I guess my bow is a dog.I reserved my string last night to get a better nock fit.It fit much better and my bow is a little quieter but still the same speed 157fps consistently.This bow(Roy Hall "Apache")is 45# @ 28" and my BW PSA was 44# @ 28".I draw 28".I was getting 170fps or close to it with a 440gr Gold Tip 15/35.I lost 10-13 fps going from recurve to a longbow.I ordered a string from SBD and am hoping that will help some.This isn't a make or break deal on the bow.I love the bow.I just want it to be a little faster if possible.My eye and mind are used to a certain speed and I would like to keep it like that.It's possible that the string that is on it is the problem.I will just have to wait and see.For now,I am confident at 15 yards and under for hunting even though I miraculously killed a spike with a perfect shot at 20 yards a week or so ago.

once again speed is the last of the criteria within reason. accuracy and able to deliver a 10 grain per pound arrow is the important part. back in the early sixties Pennsylvania state champion woman Archer killed three deer with her 28 pound recurve. shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.  if you shoot it well at about 155 feet per second....you're golden. JMO

QuoteOriginally posted by jackdaw:
once again speed is the last of the criteria within reason. accuracy and able to deliver a 10 grain per pound arrow is the important part. back in the early sixties Pennsylvania state champion woman Archer killed three deer with her 28 pound recurve. shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.  if you shoot it well at about 155 feet per second....you're golden. JMO

x2

I would not worry to much about speed at 20 yards. I personally think there is nothing wrong with speed but I shoot 9grains+ pp. I shoot a lot of targets/3D's so I like some more speed.

I also shoot 3d and I always use my hunting bow for hunting and 3d.I guess because I only have one bow.lol.It would be nice to have a little more speed for 3d but I will make do with what I got.I expect to pick up a little speed with the SBD string but not over 10fps and probably more like 5fps from what others have said.I know that BW recurves are not that fast compared to other recurves so I was just surprised to lose that much with this bow.I can't complain too much though since I nailed the first deer I shot at with it.

My Dad was still killing deer with 130-140 fps bows. When he was in his seventies, shot placement is key.  And the plus side is its easy on arrows stump hunting.

My 1st selfbow was slow as mud.  I'm not into numbers, but it was visibly slow.  I didn't have a problem harvesting deer with it.  Heavy enough arrow and shot placement is much more important IMO

I have 5 Hill bows, one Bamboo Longhunter, and one Kolomi, and all shoot from the high 140's to high 150's fps. Although none are speed demons, they shoot well and will kill anything I want to take with power to spare.

I know it will kill any deer I shoot with it.I just wanted more speed for 3d, but to be honest,I don't shoot that much 3d anymore.I didn't shoot a single tournament this past summer.Bass fishing got in the way.That's it.Once I put my new string on, there will be no more mention of a "slow bow".All of you are right.It is plenty enough for hunting.It is a quiet,beautiful, and accurate bow.I much prefer carrying this bow into the woods than my BW.The physical weight is so much less that it is unbelievable.I shot that BW for years and thought that I never could shoot a longbow well so I just kept with what worked.I finally sold my BW and have no choice but to make this bow work.I'm not quite as accurate with it yet as my recurve but it's coming.Maybe in time I can get a faster longbow like an ACS if I need to but for now I'm happy with what I have.Thanks.

The interesting part about this post is that you are obviously taking your time when aiming hence the perfect shot on the deer @ 20 yds. This is all you need to remember !

I have bows that shoot anywhere between 160-197 fps, and sometimes I string them all up and take one or two shoots out of each, one after the other. Reason is, to force myself to take the time to aim and knowing I had to take into account the difference in height adjustment, luckily they all shoot the same arrow which makes this possible.

Jackdaw has said it all...to repeat what everyone else has already said its how accurate you shoot with your bow along with keeping your broadheads razor sharp and of course...shot placement is also a key factor in all game recovery.

I suggest you do as much small game hunting with your bow as you can fit in or do a lot of stump shooting...you accuracy will certainly improve and so will your confidence.  Good luck and keep us updated.

Ray,

IF you get down our way in Weatherford, give me a call and we'll have you shoot some longbows here.

Good Luck,

Mike

I picked up a bunch of speed with the first sbd string I bought.  I was easily shooting 4" high at 20yds with the new string. Hopefully that does the trick for you.

If you decide to sell the Owl, please let me know!!

Threads like this make me think there should be a law that prohibits traditional shooters from using chronos.  I wonder how many bows that were well-loved the day before have hit the road the day after someone shot them through a graph for the first time?  With the exception of Oly or FITA style recurves and very light arrows used on targets, these bows are all, let's face it, slow.

Ok, I may not be the smartest, But why do you need speed to shoot 3D, Do they jump the string..?

Good One Mike!     hahahaha  

I don't ever want to chrono my bows.  I'm happy with the girls I've got and if I start comparing them with some "Miss America" measurements, trouble will be brewing.

Howard Hill claimed that a string follow bow, being slower was more accurate. Not sure if that applies to the Owl, but speed is not everything. I remember a super fast hybrid that was noticeably faster than other bows I owned and shot, so much so, that I sold it.  It was too hard to shoot accurately.

That said, if you look for another try not to be overcome by speed.