[TLY]

Just recently ordered a 21" Hoyt Excel Riser and medium TT Blackmax Carbon/wood limbs (64" bow) and waiting for it to arrive. In the mean time I figured I'd read up on ILF limbs and risers.

I just have one question that I can't seem to find a clear answer for. I have a 28" draw, and if I set the limbs to it's lowest weight or to it's highest weight, would I lose efficiency?

I ordered 40# limbs and planned on lowering it to it's lowest weight for form work and then shooting it at it's maximum weight as my main competition and hunting weight. Is this a smart thing to do? Or am I losing out on something by not shooting it at the "natural" 40# weight?

For what it's worth, in the past, I asked the guys at Lancaster Archery if their TT Pinnacle riser and TT limbs would lose efficiency if set at minimum and maximum weights and they said that they would not. Not sure if that applies to other ILF risers too.

 

[longrifle346]

I need to follow this...good question.

 

[Sid]

depends on what you do with the setup.

for example, the bow will be faster pound for pound when the limbs are wound in. BUT predominantly when you lower the BH with the bolts fully in.

if you keep the BH the same, then you loose out!

if your pulling the max end of the draw length for the limb length then stack might be a little more when the bolts are max in. so comfort int he draw is also a consideration.

 

[TLY]

So you're saying, when you max out the draw weight, by winding in the limbs, the brace height will increase as a consequence of the "winding", therefore slowing it down. But lowering the brace to the bow's minimum recommended brace height will allow for max performance at max weight?

So, does this mean I should get a slightly longer string?

 

[Sid]

So you're saying, when you max out the draw weight, by winding in the limbs, the brace height will increase as a consequence of the "winding", therefore slowing it down. But lowering the brace to the bow's minimum recommended brace height will allow for max performance at max weight?

So, does this mean I should get a slightly longer string?

when you wind the limbs in, you can drop the BH, and the bow will pick up speed. if thats what your after.

you might need a longer string if there are no spare twists to undo in the one you have

 

[TLY]

Ah yes, that makes. I guess we'll just have to see if my strings will have spare twists in them.

 

[wstrayer]

I read where it also depends upon draw length. Longer draw does slightly better with limb bolts out, pound for pound.
I don't set brace for max speed, but greatest reduction in sound. You don't gain much so far as speed with a recurve. I only shoot a hunting bow, but even 10 fps is not noticeable to me at my shooting distances. Maybe for a FITA shooter at the long range, but I would rather tune the bow for best feel and accuracy rather than a bit of speed.
I spent too much time worrying about stuff like that with a high performance compound.

 

[wstrayer]

The great truth about bow tuning is that no adjustment made can be made without affecting something else. Raise the brace- higher poundage, changes nock point position relative to the rest, affects dynamic spine, changes string vibration noise.
Sometimes the changes are small and will not give an adverse effect. Other times, it creates a lot of work other places.

 

[John in NZ]

I started out running my Titan at the lower poundage with the recommended brace height but could not get my arrows tuned how I like.
So I turned the limb bolts into one turn off bottomed out an that started to bring the arrows into where I wanted them.
Still not quiet satisfied I lowered the brace half an inch in was then even closer.
The bow had a Dacron string because that was all that was available locally when I bought the riser, so I also replaced that with a FF string and now "finally" the bow is both a lot faster and the arrows are flying perfectly.
There's a lot of tuning available on an ILF riser,but if you change one thing it tends to effect every thing else so I don't think practicing at one weight but shooting at another would work unless you have two sets of arrows and are very good at recording and duplicating all your changes.

John.

 

[TLY]

Well, actually I was only planning on shooting at the low poundage for blind/blank bale work at very close distances. Working on my form. That way it doesn't affect my estimation of trajectory.

 

[TradTech Bender]

The Pinnacle II TradTech manual suggests winding bow limbs in or out depending on DL. If you have a DL over 28" it says to wind the limbs out at the furtherest settings, if your DL is short (i'd have to looke but thinking 26") you should wind them in to the bottom settings of the bolts. It says this can give the archer better performance at settings closer to your DL. But I think like most have stated it is mainly trial and error and what works for you.

 

[longbowguy]

I have shot a lot of bows and set ups and find that for form work and a lot of casual shooting efficiency is not much of a factor at short ranges. I just tune for smoothness and to shoot where I look, or at least down the line.

For serious and longer range work I am careful to tune arrow weight and length, and other factors to shoot to the elevations and sight pictures my eye is used to. But on the bale and up close I have enjoyed some very inefficient set ups. - lbg