Slow bow speed ??

[vth0kie12]

i have been designing my on hybrid longbow (looks a lot like kennym design). well i got my first adult bow out of it the othre day. it shot great after i got everything cut out and sanded, but i was aliitle disappointed by he speeds i was getting. do these saoud slow to you guys or am i expecting to much.

165 fps with a 442gr arrow and 44lbs @ 28 inches.

overall i am somewhat pleased for the first out of the press. i see a few things i think i need to changed before the next one, but i am going to post pics once the poly cures and see what you guys think.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I would be tickled to get that out of my bows, I think it's very respectable out of a 44# bow if ya ask me.
I know that speed isn't everything, I understand that whole arguement, but I also understand how if you can push a heavier arrow faster it will up the momentum and killing factor so I do get it. I test almost all of my bows through the chrono just so I know if my designs are making progress or not.

[bjansen]

Sounds good to me.  Weigh your bow at a 30" draw, then throw a 9 gpp arrow on it and shoot it at 30" with a machine and I am sure you will be impressed.

[jsweka]

I agree with SEMO and bjansen.

A general rule of thumb for speed out of a Hill style longbow, which is what I typically build, is 110 plus the weight of the bow when shooting around 10 gpp, which is what your shooting.  So if this were a hill style bow you'd expect about 154 fps.  Since it is a hybrid, you'd expect more and you are getting more.

Do a search on some of Kenny's threads.  I know he's posted some good info on speeds out of his designs.

The bigger question - how does it shoot for you?

[vth0kie12]

thanks guys. it seems to shoot great and i know speed doesnt mean a lot as long as i can hit were i am aming.

i was shooting for 50 lbs but i missed my wieght by 6 lbs.  

so how much speed do u guy think i would  gain if i increased it to 54lbs? thats what my recurve is and i just wanted to compare the two.

[jsweka]

Not sure, but if you stay with the same relative arrow weight (increase from 442 to 542 grains), I'd guess 10 - 15 fps.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Even if you managed to up the draw wt. the up the arrow wt. and the speed stays the same, you've still gained so much more energy and forward momentum in that arrow. So for now, say your getting pass through on deer sized game, increase the wt. 10 more pounds, increase the arrow wt. 100 grains and your getting pass throughs on any game in North America.

See the benefits?

It's not so much about speed, but how fast can you push a heavier arrow, now your literally making forward progress.
That's why I envy the guys who can still shoot 60-70 pound bows. At one time I could shoot 80# bows all day long and hunted with an 80# bow for years........my arrows were 600+ grains and the energy produced was unbelievable. Man I wish I could still do that!