Contents
Bow Package Contents
The SAS Solid Limb compound is called the Predator. It seems that SAS did not advertise it under that name for some time, so I stay with the former name. This model is manufactured in China and imported and sold by SAS to the USA. This means that they are responsible for the customer service, which is a good thing. The fact that this model is manufactured overseas does not need to be negative at all, as long as the customers are not left alone when experiencing any problems. SAS’ customer support is rather good, though!
The SAS Solid Limb comes fully strung in a version for right-handed shooters only, at the moment.
Its adjustable 3-pin sight is good enough for starting out. You may want to get a better one later, though, as the bowsight is one of the accessories that just needs to be of a great quality to get good results while shooting. The sight needs to be sighted in, by the way. This should be done by the owner / shooter of the bow as it will depend a lot on the personal shooting style. If you don’t know where to start, feel free to read my guide here => How To Sight In A Compound Bow.
More critical than the sight is the arrow rest. This one comes with a Twister rest that is not that good, to be honest, so I suggest you get a Whisker Biscuit or other ‘brush-style’ rest as soon as possible. Your accuracy will go up fast with a good arrow rest, as will your consistency. Maybe look at some options from Trophy Ridge or similar brands.
The cable guard works like it should, keeping the cables out of the arrow’s way and the cables from blocking each other.
You will get the SAS Solid Limb only in a black finish. If you want more ‘happy colors’ you need to get a different model, but for the hardcore guys and gals this should be okay 🙂 .
The one year limited warranty is non-transferable, which means it will only work for the original owner, so keep your invoice safe. It will be voided if you misuse, abuse, modify or dry fire this model or use it in any way that it is not meant to be used. If you want to learn more about dry firing, please read my article about it here => Dry Firing A Compound Bow.
There are no arrows included, which is a good thing as you would have to switch those out anyway. Arrows that are sold with sets like this are usually crap. Getting the right arrows is more important than geting the best compound! Arrows need to be suitable for the bow (poundage and draw length setting), they need to fit your personal draw length and the purpose (target practice, bowhunting). Usually you add one inch to your own draw length for security reasons: because if you choose an arrow that is too short it might land in your own hand! If you want to know how to measure your draw length, feel free to read my guide here => How To Determine Your Draw Length. If you want to learn more about choosing arrows, I have an article about that as well => Choosing The Right Arrows For A Compound Bow.
You will also need to get some bow wax for the string and cables of your SAS Solid Limb. It is important to wax those parts regularly to prolong their life. You have to switch them out sooner or later anyway, but without waxing they will get wear and fraying rather sooner than later. Apart from that you should replace string and cables after 5,000 shots or at least once per year.
There is no stabilizer with this model but there is a pre-drilled hole in the riser for attaching one. A stabilizer will take out vibrations in the shooting process, thus silencing it down and balancing it out, which makes the whole process more comfortable. Therefore I would get one. They are not that expensive, but their effects on your results can be great.
There is also no peep sight served in or a D-loop installed. A peep sight acts as a rear sight that you need to line up with the bowsight for aiming. A D-loop is necessary for shooting with a mechanical release aid. Shooting with a release aid will result in higer accuracy, because you take your fingers out of the equation. Finger shooters tend to twist the string while releasing the arrow, which can affect its flight tremendously. Therefore it is recommended in general to shoot compound bows with a release aid.
As serving in a peep sight and installing a D-loop requires a lot of knowledge, I would suggest you go to a professional shop. They will set them all up for you against a small fee. If you buy arrows, stabilizer and silencers from them, they may do it for free.
I found some complaints that customers did not get a manual with the package. If you are one of them, you can view a digital version of it here => Manual
It is not extensive but a lot better than having nothing 🙂 .
Noise Level / Hand Shock Of The SAS Solid Limb Compound Bow
You need to get a stabilizer and string silencers to really silence it down. Apart from that, there is not much of a recognizable hand shock. In general, modern models should not have the slightest hint of a hand shock anymore, because the widely spread parallel limb design has eliminated it completely.
Bow Specifics / Limbs / Riser / Grip / String
This one seems to be sturdy and well made. Its accessories are – as usual with those sets – not that good, but this model itself is great.
The solid compressed ABS limbs are held in place by back pivoting limb pockets. The riser has bubbled grooves for a firm grip and is pretty lightweight, as are the piece-layered limbs.
With a net weight of 4 pounds the SAS Solid Limb is just heavy enough to shoot well and light enough to be carried around for hours – even in the field.
Its axle to axle length (ATA) is 35.5 inches. For me, that’s still compact enough for ground blinds or tree stands but at the end of the day, that’s just a personal impression. I would not recommend this one for hunting medium or large game, though, as it is not that fast.
The CNC machined twin cams are made out of a durable material as well. It looks like composite, but I cannot tell for sure.
Draw Cycle / Shootability
Overall, the SAS Solid Limb draws pretty smoothly. It is even better with a stabilizer and string silencers in place. Provided you have invested in a good Whisker Biscuit and sight, it is a really accurate shooter – which means tight groups and hitting the spot more often than not.
The draw weight range is from 35 – 65 lbs. It is adjusted by loosening or tightening the bolts that connect the limbs to the riser with an Allen wrench. The weight drops around 4# to 5# per full turn. Be aware that you must not loosen them more than 4 full turns! If you are not sure about the number of turns, just re-tighten them to the maximum setting and start from there. Another important thing is to keep the number of turns the same on both bolts. Just do one full turn on one, then one on the other etc. To get the exact weight after adjusting you would need to use a gauge.
Draw length is adjustable from 22″ to 31″, but you need a press for it. If you don’t have one, I would suggest you go to a professional shop. Those guys can help you out for sure.
With a let off of 65-70% it is very good for archers that are starting out as it will make aiming and holding a lot easier, thus letting you concentrate on shooting with proper form instead, which is the most important thing when starting out in archery. If you want to know more about shooting with proper form, feel free to read my guide here => Proper Form For Compound Bow Shooting.
The solid wall has very little creep which is better for beginners as well, as it is an important reference point for shooting the same way with every single shot. All those reference points add up at the end to your own personal shooting style that hopefully will be repeatable and consistent.
The brace height is at 7″, which is pretty standard for a model like this.
Shooting Speed Of The SAS Solid Limb Compound Bow
The speed of this one is 240 fps. As the maximum poundage of this model is 65 lbs, the speed was not rated after the requirements of the International Bowhunting Organization (IBO) which demands 70 lbs, 350 grain arrows and a draw length of 30″.
Suitable For Hunting / Kinetic Energy (KE)
Barely. With a 350 grain arrow and 240 fps the achieved kinetic energy is 44.72 ft-lbs, which is not that much. Just look at Easton’s Field Chart!
Using heavier arrows for deeper penetration, lowering the draw weight, bad weather conditions or longer distances will decrease the kinetic energy even further, therefore I would not recommend this one for hunting medium or large game. If you want to learn more about kinetic energy, feel free to read my guide here => Kinetic Energy For Bowhunting.
For me, it is important to take game in the most humane way as possible. One shot, one kill, no blood trails etc. I can achieve this with shooting really well and hitting the vital organs most of the time and with gear that is simply powerful enough, thus delivering lots of kinetic energy for full penetration.
Suitable For Bowfishing
It should be possible to attach a bowfishing reel to the SAS Solid Limb, so yeah, it should be good for bowfishing.
Pricing
With a price of around 150 bucks, the SAS Solid Limb compound bow package is very affordable for beginners, who want to test if they like shooting compounds before investing in higher priced models and for archers who don’t want to clean out their bank account completely. If you invest in better accessories, this model shoots very accurately and can compete with similar but higer priced models of the big brands easily.
Pros & Cons
Pros
– very affordable entry-level model
Cons
– cheap accessories
Summary
Overall the SAS Solid Limb compound is a good option for starting out. It is solidly built and durable and when maintained correctly it will last for years. It is also a good option for tweens or teens that want something stronger after growing of out their kid’s models (think Barnett’s Lil Banshee or the Bear Brave).
It is also a good option as a replacement or back-up or a second compound, if you’d like to own one in case your main model falls out temporarily.
By the end of the day, it depends on us as shooters if our equipment shoots and hits well, provided it is able to. And the SAS Solid Limb compound is definitely able to shoot well and accurate, so give it a go, if you want to.
Thanks for reading and shoot straight!
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