What is your ideal speed?

[riot1013]

Easy question.  What speed do you like to shoot or shoot the best. I am finding that I shoot about 160-165 fps the most accurate.  Any faster and I tend to be more erratic at longer distances.  Any slower and I have trajectory issues.  For some reason that is my sweet spot.  Like throwing a seam route, perfect elevation every time. Thoughts?

Riot

[Cherokee Scout]

Speed is not as important to me for hunting as the noise level of the bow.

[Don Stokes]

I have no idea. I chrono'd a bow once, about 15 years ago, to test the difference in FF vs. Dacron, and it was in the 160 range. FF was a few fps faster.

If I get good cast and accuracy, I'm happy.

[MI_Bowhunter]

Speed has never been a concern for me. I've never shot any of my bows (trad or compound) through a chrono.    I always just focused on good arrow flight, hitting what I want to hit and noise of the bow.

[bobg]

Speed is not my primary concern, but most of my Morrison bows tend to stay in the 180-190 fps range shooting ~500 gr. arrows. The majority are right around 50# @ 28.

Bob

[SteveB]

I set up everything to shoot around 190 to 195 fps. It's the trajectory I have shot the most and has become automatic/subconscious/instinctive for me.

Steve

[leatherneck]

As quiet as I can get my bow.

Mike  

[DRR324]

My bob lee chronos an average of 190 shooting 625 grains.  It shoots as well as I can....

[longbowben]

Speed means nothing,I want my bow quiet and heavy arrows for deep penetration.

[TNstickn]

Never had the oppertunity to test on a chrono. My Treadway and Shrew seem to be about the right speed/quiet I look for. Both are about 57-59 lbs at my draw and shooting a 600 grain arra.

[centaur]

Never chrono'd a bow. If it's fast enough to get to the spot I picked and get the arrow where it needs to be, it's fast enough.

[digicon]

Riot,

I, like you, have a favorite speed.

I agree with Steve B.  My minds eye likes a trajectory of around 195 fps.  Any more than that or less and I don't shoot as well.  I guess I have shot so many arrows at that speed that my brain calculates this shot the best.

I also practice alot at 30-40 yards.

Most bows will shoot 8.5 gpp at my draw length (30 inches) somehwhere around this speed.

I shoot a 540 grain arrow from a 65# recurve at 195fps.  

Hope this helps.

Mike

[Whip]

I'm another that really has no idea.  I guess based on what other people say their bows are doing mine is probably in the 160 - 165 range using the heavy arrows that I do.  Maybe a little more.  I know in my mind it seems to be pretty quick compared to others.  

But like others have said, quietness and shootability are the only things that matter to me.  If I ever do shoot it through a chronograph and find it is only shooting 150 fps or whatever, that will be just fine.  

I'll keep shooting it because I like the way it shoots.  I won't stop just because it isn't as fast as I thought it should be.

[Bob B.]

Mine shoot like 165 170 best.  20 yards and under is pretty flat, after that significant dropage occurs.  The bows are REAL quiet with heavy arrows, I like 10 to 12 grains per inch for hunting.  More than 12 and I personally feel you start loosing efficiency out of the bow.  A long bow with a  10 to 12 grains per inch arrow is slow and deadly quiet with a lot of momentum, at least mine are.  So I guess for me right now 160 to 170 fps is the norm for my bows.

Bob.

[SteveB]

Original posters question was "what is you ideal speed"?

Most have one - they just may not know the number.


He did not ask who thought speed was not important to them.

Steve

[indianalongbowshooter]

180-185 fps.

[Paul WA]

As mentioned, I can shoot a bow with so so speed but wont shoot a noisy one...PR

[beachbowhunter]

Originally posted by Whip:
[QB] I'm another that really has no idea.  I guess based on what other people say their bows are doing mine is probably in the 160 - 165 range using the heavy arrows that I do.  Maybe a little more.  I know in my mind it seems to be pretty quick compared to others.

Joe, I have a chrono and can tell you that you're shooting faster than that! I think your 30 inch draw has a little to do with it!

I like my bows to shoot around 185 fps.

[pseman]

180-190fps

[Lt. Dan]

I don't have a chrony but I like 10 gpp.  Gives me a good trajectory out to 30 yards.  I can quietly put a 14gpp arrow into the dirt in front of my target.