23 inch riser, 38 # short limbs on my cheap ilf bow. I draw 30.75 inches. I know it stacks but I shoot it well. Somewhere near 50#s at my draw length according to a luggage scale.

Am I killing it? I just found out it may be dangerous!

If the bow is rated 38# (presumably at 28") and you are pulling it to 50# then it will quite possibly fail eventually.  Or not.  Insufficient data so far.  

String material, arrow weight, how many times it was left in a hot car in the summer, etc.

At your draw you would be better served with long limbs.

Check the manufacturer's recommended draw length, which may be a range. You probably will find a 62 - 64" bow better for your draw length, but it depends on the bow.

Yep you are over drawing the limbs.  Shorts on that riser max at 29 inches.  You could get by with mediums but would do better with longs.

The limbs should only be two pound heavier then rated on a 23" riser at 28".

Mike

I shoot 495 grn arrows at my 30.75 inch draw length. I take good care of it. I have a ff string by chad on it.

I dont want a blow up, but i dont have a ton of $$ laying around either. I guess Ill have to save up a bit and change things up.

It is a 64 inch bow on that riser.

I just talked to Mike Morrison two days ago . I've been thinking about ILF for a while. Mike is a great guy. he knew that I could not afford one of his bows, he spent about 1/2 hour on the phone with me explain why I should have the 21" riser with long limbs, and he also said that the medium's would work on the 21 inch riser for my draw of 29 & 1/2 inches .

and then he surprise me ,he told me because of just getting started in this ,I should go to a guy and named one of the sponsors on Tradgang site. and he even recommended what type of limbs to get that were really cheap limbs compared to his, but he said "you need to do this because it would not do either of us any good if it doesn't work out if you gets limbs for me".

so he advised me to get those limbs ,and if they work out and then he would feel comfortable selling me a set of custom limbs .

you can bet I will go to him when I need those, but for now it is trial and error.

the ones he suggested were Sebastian carbon , now go take the advice of the wisdom that you've been given by the others that posted and save yourself some injury .

good luck in your search for the right equipment

Common sense you can't put a six cylinder into ¾ ton !!!

And remember keep it fun

Carl

In more than once sense, thanks for the advice... for one it's nice to know you all care about my wellbeing :-) Also, I now have an excuse to get a new bow!