55# is plenty to kill any north american animal if the arrow is placed properly and the broadhead is sharp......unless murphy and his law mess with you. i have killed a big caribou and nice black bear with 52# recurve and 250# hog , 40" moose and another nice bear with a 56# recurve. two blade broadhead will give better penatration (sp). broadheads will dull just by sitting in the quiver over time from oxidation. Also it is real common that people don't get as good of a hit as they thought. i've missed judged where i have hit a few animals and a good friend that guided bowhunters for hogs said it was real common to be told "good double lung shot" to find the animal with his dog that was gut shot way back. esp. common with faster moving dark colored arrows, just can't see them well.