Help decreasing poundage

Ricky hess · 10-28-2003, 06:54 AM

I have a PSE bow that is rated at 60-70 pounds. While target practicing I can shoot 60 pds with no problem. While hunting the other day I had troble pulling back my bow on a Doe. I almost was unable to pull it back. I reduced the poundage to #56. Since the poundage of the bow is 60-70# what affect or harm will it do to the bow by me reducing the poundage under what it what rated for. I have sighted it it and it is shooting good at #56. I am worried what affect it will have on the bow or arrow flight. I would apprecitae any feed back. Thanks.

Rangeball · 10-28-2003, 08:08 AM

Manufacturers set a lower limit that a bow can be safely backed off to. The more you back things off from this limit, the less threads you have holding the limbs in the riser, and the potential of a catastrophic failure and bow blow up increases.

I wouldn' t go below the minimum. If it fails after shooting for a while, it may give you a warning, and it may not...

Ricky hess · 10-28-2003, 12:07 PM

Thanks Rangeball, Does that mean I will have to buy a new bow?

Rangeball · 10-28-2003, 12:39 PM

Not necessarily. If you can' t shoot 60#s comfortably, perhaps your dealer can swap your limbs for some 50-60# ones. Should keep your cost down over a new bow purchase, assuming you just don' t have the itch for a new bow

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Ricky hess · 10-28-2003, 01:10 PM

It is worth checking into., But I was told that it would be exspensive. Almost the price of a new bow. the thing is I just bought the bow last year and it is a top of the line PSE. Can' t remember the model off the top of my head. Anyway thanks.

98Redline · 10-30-2003, 06:56 AM

Not that it will help this season, but looking forward to next season, begin to gradually work up the poundage on your bow.
When I started a few years ago, I could barely draw 55#. Each week, I would try to shoot about 3 or 4 days for a 1/2 hour or so. About every other week I would increase the poundage by 1 or 2 pounds (very similar to weight lifting). By the end of the summer, I had built up the muscles enought to draw 70# effectively during target practice. For hunting, I dropped back to 65# to ensure that after sitting in the stand for a few hours, and being cold, I was still able to draw the bow.

One thing you should also practice.....I found out this little tid bit the hard way.
Try to draw your bow, by holding your release hand in one place and pushing your bow arm out (kind of a reverse draw). Last year I had a doe come in at a funky angle where I couldn' t draw with my bow arm extended. I found that I couldn' t draw my bow more than 1/2 way (peak weight on the cams). Had to let her walk.