From 45# to 50# - What Can I Expect?

[JoeArizona]

I am currently shooting a takedown bow with the original 45# limbs.  It's a good weight for me...I can spend lots of time practicing with it but it still has enough oomph for hunting.
I've been thinking about getting some more oomph and order a set of 50# limbs.
Have any of you guys done the same and what did you find you gained?  More speed?  Sore shoulder?  More oomph?
Thanks for your help and opinions!  

[ncsaknech1ydh]

Hi Joe: As with any question I'm sure you will get alot of different opinions, but I have been toying with the same questions the past few years.

Let me begin by saying, you are much smarter then most, and most certainly me, I started out with a set of 60# @ 28"  limbs years ago, and all that did was make me short draw, snap shoot and cause all sorts of form problems.

I am now shooting bows that are from 45 to 60 pounds at my draw length of 32". I have talked to alot of other guys, and of coarse I don't know what your age/build is, but for most guys I have talked to, myself included, that magic poundage where the fun starts to go away and the pain and drop in accuracy begins is right around that 55pound range, and I must also say, I shoot even better with a 50 pound bow at my draw length then 55 pounds, although the 55 pound is still very manageable. So in short I think you are on exactly the right track.

One last thought, if you do order the limbs at 50pounds and decide they are a bit to heavy, most bowyers can take those limbs and rework them and drop the poundage by about 3 pounds or so, of coarse that is a one time deal, but it is an option, and one that I have had done on more then one occasion with BobLee limbs, they were even able to tiller them from split to 3 under at the same time! Hope that helps, of coarse all of the above is only my opinion!    DK.

[Night Wing]

If you've shot a 50# bow and found it didn't bother you, then I say go for it. But, if you haven't shot a 50# bow, I would say you need to demo shoot a 50# bow "before" you order a new set of limbs.

[ncsaknech1ydh]

Sorry, I forgot to answer the second part of your question, in my opinion, 5 pounds will make a noticable change in oomph as far as arrow drop goes, although that only affects my practice sessions where I will shoot out to 50 yards or so, as far as hunting situations go, where I can keep my arrows at an 8" group or better, at least to this point in my life (One can only hope...and practice to get better!) I limit my shots to 25 yards, so the difference in drop won't show up at that range in hunting situations.

Its also my opinion that 45 pounds is more then enough for deer sized game, but I do hunt Elk from time to time and is why I shoot the 55 pound limbs on and off. I don't often shoot the 60 pound limbs, just to tinker and remind myself I'm getting older from time to time...Ha!

[JohnnyWayne]

I started with 40# and tried to jump to 50#, overdid it a bit and thought I blew my right side out, yikes!

I am shooting now in the 46-47 pound range and throw in the 50 just a little, gonna stick with that routine for a bit till I'm sure I can shoot it comfortably.

 I guess what I'm trying to say is don't overdo it in your excitement and you should be able to work up to it pretty good  

[B/W lvr]

I have several bows ranging from 40# to 66# and over the years I have learned that I can hunt and kill everything I normally hunt (elk,deer,b/bear etc) with my 45# Widow recurve or my 49# Widow longbow. At one time I thought that heavier was better but we mature with age and I've found that these 2 bows now get the majority of my shooting and hunting. I still shoot the others to keep in shape and just because I like shooting them. BUT if I had it all to do all over again I could be very happy with one bow in the 45 to 50# range.

[WildmanSC]

My right shoulder limits me to 45-47#@28" for draw weight.  Even at that, the string fingers on my right hand complain loudly during damp, cold weather.  If you are hunting elk, I see you live in AZ so you probably are, you may want to get a 50# set of limbs.  But, I would heed night Wing's advice and test shoot a 50# bow before I invested in a set of 50# limbs that I might not be able to shoot.

Best of luck to you in your journey.

Bill

[hvyhitter]

Maybe from 45 to 50 you may get a bigger bit of a difference but I jump back and forth from 60 to 65 and dont really notice much other than at 65 the arrow is 100 gr heavier but shoots the same POI.

[LongStick64]

You might expect to have a bit more fun shooting 45-50. Easier to hold and manage your shot, put a sharpie in the right place and you'll be smiling.

[Onlyaspike]

Imjust the opposite, I started with 50# limbs and dropped to the 45#ers....The 5#'s made a HUGE difference to me and I can actually hold and shoot alot more consistant.

[Swamp Yankee]

I shoot 42#, 45# and 51# bows equally well.  I can switch between the 42# and 45# and not notice much difference at all.  The 51# takes a week or two to get comfortable with if I haven't shot it for awhile.

[Shawn Leonard]

With the same bow and same limb design 50#s will give you no more speed than 45#s shooting an arrow at the same grains per pound, to get more speed you would have to shoot less grains per pound. If you shoot the same weight arrow out of the 50# limbs as the 45# limbs, yes more speed. If you are hunting nothing bigger than  whitetails and not big pigs, than 45#s will work fine for you. I don't know why folks think a heavier weight will shoot faster, it wont if all else is equal, same draw length, same gpp., same feathers. A 35# bow of the exact same design will again shoot as fast as the 60# bow all else being equal and more speed don't neccesarily mean more umpf either. I am shooting an ILF riser with 3 sets of limbs, two of the same design I get 199-200 fps at 9gpp. with both sets of those limbs, one is 37#s at my 28.5" draw and the other is 53#s at the same draw. Shawn

[BOWMARKS]

I jump up the extra from 45# to 50# every so often,have more fun and can shoot more and better at the 45#. But I'm getting old also      

[Bobaru]

Speed and arrow drop will depend upon the draw weight and the arrow weight.  So, a 45# bow can shoot the same speed and arrow drop as a 50# bow, given that the arrows are set up properly (that is, if this would be part of one's goals).  

So, I wouldn't concern myself with that question.

As far as the ability to kill game, listen to Ted Nugent.  He says his petit wife shoots, I believe, 38#.  She has had no limitations in the type of game she can kill so far (I don't think she has tried Cape Buffalo with 38# but she has taken Zebra and a whole bunch of North American game).  Therefore, your 45# bow is only limited by game laws in various states.

Personally, I think that, if you have an itch to try something different, you'll never be happy until you do.  And, don't frown if it seemingly doesn't work out because even then you will have learned something valuable for yourself.

I've been shooting a 50# bow, which I finally tested out and found it to be 58# at my draw length.  I love shooting it.  But, I bought a 36# bow to give myself a little different perspective.  And, it has.  And, I've been learning about myself, and taking that back to my other bow.  The 58# bow is certainly enough for moose in Ontario, which I may well do.  In the meantime, I have a beautiful Blacktail on order - 48# at my draw lenght.  My only regret about that bow is that I won't be able to hunt Elk in Oregon or any big game in Ontario.

Enjoy!

[reddogge]

I shoot between 45 and 55# but generally shoot lots of 3-D with 45# and hunt with 50# bows and one 55# bow. If the bows are smooth drawing you won't notice a huge difference and like others said, the heavier bow will shoot a heavier arrow so speed and trajectory will be very close.

I shoot lower poundage in 3-D because we tend to shoot 60 targets/day and 2 arrows/target so the hunting weight will fatique me for that many arrows. If only doing 30 targets I can do it.

[Bowwild]

This is coming from a fellow (me) that shoots 45-48# at my draw length. I'm 57 year's old and have been shooting since the 1960's. I'm fine with bows 49 and under and I shoot a lot (too much probably).  I am uncomfortable with bows that draw more than 3 pounds heavier than that.

The bow will feel more difficult to draw so you'll want to make sure your form doesn't degrade.

The 50# will shoot, terms of speed like a 45# with FF string according to bowyers I've bought bows from.

I trust you have carefully measured the exact draw weight of your "45 #" limbs on your riser? If not, you could find the 45 is actually something a bit more and if you bought 50's they could be a little less (or more of course) -- you could meet yourself going.

I've had two limb draw weight reductions done.  One resulted in 3#'s less in draw weight and the other 5#'s.  It isn't cheap though -- could easily be half the price of new limbs because refinishing is involved.

[ncsaknech1ydh]

I sure do like the feed back we are getting on this thread, maybe helping myself more then JoeArizona! I have had it explained to me before as Shawn Leanord stated, all things equal a 45# will shoot equally to a 50# Bow. I'm not sure of all the calculations, but I have heard that stated on more then one occasion. Of coarse shooting always instictivly it is very hard to tell, so my statement above in difference in drop, which to me has been slight at 50 yards, could easily be all in my head, its not like we use sights and because we don't it is harder to tell from one bow weight to the next.

I sure am on the side of lighter draw weights as long as they get the job done, I asked in a thread quite awhile ago what poundage it took to kill Elk sized game effectivly and got all kinds of thoughts, what this thread has done is brought alot of guys out to post that shoot lighter weights and effectivly taking bigger animals, so again it has helped me alot, I for sure will be using my 50 pound on my next Elk hunting trip as my groups are definatly better shooting the 50 then the 55.

Also as Bowwild stated, it does cost a bit to get the limbs redone, BobLee bows have charged me 100 bucks to redo a few sets of limbs, which I did think was reasonable. Just another option if the need arises.

Thanks guys. DK.

[JoeArizona]

Thanks for all the feedback!
After reading all the comments, and taking into account other considerations, I think I will stick to my 45# limbs for now.
Becoming as proficient as possible with that weight will be my best course of action.
If drawn for elk I will bump up then, but for now I'm good.  Mostly small game and lots of practice!
I will also take the advice and get checked to make sure it is actually 45#.
I guess I was just looking for something new.
Thanks again everyone!

[smilinicon]

I shoot a 36 and 51 lb BW longbow most everyday and life hasn't ended yet. It is a huge jump but I found it doable.