What is your estimation for change in point weight, in switching from B55 to D97? The reason I ask is my setup flies great but a little quicker would be nice. 45#, 29 3/4" 500's with 300 total PW, 565gr.
You didn't say what kind of bow. From my ASLs there is a very modest gain between D97 and B55. My recurves showed a little more gain for D97 but I have never seen a gain of 8-10 fps when changing.
I've recently started shooting B50 from my longbows and don't worry about few fps.
It's a modern ILF R/D. Everything I come across puts in terms of "a few FPS". What do you think that is, 25 grains, 50 grains? Thanks for your input.
I don't understand your question, because changing strings has no correlation to change in point weight, unless you define one. For example is your question, "how much would I need to increase point weight to offset the speed increase from changing from B55 to D97?" My guess is about 25 grains. Other correlations are possible, but you would have to define the correlation you want to make before anyone could comment on it.
Sorry to confuse. I suppose I assumed we were all starting with a perfect bareshaft, and when going to a faster or slower string, what would be the new point weight to keep the same perfect bareshaft. Does this help?
Quote from: BAbassangler on December 19, 2025, 08:30:17 PMSorry to confuse. I suppose I assumed we were all starting with a perfect bareshaft, and when going to a faster or slower string, what would be the new point weight to keep the same perfect bareshaft. Does this help?
Yes, thank you for clarifying. I understand the question now. The most common figure I hear is that a change of strings from B55 to D97 will increase arrow velocity about 4-5 fps. To put this into perspective, this is similar to the increase in arrow velocity from going from a static release to a dynamic release, or perhaps from a longbow to a recurve. Of course this will vary depending on individual circumstances. However, the change in arrow velocity is often enough to require a change in arrow tuning, which includes point weight.
The problem is that the effect on tuning from a change in point weight depends on where you're starting from. My experience is that the effect of a change in point weight is more proportional than absolute. For example a 10 grain change in point weight makes a noticeable difference in tuning if you're starting in tune with a 100 grain point. A 10 grain change in point weight makes a negligible difference in tuning if you're starting in tune with a 200 grain point. Probably you would have to change point weight by 20 grains to get the same difference in tuning if you're starting in tune with a 200 grain point, but I'm not sure if the relationship is directly proportional, just that it requires more of a change as the starting weight increases.
So it's difficult to answer your question, because the answer changes depending where you're starting from.
Ahaaaa...so it's like adding a tsp of salt to a cup of soup vs. a crockpot. Gotcha; maybe I'll plug some numbers into the spine calculator and see what change in point weight give me the "few feet per second" everyone reports, and do a little comparison experiment when I get a D97 string together. Also give me an excuse to break out my new-in-box chrono that's been sitting in storage since covid.
Quote from: BAbassangler on December 20, 2025, 05:45:45 AMAhaaaa...so it's like adding a tsp of salt to a cup of soup vs. a crockpot.
Good analogy! I think in the case of cup vs. crockpot, "less is more" would probably apply, meaning that if you multiplied one teaspoon X the increased volume of the crockpot compared with the cup, the soup would probably end up tasting too salty, because of the mysterious alchemy of the cooking process.
Something similar may be going on here, which could make the actual ratios of the two beginning point weights an imprecise indication of what effect on tune the addition or subtraction of point weight after changing the string would have. For example, the differences in total arrow weight might also affect the results. Fortunately, we don't have to be that precise. In the tuning process we can just keep trying different point weights, cut, change spines, brace height or string silencer location until we stumble on something that works.
As much as it may or may not help, I've definitely tried to use string materials and silencer materials to slow down a bow to a point that I could make an arrow spine work.
Had a 65@32 widow that I was only able to get a solid tune on when I dropped to a B50 string with nice fat wool puffs.
Honestly, trying to pick up a little speed, you've got a lot of room in that arrow to drop grains for speed. But at the end of the day, if your flight and tune is perfect... that's hard to beat, unless you just have that need to tinker and mess with things.... Which I totally get too.
Can't remember where it resides but years ago Cody Greenwood did a bunch of testing on speeds with different silencer materials. You might go dig through that for some quick cheap gain in fps.
Good luck!
UPDATE:
Mind you results vary; I'm not Byron Ferguson, and my 'tests' can go on for a month until I'm sure the results are working in my sweet spot, this is currently working and going in my quiver...
B55 - My 29.75" 500's shot 250 point weight with 4" trad vanes/wrap
300 point weight with 5" feathers/wrap
D97 - Same arrows 200 4" vane/wrap
230 4" feathers/wrap
I love FOC, but the 200, (long 50 insert + Magnus 150gr single bevel serrated), got the most center of bulls-eyes. The 230gr, (long 50gr + 180gr No-Mercy) nearly as good. For me D97 wins this round. But as Mr mbugland points out; they're all tools-in-the-box. I actually would rather be right in the middle of both, lol. Next year can play with the long 50gr insert and make it longer/get back over 20% foc, and keep 170 fps.
For my Rocky Mountain Recurve 50lbs at 26" and I'm drawing 26.5" I noticed about a 25gr point difference between D97 with padded loops and a B55 string. It was a little slower with the B55 but not much to my eye but having the arrow 25grains heavier was part of it. I can tell you one thing for sure, shooting with the B55 the bow was whisper quiet. I decided why take a chance for a little speed and now only use the B55 I got from TTT Strings.