Incorrect poundage

Robert Honaker · February 09, 2011, 12:21:00 PM

My bow weight is way off.

It says 51@28, but always felt much easier to pull than that.

I wondered why a 30in 2018 shot so well. At my 29in draw shoulda been under spined at 54lbs.

Well put it on a scale...47@28!

Why would a custom bowyer mark an inaccurate poundage on a bow? I don't get it?

robslifts · February 09, 2011, 12:32:00 PM

how old is the bow?

Stumpkiller · February 09, 2011, 12:34:00 PM

Martin (Damon Howatt) has a reputation for undermarking bows to give the impression of added "zip". My Dream Catcher is off about two pounds.

You'll notice some bows - Ben Pearsons for instance - are marked like: 45XX# or XX50#. These would be a 47# and a 48# bows respectively. There is a five pound range that is "allowed" for the AMO (and I think ATA). So a bow that scales 48# may be marked as 50# or XX50#. Some manufacturers, Browning for instance, actually marked the bow's weight. i.e. 52#@28". Bears (I believe) have the actual weight @28" stamped under the riser pad.

In your case - can't say. The draw is often measured in different places. For some it is 1-3/4" ahead of the deepest part of the grip (aka "pivot point"). So it is grip dependant as much as arrow length dependant. Can also be your scale does not agree with his scale.

http://texasarchery.org/Documents/AMO/AMOStandards.pdf

QuoteBow weight is the force required to draw the nocking point of the bow string a given distance from the pivot point of the bow grip (or the theoretical vertical projection of a tangency line to the pivot point parallel to the string). Draw length from pivot point shall be designated as DLPP and shall be referred to as TRUE DRAW LENGTH.

For the purpose of uniform bow weight designation, bow weight is the force required to draw the bow string 26 1/4" from the pivot point. This weight will be marked on bow as being taken at 28" draw (26 1/4" plus 1 3/4" = 28")

Bjorn · February 09, 2011, 12:51:00 PM

I had that happen and the bowyers replaced the bows both times-just make sure your scale is correct.
4# is quite a bit maybe the bowyer had not re-set his scale-or yours could be off too.

Stinger · February 09, 2011, 01:21:00 PM

First question that came to my mind was what scale you are using. If it is one of those big hanging scales, you are probably ok. If it is one of those handheld things that you hook onto the string and grab the little T-handle and pull and read the scale on the side, then I say that's about right. I have never seen one of those hand held jobs that didn't read 3# light.

reddogge · February 09, 2011, 03:05:00 PM

Simple answer is your scale and his scale don't jive.

David Mitchell · February 09, 2011, 03:09:00 PM

My Howard Hills are always 3-4# heavier than the weight marked (and ordered)...on other scales as well as my own, and other bows I have weigh on my scales as marked by the bowyer. So I just factor that in when ordering a Hill.

cbCrow · February 09, 2011, 04:56:00 PM

I just recently got a bow I ordered and it just felt a little heavy I scaled it and the local hunting shop scaled it. Bow was 2.5#s heavier than stated. Nothing dramatic but it just felt heavier than the other bow.

McGeeM · February 09, 2011, 04:59:00 PM

I had a custom bow made a few years ago. Bowyer called and said the bow I ordered came in under the poudage I wanted. He stated that he would build another one, but if he didn't get it finished before his Alaska trip he had an upgraded model in the poundage I wanted that he would send for no extra cost.

The bow came and was marked 60#@28". I couldn't figure why my arrows wouldn't fly out of it. Put it on 2 seperate scales and they both said 54#. I called the bowyer about it and was told it made weight when it left his shop. Never heard from the guy again.

Still have the bow. Figured there would be a day when I can't pull 60# and I would have a brand new bow to shoot.

StickBowManMI · February 09, 2011, 07:58:00 PM

I have a custome bow that I ordered for my wife that is marked as 41lbs @28" and after weighing it, we found that at 28" the draw weight was 52lbs. I was going to send it back but my wife loves the bow and she sure can shoot it. I won't name the bowyer so please don't ask.

Robert Honaker · February 09, 2011, 08:08:00 PM

Looks like most bows are marked lighter than they actually are.

Mine is 4# lighter than marked.

Bought the bow new one year ago. I didn't order it, he was selling as stock bow marked 51@28.

I wondered why it was so dang slow.

DeerSpotter · February 09, 2011, 08:15:00 PM

I had three custom bows from a Bowyer ,And two others that I purchased used ,All from the same maker ,None of them were the poundage that was marked on the bow.

It's common to be 2 or 3 pounds off Most of the good Bowyer get within 1 to 2 pounds .

Carl

ishoot4thrills · February 09, 2011, 08:17:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Robert Honaker:
.............I wondered why it was so dang slow.

3# isn't gonna make THAT much difference.

Robert Honaker · February 09, 2011, 08:26:00 PM

it's actually 4 lbs and is sooo much slower than my other mid 50 bows.

I don't like how any bow under 50 shoots. There is a big diff.

Lee Robinson . · February 09, 2011, 08:51:00 PM

I suspect it is slow because of design AND being light both. Also, check your other bows and see if they are heavier than marked. As some above mentioned...it is common for some to mark their bows lighter than they really are, as doing so makes their bows look fast. I think that trend is starting to change since people are now more educated. Many of Dan Quillians bows were actually only marked in poundage and draw length wasn't mentioned. People often assumed that mark was at 28", and while that may have been the case at one time, I have seen many that were actually the marked weight at a 26" draw length.

Additionally, some bowyers use a measuring tape on a wall and then pull the bow down to the mark on the wall...THAT IS THE WRONG WAY to measure bow weight. The distance to the mark is taken up not only by the bow, but also by the MOVING hook on the scale. I am amazed by the number of bowyers that do not notice this.

Imagine you have two bows...one 40# and another 70#. Pull them both to a mark on the wall...and the 70#er has pulled the hook on the scale down further since it is heavier...and therefore the bow itself isn't drawn as far. For this reason, when checking the weight of a bow, put a "measuring" arrow on the string with inch marks on it. You very seldom see that done, but it is the only way I know of to get a TRULY ACCURATE draw length/bow weight.

The only other way I know to get an "semi-accurate" draw is to have a "holding block" on the grip and then pull string to a mark. To do that though, the scale can't be anchored (often done with a pully and rope). The problem with this method is the grip variations will have to be taken into consideration as the distance to the back of the shelf in front of the "grip" block may vary in some designs.

Robert Honaker · February 09, 2011, 08:58:00 PM

My other bows are spot on. I do measure with a marked arrow.

mahantango · February 09, 2011, 09:30:00 PM

A couple years ago, I stopped by a local archery shop to pick up some nocks. These guys are 110% compound, so I was surprised to see a couple stickbows on the consignment rack. One was a Cascade Goshawk marked 65@28. I asked them what the story was, and was told a guy brought it in with an old Indian recurve (Chochise), a dozen Legacys, a back quiver, a stringer and two gloves. Wanted $300 for everything. Both bows near mint. I asked if I could check the Cascade out, and the guy said if you can string it you can shoot it. They stared like I was from another planet as I strung it, I don't think they had ever seen a stringer in action before. I said "if that's 65# then I'm Hulk Hogan". We put it on the scale, and it weighed 57#. Perfect. Thats the worst mis-marked bow I've come across and I bought it on the spot.

ishoot4thrills · February 09, 2011, 09:59:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by ishoot4thrills:

QuoteOriginally posted by Robert Honaker:
.............I wondered why it was so dang slow.
3# isn't gonna make THAT much difference. [/b]

Okay, I got my calculator out and........you are correct, it IS 4# instead of 3#. I was just checking to see if everyone was awake!

:rolleyes:

PEARL DRUMS · February 09, 2011, 10:03:00 PM

The only bows I own that are marked correctly are the ones I built. I use digital bow scales and they are accurate. Every purchased bow I have is marked 2-5# heavy, even bows I have bought and sold were all lighter tahn advertised.

February 09, 2011, 10:19:00 PM

Could be that he is using an "old fashioned" spring scale or that his scale is not calibrated correcly. Or it could be that he just missed the weight and did not want to make another bow (I hope it was not the last reason).

Bisch