Minimum weight to shoot max distance?

[geoffk]

Following on from the advice on here, I went to the shop the other day to enquire about new limbs and arrows. Shock was, they didnt sell me anything, and advised me to wind up my limbs by 2 washers, then get used to it for a few months, then come back and have the bow weighed and get limbs similar to the wound in weight, but on the wound out setting (so I could go up again if I wanted )

My assumption is on my current 32 pound limbs, that I was pulling 35 or 36 pounds, so with them wound up a bit, im now pulling 37 or 38 pounds.

Question is, I dont honestly feel the need to go silly with the bow weight, and I actually want to see what the lowest measured bow weight I can get away with would be? I did a brief search, and the only thing that came back was 38 pound is all you will ever need? So once I get the new limbs, and carbon arrows, what is the likelihood of being able to stick at around 38lb for ever? Or does that mean 38lb limbs, so higher on the fingers, say low 40s?


Cheers.

[sambow]

I think alot will depend upon what sort of scores you wish to acheive and weather conditions. To reach 90M you are going to need very light arrows and the flight trajectory is still likely to be pretty high. But the problem is in wind they are more prone to drifting and there is no substitute for a small diameter but heavy arrow. Your 70" bow suggests you have a long draw length, which means longer and stiffer arrows, this may work against you too.

These days I mainly shoot compound becuase my 32lbs on recurve can't make it. I shoot a 50lb compound bow but still have to shoot with light arrows which are 26.5" long. On monday I shot in pretty awful wind conditions (the competiton was called off in the end) and my 50lbs with light arrows was no match for those with 60lbs and heavier arrows. (either that or it was me! )

[spavo]

I have been able to reach 90m / 100yds with a 32lbs on the fingers and still shot over 900 on a york, this was due to an injury and working upto my normal draw weight which is currently 42.8lbs average.

Most men in my county (DCAS) seem to have limbs in the range of 36 - 40lbs. and anything from 36lbs to 50lbs on the figures . But It does seem that 38lb limbs is the "norm" most risers will allow you to go up and down by 10%.

It also seems with "newer Limbs" (Innos, Winnex, G3's, CR 900) are faster than the limbs of yesterday and less draw weight is required.

A Goodish way to tell if the weight is good for you is to do say ten 7+2's if you can't manage to do 10 of these then your limbs are two heavy.

[darthTer]

I was in kinda a similar situation recently....

started off with 32# marked limbs, then upgraded to 34# limbs which I shot for a while. I did manage to hit 90m just at the tail end of last season. This was with approx 42# on my fingers, a new BCY8125 18 strand string and realtively heavy arrows (31")

A few months ago I upped my limb poundage to 38# marked weight, wich gives me approx 44# on my fingers. 90m is now much easier. This is probably the weight I will stay at for a very long time, since there is no urgent reason to up the poundage again.

However, there has been several threads in the past on a similar subject, which shows that you can still reach the longer distances with lower poundage. I guess the important factor is how good your form is - it makes a huge difference!!!

Best advice is to get out with the wound-in limbs and see what the performance is like....if needs be, shoot with them for a few months so that you get comfortable with the weight then see about upping the poundage if necessary.

[FlourPower]

Weight's addictive

You should have no problems remaining at 38lb on fingers and hitting all distances, for as long as you're physically able to pull 38lb (i.e. injury could stop that)

With more poundage however you will get a flatter trajectory which may be desired. TBH though a good set of limbs at 38lb is fine for the normal club archer IMHO.

As for what a good set of limbs constitutes, well I'll leave that to someone who isn't biased. Being as I am a recent Border convert.

[spavo]

Originally Posted by geoffk

Following on from the advice on here, I went to the shop the other day to enquire about new limbs and arrows. Shock was, they didnt sell me anything, and advised me to wind up my limbs by 2 washers, then get used to it for a few months, then come back and have the bow weighed and get limbs similar to the wound in weight, but on the wound out setting (so I could go up again if I wanted )
Cheers.

sorry forgot to put in previous reply, what Archery shop was this?, sounds like good customer service to me.

[addo]

When i first started i had 32lb on my fingers and could hit 90M.Only problem was that i had to put my sight up into a certain fork of a tree.My arrows followed a fairly high trajectory.My form was very poor (still is really ) which didnt help.

I shot with my club secretary(1st class) the other day,and he was saying that he didnt think he would be bowman again because of his low draw weight.Anyway,we put a target out to 90M and had a go.After 3 ends he was putting all 6 arrows on the target.He has 28lb on his fingers and a touch of artheritis in his hands.I believe he could achieve this because:

1)He has excellent form
2)He had just started using a new pair of carbon limbs making his bow 2" longer than he used to shoot with
3)The weather was good

I'm gonna nag him now for a couple of weeks to see if he will shoot some half fita's with me the same way as i'm nagged at to start using a clicker I have no doubt in my mind that he will get to bowmen again,but i think that will be his limit

[spavo]

Originally Posted by addo

2)He had just started using a new pair of carbon limbs making his bow 2" longer than he used to shoot with
3)The weather was good

Strange if his new bow is longer, the bow will have less cast and therefore be slower and thus reduce his sight mark.

[geoffk]

The shop was Clickers in Norwich, both my friends have walked in there and ended up spending twice their budget, and I walked in there thinking about buying some Samick Athlete carbon foam limbs and some ACE arrows, and walked out with only a cheap bow stand!!!

I could do 10+ 7+2s, 6 months ago on some old 68 inch KG 38lb limbs, this really helped me gain strength when I moved upto the 32lb limbs from the 18lb training bow, but 6 months on at shooting the same 70 inch 32lb limbs, I dont feel like I want to go much further weight wise, but I can see the arrows I currently have gathering dust on the way to the target even at 30m hence wanting the new limbs and lightweight arrows.

I guess its all going to come down to measuring how much is on my fingers now I have wound the current limbs up. I hope its 38++

[addo]

Originally Posted by spavo

Strange if his new bow is longer, the bow will have less cast and therefore be slower and thus reduce his sight mark.

Why strange? His new limbs are the new Win & Win limbs.The curve on them is nearly 90 degree's and they are proper fast