60# bow questions

[Neilbob]

I’ve been shooting a Mathew’s Z3 (29” draw) for a few years. I was pulling about 65 pounds until this year I started hunting pigs and whitetail a lot more on the ground which required shooting in uncomfortable positions and sometimes having to draw really slowly. So I backed it off to around 60-62 pounds, but left my arrow setup the same (cheap Easton hunters 6.5mm, 340 spine, with 125 grain points ~430 grain total arrow weight). Pretty much the same setup I’ve used for 20 years.

I recently chronographed my setup and am only getting 250 fps. That leads me to a couple questions:

Does 250 fps seem slow, or about on par for my setup?

I’ve heard it’s better to shot a bow with the limbs maxed out, so I’d assume I’d be better off with 60lb limbs. Any idea on how much speed I could pick up by moving to 60lb limbs?

 

[nettereo16]

What limbs do you have 65# or 70#? 250 seems about right for your DW/ DL and arrow weight maybe a little slow . If you have 70# it will definitely be less efficient at the bottom of the limbs. I backed my bow off for turkey season and it made a big difference to be able to draw easily sitting down

 

[Wheels]

I was at 258fps with 60lb mods on my Lift shooting 448gr arrows. The limbs fit all V3’s, the mods change the draw weight. You can move the limb bolts in or out to tweak the draw weight.
Sorry, I realized you have a Z3 not a V3.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Seems a bit slower than I would expect. I would’ve guessed 265 fps for a 430 gr arrow out of that bow at 60#/29”. Did you measure draw weight or just estimate based on the number of turns you took out of the limb bolts?

 

[Neilbob]

I have 70# limbs. I just estimated the current draw weight based on how much I loosened the limbs. It was at the bow shop last year getting new strings and I had them set it at 65. I backed it off a full turn from there.

 

[Marble]

It's a little slow compared to a ~72-pound bow, but plenty to kill anything. Like any other setup, an arrow placed correctly with a good broadhead on the end equals a dead animal.

Most women hunt with 45-50 lbs bows. You just shoot accordingly and hunt smart.

I've seen videos of low-poundage bows blowing through elk.

If I couldn't pull 70 pounds with ease I wouldn't hesitate lowering my bow to whatever I could pull.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[Marble]

I have 70# limbs. I just estimated the current draw weight based on how much I loosened the limbs. It was at the bow shop last year getting new strings and I had them set it at 65. I backed it off a full turn from there.

Unless you actually put it a scale it is just a guess, but it wouldn't matter to me if I could shoot it well.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I have 70# limbs. I just estimated the current draw weight based on how much I loosened the limbs. It was at the bow shop last year getting new strings and I had them set it at 65. I backed it off a full turn from there.

Without knowing actual draw weight, you’re just guessing as to whether your arrow speed is low, high, or equal to what it “should” be. I would guess that your actual draw weight is less than 60# (assuming your other numbers are accurate). That said, 430 gr at 250 fps will get the job done if you put the arrow in the right spot.

 

[Neilbob]

Thanks for the reply’s. I’ll swing by my bow shop and get the actual draw weight. I agree, that my setup will kill stuff just fine with good shot placement but I missed a deer last year and a pig recently both because they jumped the shot. The deer caught movement when I drew, so he was already on high alert and ducked at the shot. I spooked the pig walking but he stopped at about 30 yards and looked back so I took a quartering away shot. He turned the other way at the shot and I missed. Those misses had me thinking about my speed, but they were definitely not ideal opportunities.

 

[billysmals]

I found this interesting when I pondered the question of efficiency and if there were any gains to be had with limbs maxed out or not.

 

[il_cop]

Geek out on the Ashby studies and you'll likely never think about speed again.

 

[doc holiday13]

Geek out on the Ashby studies and you'll likely never think about speed again.

I don't shoot a recurve, so we're good. K Thx Bye

 

[Marshfly]

I found this interesting when I pondered the question of efficiency and if there were any gains to be had with limbs maxed out or not.

Speed isn't why I want limb bolts bottomed out. Bows tune better when the limb bolts are all the way in. Specs are way easier to hit that way and may be impossible to get right with the bolts not fully in. Especially brace height.

Yes, even late model Mathews bows. I have all but given up trying to tune my son's Phase 4 with bolts backed out and just suck it up and buy him new mods when he bumps poundage

 

[MallardSX2]

Just to compare, I shoot a 413 grain arrow out of a Matthews triax with a 28" draw and get 277 FPS.

Don't overthink it, my wife shot almost the whole way though a moose with a 26" arrow and the minimum legal weight.

My next bow will be a 60 pound bow with limbs screwed down tight as there is no reason to shoot 70 pounds to gain a few FPS IMO.

 

[il_cop]

I don't shoot a recurve, so we're good. K Thx Bye

Re: efficacy of killing in regards to speed, mass, and broadheads, what you shoot is immaterial.

 

[Marshfly]

Re: efficacy of killing in regards to speed, mass, and broadheads, what you shoot is immaterial.

400-500 grain arrows sent from 60# plus draw weight modern compounds kill anything in North America without drama. Adding weight above that simply makes for a less forgiving setup with respect to range estimation and for game movement from release/arrow noise for little or no improvement in effectiveness.

 

[bigsky2]

My setup is similar to yours. 28.5" draw, 440ish grain arrow, and 250 FPS. I've measured my draw weight with two scales and I got 57 lbs and 60 lbs. I've killed several elk with the bow with no problems.

 

[oranje1]

250 seems pretty good. im shooting roughly 215 out of my #50 Elite Verdict 28" with a 390gr arrow