Can you change the amount of pull on a compound bow?

cchardwick · 12-05-2004, 02:08 PM

I'm a very new bow hunter, in fact I'm in the process of ordering my first compound bow. I found a great deal on a 2004 Browning Rage One bow. This bow has an adjustable pull from 40 - 50 pounds. Does anyone know if you can change this amount of pull to 60-70 pounds by changing the cam or other hardware on the bow? They sell the same bow with 60-70 pounds of pull but I want to start light. I eventually want to hunt Elk with this bow - would the 50 pounds be enough for Elk hunting?

C-WOODS-SHOOT · 12-05-2004, 03:37 PM

cchardwick, you would have to replace the limbs to get the higher poundage. You might check to see how much this would cost, it might be cheaper to pay a little more now and get the draw weight you want. I have never hunted elk but I'm sure 50 lbs. would work on a well placed shot. Good luck and welcome to a very addicting sport.

BGfisher · 12-05-2004, 06:19 PM

An accurate shot from 50lbs is a lot better than a gut shot from 70lbs. Keep this in mind. Frankly, till you are ready to hunt elk you may be ready for another bow. And to buy heavier limbs for what you got you can buy a decent used bow and have two of them.

You're smart enough to start out with light weight. I'll give you that. Just make sure you stay smart and don't get more bow than you can handle. Accuracy counts.

cchardwick · 12-05-2004, 07:49 PM

Oh, thanks. So this bow at 50 pounds sounds like it's sufficient for Elk. What is the maximum range I should be shooting Elk at with this 50 pounder? A buddy of mine says that he shoots a 60 pound bow and can put all arrows in a pie plate at 60 yards. I've heard others say that they won't shoot an animal further than 20 yards. What do you think?

bigbulls · 12-05-2004, 09:40 PM

Puting every arrow in a pie plate at 60 yards is one thing and attempting to put an arrow through a 500 - 1000 pound animal at 60 yards in another thing entirely. Especially after hiking around the mountains that they live in all day long.

An arrow looses a lot of energy and momentum by the time it gets to 60 yards. My arrow starts out with 76 foot pounds and at 60 yards it only has 60 foot pounds left. Which is still more than what a 50 pound bow starts out with and probably real close to what your buddy is starting out with. You can do the math from here.

That arrow also takes a long time to get to 60 yards and even if the elk simply starts walking at the shot you could end up hitting it in the gut or rear leg. I would not dream of taking a shot at an elk from 60 yards.

IMHO a shot at that distance is irresponsible. I keep my shots under 40 yards and you should try to keep them under 30. A 50 pound bow is plenty of bow for elk but you just have to keep within the limitations of your equipment and personal ability. It takes a lot more energy to get through an elk than a deer. Especially if you happen to mess up and hit the shoulder blade you will want all you can get.

I would aslo strongly advise you against just ordering a bow and trying to set it up yourself. Go to a pro shop and make sure that this IS THE bow that you want. Unless you shoot it before you buy it you may end up making a big mistake and wishing you had bought something else that fit you better. I did with my first bow.[:@] You will end up spending a lot more time and money than if you had done it the right way the first time.

How old/ strong are you. You may be better off with a 50 - 60 pound bow and starting out at 50 pounds and working up to 60 pounds. Most teenagers can easily pull 50 pounds. Just a thought.

cchardwick · 12-06-2004, 09:06 AM

Actually, I did go to the bow shop and try out this bow. I really like the fit and finish and it seems to fit me very well. I like the 10" of adjustable draw, from 21" to 31" (no bowpress needed). I really want more than just one bow can give me. I figure a 40-50 pound would be great for hunting birds and fish and target practice. I can change out the limbs and get a 60-70 pounder out of it too. This bow was relatively inexpensive. The bow / sight / arrow rest / quiver all retail for $380 for the package but I bought the whole thing brand new in the box on an e-bay store for $189! I wouldn't think the limbs would cost more than $100 or so. New Limbs - is this something I can change out myself or do I need a shop to do it? This particular bow has no tension on the strings when it is not pulled back.

Good point about the Elk moving. I hadn't thought about that. I guess I still have a long way to go before I shoot a big animal like that. I'm sure I'll spend most of my days shooting at targets for now! Thanks for all your advice because I don't have a clue.....

Oh, by the way, I'm a big guy and probably can pull back 70 pounds with no problem.

BGfisher · 12-06-2004, 12:51 PM

I don't think I could say it better than bigbull. Long shots are not the norm. That's what rifles are for. I also think his advice was sound about where to buy and what to buy, If you think you can handle 70lbs then I'd go for a nice compromise and get a 50-60 pounder. This should allow you to shoot enough to establish good shooting form, and enough for your intended quarry when you hunt.

About changing the limbs? This is something that should be done at a shop. Those of us with a greqt deal of experience and a bow press can do it with ease, but your experience level dictates that you get it done where they have the expertise and proper equipment. And most limbs do cost about $100 to $150 depending on the company and the bow.

And I might also add that you should pay particular attention to the accessories supplied with the bow. Some use very low end stuff (JUNK) to keep the price down, but as soon as you get some experience you'll be spending more money to upgrade the stuff. I'm referring to rests and sight made mostly with plastic. This is very common with Bear, PSE and Browning (not picking on them. It's just a fact)

cchardwick · 12-06-2004, 02:43 PM

Yea, I did notice that the bow that I just bought has plastic sights and stuff and that it's pretty low end. I called browning and they said the limbs generally run $125 to $150, about what I paid for the bow! I think this will be a good starter bow to get my form down and then I would really like to invest in a high end bow for the hunt. I've seen some bows that are very adjustable from 65# to 80#. I think this would probably be my next step.