I have been shooting a borrowed 40# recurve instead of my 50# recurve due to a shoulder problem. What I have found (after tuning the 40# bow) is that I am getting very comparable penetration in my bag and block targets. Trajectory is not as looping as I expected it would be, either. With these observations, I am wondering if I would really lose anything by hunting with the lighter bow in place of the heavier one. Some might say that the lighter bow wont penetrate a deer shoulder (which we all try to avoid) as well, but, the 50# bow wont penetrate a shoulder bone well either. Just some random thoughts about my experimenting with a lighter draw weight. Comments and hunting experiences welcomed. Thanks!
I shot a 41# recurve this past weekend and was VERY impressed! I too shoot 50# bows and was quite surprised how the recurve sent my exact same arrows I shoot out my 50# bows downrange with authority! I will be keeping an eye on this thread! :thumbsup:
It could be the bows also. Once upon a time I was of the belief there wasn't much difference between bows. I had a fellow visit and covered up the numbers on the chrono and had him shoot his bow with his 10 arrows through it...Then I handed him another bow and shoot his same 10 arrows. There was 2fps difference between them and 9 pounds difference on the same scale. So no, dropping draw weight you may not lose as much as folks think, plus you can shoot more and probably become a better shot because of it....O.L.
Hmmmm.........
we've all heard "sometimes less is more". this might just apply to "SOME" traditional bow set-ups.
O.L. are you saying its the bows design or the woods used in the bow?? Is a 50# bow a 50# bow, does it matter if its a recurve or a longbow??
i think that the construction and your personal comfort level with the way a bow feels matters more than anything.
whatever the poundage, a good shot matters more than poundage or fps.
i shoot several selfbows ranging from 70#-46#. i shoot the same with all, but i feel better with the lighter one's because i dont have to strain as much to shoot it.. the less stress involved, the better the shot in most cases.
BHF, that was a 50# recurve and a 41# longbow. Not so much a testiment of how good the LB was, more how bad the recurve was. No, 50# is not 50#. You see AMO speeds posted occasionally or Blacky's tests in TBM, every 1.5-2fps difference you see between bows, that's 1 pound heavier the poor bow would have to be to make up the difference......O.L.
You might drop below a certain "legal" threshold... In California you have to have 45# of draw weight minimum. We all know there are several more important factors, but there ya go. Some warden might take exception to your hard-hittin, deer-slayin' 40#er.
O.L., wouldnt both bows still pull 50#? I know there is a big difference in how they shoot. I have a 51# bow now that needs alot heavier spine than my other 51# bow. This is due to the design, but as far as comfort it feels the same.
I went from a 58# High end recurve to a 49# ACS 650gn arrows fly with the same fps outta' both bows.
My bow arm is very happy and accuracy is up.
QuoteOriginally posted by O.L. Adcock:
BHF, that was a 50# recurve and a 41# longbow. Not so much a testiment of how good the LB was, more how bad the recurve was. No, 50# is not 50#. You see AMO speeds posted occasionally or Blacky's tests in TBM, every 1.5-2fps difference you see between bows, that's 1 pound heavier the poor bow would have to be to make up the difference......O.L.
OL other way around, that was a 41# Recurve and a 50# Longbow. I get what your saying! I was impressed with the way both bows shot the arrow, just more impressed with the Recurve and it being lower in poundage!
BHF, "OL other way around, that was a 41# Recurve and a 50# Longbow. I get what your saying! I was impressed with the way both bows shot the arrow, just more impressed with the Recurve and it being lower in poundage!"
Nope, the LB was 9 pounds less....Just because a bow is heavier poundage does not mean it will shoot the same arrow faster.
Another thing in favor of lower poundage, some can increase their draw length an inch or two which really helps....O.L.
Guys I am having trouble with a bad shoulder, traded for a couple of lower poundage bows, a warf,pulling#43 and a Quinn Stingray, #40. The stingray, first one I have owned, smokes an arrow and the #43 gives me about the same penetration as my go to bow at #50, flat trajectory. I thought it was just me becaus I hadnt been shooting as much, got a couple of buddies over, they had the same reaction, couldnt belive the penetration with field points and broadheads.The warf has Hoyt Carbon Sky Jacks on it, and is sweeeet!! I love my Quinss and BW's, but this warf is about the sweetest shooting bow I have, Quinns right behind it. I am looking at more shoulder surgery this month, and will probably be hunting with around #40 this fall, took 3 deeer and a turkey last year with #46 bow, 150 WW heads.
I see no discussion of bow length in the above. I've heard tell that matters in how the draw feels.
I can say for certain it matters to me--arm injury, likewise; I get less pain/strain from my 66" #45 than my 58" #35. Haven't chronied in either instance, but both appear to hit with about the same authority on identical targets (same sound/penetration).
:confused:
All things being equal your losing ~20% power when you drop from 50# to #40. I think 20% is a big deal.
But as OL explained with any 2 randomly selected bows all things arent equal.
Imagine going from a 50# ACS or Black Swan and switching to a 40 LB Hill style long bow. You would likely be saying - WOW 10# makes a big difference.
I say consider the long term. I treat patients with shoulder injuries-- rotator cuff tears, bursitis, etc. Because I don't want to be one of them, I choose to shoot a lower poundage bow. To often we get wrapped up in details other than: Being able to enjoy traditional archery for decades to come. IMO, don't shoot the heaviest bow you can. Shoot the heaviest bow you can for a long, long time...
Well dropping bow weight is no biggie if you have a good bow as far as deer hunting.Even a pretty bad bow is plenty for deer if it is heavy enough to be legal in most states.Many people kill deer with 45-50lb selfbows and it works.A 30lb ACS or other high performance bow would most likely shoot the same arrows faster than many of the wooden bows.Start with a good bow and pay attention to details like good strings and good tuneing.Choose arrows and broadheads suited best for what game you hunt and what you are shooting and most would be very surprised how little bow weight it really takes.
My husband and I had a little comp the other night. We both used the same bow, his longbow. He pulls 45#@27'. I was pulling 23". We got a surprise when we went to pull our arrows. ALL of mine(my normal arrows) had 1-2" more penetration than his. His bow is tuned for his arrows. It shoots mine great as well. I would steal it from him if it Pulled heavier for me. I am guessing I was pulling around 30#. We did not know what to make of it. I told him his bow just likes me better!
Katie
i use a #45 at 26" draw and wont shoot any high poundage bows through a sholder problem i have. any way no need to shoot heavy poundage as 45 is plenty here in NZ.
Many years ago at one of the first Denton Hill Rendezvous I was set up with my tables and had the great pleasure of sitting and talking for about an hour with a nice gent from PA. He his son and his grandson had just won the recurve competition and he was a hoot to talk to.
He was shooting and old Bear recurve 45 @ 28 and he drew 26.5, wore bifocals, was over seventy at the time.
He and his sons told me about his travels and he had been shooting that old Bear since around 1961.
He killed some fine deer every year in PA and hunted big game all over the country, elk, bear and muleys with that bow and took them all. Preferred to hunt from the ground either still hunting or pulling up a stump as he put it.
But that gent put his arrow in heart lungs every time. Anything inside thirty yards was backstrap time.
A 40-45 pound bow will cleanly kill just about any critter walking. I have done and so have millions of others.
Beware the man with one gun(bow), this old gent was proof of that truism!
O.L. thanks for responding to these threads. I wish I could say I own one of your bows, however I don't yet. I really respect your knowledge on these topics.
As far as light bows, I can say a few years back I shot completely through a very large bodied 9 point WI. whitetail with a 42# Blacktail recure.
I dropped down in bow weight a few years ago and went up in arrow weight.I now shoot around 48-51 pounds and 60-650 grains in arrow weight.I have no penetration problems.My shoulder and neck no longer hate me.RC
Had shoulder problems for a few years. I went down to shooting 40# bows for a while. I hunted a whole season with a 42# at my draw PSA Widow and an arrow that weighed around 330 grains. I killed a big coyote and 3 deer with that set up, stay off the shoulder and keep shots under 20 yards with a scary sharp head and enjoy hunting!! I had a couple surguries and I now shoot 52-57#s with no problems!! Shawn
Yeah I had to do the same thing.Hunted with a 40@27 longbow for a while.The simmons shot right through deer just like with my heavy 45lb bows.
Taking in all of your replies. They are appreciated! Thanks!
I'm going to bump this one more time for any further thoughts. Thanks.
The news sounds encourgaging all my bows are 47-51 I just called my bowyer an dropped to 42lbs I had neck surguries on 2-20 an I aint to darn happy right now I want to go outside an play! I should heel up just in time for the meat of 3-d season thank for the info. as always you all are great . with some of the best sorces of info!
I wonder if some people with 50# bows aren't drawing back as far as they do with a 42# bow and are getting more zip out of the lighter bow.
For what it's worth, last Sunday Graybeard came over and we measured my draw with 3 different longbows - one 42#, one 49# and one 51# all at 28". My draw with the 42# was a good 1.00" longer than with the 49# bow and 1.25" longer than with the 51# bow. The 51# is also the shortest of the 3 at 56". Perhaps not entirely surprising, I also shoot better with the 42# - I think because I'm steadier with it between anchor and release.
i have been going thru something similiar. i have two bows, both are hoyt gamemaster 2's....one ( ive used for 2.5yrs) is 44# @ my draw shooting a 525gr arrow...killed deer,turkey,small game,aand 2 hogs( one that weighed around 170#)...but the second hoyt i just got and its 55#...lets just say i cant get use to the speed. i use the same arrows ,just cut back, and they weigh 478grs. and i am finding very difficult to adjust to this bows speed and the weight. and all these weights are measured at my draw of 25". i guess im not gettin as much performance as i should b/c of my draw?
imho, it's a well placed sharp arra of reasonable mass weight that kills game at reasonable distances, not the bow.
each of us gotta figure out what works best for both the short and long term of bowhunting and pulling string.
i always get a better release and "feel" when i'm holding 55# or so at my draw length, it's what i've always pulled, and that's what i enjoy to hunt with these dayze. due to a frozen bow shoulder, at times when i do have a physical problem with that bow weight, i drop down to 46#.
i think a 40-45# modern trad recurve or r/d longbow is a good enuf engine for killing small game, deer and hog, at reasonable shooting distances, with 450-500gr matched arras with good sharp broadheads, and good shot placements.
as always, ymmv!