I am posting this to fish for advice from fellow TradGangers.  I have a bow made for me that is supposed to be 60lbs at 28 inches.  I draw 28.5 inches.  After shooting the bow, I felt that it was heavier than 60lbs.  But because it is a longbow and not a recurve, I assumed it was just how longbows are.  They always felt heavier.  I gave it a solid week of shooting: 60 arrows each morning before sunrise, 120 arrows each evening at and after sunset.  My accuracy has suffered somewhat due to collapse and plucking.  I had the bow checked at 2 different places with a scale and found the bow to be pulling 70lbs at my draw.  I think the bowyer's scale is way off or has a worn spring.  Should I send the bow back to him or keep working into the bow?  I have a recurve I shoot that is in the 70lbs range but it is 66 inches and does not feel as heavy.

I would contact the bowyer for his advise but would send it back for reduction or replacement. If you try to shoot a bow that is too heavy for you, you are gonna cause shooting problems. If you have been putting almost 200 arrows a day through this bow and it is still too heavy, it is too heavy!     pat

I have a tendency to become obsessed with overcoming obstacles.  I guess I took the additional weight as a challenge, but, it probably is not good for shooting form and could cause problems.  I will contact the bowyer and send the bow back to him.  I shoot a lot of arrows because I like it.  60lbs is mild for me and I shoot it all day.  70lbs is pushing it but helps me condition in the winter.  Do you know what happens to a guy when there are 4 major holidays within 2 months of each other?  Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas ham, New Year's pork roast, then SUPER BOWL wings?    

Three Arrows, bowyers are usually allowed a little leeway (plus or minus 2# or so)in making weight on bows, but 10# is way over the limit.  If I were you, I would request a different bow.  Taking that much weight off the bow would change its dynamics, performance, looks, just about everything about it.

10 lbs off is too much. I just sent a bow back  for weight reduction that was 10 lbs over...but that one is a sinewbacked bow that was a gift pushed out  a little quick for my birthday-after 6 months the tiller was still perfect but the weight had climbed 10 lbs due to final drying of the sinew. A laminated bow should be within a couple of pounds of target weight always. A booboo happened somewhere.

I am sending back to get 6lbs taken off.  If it does not work out then a new bow will have to be made.  Thank you all for your suggestions and advice.

I agree with above, unless it is a straight limbed longbow 6#s is too much and will change the dynamics of the bow too much and you may fine even 64#s is too much. 60#s will kill anything in NA and why over bow yourself and risk your accuracy. Shawn