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When a business has its roots in a backyard shop, with an enthusiast looking to improve his own game more than revolutionize an industry, the dates can be a little fuzzy. “It seems like the year that comes out is 1982, but Scott Archery really started years earlier,” related Eric Griggs, assistant manager of Scott Archery. Back then, founder Bill Scott was an avid archer, but, more important, he was a constant tinkerer and thinker.
“In the late 1970s, Bill believed there was a better way of building a release than was available. He came up with the idea of a dual-caliper release on a roller sear mechanism,” Griggs related. The mechanism was so revolutionary and ahead of its time, it is still the basis for many of Scott’s releases today.
“Bill’s design was not only smooth and accurate, it had a clean break to the trigger—it was significantly better than anything available at the time,” Griggs stated. Scott immediately knew he had something and began making releases and showing them around to friends. “You know how the story goes from there; it was a groundswell of demand from the community that led to a business. The actual date you could call it a ‘business’ is somewhat debatable, but the innovation of the product isn’t,” boasted Griggs.
Shortly after Scott Archery came to the market, Bill again rewarded the archery market with a single-caliper design for which he was later awarded a patent. “Bill also designed and produced the first release aid specifically made for use with string loops. Bill never applied for a patent, but it was designed as the first true open-hook release specifically designed to be used with string loops only,” Griggs recalled.
By 1995 Scott Archery was bulging at the seams and moved into a 12,000-square-foot manufacturing facility to keep up with production demands. In 2000, Scott Archery and the industry lost a very innovative mind with Bill’s passing. However, Bill’s two daughters, Melanie and Erin, have carried on their father’s legacy while taking the company in exciting new directions.
At a time when most are suffering through an economy that’s spiraling down, Scott Archery is completing an expansion to double the size of its manufacturing facility to more than 25,000 square feet. “Between the increased demand for Scott releases and the acquisition and growth of Custom Bow Equipment [CBE] around the beginning of 2008, we just needed the room. We feel it really speaks to the extreme success of the company to experience such robust growth with the current market,” Griggs said.
Prior to the acquisition, CBE was a small, but well-established manufacturer of high-quality target sights. “CBE’s sales were based on a direct-to-retail model. This left the dealer and distributor without a margin and hindered CBE from really getting the recognition it deserved. We could have copied the design, like others, but who wants a copy of the best? We want to be the best and capitalized when the opportunity presented itself,” declared Griggs.
Leading Scott’s 2011 lineup is the open-hook-design Silverhorn release. “The Silverhorn incorporates our roller-sear design for a clean, consistently accurate release shot after shot. By keeping the trigger forward, we’ve allowed the archer to take full advantage of his or her full draw length. New for 2011 on the Silverhorn is the five-hole length adjustment. You can also get it with our NCS connection system (strap design). Archers are individuals with particular needs, and in an effort to give them exactly what they want, we offer the Silverhorn with a buckle or Velcro strap and in black or Mossy Oak camo,” Griggs remarked.
Likely Scott’s most innovative new product is the Longhorn Hex (Hybrid Extreme). “The Longhorn Hex is a first-of-a-kind and was designed with two major groups in mind: the hunter and the grassroots shooter who wanted to try a back tension, but had shied away due to the stigma often associated with back-tension-only releases,” Griggs explained. “This is a great release for the shooter, but it’s even better for the dealer. Gone are the days of cumbersome safeties, premature releases and busted lips. The Longhorn Hex is a wrist-strap release that becomes a back-tension release at full draw—all of the benefits without any of the bad stuff.”
The latest news on the CBE side is the transition from target sights to the hunting market with the introduction of its new hunting line. Leading this charge is the Tek-Hunter XL.“CBE’s new hunting line takes the accuracy and precision of a target sight and puts it in a hunting sight. Whitetails are generally a shorter-range game, but hunters need the ability to reach out a bit farther when shooting 3D or hunting western game such as mule deer, elk or antelope,” Eric commented. “The Tek Hunter XL provides the versatility for both.”
The Tek-Hunter XL is a five-pin, moveable sight. The stainless steel pins can be set to the desired ranges and then gang-adjusted to hit the mark at farther distances when required. “The Tek-Hunter XL gives single-pin accuracy from a multiple-pin sight. This concept isn’t completely new, but our Rapid Drive Elevation System really distinguishes CBE from the competition. One twist of the knob allows the archer to go from one end of the adjustment range to the complete opposite end,” Eric explained. “Customer satisfaction, innovation and quality have always been the benchmarks of our business. We do everything we can to take care of dealers and the end user. Our goal is to perfect customer service.”
For more on Scott Archery & CBE go to www.scottarchery.com; www.custombowequipment.com; (606) 663-2734.
