What are the advantages of maxing your bow weight out?

[ABarOfSoap]

Why is maxing your bow weight out better for your bow, than say keeping it at 65 or 60 pounds when it can go up to 70?

[magicman54494]

I'm far from being an expert but whan I was testing bows the same bow maxed out shot much smoother than when it was turned down. Besides that I don't know if it hurts the bow to shoot it turned down. by the way good to see you again. I kinda poked a little fun at you in a different post. But you know it's cuz I love you. (in a brotherly way)

[TexasBowHunter]

In the older days, they used to say that when the bow was tightened down all the way it held everything in the limb pockets tight????? Thats what the (highers to be) used to always tell me...I am no expert either, that's just what I had been told a couple times.

[ABarOfSoap]

ORIGINAL: magicman54494

I'm far from being an expert but whan I was testing bows the same bow maxed out shot much smoother than when it was turned down. Besides that I don't know if it hurts the bow to shoot it turned down. by the way good to see you again. I kinda poked a little fun at you in a different post. But you know it's cuz I love you. (in a brotherly way)

Its ok i love U 2 [8D]

[Bullet Hole Bailey]

I just know that i shot a heckuva lot better when i maxed my bow out....

[bigbulls]

Because a 70 pound limb has a specific spring rate. That is it's optimal rate of bend. That is where it was designed to have peak performance.

When a limb is shot at its max draw weight that limb is pre stressed, or pre bent, in a manner in which it was specifically designed to be stressed.

When you back out the limbs you are removing some of this pre bend in the limb so it can not perform in its optimal spring rate.

It's kind of likeleaf springsor truck. Limbs are basically large, flat springs made from fibers.
Those springs are designed to have a cerrtain ammount of weight and stress applied to them to get the best performance from thatspecific set of springs. If you have a spring that is designed to have 5000 pounds (70 pounds limbs)of compression to operate optimally and you are using them in a vehicle that only is able to apply 3000 (turned down to 60 pounds)on them then they are not going to give the driver a very smooth ride.

I hope i didn't just confuse everyone. [&:]

[popeandyoungchaser]

Bigbulls nailed it on the head there!! Couldn't have said it any better

[OHbowhntr]

Actually, I've found that some bows shoot a touch better backed out a hair. But I'll agree, they're gonna shoot better closer to being locked down than they will backed out to their minimum weight.

[hunter9022]

Everyones already said everything, and they're right. Bows shoot smoother and better when maxed. But, that was older age limbs. Limbs would slip from the pockets in the "older days" when they werent snug to the riser which could also throw off tiller and timing. I think that issue has been takin care of by now though so it shouldn't be a worry.

[Paul L Mohr]

ORIGINAL: bigbulls

Because a 70 pound limb has a specific spring rate. That is it's optimal rate of bend. That is where it was designed to have peak performance.

When a limb is shot at its max draw weight that limb is pre stressed, or pre bent, in a manner in which it was specifically designed to be stressed.

That might be true if your bow is at it's max draw weight when the limbs are bottomed out, but that is rarely the case. Some are a bit over, some are lot over and some are a bit low. So that sort of throws that theory out the window.

The only benefit I could see it having is on a bow where the limbs can move in the pocket there will be less movement when the bow is shot. If they are backed out the limb will most likely bounce around in the pocket. Bows do some crazy stuff when the string is released. If the limbs were maxed out they would be held tight in the pocket and would not be able to move.

That being said I don't think it makes a bit of difference. I have not owned a bow yet that shot different with the limbs bottomed out than it did with them backed all the way out. They were still quiet, still accurate and still just as efficient when you ran all the numbers and compensated for the lost draw weight.

There is absolutely no advantage a maxed out bow will give that will make up for drawing too much draw weight. Simply isn't going to happen.

I have also never shot a bow that was "smoother" with more draw weight. More draw weight always equals a harder drawing bow. Every bow I have had if you dropped them from 60 some pounds to 50 or lower they drew like butter simply because they were easier to draw.

My opinion anyway.

Paul