How many lbs do you go up when comfortable

[Lakeshooter]

Right now I have been shooting my 46lb quinn recurve for about 4 months. I am now being able to stack them fairly well on my first couple sets of arrows. I am wanting to go up in weight a little for range and hunting reasons. I was thinking to 48 or 50. How many pounds do you go up at a time?

[pdk25]

I don't think I would spend any money to only go up 2#, but that is me.  4-6# probably wouldn't be too much of a jump, and you should see some performance gains.  That being said, your 46# bow should do real well for you and this late in the season may not be the best time for a change.

[AWPForester]

At 46 pounds, I would go to no less than 50 if I'm buying, probably 55.  Bu there are other things to consider.  You say the first couple of sets you are accurate.  Are you truly tiring or just losing focus?  Also, your powerstroke and a pull through release with your back is much more contribuing to performance than draw weight.  46 @ 28 is equivilent to 50-52 @ 27 in performance.  I say that to give you an idea that you can still very cleanly and easily kill anything you want with that bow.  Just a bad time to change.  Stick with what you got and work on the change in the off season.  God Bless

[SheltonCreeker]

Id hold fast if you are shooting well. I shoot 48lb @27 and have had no performance problems on whitetails. I can't imagine your gonna notice much of a change with just a few lbs and with that being said I can't imagine the performance will change that much either. Some with out a doubt but not enough to warrant a change. With that said you do what feels best for you at the time. I shot 55lbs for a while and ultimately came back down. Just enjoyed shooting lighter weights but thats me.

[Lakeshooter]

Thank you all for your appreciated input! I will take your advice and wait till the off season to decide on a change!

[WidowEater]

The first mistake I ever made as a bow shooter was to increase weight just as I was starting to consistently hit where I was pointing.

Maybe go up in weight after you can consistently put fifty arras where you want them in one shooting session.

Then again, when a fella wants a new bow....

[mike g]

When and If you decide to go up....
   Id say theres a reasom most bows come in 5# increments....
   And I would say, when you can shoot about 100 arrows accurately then go up....
   And as mentioned above, you bows weight is good enough to kill most anything in this country with an accurate shot....

[ron w]

When I was younger and full of myself I felt I should go up in poundage...worst thing I ever did. If you doing well at 46# stay there and just improve. Work on your form and consistency. Now that I'm older and I hope smarter I'm back where I started....46#, Good luck .

[kat]

Everyone is different. If you are going up, I would suggest 5#s. For myself, I have gained a great deal of added efficiency by working on my form, and adding inches to my draw length. Your shoulders and joints will thank you when you get older too.

[Butternutz]

Why go up? If your stacking arrows like cord wood I would stay with what you have and play around with broad head selection. I went down from 65# to 46#. Felt like I was shooting a toy but my accuracy went up. Already killed deer with my 46# widow with no lack of penetration.  Good luck. Don

[arsurveyor]

I started a 50 lbs in my twenties, went to 60 lbs a couple years later.  Always shot decent, but not great.  After I starting learning better form and techniques, I discovered I couldn't accomplish my best form at those weights.  I now shot a 46#@28" recurve (my draw length is 29), and am now shooting better than ever.

[duncan idaho]

5# at the most, and you should not change during the hunting season. Remember trad archery is a physical/ martial art. Start a year round physical training program and you will be able to shoot what poundage you want,and not be limited to bows under 50#.

[Brianlocal3]

I went from 40 to 56 in a jump.  It went fine for me

[elkbreath]

Jump to 70 or so and struggle with it a few arrows daily on a blind bale.  but keep shooting and hunting with the 46 extensively.  

The 46 will get even better.  Oh and don't forget to strengthen both arms.  It's great to be able to shoot 65+ without straining at All.

I doubt you'll struggle with 55#.  IMO (for what it's worth) I've seen few guys who have been shhooting for any length of time that couldn't shoot 55, in my life.  I'm thoroughly astounded by all the guys online that say they won't or cant.   Some have health reason, which are very viable.  But the people I know personally can all shoot 55#+.

Most guys in here don't think that way, and their advice is worth pondering, they've been doing it along time.  

For me, I'd rather get stronger, so I'm shooting a 85-90lbs right now, making my hunting bows feel like child play.

[centaur]

I'm comfortable with 55#, but I recently bought a bow that I'm working into. It is 66# at my draw, and I'm doing like Elkbreath says; shooting a few arrows daily with it, working my way into the bow. I can already tell a difference in my 55 pounders; much easier to draw and hold, and I have only been working with the heavier bow for a couple of weeks. I want the heavier bow on the off chance that some day a blind, deaf and dumb elk stumbles into my shooting lane. I know 55 is sufficient for elk, but the heavier bow shoots so much harder that it would be some insurance when I can handle it.

[Lakeshooter]

Both approaches sounds like they could work well

1) The shoot what you can already shoot accurately and leave it like that.

2) The weight lifter/conditioning approach- lift heavy then be able to shot easier with the lower bows when its time to do work.


Both also sound like they can have ups and downs.  The first approach sounds like it would be easier to have multiple consistent shots for something like 3D but still have the power to shoot almost any game. The 2 approach sounds like it would easier to hunt any big game with but have less multiple consistent shots.

Would a reasonable conclusion be: Keep my weight and continue to hunt deer and small game in missouri, and move to 50# by next year if im absolutely comfortable but if the opportunity arises to go hunt moose or bear somewhere else. I could take the weight lifter approach months before the hunt while buying a used higher weight (55-60)bow for that designated hunt?

[elkbreath]

Just to get it straight.  I don't recommend shooting a bow that isn't comfortable for you, at all.  If your not accurate with a bow, consistently, then its not a hunting bow.

But that doesn't mean that it cant be one, or that its not at least a workout bow.  If anything, I go down in weight to hunt, shooting in the 70's to hunt squirrels, rabbit, elk, deer, carp, whatever.  Bows that are too heavy for me to be consistently accurate, as accurate as most guys if not more, don't get shot any further then 7 yards or so.  With LOTS of time spent point blank just drawing to full draw, releasing smooth.  This process will help you get comfortable, as comfortable as you are at 46, with much heavier bows.  IF you want to do that.

In the end, its only going to make you MORE accurate at any given weight to be stronger or more capable at heavier poundages.

[moleman]

Shooting good at 46# is better than shooting poorly at a heavier weight, but if you are inclined to shoot heavier, wait till the off season.
With that said, ive worked my way up to 80#, by going slow and being careful in 5# incriments, NEVER moving on until im more than able to handle that weight and shoot effectively.

[YORNOC]

I average 55#. For a bison hunt I bumped up to 76#. 5# increments.
It worked beautiful. Took about a month.

[JamesKerr]

I just made the jump from 55# to 60# today as my new limbs came in. I did not notice hardly any difference in the weight at full draw. I did notice that I shot better with the 60# than the 55# as I don't have a great release so the little bit more poundage helped to get a smoother release.