The Nock On Unite is the latest collaboration between PSE and well-known archer John Dudley. The bow lives up to its name by uniting the bow and accessories with a variety of new mounting options.
June 16, 2023
By Jon E. Silks
In recent years, iconic bowmaker PSE Archery has collaborated with John Dudley on a series of bows that bear Dudley’s Nock On brand name and logo. Dudley is an accomplished target archer with a long list of honors and awards to his name, in addition to being a world-renowned coach, highly successful bowhunter and one of the sport’s most popular influencers via his social media feeds, digital videos and podcasts.
The latest bow addition to the PSE/Nock On lineup is the 2023 PSE Nock On Unite , joining the Carbon Levitate and Embark in the series stable. Offered in your choice of three distinct cam systems, the Nock On Unite also features PSE’s EZ.220 Snap Spacer system for fast cam-tuning; a comfortable, injection-molded rubber grip; new limb silencers to tame vibration and shock; a Picatinny rail sight mount; three rest-mounting options; and 941 X-Tech split limbs that are aligned to the riser with a new, lighter limb pocket design.
Command Center The Unite is built on a fully machined aluminum riser that is reflex in configuration (meaning the limb pivot points are in front of the grip’s throat) for a longer power stroke and faster arrow speeds. A series of generously sized cutouts along the riser’s length helps reduce overall bow weight.
Accessory mounting options on the Unite are plentiful. In addition to standard bow sight and arrow rest mounting holes, PSE outfits the new rig with a Picatinny sight mount up front and a machined dovetail plate in the rear that accommodates QAD’s Integrate rest-mount system. The dovetail plate can be removed to expose two mounting holes for the Hamskea Epsilon rest. These optional mounting methods help to improve overall bow balance by aligning the sight and rest with the centerline of the bow.
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The Nock On Unite features a small section of Picatinny rail on the front of the riser for sight mounting (at left), while the rear of the riser above the shelf has custom mounts for QAD Integrate rests or Hamskea’s Epsilon (at right). PSE’s injection-molded, rubber OverGrip is designed to produce a neutral wrist position and offer both utility and comfort. The RollerGlide cable-containment system uses a set of rollers for the cables as well as the fixed carbon rod to reduce friction and increase efficiency. A stainless-steel stabilizer-mounting bushing and rubber-tipped string stop round out the riser package.
Power Source The Unite features cams, cables, a string and limbs that work in harmony to store, manipulate and transfer the energy the archer loads into the bow when drawn. PSE’s Limb Vise limb pocket system is lighter than previous designs and enhances stability by keeping the limbs centered in the pocket regardless of limb bolt position. The Unite is outfitted with PSE 941 Series limbs that employ proven X-Tech Technology to store and deliver energy. Limbs are split, highly pre-loaded and precision machined from industry-standard Gordon Glass materials. Their past-parallel position at full draw is critical to reducing shock, vibration and noise at the shot.
Three different cam systems are available on the Unite, spanning a wide range of draw lengths and brace heights, while high and low letoff modules are available for each. A separate speed option can be purchased for the EC2 cam (Evolve Cam 2) option. Bows are shipped with the 80-90 percent high-letoff mod. The EC2 cam, which was included on our test bow, covers draw lengths from 25.5-31 inches, in half-inch increments. It is advertised to produce an IBO arrow speed of 332 fps on a 6.625-inch brace height.
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Range Notes Our test bow earned an A-plus for its high-quality machining, finish and mechanics — no flaws were found, and all components functioned as expected. After setup, the first few shots told much of the story.
The Unite’s draw was firm, but not unpleasant, followed by a solid back wall and a steady hold on target. The bow's OverGrip was comfortable but did push my hand up into the portion of the arrow rest that reaches downward just behind the shelf.
When the first test arrow flew, I noticed little in the way of hand shock and even less vibration. The minimal shock was further reduced, I would say by about half, and the nearly undetectable vibration was wiped out completely simply by adding a quality stabilizer to the riser.
As for shot noise, my perception was even more favorable than the sound level detected by our sound meter. All in all, the Nock On Unite is another successful collaboration between PSE and John Dudley!
The Specs Manufacturer: PSE Archery, 520-884-9065; psearchery.com Model: Nock On UniteRiser: Machined aluminum, reflexGrip: Injection-molded rubber OverGrip, neutral wristLimbs: 941 Split Limbs, wide-stance, machined Gordon GlassDraw Weights: 60, 70 and 80 pounds peakDraw Lengths: 25.5-32 inches across three available cam systemsCam System: Evolve Cam 2 (EC2) on test bow; E2 and S2 cams also availableLetoff: 80-90 percent, adjustable; 86 percent as testedString: PSE LiveWire, BCY 452X, 59.625 inchesCables (x2): PSE LiveWire, BCY 452X, 37.5 inchesBrace Height: 6.625 inchesAxle-to-Axle Length: 32.25 inchesWeight: 4.8 pounds (advertised); 4.77 pounds (as tested)Finish: Black, Charcoal, Green, Tan, Optifade Subalpine camouflage and more.Advertised IBO Speed: 332 fpsMSRP: $1,199Comments: A solid performer in all categories. Well done, PSE!All of our Bow Tests are conducted using the same standardized procedures and professionally calibrated testing equipment. Bows are tested with a draw length of 29 inches and a draw weight of 65 pounds, unless otherwise noted. Speed & Energy Arrow Speed: 306 fps (375-grain arrow); 289 fps (425-grain arrow)Kinetic Energy: 77.99 ft./lbs. (375-grain arrow); 78.83 ft./lbs. (425-grain arrow)Dynamic Efficiency: 86.7% (375-grain arrow); 87.7% (425-grain arrow)Shot Noise: 91.6 dBA (375-grain arrow); 89.9 dBA (425-grain arrow)
