Bow poundage question - 70 vs 80

Kelly/KY · 05-09-2006, 07:06 PM

Hey guys,

It's been a while since I posted on here, but I have a question that I have been thinking about for all you experts. If a hunter can pull 80lbs on a bow and currently only shoots 70, will he benefit from the increased bow poundage in terms of arrow speed, accuracy and distance?? I was just curious as to your thoughts. It would seem to me the arrow would gain speed and have a flatter trajectory, which should improve down range accuracy, but then would it be enough to actually matter?? Thanks.

Kelly

mobow · 05-09-2006, 08:08 PM

Will he benefit? Most likely not. What I mean is this. Speed will increase, KE will increase, momentum will increase and bad shoulders will also increase. You reach a point of diminishing returns here. If you're shooting 70# and producing let's say 73 pounds of KE......yer gonna blow through most anything you shoot. How much more could you possibly benefit from shooting 80#?

There's some financial reasons as well. When you go to trade that 70 #'er in, you'll have a much easier time finding someone to buy it. Only very few people shoot 80's making them an item not in much demand.

The Rev · 05-09-2006, 08:37 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: mobowhuntr

Will he benefit? Most likely not. What I mean is this. Speed will increase, KE will increase, momentum will increase and bad shoulders will also increase. You reach a point of diminishing returns here. If you're shooting 70# and producing let's say 73 pounds of KE......yer gonna blow through most anything you shoot. How much more could you possibly benefit from shooting 80#?

There's some financial reasons as well. When you go to trade that 70 #'er in, you'll have a much easier time finding someone to buy it. Only very few people shoot 80's making them an item not in much demand.

I agree 100 %..
There isn't a big game animal in North America that 50 # won't bring down with proper shot placement. I got into that macho thing about a year ago. I am fifty six years old, and can draw that weight, but what would happen if I blew out something. ( too old to recover) I just sold a bow that was set on 75 #, too much.. My bow is set on 64 # shoots 288 with 370 grain arrow what more do you want. Plenty of K.E.

05-09-2006, 09:36 PM

More poundage means less forgiving for most people, and less accurate.Perfect tune is critical. And perfect form.I have blown thru shoulders with 66lbs and 270fps with 420gr arrows.

Flatter trajectories doesn't mean more accurate at all either.

I still shoot two bow that are from 66-68lbs. As long as I am between 60-70 and over 240fps, I don't really care. I use bow poundage to tune the bow to the arrow.

ELKINMTCWB · 05-09-2006, 11:24 PM

I do not think most people know what a heavy bow will do. I shoot a mathews safari set at 94# shoot s 680 gr arrow.I goup way better at 100 yards than any I soot with.If you gett any wind at all my arrow never dose any crap in flight.I can tell you pound a 680 gr arrow over 300 fps and see what comes out it.

Now do I think you need to shoot 100# . NO Do I think I benifit from it heck yes.I have shoot many many elk with my bow EVERY one of them has died in less than 100 yards. Now here for the shocker. I have never gotten a pass though. My wife has allso killed elk. She shoots little under 60#.

I will not see a reason for me to drop to a lighter bow. If I had to shoot 200 times a day I would go to a light bow. I do not have to do this and can see no reason a hunter needs to.I can stop in mid draw. I can allso draw so slow most white tails dont even see me move.

I say if you can draw the puondage slowwlllyy and hold the bow for over 3 mins. Shoot the top you can.

ELKINMTCWB · 05-09-2006, 11:29 PM

For got to say some thing about tuneing.

The mathews safari was the eazyest bow I have ever tunes :} I have allso shoot many many broad heads though it and every one of them has shoot perfict. I have never had a bow do that befor. But I gess iff you put a 32in arrow that is 530gr and has 5 in flights. It should tune eazy.

Now it you shoot 60# and what to shoot 300 fps you dang shure will need to do a lot of tuning.

gibblet · 05-10-2006, 06:16 AM

wow, now that's an arrow.

Arthur P · 05-10-2006, 06:29 AM

I intimately acquainted with what high poundage bows do.I used to shoot 110 pounds on a compound. 120 pounds on a longbow. My 'light target bow' that I shot field archery with was 80 pounds. This was back in the 80's. Now, 20 years later, my shoulders won't let me shoot ANY bow at ANY poundage. At this stage of life,I wish I'd never shot anything more than 60 pounds.

I have learned that looking for flatter trajectory by increasing poundage to ridiculous heights is a fool's errand. It will hurt you. Maybe not now, maybe not all at once, but eventually, you willget hurt. Either by slowly wearing out your joints, or by a series of minor injuries, orin one calamatous event, you will get hurt.

Besides that, heavier draw weights means you need stiffer arrows. Stiffer arrows = heavier arrows. Heavier arrows offset at least part of the gains you're looking for in speed and trajectory. The DUH factor comes into play here.

The SMART thing to do is leave the high poundage bows tothose who are going on safari for elephants andCape buffalo. Learn how to judge distance - or use a range finder-and learn your trajectory.

gibblet · 05-10-2006, 06:49 AM

good words art. i'm 39 and am not shooting anything over 60# any more. i want to have a long life in archery.

The Rev · 05-10-2006, 07:18 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: gibblet

good words art. I'm 39 and am not shooting anything over 60# any more. i want to have a long life in archery.

Words of wisdom from such a young feller...... You are so right my friend... When I first started in the construction business after I came home from Viet Nam, I did more than any one. I lifted more than anyone. The old timers told me, " Keep this up and one day your going to hurt like hell", they were right. Same thing with shooting them macho bows... "One day your going to hurt like hell"!