Compound Bow | Draw Weight | Draw Length | Brace Height | Speed | Let-off | AtA Length / Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PSE Brute X See Today's Price on Cabelas | 50, 60, 70 lbs. | 25" - 30" | 7.25" How To Choose Arrows | 320 FPS | 75% | 31" / 4.3 lbs. |
| Pros: - Best value for the money on the market - Ready-To-Shoot package, includes everything you need except for arrows - Very quiet and vibration-free - Very smooth drawing cycle, excellent for beginners | Cons: - Valley could be a little wider |
| Compare prices across top hunting gear sellers | |
The PSE Brute X At a Glance
Welcome to our PSE Brute X review. This is an absolutely phenomenal compound bow, offering the same qualities and features that come with compounds that are twice as expensive. If you want a seriously good (though not top-of-the-line) bow at an affordable price, this is what you buy.
Package Contents
The Ready-To-Shoot package comes with the following items:
- The PSE Brute X compound bow (riser, limbs, string, eccentric system, cables)
- Gemini 3-pin sight
- Whisker biscuit rest
- Flexxtech stabilizer with string stop
- Quick detach 6-arrow Quiver
- wrist sling
- Hush kit
- Peep sight
- Nock loop
Assembling The PSE Brute X
This compound bow comes fully assembled and literally ready to shoot. All it takes is shooting a few arrows to sight it in, and your ready for hunting or target practice.
The PSE Brute X Eccentric System (Cams)
The PSE Brute X comes with the Madness Pro™ cam system. This is a single cam system comprised of a power-cam on the bottom limb, and a round idler wheel at the top. Since there is no synchronization involved within the system (an inherent feature of single cam systems), there is very little maintenance involved. On the flip side, the lack of synchronization also means the nock may not travel in a perfectly straight line, which can potentially have a negative impact on accuracy, albeit a very slight one.
The cam has laser-engraved markings to make tuning easier, and a cushioned stop for quieter and lower-vibration performance. You can adjust the draw length from 25″ to 30″ in 0.5″ increments.
Shooting Speed
The IBO speed rating for the PSE Brute X is 320 FPS. IBO ratings are always conducted with:
- 350 grain arrows
- 70 lbs. draw weight
- 30″ draw length
In a real life situation however, your actual FPS will be much lower than that. Refer to our article on What’s Your Bow’s REAL Speed for an understanding of what to expect.
Kinetic Energy Of The PSE Brute X Compound Bow
The kinetic energy (KE) of the Brute X will vary significantly depending on the setup of your bow. Different arrow weight, draw weight, draw length, string accessories, arrow fletching height and length, will all impact the kinetic energy your arrow can deliver. Assuming you use:
- The 70 lbs. version of the bow
- With a 29″ draw length setting
- And 425 grain arrows
You can expect your arrow to deliver 72 ft-lbs of kinetic energy at point-blank range. KE deterioraites by an average of 1.5-2.0 ft-lbs for every 10 yards the arrow travels, so if the arrow impacts a 50 yard target, expect it to deliver approximately 64 ft-lbs of KE. What can you do with this much energy? Take a look at Easton’s chart below to answer this question:
| Kinetic Energy: | You Can Hunt: |
|---|---|
| < 25 ft-lbs | Small Game (groundhog, rabbit, wild turkey) |
| 25-41 ft-lbs | Medium Game (Antelope, Whitetail deer) |
| 42-65 ft-lbs | Large Game (black bear, wild boar, elk) |
| > 65 ft-lbs | Largest Game (Grizzly bear, Cape buffalo, Musk Ox, African elephant) |
The Bow’s Draw Cycle
The PSE Brute X has a relatively narrow valley, though it’s still wide enough that you can get used to it pretty quickly. The wall is very solid and easy to hold the arrow against. This compound bow is exceptionally smooth to draw, though this of course comes at the cost of sacrificing the limbs’ energy storing capabilities. Still, the balance between smoothness and power is superb.
Noise Levels And Vibration
The limbs on the PSE Brute X come equipped with the HushKit dampeners, which significantly reduce both vibration and of course noise levels. Since the limbs are parallel, the energy released as a result of the limbs’ acceleration does not reach the riser, providing for practically zero hand-shock when shooting. A VERY quiet and shock-free compound bow, as you’ll probably read in any other PSE Brute X review.
Using The PSE Brute X For Hunting
At the highest settings (70 lbs. draw weight, 29″-30″ draw length) and using 425+ grain arrows, the PSE Brute X is capable of taking down even the largest game animals on the planet, including African elephant and grizzly. If you get a lighter version of the bow (60 lbs.) and set the draw length to 28″, you can still take down large game, including elk. Refer to the section above on the bow’s Kinetic Energy for more details.
The PSE Brute X is also relatively short, at an axle-to-axle length of 31″. This makes it very easy to maneuver in a tree-stand and other tight spots. And since it both draws and shoots quietly, stealth can be maintained for a very long time.
Value For The Money
This compound bow delivers the best value for the money on the market, hands down. There’s no other bow that provides so many benefits at so low a cost as the Brute X.
Limbs And Riser
PSE built the Brute X using split limbs (as opposed to solid limbs which were used on older versions of this bow). There is no particular advantage to having split limbs as opposed to other types, though I must say they do look pretty darn cool. The riser is machined and made from aluminum, incorporating the Raptor grip. As with most grips, this one is a matter of personal preferences. I find that it’s very comfortable to hold if you have small to large-sized palms, though if you have monster-sized hands it can take some getting used to.
Both the riser and the limbs are exceptionally strong and durable, while still remaining light-weight. Unless you abuse the Brute X, it’s not breaking.
Extra Unique Features
A string stop comes with each Ready-To-Shoot PSE Brute X package. The tip of the stop is made from rubber, and it will stop the string from vibrating excessively once an arrow is shot. This significantly reduces noise levels and makes for a far better shooting experience.
A hush kit comes with the bow as well. This is basically a set of rubber dampeners that are attached to both limbs of the Brute X. The Hush kit reduces both noise and vibration levels. Very useful in the field while hunting.
PSE Brute X Compound Bow Review – Summary
This is the best compound bow you can get if your budget is less than $600. There’s really no beating the value-for-the-money factor here. See Cabela's current price and customer reviews on the.
