Weight debate....opinions please.

[ishiwannabe]

Having acquired a new bow that is lighter than the one I traded off, I find myself having form issues that werent there when I was shooting the heavier bow.
My anchor point seems to fade away with the lighter bow, and I find myself getting a bit sloppy.
With the heavier bow, I could draw it to anchor, but I had to think about it. To me, it seemed like it "tightened" my form up, just by the sheer weight. I hit slightly better with it too...

Now, Im fairly new to trad, but Im almost thinking I shoot heavier better than I do lighter. Make sense? Nope.

I saw another thread that sort of related and figured I would throw this out there and see what happens.

To be clear, Im not bashing lighter weights, or heavier ones. Just wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences. I think we all hunt with what is right for us...just looking for some input.

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

With heavier bows, I tend to snap shoot.  I can get the bow to anchor, but as soon as it touches my anchor point, its like my body says, "Thats it...get rid of it."  My accuracy never suffered with heavy bows, and I felt like I got a good release. Them heavier bows just got away from my fingers a lot easier with no hangup.

However, I prefer the lighter bows.  I can hold my 48# recurve at full draw until the animal dies of old age.  My accuracy is still unaffected, and I am in control of my release.  

I think a lot of it is just muscle memory that comes from shooting the same bow over and over.

[TheFatboy]

I went from a 30-35# bow (not entirely sure of the poundage, as it's an oldie), to a 70# bow. And when I took up shooting sessions with the old bow, after having shot the new one, I too felt sloppy. And as it is also a major difference in poundage, I found myself having to shoot quite a few arrows to get into the old mindset.

[AllenR]

In my experience, a heavier bow seems to overpower some form flaws such as release or hand placement.  This is assuming that the bow is not too heavy for the shooter.  This is one reason that some archers use light bows to work on form.

I've heard advice to use the heaviest bow that you can handle.  Howe to determine if you are able to handle the weight is another debate.

One of the best longbow shooters I've ever met usually shoots in bows the 50 to 60 pound range.  He is excellent with those bows.  However with my 37 # bow, he was all over the target until he got used to it.   Then after a few arrows, he was as accurate with mine as he was with his.  I was about as accurate with his bow as I was with mine.  Then when I went back to mine, I was pretty bad for a dozen shots until I got used to it again.

[SlowBowke]

Just my "2 cents", but anytime I switch poundage in either direction.......things can go to pot for awhile. Normally it's ME but I'm working on that.

I'd give it a fair shake and some time before giving it up.

Others here are better shooters than I, I'm sure but, for ME, I need to give a new weight bow more time than a few dozen arrows like AllenR's fine freind.

Im sure there are some here shooting more than one weight, and doing so well.

A lighter bow may be easier to hold at something less than your normal full draw without realizing it....just guessing.

I know for me, its almost always a loss of good back tension through the release.

ok, 1.5 cents. LOL

[No-sage]

If you really want to see how good your form and your release is, shoot a 25# bow.

Light bows just don't come off the fingers well.  You have to have a well tuned release to get good accuracy.

[ishiwannabe]

Good points everyone. I LOVE the new bow, and it isnt going anywhere...

Just had me saying hmmm the other day.

The lightest bow I have is 45 Keith...actually all of my bows except 1 are 45...and that one is 56, and I shoot it like it is someone else shooting.  :D

[Terry Green]

Yes...there is an ideal weight for everyone....its not the same for everyone.  You have to find the right weight for YOU and the one that fits YOUR shooting style.  One size does not fit all....beware of the broad brush....

[ishiwannabe]

Been trying a few things...to me, it seems the lighter weight lets me do things I shouldnt. I tend to draw to "anchor" about four inches from my face. Heavier weights keep me in line while drawing. Im having much better groups/accuracy with the 56# bow. The lighter one (44#ish) lets me get away with too many bad habits simply by being so easy to draw...guess I need some mental conditioning.


Time to work on form....again, still, constantly.

Thanks for the replies guys. Im determined to work it out so I can shoot light bows as well as the slightly heavier ones.

[Guru]

Yeah Bud, If you have all that going on just because you cut weight...then you have a lot of form work to do....stick with it    

[ishiwannabe]

I have been Curt...ever since the Muzzy when we all took that walk....  :D  Not a lot of time to shoot lately though.

As soon as my hands heal up, I plan on shooting as much as I can.

[wharvey]

When I shoot my lighter bow, 35#, as opposed to my heavier one, 55#, my release is much more critical. Sometimes I even resort to using a thinner tab instead of my BW tab with the lighter bow. I have noticed that when I get tired sometimes I loose and arrow with a very poor release, almost a jerk, and with the heavier bow my arrows rarely hit more than 6 inches of so off my aim point at 20 yards. If I do something like that with the lighter bow I usually end up missing the target completely.

[ishiwannabe]

Well, my "light" bow is no more. Delaminated.
Im shooting my 56# Griffin. I have great arrow flight, 125 Razorcaps on CE 150s at 29.5. 175 up front and footed.

I took some video today of me shooting. Im happy to report I am reaching FULL draw now. I have gone to a different anchor point. Two actually. My index finger in the corner of my mouth, and my thumb, extentded somewhat, under my chin. I saw that on MBB.

I shot a bit with my buddy Mike last week, and was telling him how I wasnt as consistent as I wanted. Found out from him that there was too much "slack" in my bow arm. Working on a push/pull draw now and its tightening up the groups. Im also working on back tension a bit, although they are sorta related.

I am also slowing the whole process down. I realized that may be my biggest downfall today when I taped myself shooting four arrows, and the video was 37 seconds long. LOL. I shoot way too fast.

All in all, Im shooting better, slowly, but surely. Only thing is Im not missing consistently in any one direction. I miss left, then right, then high...you get the idea. Not by much mind you, but by up to three inches at times.

[Terry Green]

Good to hear your shooting is good.  

I didn't comment on your original statements, but I too get 'ho-hum' if I shoot light weight bows as I don't 'get into' my shot or groove.

[reddogge]

I find if I use a deep hook, get good back tension and clean release I don't have much problem shooting everthing from a 30# target bow to 50# hunting bow.  I like to take the 30#er out occaisionally to fling some lighter arrows and work on form.

[brumski]

i'm a new guy to archery, but i've found that my 32# allows me to relax, and really "aim" with my bow arm,relax, and "settle" at full draw,relax, and concentrate, on the target, and the release just happens!! (perhaps not in that order!)but my 40# and 50# do not allow me this luxury!! they will, of course, when i can draw them as easy as the 30#, and i'm working (with the help of these guys on here)keep it light!! get the form down, and move up!!, not the other way round!!. just my two penneth!!

brumski

[JJA]

I've found that hand placement can be an issue with lighter poundage. A heavier weight can force the handle to "settle" in your hand where you don't introduce torque, so be careful of your hand placement with the lighter weights.

[jhg]

I think if your heavy bow is the "right" poundage for you there should be little difference between shooting it and a lighter bow.
What I discovered is that I have a poundage "window" that I can shoot very well right up to x. If I go over x my draw shortens etc. And I only have to go past x by a pound or two.
Within that window my form is the same because my heaviest or lightest bow does not take me outside of my good form.

If you know what your draw length really is, I think shooting any bow in that window will yield pretty much the same results. A lot of folks shoot a heavy bow that shortens their form. Sure they can pull it back, but can they shoot it without form collapse?Thats why a lighter bow shoots poorly for them- because thier draw(form) is longer.

Joshua

[brumski]

my last input on this topic!!you need to be in charge of the bow, before you can aquire and maintain good form!! get a bow (whatever poundage)so long as you can draw it easily, and think through your shot prep!!etc!!.
as i mentioned before,back tension(for me sooo important) steady bow arm!!,instinctive release,statue bow arm untill the arrow hits home!!.you'll be "proper made up with the results"!! (Engish slang for VERY PLEASED)try it mate!!, it works!!!

[Wolfie2nd]

Well poundage isn't everything. I have killed many deer with my 40 self bow that shoots a mear 125 fps. Gotta work with what's right for you.