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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: stringstretcher on June 28, 2009, 11:32:00 AM

Title: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: stringstretcher on June 28, 2009, 11:32:00 AM
From when you first started shooting until now, how much draw weight have you dropped. I started shooting in 1966 and was shooting 55-60 lb bows.  Now I am most confortable at the 42-45 lb weight and still keeping my accuracy.  Lets hear from some others on you weight loss
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: Orion on June 28, 2009, 11:39:00 AM
Been shooting for more than 50 years.  Was shooting about 60-65# or a little more.  In the last two years, I've dropped to 52-56#.  Those weights feel pretty good right now.
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: jimmerc on June 28, 2009, 11:41:00 AM
I started out young with 45/50# bows, moved up to 70/75# for a few years then dropped back to 55/60# where I'm happy for now at age 50! I'm sure that someday i'll be dropping back down again!! But I'm not ready for that yet!!  I can still draw and shoot the 70# bows and work out 3x a week, but afraid of injurys so i'm very careful!!
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: bawana bowman on June 28, 2009, 11:45:00 AM
Started shooting in 1960. In the late 70's and early 80's was shooting 85#-110#. Now still shoot from 55# to 90#, but most accurate in the 60-80# range.
I like to shoot heavy draw weights mostly to keep muscles in shape. I'm actually most comfortable in the 65-75# range.
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: JAG on June 28, 2009, 11:49:00 AM
Started out at 74# for years.  Then about 5 yrs. ago dropped to 65#.  2 yrs. ago cut my bow down to 55- 60 range.  Same Osage selfbow, still shoots hard, and still more accurate than I am!
I cam still shoot my other Osage selfbow that is 70#, but like the lighter weight at 58 yrs. old!
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: Gray Buffalo on June 28, 2009, 12:01:00 PM
started at 80 and droped to 50 after 50 years. Thinking of 45 lately
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: straitera on June 28, 2009, 12:33:00 PM
Started at 12 with 30#. Now shoot longbows between 70-82#.
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: Pat B. on June 28, 2009, 12:48:00 PM
I probably started semi-seriously in about '68 with a 43# Red Wing Hunter... In the mid 70's until about 1980 shot some wheel bows then went back to recurves.. After a couple of years wound up shooting 83# Howatt Hunters and stayed there for a spell. I then went on to a series of custom bows, most being in the 70-75# range.
I'd guess about 1990 I started back down in weight.. Today I'm back shooting in the 45-50 pound range. One of my favorites is an A&H thats
43 @ 28 ---- about 46 at my draw length.. I'd probably be shooting a bit more but I have some arthritis in my drawing hand and some shoulder problems in my bow arm!  Such is life. Glad I can shoot at all.. I admire all you geezers who can still shoot heavy, LOL...
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: Bjorn on June 28, 2009, 01:15:00 PM
I dropped down 10# from 60-50 and hope to stay at this weight for a while.
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: 30coupe on June 28, 2009, 04:13:00 PM
I built my first glass backed recurve in shop class when I was a freshman in high school (1967 I think). It was supposed to be 45#, it's pretty close to that. I still have it and it still shoots pretty well. Of the dozen or so that were built, I think mine is the only survivor.

I graduated to a Herter's Model Perfection 50# in 1974. My eldest son now owns that one. I shoot 45-55# bows. I guess I haven't changed. I never felt the need for anything heavier, and don't feel the need to go any lighter at this point.
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: nightowl1 on June 28, 2009, 04:14:00 PM
im only 24 but dropped from 70 to 48#. saw no need for the heavier bow or the joint stress...id shoot anything with it.
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: stringstretcher on June 29, 2009, 03:45:00 PM
Since I have found a better poundage for myself, I am now in the stages of taking down some of my heavier bows to a lighter weight.  What a difference in my shooting.  Being overbowed has always been a problem for me thinking I could master the weight, but lets face it, it's nice to find better ways to improve on your shooting for sure
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: Ia Hawkeye on June 29, 2009, 04:05:00 PM
Started out with 40# (0ver 50 years sgo). When I got serious about hunting deer, I shot 42 and worked my way up to 65#.
The last 15 or so years, I've dropped bow weight untill I'm down to 45#. I'm 70 with health issues and that's what I shoot comfortably.
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: Kip on June 29, 2009, 05:28:00 PM
I started with 50 then went to 55 for 30 plus years and still have a 56 bow but also some limbs in 49,51,54.I killed a bear with 54 this past week but starting to like closer to 50 now at age 59.Kip
Title: Re: Weight drop over the year?
Post by: bozara on June 29, 2009, 05:46:00 PM
I'm 62 and have been shooting traditionally for about 25 years.  Started at 65 lbs and still shoot at that weight for practice (and conditioning) but have 57# limbs that I usually hunt with.  More clothes and cold weather make the lighter weight more sensible, especially drawing "cold" after 4 hours sitting in a stand.