October 28, 2010
By Jon E. Silks
A minimalist's dream bow, the Liberty I measures only 20.5 inches between the axles and tips the scales at a mere 2.3 pounds. Liberty met their design goals for a compact, lightweight and effective rig. Despite the toy-like appearance this bow is designed to perform on the same level as today's top bows and generates 308 fps.
By Jon E. Silks
This bow really isn't that different from any other bow, right? It has a riser, grip, split limbs and cams. Actually, even though Liberty Archery used all the basic parts of a typical compound bow they have configured those parts in a way that creates an exceptionally uncommon package named the Liberty I '07.
The Liberty I riser is designed to spread the limb mounting apart and position the arrow shelf between them. This configuration places the handle, arrow rest and sight pins in the middle of the overall structure, eliminating the need for a cable guard. The riser has a forward-pointing A-frame structure that provides separation and support for the limbs. Essentially the limbs are the outermost and forward facing component on the Liberty I and as a result the limb sets come to within an inch of touching. To give the riser it's needed strength Liberty uses an investment cast process with A357-T6 aluminum.
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As detailed on the Liberty Archery website (www.libertyarchery.com ) much of the string must be held within the cam on an extremely short bow. This equals the need for a large cam. A unique cable system allows for precise cam timing through the use of a curled and grooved feature on each cam that captivates a ball on the end of the steel cable. The other end of the cable is terminated on the outside of the opposite limb and incorporates a threaded adjustment mechanism.
Liberty I's compact limbs measure just over 15 inches. Pre-machined limb material is received from Gordon Composites and is formulated into the final form by Barnsdale Archery. The limbs are coupled to the riser through small CNC machined aluminum limb pockets that rotate/pivot on an axle.
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Testing
The Liberty 1 must be shot with a perfectly centered string loop (factory pre-installed). Any change in the position of the loop may affect the shock and vibration levels so it is important to either leave it alone or mark its position if you intend to replace it.
SPECIFICATIONS
MANUFACTURER:
Liberty Archery, Dept. P.B., 120 Saratoga Ave. #82,
MODEL:
Liberty I '07
DRAW WEIGHTS:
45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 82 pound peak
DRAW LENGTH:
Cam Specific from 26.35 to 32 inches
RISER
Investment Cast A357-T6 aluminum
LIMBS:
Split Barnsdale Pimbs
MASS WEIGHT:
2.3 pounds
LETOFF:
85 percent
GRIP:
One-piece Sarlink/Safoam molded
BRACE HEIGHT:
7 inches
AXLE-TO-AXLE LENGTH:
20.5 inches
FINISH:
Realtree HD Green
ADVERTISED IBO SPEED:
308 fps
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE:
$699
Comments:
A compact, ultra maneuverable, hunting bow.
Set up included the usual shoot-through arrow rest, however, instead of a brass nock I installed a string loop. The test bow had a 28-inch cam and a draw weight of 65 pounds. A 350-grain arrow was paper tuned for testing.
Speed was measured using two profession-grade chronographs and a mechanical shooting machine. Averaged over 15 shots the Liberty I registered speeds of 270.4 fps.
My first shots out of the bow produced major hand shock, which led me to experiment with loop position and the adjustable cable system. It took some work, however, the majority of the shock and vibration were eliminated. A stabilizer reduced it even more.
I thoroughly enjoyed shooting the Liberty. It has a smooth draw cycle and a comfortable grip. Once you get past the size you'll realize that it is a serious bow that performs extremely well.
