Smooth bow for bad shoulder

[doc holiday13]

Whats your draw length?? A 50# bow might be your best bet.. Get some 50# limbs for that Z7 and I bet you'd be loving life

 

[JStol5]

I would highly consider trying a Bowtech on the Smooth setting. It makes me never want to shoot a different bow. I can pull much more weight than my Mathews. YMMV, but I can’t speak highly enough about them.

 

[Anschutz]

Take my input with a grain of salt. I've shot 4 notes over the last 20 years ranging from a late 80s model, mid 90s double cam, 2010 single cam, and bought the SS34 last year. It's absolutely the smoothest but it's also very forgiving. By the time I got an initial tape dialed in, I was shooting fist sized groups at 40 yards.

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[Chesapeake173]

Well guys I decided to grab a Prime Inline 3 off the classifieds here. Talked to a few guys that shoot them that love them. Told my buddy about the deal and he said he’d buy it off me for what I paid if I don’t like it so I’m not out anything.

We’ll see how it goes. Thanks for all the input.


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[FLYBYU44]

I also have shoulder issues. Bought a Bear Species EV recently and it's great. Very smooth and doesn't bother the shoulder at all. Where I doing this again I would get an Adapt for the longer ATA.

 

[Bama67]

I shattered my shoulder in 5 pieces 1.5 years ago, and already had dodgy shoulders.
That said, shooting my 70lb Bowtech Solution SS is still easy peasy.
I can't imagine an easier bow to shoot.

 

[Alaska92]

I had a Z7 for a few years back when they were popular. They were pretty smooth to draw. I have an Elite Envision that I feel is super smooth. I equate it to a solo cam (depending on mod setting).

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

The two smoothest drawing bows I’ve found are the RX7 Ultra and the SS34. Or if you can find a Halon X. That was butter too.

 

[Ehunter56]

Bought a Bowtech Solution last year due to shoulder injury. Smoothest drawing bow I could find, and still had good speed to it. Now the shoulder is healing up nicely, and it's still the bow I shoot most often. Just a buttery smooth draw.

 

[Cmb213]

Another vote for the Bowtech Solution SS.

 

[2Stamp]

I'm going to recommend a PSE with the EC2 came. Well any of the standard Evo or EC cams (the SE and S2 are a little harsher). I've battled a shoulder issue for about 6 years. Many of the bows people say are smooth are not to me. That's my .02.

 

[darrenk75b]

I'm going to recommend a PSE with the EC2 came. Well any of the standard Evo or EC cams (the SE and S2 are a little harsher). I've battled a shoulder issue for about 6 years. Many of the bows people say are smooth are not to me. That's my .02.

Agreed. I have a 70# PSE Levitate and a 60# Mach 34, both with EC2 cams. I have the Mach turned down slightly to 57 lbs, and it is an incredible smooth bow to draw and shoot. The PSEs also allow 10 turns on the limb bolts, so you can back off the poundage considerably. It's not a speed demon at 57# and 28" draw, but it's certainly fast enough.

 

[Isthatamullet]

Hoyt vtm, ventum pro, or bowtech ss34 or core ss

 

[Beauseph]

May or may not be the ticket. I shoot a Matthew's Z3 which my uncle, who has a bad shoulder, is able to draw relatively comfortably compared to any other bow he's tried.

A shot in the dark. Good luck.

 

[Drswoll69]

Hey guys, long story but I’ve got bad arthritis in my left shoulder from an old injury. Makes shooting my bow painful and not fun. I currently shoot a 10-12 year old Matthew’s z7 that maxes at 70, but I’ve backed it off to 60 or so.

I’m thinking 60 will be my max going forward and I know now’s perform bast at max so I’m thinking of getting a new (or slightly used) bow.

I’m more concerned with smooth draw than speed, although I’d like to be able to shoot a deer to 40 yards.

Bows have come a long way in the last 10 years so looking for some ideas. I’ve been told Bowtech is good for my parameters.

Thanks


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The new Hoyt’s are very smooth

 

[MosquitoCoast]

I have a Bowtech Solution and its a fast and steady bow with good let off. I also just got the Hoyt R8 too. I will assume you are right handed so you are holding the bow with your left arm. You're pain isn't going to disappear with any bow. The only way you are going to effectively deal with that is improve your arm strength and take Advil. I'm 51 years old and have hunted almost religiously with a bow since the age of 30. If I want to continue to shoot my bows effectively I have a steady diet of gym work, building shoulder and arm muscles and acupuncture. The acupuncture will help with your arthritis, Advil and weight lifting will get you back on track but you got to be dedicated to it. Bow hunting after the age of 45 isn't something you pick up on the weekends. Its weekly work otherwise you're going to form an injury and never be effective at it.

 

[Dos Perros]

Can someone graphically define what a smooth bow's draw cycle looks like, vs not smooth?

 

[LostArra]

Can someone graphically define what a smooth bow's draw cycle looks like, vs not smooth?

I have two very bad shoulders and it may sound crazy but the only smooth drawing bows I own are my traditional bows. Anything with cams, cables and let-off puts a lot of stress on shoulders when they are not in a mechanically advantageous position. With a longbow/recurve the peak draw weight is when the back and shoulders are fully engaged.

As mentioned by Mighty Mouse, compounds with a lower IBO speed rating can help which is why I shoot elk with a NoCam. (Thankfully I've never had an elk read the specs).

Letting down is the hardest thing on your shoulder, I had surgery on my draw shoulder and for years would only draw if I knew I could shoot, I also changed the way I draw my bow keeping my arm low and close to my body and bringing it to anchor after it's back, I think changing the way I draw was the biggest thing that helped. I started out with my wife's 40lb bow right after surgery and by hunting season I was shooting a 60lb bow, since I've gotten so I can draw 80lbs easy but it took a lot of work to get my shoulder where it is today. Mine also wasn't worn out but torn from an accident.

If I needed an easier draw I would look at a faster bow with less draw weight, maybe a PSE Levitate S2 or similar in 40-50lbs. My son hunts and has killed a couple 4 point mule deer bucks shooting mid 40lbs and mechanicals so you really are not losing much going to a light bow.

Don't overlook womens bows, the Moxie Angel is an awesome bow, my wife and both boys shoot one, they are lightweight, fast and draw smooth, and they offer a short and long draw versions. I know several other women's bows are smooth shooters as well and I think those are good options and easy on the shoulder.

Good info here. Especially the letting down which is another reason I say the trad bows are smoother.
Like nphunter, I've altered my draw method for the compound and I've also found a handheld release (3 or 4 finger) takes a lot of the pressure off the bicep tendon as it passes thru the shoulder joint on the draw arm. This has helped using the Keeton release as well as a thumb button. Some type of strength training is also a plus. If your arthritic shoulders are getting weaker with time then the only bow design in your future could be a crossbow.

Folks who have only hunted with 70# compounds don't realize how much killing power they still have at 50#. The efficiency of compounds is insane especially considering that a 50# longbow will send an arrow thru an elk.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Can someone graphically define what a smooth bow's draw cycle looks like, vs not smooth?

The green draw force curve would be smoother than the blue...slower ramp up to peak weight on the front end, more gradual fall into the valley on the back end.

 

[sndmn11]

The green draw force curve would be smoother than the blue...slower ramp up to peak weight on the front end, more gradual fall into the valley on the back end.
View attachment 718579

I wish it was standard for a graph like this to be on all bow's product page.