While participating in this rather chilly target practice, my friend's limb broke. Does anyone know if temperature has a significant effect on limb durability, or was this just coincidence?

Edit: The limbs were typical fiberglass limbs, probably made by Gordon.

I don't know where you live but to me that is just plain crazy shooting in -5 degrees. Your alot tougher or crazier than I am. I'm no expert but I would think that temperature probably played a factor. When anything freezes that low it becomes more brittle, though it probably depends on the exact limb makeup and manufacturing process. Maybe someone more experienced than I can help you.

Straightarrow,I'm sure there must be a 12 step program for you guys somewhere.LOL...Bob

Anything I know of is more brittle when subjected to extreme low temps. Most anything solid will contract at -5*. I wonder if the strings contract (shorten) in the cold and put more prestress on the limbs?

We failed that program. They wouldn't let us take our bows to class.

Phil,

That's an interesting possibility. It's supposed to go to about -3 tonight, so I'm going to put my bow outside for an hour and see if there is any measureable difference in the ATA or brace height. I'm guessing there won't be.

It'll be interesting to see what happens. I'd think most likely if the cold caused the limb failure, it was due to causing it to be more brittle. But then, people have hunted in extreme temps with no problems.

After re-measuring the ata this morning, it appears to be the same. For awhile I was thinking it was about 1/64" shorter, but I realized that the tape measure I used, really isn't going to be that accurate. My friend called the manufacturer and they said that repeated shooting at that temp may have contributed, but it was likely the limb was already weakened.

If memory serves me correctly I believe it was Robert Ragsdale (when working for PSE??) who used to test bows under conditions of extreme heat and exteme cold. As I recall his findings were that the bow itself was not affected enough to be able to tell a difference in functionality.

We were shooting at 30 and 40 yards and our sights were right on. No change in where the arrow was hitting. I personally couldn't detect any difference in my bow's shooting, and I was using a cheaper Martin that has over 50,000 shots on the bow (original limbs). Several of us were shooting and everyone else did okay, that is, until they started shaking too much from the cold. I had a cheap brown "jersey" glove on my bow hand and let me tell you, a -5 degree aluminum riser goes right through that.