what's is a good speed for a selfbow at 10gr/# for something in the 55#-65# range? i know there's alot of variables but i'm just wondering what the low and high end speeds would be in terms of judging the bows efficiency. whats fast and whats not worth hunting with?

A bow pulling 50# @ 28", shooting a 10GPP arrow, should be able to launch an arrow at a speed of ATLEAST 145fps, IMO. And that may even be in the low end, depending on the design.

Lots of variables-just like lam bows some selfbows can be quite fast-others perhaps not so much. To date I have made one sinew backed osage bow with recurved tips that is right up there with many laminated FG bows-but there have been lots of shavings along the way.
Elsewhere on the net you can find 'walk the talk' where some self bowyers are making bows that out shoot todays top lam bows.

i aim for anything past 140 fps ...
having said that I'm still in the " i have no idea what I'm doing stage " but I'm thinking in an "overbuilt " bow thats what I'll keep aiming for ...

If you are looking for speed self bows are not the way to go, they are short range killing weapons and out to 20 yards will get the job done. The above speeds are about right.

I'm not big on speed either for the selfbows that I make.  I have seen a selfbow made by Brad Merkel (littletree) shoot through a chron at 170fps.  The bow was 50# @ 27 (his draw) and the arrow weighed 525g.  It was amazing.

100fps + bow weight w/10gpp
GENERAL RULE OF THUMB!

Mine shoot so fast that most chrono's cant register the speed...or is it the opposite, they dont register that slow. Anyway with selfbow dont get caught up in that crap. They kill like any other bow and arrow set up thats all that is important. At least to me. Hunt close and enjoy.

Two Tracks has the rule of thumb I've heard.
 I shot one of my selfbows through a chrono once and was so disappointed in the numbers I never did it again. Now I can tell on the first shot whether it is a shooter or a good shooter. Both will kill any animal in North America with proper arrows and arrow placement so what difference does the speed make. If you practice enough with your selfbow so you know the trajectory you can put the arrow where it needs to go...even at sub sonic speed!

There is a subtle difference between a good and a WOW self bow. A good self bow will come close to the rule of thumb that 2track listed. A really good self bow will surprise you with performance. "Dry wood expertly tillered." Sounds easy but its not.

A buddy of mine who happens to hang out here brought some self bows down to the Calgary Archery center a while ago.  I saw a couple of them shoot over 170fps.  Draw weight was in the mid 50's and his arms are a little long so about a 29 or 30 inch draw.  I was blown away!

I find a self bow to be QUIET.
That is what makes them so good and the fact they are very "simple"
As Shaun stated above, skilled people make some bows that perform. Brad Merkel is one of the best I know personally.

Sound or lack of is what I like about them.

Never seen what I would call a fast one if comparing to a good glass bow however.Never seen one shot through a crony yet that would break 160 unless they were shooting arrows under 10gns from it.Most were in the 140 to 155 range for the best ones.Of course these were bows used to shoot 3d and hunt with so had a number of arrows through them.They were not the one or two arrow flight bows you hear guys talk about being so fast.  

thats one of the things that concerns me about selfbows is the change/stringfollow and the increased likelyness that it will break, i draw 30.8 inches and like to hold for several seconds.
this is not to good for self bows so ive been told.  

eric-thor make the bow longer for your draw and dont worry. Howard Hill I believe said something to fact that a little string follow is a good thing. Makes a bow a pleasure to shoot (me not Howard). Too much not good a little no big worry. Less effienct yes but again it is a selfbow and it has done its job since the pleiseten (? spelling). Hunt close and enjoy.

My old favorite, which I made in '95 and I shoot sparingly, but every year, is a 59# osage and shoots a 515 gr. arrow at 150 something feet per second.  A sharp two blade at 10 yards is amazing.  I'll shoot a deer or two every year to unwind after I've done my damage with my recurve.

thanks skinner but ill stick to my one bow philosophy andthats all i need for now. if i get on "servivor" the tv show i will be fashioning a bow and arrows asap . my tribe will not starve. i will servive.

eric-thor,

No offense intended, but if you are measuring draw length out to tenths of an inch, perhaps selfbows aren't for you  

Some tricked out rifle loads can shoot upwards of 6000 fps.  Why on earth would anyone want to shoot a compound bow at maybe 300 fps?  Compound bows shoot over 300 fps, why on earth would anyone want to shoot a trad bow that shoots only 170?  Glass bows top out at over 200 fps, why on earth would anyone want to shoot a selfbow at 150 fps?

It's all good.  Shoot what makes ya happy and gives you confidence.  Pyramids that took decades and longer to build stand longer than today's houses built in less than a month.

Speed and Selfbows shouldn't be in the same sentence!

When the compound was created, it was for the ease of holding and shooting!

I enjoy selfbows for the part of building and shooting something of attachment to simplicity!

I have taken more animals with them, than any!

Speed, that was something folks took in the 70's and 80's for........!

i'm not speed crazy i was just curious to know what an average was so when i make one i'll know how it fares. thanks. can't wait to have a go at making one.