DanKung Cocktail Tubes

DanKung Cocktail Tubes

DanKung recently sent me a few sets of custom cocktail tubes to test out. This is my first experience with this sort of tubing so I wasn’t even sure what they were about until the package arrived in the mail. I was expecting some sort of stepped down tubing with tied joints. They turned out to be something completely different. The DK “cocktail” design is basically a skinny section of red 1632 tubing inserted inside an amber 1842, 1745 or 2050. The doubled up section runs around the ears on the frame and gives a tapered tube type of performance. My package included samples of all three tube arrangements to test.

All three tube sets are full doubles and measure 6” from frame to pouch. The red 1632 tubes measure approx 5 ¼” and are centered inside the larger tubes. DanKung carefully designs these tube sets to give a 1:2 ratio from the fork to the pouch. The red section makes up approximately 1/3 of the strand when installed on the frame (fork to pouch). I have seen videos of the process for inserting the skinny tubes and it looks to be quite tedious.

I’m in reasonable shape for a guy in his early 50s but I found these cocktail tubing designs to be quite heavy to draw. They’re definitely not something I would pick for a long afternoon of plinking. My choice would be to use them for hunting or for low volume, long distance plinking shots. The tubes have plenty of power if you can handle the draw weight. I’m sure there are lots of shooters that would enjoy the cocktail power. .

From heaviest to weakest:
2050 cocktails (1632 inside) - I can’t draw these tubes.
1745 cocktails (1632 inside) - I can’t draw these tubes to my full 32” draw length.
1842 cocktails (1632 inside) – I can draw these to anchor, or close, but I lose about an inch of draw because I can’t stretch out like I do with pseudo 1745s or double 2040s.

My usually draw weight is 10-12 pounds. I’m guessing these 1842 cocktails would be 16-18 pounds. For the first few dozen shots they don’t feel too bad. My accuracy is fine when I’m able to get a healthy draw. These are definitely not a tube that I can shoot after a gym workout. An 1842 cocktail with 7” length would be something that might better suit my 32” draw length and physical strength.

The draw weight feels similar to double .030” latex flats with ¾” x ½” x 7 ¼”. But they shoot a tiny bit harder. With the double flatbands I was getting 245-250fps with 3/8” steel, at my draw length. The 1842 cocktails are giving me 250-255 fps. Lots of zip! With the .030” double flatbands with OTT I was getting some terrible handslaps. The 1842 cocktails mounted on a DK General frame didn’t give handslaps at all. This is a characteristic that I can very much appreciate.

The pouches that came on these tube sets are quite nice. They measure 9/16”W x 2 ¼”L when new. After a couple hundred shots, the pouch on the 1842s only stretched 1/16”. It’s a very strong leather but also soft. The size works great for 3/8” ammo. The tubes are tied to the pouches with skinny but strong elastic strips. I had no problem with slippage at the ties. It’s obvious that a lot of care was put into making these cocktails.

CHRONOGRAPH RESULTS
Five shot results from two shooting sessions:

5/16” steel (8.0mm) – 266, 265, 265, 266, 264 ... 268, 266, 263, 268, 263

3/8” steel (9.5mm) – 251, 250, 250, 254, 255 ... 251, 254, 254, 254, 253

3/8” lead (9.5mm) – 237, 238, 241, 239, 241 ... 238, 237, 239, 239, 238