What is your draw weight for targets & form?

[Cato]

This has probably been asked on the old forum. But I am curious to hear from others. What draw weight do you do form and target practice with, and possible competition, and what draw weight do you hunt with? How much do you go up for hunting?

For so long I had the notion that I had to shoot in the mid 50's draw weight. In the last couple of years, I have realized that if I go much over 50# I cannot stabalize the bow at full draw as well.

Curious what you guys are doing.

[Desert Archer]

I have a Spigarelli with Hoyt limbs as my primary target bow. It pulls a little over 41# at my draw length (32.5"). I have another one that was my field archery bow that pulls 43# 7oz. Since I want to try barebow FITA shooting (out to 90m) I think I'm going to use that one for target too.

Got a set of Border Carbon limbs coming. I will either match them up with a Best Zenit riser I have to make a "field archery" bow or get another riser for the Border limbs. The Best Zenit is now my indoor bow. It only pulls about 30-32# which, with my 547g arrows allows me a six 0'clock hold at 20 yards.

If I was going to hunt (can't for disability reasons) I would use the 66" Wes Wallace Mentor that pulls 48# at my draw.

Dave

[Torsten]

Cato,

My recent bow is a Black Rob Roy recurve from Border Archery in Skotland. It is custom made for me to 65#, 62" length, 29.5 - 30" draw.
When I changed from my old 50# Border recurve last year the improvement was dramatic. I handled it well after 3 hours practicing.

The delivery time of this bow was 38 weeks because the manufacturer had quality problems with the supplier of the carbon fiber used on the back of the bow, 4 th generation of specific carbon fabrics not available otherwhere. The long delivery time allowed me to increase my muscular strenght. An old mountain bike inner tire shortened to my draw lenght. I can hold the bow drawn to about 10 -20 seconds without shaking.

Border was very successful to reduce the weight of the limbs by 40 % and increasing torsional stiffness considerably. They make the same limbs for olympic target recurves (Merlin at least, maybe others as well.
I is very light at 1.6 # ready to shoot with very narrow carbon reinforced nocks. I use 8125 dyneema strings only.

217 fps during my first trials in headwind with a 600 grain broadhead equipped arrow. 250 would be my goal with a heavy arrow. Let's see...

Meanwhile I had problems with permanently hitting left. With help of Viper I managed it by getting rid of my 'deadly' grip and a stupid self made bow quiver.

I am very satisfied and despite our cold temperatures use it every second day for a few dz. of shots.

Cato,
I tried this morning to send you a picture but as I am no computer expert failed to do so. Sorry, you must have been asked this question millions of times. I joined a photo galery but somehow did not make it yet.

Please help to see this totally black bow with its hidden secrets.

Many thanks in advance

[Pinelander]

I've been using my 42# limbs for 20yd. 300 round target shooting.
My 33" 525gr. 2114 aluminums allow for point-on aiming.

I will be using my 48# limbs for 20-40yd. distances more often... when the weather warms-up on a daily basis.
I'm very anxious to get more acquainted with my 380gr. carbons at 210 fps with these limbs.
I'm still concerned about 7.9 gr/lb for a hunting arrow, sure does shoot flat though.

[Pinelander]

Torsten, I've been using www.imagestation.com (http://www.imagestation.com/) for about 3 years now. Absolutely free and I don't even think there's a limitation on the number of photos you store in the gallery. It's quite easy to use... after uploading a photo to the gallery, you just open it, then right-click and copy the properties of the URL and then paste that URL into a post here on the forum.

Works real good... here I am with first rod & reel in hand. LOL

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid160/p03b2db13bfafaece319aef0f8f4078aa/f4dc32f3.jpg

[Cato]

Torsten, thanks for the effort. I'm no computer expert either. But I would love to see your bow. Sounds like it performs quiet well. I'll look around for a Border Bows web site.

My reason for this thread was to see how many of you guys that are good target archers are shooting in the low 40#s for your form work and target competition. I find that I can deal with a hunting set up of up to about 50# pertty well, but when I pick up my low draw weight Warfer (42# range) it's like a toy and really facilitates form work.

Just curious to learn what others are doing.

[DAS]

Cato,
I'm in the process of re-thinking this question. I've always hunted with bows in the low 50's, but I shoot better in the mid 40's. With the performance of modern bows and carbon arrows, I'm thinking that 48# may be the best all around weight for me. I like to pick one weight and stick with it. When I move things around too much it upsets my equilibrium.

[Chris wilson]

My bows are in the 42-47# weight range. I'll hunt with anything over 45#. My mood determines which one I take out for 3D though.

[Cato]

Hank, what arrow weight do you shoot out of that low draw weight, and roughly what speed, and what distance do you work from. Seems like you'd have to have a real light arrow. Knowing you, you made some out of some straws or something. :)

DAS, I can relate to one thing in particular. With a bunch of bows and variable draw weights around, I have to write down various set ups, or six months later I get confused on what arrow matched what. :sbrug:

[Floxter]

For target and 3D both my longbow and Olympic Recurve are 41#. For hunting my longbows are anywhere from 45# to 53#, altho I prefer the 45# and 50# bows over the 53#.

[WildmanSC]

I have a 64", 44#@28" Border Comet target recurve on its way to me from GB. I won it on eBay last weekend. It is somewhere around 25-30 years old. It is a sharp looking riser. It has a thumb rest on it that looks BETTER than the Fedora/Big East/Mikuta style of thumb rest. The riser is made out of rosewood and is gorgeous. The limbs I supect are hard rock maple and are covered with white glass. Unfortunately, the design is so old that it is not compatible with the new generation of Border limbs with the multiple layers of carbon. I have no idea what arrow I will shoot out of it!! Probably a 35/55 carbon.

Bill

[mysticguido]

I shoot the same gear as I hunt with 51# shrew with 2018 easton XX75's toped with 145gr head