Do longbows loose cast (fps) after a few years?

[ken denton]

I am talking about laminated longbows with glass on the back and belly and some type of core wood. I shoot two longbows that are 5 and 10 years old that are the same poundage as marked, but it seams that thru a cronagraph they may not be as fast now, but my strings may be heaver and my silencers may be heaver, and my arrow.
My question is with the same set up(string,arrow,and silencers)and bow reads the same #, will that bow lose fps after maybe 5 years? Ken

[LBR]

I've been shooting the same longbow for about 15 years, and although I haven't chronographed it lately I still use the same string, arrows, etc. that I have used from the start.  I'll try to remember to scale it soon (waiting on a new scale).

Chad

[Benny Nganabbarru]

G'day Ken,

I don't know the real answer to your question, but it sounds like it would be a handy weapon in the archer's arsenal of excuses to use with the wife in order to buy a new bow.

Cheers,

Ben

[fireball31]

I'm gonna assume no on this one. But just to be careful I always unstring after shooting.

[Doug in MN]

Oh My God, I have never thought of the bow is loosing its cast excuse.

Brilliant perfectly Brilliant.

DD

[ron w]

I think Ben from down under has it right...now what should I get next!!!

[Rick P]

How much of a loss in speed are you talking? Lots of factors can effect a bows performance. Also if your basing this perceived loss on comparing the 2 bows, well no 2 bows even of the same poundage preform the same way. And yes if they are constantly stored strung, have finish issues in wet weather or are exposed to excessive heat, they can lose some speed over a number of years, just not very much, certainly not enough that you would notice it.

[R.W.]

i suppose one would have to keep a monthly record of chronographed arrow speeds, for a number of years.

But, over the same few years, has the shooters draw length dropped, brace height remained the same, arrow weight remained the same, string of the same material, strand count, etc. Fletches same as original tested with, etc.?

If everything remained the same, I doubt you would lose more than a couple of FPS.

[dino]

If you can leave a laminated bow strung for years without loosing a pound of weight, I can't see the cast decreasing either.  The bow weight would be in direct relation to the cast.  I've never tested in though, so anything is possible but I doubt it. dino

[ken denton]

Speed may be up to 5-10 fps loss, but not sure I have all set ups the same? I do unstring the bows when not being shot, but they are stored in my workshop which gets up to 90 degrees inside in the summer. I put them under a work bench about 2' off the floor and they stay cool to the touch there. I am not comparing the two bows! One of the bows is double carbon! These bows are both 47#@28 and shoot a 570 grain at about 145 to 150 fps(12.13 gpi)now(my crongraph may be off also).This will still drive a 1 1/2" broadhead thru a big Texas buck! Ken

[Doug in MN]

Ken, I am positive that a 570 grain arrow at 145-150 fps will take care of most of what we would care to let fly at here. That set up inside of 25 yards and you are having Elk roast every fall for sure.

I have a new bow that was built to the same specs as a 10 year old bow I own. I wanted a back up just in case something happened to the first bow.

They are the same, draw weight, length, materials in construction and the same color.

They feel no different when drawing and shooting, the new bow is so much faster it is hard to believe.

DD

[artifaker1]

If you over draw a bow a lot(shoot too short of limbs for your draw length) or draw it thru where it starts stacking, it will develop stress and loose a lot of cast. I've had several sets of bear take-down limbs off the big auction site that were definitely shot out so to speak. And I shot a Bighorn owned by a very large man that had let off quite a bit (bow was too short for him). And I've seen more. But newer bows might be more resistant, with better glass and glues and such.
Also shooting  10 grains per pound or above is a must for longevity of limbs, especially with longer draws. They will loose cast if you don't, or even break.

[George D. Stout]

artifaker1, can you state specifics about your information?  The weight when you bought them, the speed, etc.?  I've been at this game a long time and have never seen such a thing, and I have owned and shot hundreds of old bows.....especially Bear.

The Bear bows were designed to shoot at any (unlimited) draw length, not 26/28, etc.  Many bows I have owned and shot were over forty years old and none have shown a propensity to lose power.  Just weigh them and check.  If they are losing weight, then you have a bow that is going to break soon as there is a problem in the laminations.

I'm shooting bows now...1961 Polar 42#, and a 1967 Shakespeare, 45#.  Both are still right on their manufacturered weight.  That is the rule, rather than the exception.

[artifaker1]

Well george, you can disagree if you want. I'm probably not going to tell you too much about bows. I know about the draw recommendations on the bears, I love em and have a number of them. Fred was ready to replace any bow he made on the spot. That is why they didn't have draw limits. It wasn't until I started working on some self bows of my on did I start to become much more aware of tiller and cast, limb release timing ect.
There is a limit to what a bow can stand, remember, I said overdrawing, not normal draw use within the design of the limbs, and shooting with 10 or more grains per pound of draw arrows.
In fact, most of the limbs I bought off the big auction site were shot out (compared to other sets of the same). I tested them for cast at gap with very heavy arrows at say 45 yards or so. I've had a good set put the arrow right up on the bail and in one extreme case a set of heavier limbs actually shot into the dirt in front of the bail. I've gotten to were I can tell just by drawing and shooting them a couple of times.
The bow can still be at weight @ 28, but doesn't have the weight at brace height that it did and this will affect cast.  
Just ask a couple of the larger bow makers about it.
The thing is if you shoot the right limbs for your draw and shoot heavy arrows you won't have any problems.

[George D. Stout]

Fair enough my friend.  We seem to have had different experiences, but it's all good.  Shoot well.

[artifaker1]

I should also add that people can also consult with a smaller bowyer too. And I have bought some good stuff off the big auction site.
George, you really helped me out with my arrows on that other post. Explaining that internal footing negates arrow length. That was very important for my understanding of what was going on. Thanks again. I'm back to changing everything again .

[Don Stokes]

If the bows are properly cared for and well made, no.

[Jeff Strubberg]

If the weight remains the same (effort you put into the shot) and the profile is the same (the bow hasn't taken set), then the cast has to remain the same.

I'm assuming you haven't retillered or anything like that, of course.