Easy question. What speed do you like to shoot or shoot the best. I am finding that I shoot about 160-165 fps the most accurate. Any faster and I tend to be more erratic at longer distances. Any slower and I have trajectory issues. For some reason that is my sweet spot. Like throwing a seam route, perfect elevation every time. Thoughts?
Riot
Speed is not as important to me for hunting as the noise level of the bow.
I have no idea. I chrono'd a bow once, about 15 years ago, to test the difference in FF vs. Dacron, and it was in the 160 range. FF was a few fps faster.
If I get good cast and accuracy, I'm happy.
Speed has never been a concern for me. I've never shot any of my bows (trad or compound) through a chrono. I always just focused on good arrow flight, hitting what I want to hit and noise of the bow.
Speed is not my primary concern, but most of my Morrison bows tend to stay in the 180-190 fps range shooting ~500 gr. arrows. The majority are right around 50# @ 28.
Bob
I set up everything to shoot around 190 to 195 fps. It's the trajectory I have shot the most and has become automatic/subconscious/instinctive for me.
Steve
As quiet as I can get my bow.
Mike :bigsmyl:
My bob lee chronos an average of 190 shooting 625 grains. It shoots as well as I can....
Speed means nothing,I want my bow quiet and heavy arrows for deep penetration.
Never had the oppertunity to test on a chrono. My Treadway and Shrew seem to be about the right speed/quiet I look for. Both are about 57-59 lbs at my draw and shooting a 600 grain arra.
Never chrono'd a bow. If it's fast enough to get to the spot I picked and get the arrow where it needs to be, it's fast enough.
Riot,
I, like you, have a favorite speed.
I agree with Steve B. My minds eye likes a trajectory of around 195 fps. Any more than that or less and I don't shoot as well. I guess I have shot so many arrows at that speed that my brain calculates this shot the best.
I also practice alot at 30-40 yards.
Most bows will shoot 8.5 gpp at my draw length (30 inches) somehwhere around this speed.
I shoot a 540 grain arrow from a 65# recurve at 195fps.
Hope this helps.
Mike
I'm another that really has no idea. I guess based on what other people say their bows are doing mine is probably in the 160 - 165 range using the heavy arrows that I do. Maybe a little more. I know in my mind it seems to be pretty quick compared to others.
But like others have said, quietness and shootability are the only things that matter to me. If I ever do shoot it through a chronograph and find it is only shooting 150 fps or whatever, that will be just fine.
I'll keep shooting it because I like the way it shoots. I won't stop just because it isn't as fast as I thought it should be.
Mine shoot like 165 170 best. 20 yards and under is pretty flat, after that significant dropage occurs. The bows are REAL quiet with heavy arrows, I like 10 to 12 grains per inch for hunting. More than 12 and I personally feel you start loosing efficiency out of the bow. A long bow with a 10 to 12 grains per inch arrow is slow and deadly quiet with a lot of momentum, at least mine are. So I guess for me right now 160 to 170 fps is the norm for my bows.
Bob.
Original posters question was "what is you ideal speed"?
Most have one - they just may not know the number.
He did not ask who thought speed was not important to them.
Steve
180-185 fps.
As mentioned, I can shoot a bow with so so speed but wont shoot a noisy one...PR
QuoteOriginally posted by Whip:
[QB] I'm another that really has no idea. I guess based on what other people say their bows are doing mine is probably in the 160 - 165 range using the heavy arrows that I do. Maybe a little more. I know in my mind it seems to be pretty quick compared to others.
Joe, I have a chrono and can tell you that you're shooting faster than that! I think your 30 inch draw has a little to do with it!
I like my bows to shoot around 185 fps.
180-190fps
I don't have a chrony but I like 10 gpp. Gives me a good trajectory out to 30 yards. I can quietly put a 14gpp arrow into the dirt in front of my target. :)
with a heavy hunting arrow i think in the 190's is about as good as you can get. however, I would love a bow that shot up to about 215 with an arrow that was 10-12 gpi. If a trad bow could do that with hunting weight arrows (im talking at least 10-12 gpi) then all us primitive hunters would be truly deadly. This would be very fun and effective imo without taking away the challenge.
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveB:
Original posters question was "what is you ideal speed"?
Most have one - they just may not know the number.
He did not ask who thought speed was not important to them.
Steve
I agree with you here mate.
It really gets on my nerves when people change the topic so overtly.
For me the faster the better within reason.
I can easily adapt to the bow if I need to but I don't want to shoot such a light arrow that it sacrifices the integrity of my bow or makes it so loud that it sounds like a .22 going off.
Ray ;)
I prefer right around 200 fps, give or take a few.
65mph is all I'll go.
ChuckC
Im shooting about 150fps with a 750gr arrow, but much prefer something in the 180-190fps range...for me it makes longer shots more feasible due to the flatter trajectory.
Prefer about 185fps +/- a tad, since that is what most of my bows will do the way I set them up. Makes it easy to switch from one to the other without having to relearn the trajectory curve.
As fast as I can get and still have a bow quiet enough for me.Since I don't have a long draw and shoot lighter weight bows that usually puts me in the 170-175 range for hunting.For everything else I shoot for the 190+fps range when I can get it with a managable bow.If I could get a hunting bow that would shoot quietly at 300fps I would use that. :)
I was wondering the other night how fast the Bruin recurve is that I bought used this past summer?
54# @ my 29" draw with a 555gr arrow was 169fps.
Not that it really makes that much difference! It is a great shooting bow and I am just getting back into traditional.....so maybe a bow that shooting a little slower and smoother is better for my learning curve!
A 66inch Hill bow that draws around 65-70pounds casting a 700grain arrow is hunting perfection in my book.
im shooting about 218 and i really like that
My favorite speed is moving real real slow threw Elk habitate.
My bow on the other hand is like yours about 160fps and my brain has learned that geometry so (most of) my arrows fly true.
There are two speeds to be concerned about, fast enough and not fast enough. If your arrow is arriving on target in a timely fashion, your bow is fast enough. Trust your instincts.
I think a lot of people are getting confused with my question. I wanted to know what speed you shoot best. As in what speed does your brain process most effectively. I didn't ask about quiet. I think that is a given. I just want to know what fits your eye. Again for me I like a little arc in my shot for whatever reason. Maybe it is just repetition. FWIW my three longbows (2 Hills and a Martin Mountaineer) are 80, 74 and 63 at 27" and all shoot about an 9.5 gpp arrow around 165. I think that works best for me. I was just curious about everyone else likes.
I know your not getting answers that you had hoped for but it is the truth.
I say what John of Sipsey River says.
And, what ever gets the arrow to the animal before he can jump out of the way.
If I get a bow and arrows set up the way I feel they are shooting well, I see how far I am from the target at point on as a reference point and go from there.
I haven't shot an arrow through a chronograph(?) in ages.
Well my point is I wasn't asking how fast do you want to shoot your arrow for the sake of speed. I am asking from a shootability or accuracy standpoint. People around here for whatever reason tend to get touchy and defensive about speed. You know I understand that traditional bows don't shoot fast. I have five of them and they are all slow. I am talking about what do you, meaning the person responding, shoot the best? A slow arrow? Or a faster arrow? Or maybe something in between? That is all I am trying to figure out. Bringing up noise or whatever does nothing to answer the question and is completely irrelevant.
Riot
Fast enough to get the job done. Can't say I've ever missed a deer because my bow was to slow. Have never shot through a chrony. Have no interest. Would probably just screw up my mind. Ric O'Shay already accuses me of having ADD. :archer:
:banghead: I'm not sure you're going to get your answer, at least not from everyone. I think I shoot better at a higher speed. I can't say what speed exactly but I hunted for 14 years with the same compound using fingers and shooting without sights. I believe it was shooting at or around 200 fps, not sure. I never was a speed freak. But I know my current bow is a little slower and has more arc than I'm used to and I still haven't fully adapted at ranges over 17 yards.
Talondale, how's the hunting where you're at? I am thinking about getting out today with the snow on the ground but I really don't want to fight the gun hunters.
170 for me. At 180-185 my arrow tend to hit a little high under 30yds with my aiming system. At 155-160, my arrow seems to drop fast past 30yds using my aiming system. I can adjust to any speed, but using my aiming system, 170 fits me the best. The cool part is that I can switch between my higher poundage and lower poundage bows easily just by ensuring my fps remain the same between the bows. It just takes a little time to build the correct arrow that will fly true at the same speeds.
Ryan
Speed I don't know much about. Mostly I shoot Hill style long bows and prefer 60 - 67 lbs. I shoot POC arrows with 190 gr. screw in Simmons Interceptors. I put the 40 gr. screw in adapters from 3 Rivers so I can change from field points to broad heads easily. With this set up I get a pretty flat trajectory up to 30 yards which is the max distance I practice, due to limitations of my back yard. Only shot I've taken over that was last year at a doe at about 40 yds and made a nice neck shot - (probably more luck than skill). She took two jumps and was down for the count. The bow I used then however was a 62" Great Northern Classic - 65@27. They don't make it anymore - two lams of osage with bamboo back and a thin, thin bit of clear fiberglass on the belly. What a fine bow.
150-160 seems to do well for me..................
i really like the 300 fps that i get from my 100 pound bow and 200 grain carbon arrows tipped with a rage slipcam expandable. it makes for a great hunting setup............ :biglaugh:
Miiiike, behave! :)
With 600gr. carbon arrows flewing at 170fps I like the tradgetory and how it hits the target. I believe it will get the job done! I also like the 585gr. POC arrows. I am having fun with some 800gr. battleshafts too. I guess for me it is all about how well the arrow flies true. But I think 170fps with 600gr. for a 55#@28" recurve is what works for me.
I went and bought a chrono just to see! Been buildin bows for a while now and was curious to see how they stacked up against my Treadway and Shrew. I came up with an average of 161 fps with my hunting arrows 10.35 gpp drawing 56 lbs @27 inches. Not scientific mind you. Thats with string silencers, glove release, 5.5 inch nanners, and Im sure my release is less than great. 28" Arrow. Ill test some more over the holiday weekend, If im not in the woods
I'm happy If I can shoot the same speed over and over with consistency! and a solid anchor :thumbsup:
I prefer my targets and stumps to travel at zero fps, and my deer to be at least a little slower than my arrows. Save this stopwatch and chrono madness for Cowboy Action shooters.
(A girl's model, Barbie-pink stock, Red Ryder BB gun shoots over 650 fps! Even the most macho Wheelie boy is left in the dust by that one.)
Around 200 FPS for me also. My point of impact drops off when I shoot a slower arrow. Granted, my vintage Kodiaks can't hang with the Blacktail/Zipper/Big East in the speed department but they are no harder to shoot then them either. Guess that's why they are really desired bows by us old guys...
Cheers!