Limb length V Draw length & weight

After the recent delamination of my G3's I've been in deep thought about about the possibilty of losing an eye and am needing clarification on a few points, and I'd appreciate your views.

My limbs are medium and are Hoyt G3 38lbs and at my draw length (29") I'm holding about 44-45lbs (checked on 2 sets of scales and have a draw force curve)

To reduce the stress on my limbs is it an option to go to longer limbs of a higher poundage and if so any ideas what that should be? Or does it not really matter and I should just wear safety glasses from now (I'm seriously considering it!)

[WhitehartFB]

That's a good question and compared to the average archer you are holding a slightly higher poundage than most these days. However 10 years ago your weight would have been average. If the limbs are made correctly then there should be no problem as you are within the range for a 68" bow and at your draw length they should be quite efficient as you are not overdrawing or putting any undue stress on the limbs. In your shoes I would probably wear safety glasses (if it's possible) for a while to get my confidence back. It took me a long while to summon up the courage to draw a new 50lb longbow back after a wack on the head. Who's not to say a 70" pair will not do the same if it's a manufacturing problem. Unless it's just the effect of the internet magnifying the problem limb breakages do seem a lot more common and the new materials appear to need more TLC. Could it also be the adjustable limb pockets changing the geometry of the bow and hence the stresses on the limb when wound in or out?

[Stretch]

Stick with 68". All 70" would do is lose you maybe 1-2 fps. Not enough to make a difference. At 29" draw you'd also probably need the same weight limb.

What I would do is buy the limb weight that gets you what you want towards the bottom of its weight range ie not wound up to far. May be a tad slower but usually quieter and more refined

Stretch

Originally Posted by Stretch

Stick with 68". All 70" would do is lose you maybe 1-2 fps. Not enough to make a difference. At 29" draw you'd also probably need the same weight limb.

What I would do is buy the limb weight that gets you what you want towards the bottom of its weight range ie not wound up to far. May be a tad slower but usually quieter and more refined

Stretch

What do you think I should go to, to 40 or 42?

[SLOWHAND]

I've seen a pair of Borders delaminate and a pair of G3's. I've also heard of problems with W&W Synergys and XQ1's.

Interesting point but these are all 'high end' carbon limbs. I've never seen or heard of a cheaper set of limbs going.

[Kae]

I'm going for the higher poundage limbs and less limb bolt angle this time round.
I shot 47# off my fingers with 42# limbs wound upto this weight.
After the limb bolt failing in my Helix, I'm now ordering a set of 46# limbs so that the bolt will be towards the bottom of its travel, rather than wound all the way in.

Cheers, Kae.

[JohnK]

I've personally witnessed far more low-end limbs break than high-end limbs, KAP Wood/Glass Challenger limbs in particular.

Saying that high-end limbs break because they're pushing the boundaries of performance is all very well, but it is also logical to say that cheaper limbs break more often because they are made with inferior materials and less rigorous quality control procedures to keep costs down.

Of course, without hard statistical data this is all just speculation.

[Flying Whale]

Originally Posted by Kae

I'm going for the higher poundage limbs and less limb bolt angle this time round.
I shot 47# off my fingers with 42# limbs wound upto this weight.
After the limb bolt failing in my Helix, I'm now ordering a set of 46# limbs so that the bolt will be towards the bottom of its travel, rather than wound all the way in.

Cheers, Kae.

Not absolitely sure, but it seems to me from geometry that the limb bolt would be more likely to break when wound out rather than in. It must sure;y depend on the pressure point of the limb bearing against the top of the bolt. with the limnbs wound in I would expect contact closer to the central post. With the bolt wound out the angle may mean contact closer to the margin of the big mushroomy bit on top (no singing of the badger song, please). Cotact further out would have more of a leverage effect.

I may of course be talking rubbish after a couple of glasses of vine.

[Gibbon]

Originally Posted by Flying Whale

Not absolitely sure, but it seems to me from geometry that the limb bolt would be more likely to break when wound out rather than in. It must sure;y depend on the pressure point of the limb bearing against the top of the bolt. with the limnbs wound in I would expect contact closer to the central post. With the bolt wound out the angle may mean contact closer to the margin of the big mushroomy bit on top (no singing of the badger song, please). Cotact further out would have more of a leverage effect.

I may of course be talking rubbish after a couple of glasses of vine.

just get a limb weight that you can use with the bolts part wound in....
that way you dont end up thinking about which is better, and just shoot the bloody thing

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by McCaig

What do you think I should go to, to 40 or 42?

Err how far in are your limb bolts now...

Assuming you want the same FD weight.

If your limbs are not wound up at all 38-40lb Winex.
If your limbs are wound up halfway 40-42lb Winex
Wound up all the way 42-44lb Winex.

OK so why am I bracketing? The first limb weight will (based on my Winex experience) give the weight you're after. The heavier weight would probably give the feel you're after BUT you need to be fit enough to go up 2lb. Winex are very smooth at the top end so a lot of folks go up 2 or even 4 lb. Hoyt FX limbs were similar in that respect. The 38lb limbs I have feel 2lb lighter than 38lb G3 or C+ but they weigh in the same.

However, my experience is at 31.5" - 32" so you're mileage may vary.

If you nip across to the Sagittarius board and post a similar question you may find that Vittorio might be able to provide info across a wider range of drawlengths.

Hope that makes sense.

Stretch