The following PSE Mustang review was written by John Kopiecki.
Specs
| PSE Mustang | Draw | Bow Weight | Bow Length | Take-down | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Check Current Price on Amazon.com | 40 - 55 lbs. | 2.98 lbs. | 60" | Yes | 8.6/10 |
Pro’s
- One of the best hunting recurves in this price range.
- Predictable and consistent shooting.
- Solid built quality.
- Great value for the money
Con’s
- Not for beginners or casual archers.
- You may need a shooting glove, since there’s no padding around the grip.
- Does not accept accessories
Package Contents
- The riser and limbs
- Bow string
- PSE’s Warranty card
- Owner’s manual
Being a mid-priced recurve bow, the package doesn’t contain any tools or a bow stringer. Buy these while you purchase the bow as they are very handy and you will need them in the long run.
Assembling the PSE Mustang
- Use the provided bolts to attach the riser to the limbs. Place the bow on a flat surface once done and see if it wobbles or not; if it does, it indicates an uneven bolt attachment and you should re-assemble the bow.
- After this, get the bow stringer and use it to attach the string to the limbs. You can also do this manually (though it’s not recommended for safety reasons).
- The whole process takes less than 10 minutes, and once you have everything in place, the PSE Mustang is ready to shoot.
The PSE Mustang Grip
- This bow is as traditional as a recurve can get. It looks classic through and through with the grip resembling the familiar bow styles of the 70’s.
- The grip is bare and wooden. There is nothing attached to it. It has a natural and authentic “aura” about it which many modern recurves lack these days.
- Since the grip is not padded, a shooting glove is recommended to help you keep a firm grip on the bow.
The Riser On The Mustang
- There are no machined holes or cutouts for attaching accessories. You can add an arrow rest if you like, but not much more than that.
- This is not an ambidextrous recurve bow, so make sure you are getting a version designed for your dominant hand.
- PSE Mustang’s riser is made from hardwood and it has lasted for more 14 months without exhibiting any noticeable signs of wear, and the same seems to hold true for other archers.
- One of the major drawbacks of all-wooden bows is that the wood gets old and will begin to show cracks on the surface. So far this has not been the case for me, but I still recommend polishing and coating the riser once or twice a year to keep it looking as beautiful as on the day it was purchased.
The PSE Mustang Limbs
- Made of walnut and maple wood.
- The lamination protects the limbs from decaying, but you need to polish the limbs at least once every three months to keep them looking great.
- The limbs can take any string.
- A friend of mine did report some limb twisting occurring on his Mustang, which he had to get fixed at a pro shop. I have not experienced this myself and my other acquaintances did not report anything similar either, so it’s likely to have been an isolated incidence. Still, worth keeping in mind.
PSE Factory String & Replacements
- The default bow string is of decent quality and should last for 13000 – 15000 shots.
- After noticing the first signs of serving separation on the string, I replaced it with a Dacron B50, and later also used a Flemish FastFlight string, which is perfectly safe to do in conjunction with the Mustang.
- Depending on weather conditions, the default factory string can sometimes stretch out or shrink due to varying temperatures – more so than other strings. If this happens, un-string the bow and reattach it 1 or 2 days later.
Accuracy of PSE Mustang
- The bow is accurate at up to 40-45 yards in my experience.
- Since it’s an all-wooden bow, vibration is minimal and does not interfere with delivering an accurate arrow.
- After paper tuning for about 3 minutes (or 10 shots) I didn’t have to re-tune it for a good 4 weeks.
- The Mustang is a very simple bow, and since you probably won’t be attaching many accessories to it, tuning and maintaining perfect accuracy / arrow clearance are quite easy when compared to the more sophisticated bows.
Arrows for Mustang
- Both Carbon and Wooden arrows will work great on this bow, although your final decision should depend on your exact shooting style and requirements. Please see our beginner’s arrow selection guide for solid recommendations.
- If you decide to go for a 50# or higher draw weight, I strongly recommend staying away from wooden arrows and going exclusively for carbons.
Does This Bow Accept Accessories?
An arrow rest is about all you can install, as this is a bow designed for bare instinctive shooting. You can of course attach a glue-on bow sight if you want, which should do just fine especially if you don’t have high requirements.
Is the PSE Mustang Good For Beginners?
I would not recommend this bow for rank beginners, mostly because:
- You can’t install many accessories, which many beginners will want to do to learn about the various aspects of recurve archery.
- You will need to have some prior shooting experience to truly appreciate the potential and accuracy of this bow.
If you are dedicated to archery however and really want to give instinctive shooting a try, there’s no reason not to go for the Mustang. Just keep in mind that beginnings will be rough and you’ll need to be patient and give yourself time to get accustomed to it.
Hunting With The PSE Mustang
All of you hunters will love this bow. In my community, most hunter appreciate a bare bow. They say ‘it brings out the true archer, and I think this is very true. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Low vibration (when properly tuned and if not over-drawing) translates to quiet performance.
- 60″ length makes maneuvering in a blind or tree stand quite easy, even if space is limited.
- Very accurate in the 20-40 yard range, which is where most of your shots in the field will be taken.
- With the 45# version I have successfully harvested elk from over 30 yards, with a perfect pass-through.
Where To Buy The PSE Mustang?
Make sure to check Amazon.com’s current price on the PSE Mustang. As far as I know not many archery pro shops stock this bow as of 2013, so it might be difficult to get it anywhere other than in an online shop.
