirms honest target speed, about 323 fps in Performance at a 60-pound, 300-grain setup. At 4.9 to 5 pounds bare and more set up, on a long riser the vertical limbs push cleanly forward at the shot, it is built to stand still on a line rather than to hunt or pack light. Having spent more time on its wall than its speed, what stays with me is how little the bow moves once you are anchored - it holds, and it lets you run the shot. An excellent bow for the indoor, field, and 3D competitor who values a steady hold and complete do-it-yourself tunability above all else. Buyers who want that stability in a shorter, more balanced package should look at the Bowtech Reckoning Gen2 36, while those who need a bow that hunts as well as it shoots should consider the Bowtech Proven 34. Read full review...

• The complete press-free tuning toolkit - DeadLock cam shift, TimeLock cam timing, GripLock grip angle, and an adjustable draw stop - tunes and sets the back wall with a wrench, no press
• Two cam options plus a short-draw variant fit nearly any draw from roughly 23 inches to 32.5 inches for target or hunting
• A rock-solid, elongated back wall that locks you into the valley - the repeatable anchor a target and 3D shooter wants
• Dead in the hand with residual vibration that dies almost instantly, even from a long 36-inch riser
• Class-leading finish quality - a deep, chip-resistant speckle paint that owners consistently rank at the top of the target field

• The complete press-free tuning toolkit - DeadLock cam shift, TimeLock cam timing, and GripLock grip angle - tunes the bow to a bullet hole with an Allen key and no bow press
• Two factory cam options - a Standard cam for 25-to-30-inch draws and a Long cam reaching 33 inches - so one bow fits a compact hunter or a tall 3D shooter
• Proven durable in long-term use - a thousand arrows over five months on the stock strings, with the cams needing a re-time only once
• Real-world speed matches the rating - a long-cam setup chronographed 333 fps at 30 inches, 70 pounds, and a 350-grain arrow
• The broadest finish selection in the lineup - nine factory solids and camos plus a custom program - covering 3D shooters and pattern-camo hunters alike

• Near-zero riser deflection at the shot - among the most forgiving, dead-stable holds of any target bow, the payoff of the 39-inch length
• The complete press-free tuning toolkit - DeadLock cam shift, TimeLock cam timing, GripLock grip angle, and an adjustable draw stop - dialed in with a wrench, no press
• Let-off fine-tunes from 65 to 85 percent by sliding the module, so a shooter can set exact holding weight on top of the Comfort and Performance modes
• A limb-stop-firm back wall from the flat draw-stop setting - the deep, repeatable anchor a competition archer builds groups on
• Class-leading speckle finish plus a full slate of front, rear, and low stabilizer and side-rod mounts for a serious target rig

• The non-parallel limbs give a slight forward movement at the shot - a characteristic target shooters expect and a parallel-limb hunting bow avoids, though the bow settles dead in the hand immediately after
• Built and priced for the target and 3D shooter at a $1,599 tier - a pure hunter who will not use the 36-inch stability or adjustable draw stop gets better value from the shorter, cheaper Proven 34

• A real-world 4.7-pound bare-bow mass is on the heavy side for a current hunter - a shooter packing it deep into the backcountry will feel it, though treestand and 3D shooters who do not carry far rarely mind
• The Performance FlipDisc setting runs an aggressive back end at maxed-out weight - a deep valley that can creep forward if you let off - though running the Comfort setting or backing off a few pounds settles it

• Heavy and long by design - 4.9 to 5 pounds bare and past five set up on a 39-inch riser - built to stand dead still on a stake rather than to hunt or pack far; the shorter Reckoning Gen2 36 or Proven 34 fit a crossover or hunting buyer better
• The vertical limbs send some forward movement at the shot and the vibration lingers a touch longer than a flagship hunter - a feel most target archers prefer, but worth shooting in person if you are used to a dead-still parallel-limb bow