Darton Pro 3000

Darton's Pro 3000 is designed to offer the archer a silent and shock-free shooting experience with limbs that come to a parallel position at full draw, dual LimbSavers and an adjustable string suppression system mounted directly to the cable guard. Comfort is enhanced with a two-piece molded rubber grip and stability is provided through a relatively long riser and axle-to-axle length.

The Darton Archery Company has been designing and building effective hunting bows since 1950. One of their most notable creations has been the hybrid cam system, which revolutionized how we thought about eccentric systems. A new design of that technology is the centerpiece for their new 2008 Pro 3000 bow. The Pro 3000 is home to the CPS-G2 2-1/2 Cam system, parallel Gordon Glass limbs, one of the most comfortable grips on the market and a cable guard mounted string suppression system.

Basics
The real magic behind the Pro 3000's performance is wrapped up in Darton's new, patented CPS-G2 2-1/2 Cam system. Darton has been perfecting the technology for years and the 2008 G2 is their most advanced to date with advertised IBO speeds reaching 333 feet per second. The G2's many features work together to form a high performance eccentric system in a user-friendly package. A vital component in this setup is an additional groove on both cams that increases the groove count by one-half.

This is where Darton came up with the term 2-1/2 Cam. Traditional two-cam style eccentric systems carried with them certain issues related to timing and synchronization. Darton's new G2 aims to eliminate or at least minimize these issues through a system that ties their cables to a rotating groove making it virtually impossible for them to work independently of one another. With that feature the cams can actually be out of optimum "tune" and still retain shootability, meaning nock travel will remain constant and the "bump" normally felt by the shooter when cam-mounted draw stops hit at different times will be eliminated.

Still, we all want peak performance from our bow and Darton has given us a way to ensure that is exactly what we have with their Pro 3000. The bow comes precisely tuned from the factory, but if someting ever moves, Darton has built in a safeguard to assure top performance. G2 cams include their patented Tuning Mark System that consists of two engraved lines per cam within which the cables should lay while the bow is at rest.

A quick look will tell the shooter if their cables ever need to be lengthened or shortened to achieve top performance. Other cam-based system features include sealed ball bearings, modules that allow for draw length options between 25 and 30 inches in one half-inch increments, 80-percent effective letoff and a yoke system that reduces cam torque by splitting the cables where they tie into the cams.

Also contributing to the Pro 3000's performance and shootability are Darton's EFLEX Pre-Loaded Energy limbs. Limbs are solid (not split), straight (not recurve) and measure 13 inches in length. Precise machining brings the limbs into their final form and thickness with resulting draw weight options of 50, 60 or 70 pounds peak.

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Darton fans often point to the grip as a major reason they enjoy their rig. The Pro 3000's anti-shock VibraGrip provides a warm, comfortable and slip-free shooter-to-bow interface through two molded rubber side panels. The absence of any rubber material on the rear-facing portion of the grip allows the shooter's hand to consistently seat into a repeatable position.

Darton understands a bow also needs to demonstrate minimal shock, vibration and noise levels to capture our hearts. To that end Darton employs several technologies and features on the Pro 3000. First and foremost is the parallel position of the limbs at full draw. Such limbs travel in equal and opposite directions upon release. This action voids much of the shock and vibration-causing energy normally produced by upright limb configurations. The Pro 3000 is also outfitted with Sims LimbSavers and Darton's own cable guard mounted string suppression system.

Editor's Note: Petersen's Bowhunting standardized testing includes the use of the same equipment and test methods.