What is your ideal speed?

[michael kavouklis]

with a heavy hunting arrow i think in the 190's is about as good as you can get. however, I would love a bow that shot up to about 215 with an arrow that was 10-12 gpi. If a trad bow could do that with hunting weight arrows (im talking at least 10-12 gpi) then all us primitive hunters would be truly deadly. This would be very fun and effective imo without taking away the challenge.

[TomMcDonald]

Originally posted by 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

I agree with you here mate.
It really gets on my nerves when people change the topic so overtly.

[BLACK WOLF]

For me the faster the better within reason.

I can easily adapt to the bow if I need to but I don't want to shoot such a light arrow that it sacrifices the integrity of my bow or makes it so loud that it sounds like a .22 going off.

Ray  

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I prefer right around 200 fps, give or take a few.

[ChuckC]

65mph is all I'll go.
ChuckC

[Matabele]

Im shooting about 150fps with a 750gr arrow, but much prefer something in the 180-190fps range...for me it makes longer shots more feasible due to the flatter trajectory.

[Spike]

Prefer about 185fps +/- a tad, since that is what most of my bows will do the way I set them up. Makes it easy to switch from one to the other without having to relearn the trajectory curve.

[James Wrenn]

As fast as I can get and still have a bow quiet enough for me.Since I don't have a long draw and shoot lighter weight bows that usually puts me in the 170-175 range for hunting.For everything else I shoot for the 190+fps range when I can get it with a managable bow.If I could get a hunting bow that would shoot quietly at 300fps I would use that.  

[Kevin Winkler]

I was wondering the other night how fast the Bruin recurve is that I bought used this past summer?
54# @ my 29" draw with a 555gr arrow was 169fps.
Not that it really makes that much difference! It is a great shooting bow and I am just getting back into traditional.....so maybe a bow that shooting a little slower and smoother is better for my learning curve!

[Daddy Bear]

A 66inch Hill bow that draws around 65-70pounds casting a 700grain arrow is hunting perfection in my book.

[ThomastaylorIII]

im shooting about 218 and i really like that

[joe ashton]

My favorite speed is moving real  real slow threw Elk habitate.
My bow on the other hand is like yours about 160fps and my brain has learned that geometry so (most of) my arrows fly true.

[Ghost Dog]

There are two speeds to be concerned about, fast enough and not fast enough. If your arrow is arriving on target in a timely fashion, your bow is fast enough. Trust your instincts.

[riot1013]

I think a lot of people are getting confused with my question.  I wanted to know what speed you shoot best.  As in what speed does your brain process most effectively.  I didn't ask about quiet.  I think that is a given.  I just want to know what fits your eye.  Again for me I like a little arc in my shot for whatever reason.  Maybe it is just repetition.  FWIW my three longbows (2 Hills and a Martin Mountaineer) are 80, 74 and 63 at 27" and all shoot about an 9.5 gpp arrow around 165.  I think that works best for me.  I was just curious about everyone else likes.

[b.glass]

I know your not getting answers that you had hoped for but it is the truth.

I say what John of Sipsey River says.

And, what ever gets the arrow to the animal before he can jump out of the way.

If I get a bow and arrows set up the way I feel they are shooting well, I see how far I am from the target at point on as a reference point and go from there.

[b.glass]

I haven't shot an arrow through a chronograph(?) in ages.

[riot1013]

Well my point is I wasn't asking how fast do you want to shoot your arrow for the sake of speed.  I am asking from a shootability or accuracy standpoint.  People around here for whatever reason tend to get touchy and defensive about speed.  You know I understand that traditional bows don't shoot fast.  I have five of them and they are all slow.  I am talking about what do you, meaning the person responding, shoot the best?  A slow arrow?  Or a faster arrow?  Or maybe something in between?  That is all I am trying to figure out.  Bringing up noise or whatever does nothing to answer the question and is completely irrelevant.

Riot

[Bill Turner]

Fast enough to get the job done. Can't say I've ever missed a deer because my bow was to slow. Have never shot through a chrony. Have no interest. Would probably just screw up my mind. Ric O'Shay already accuses me of having ADD.  

[Talondale]

   I'm not sure you're going to get your answer, at least not from everyone.  I think I shoot better at a higher speed.  I can't say what speed exactly but I hunted for 14 years with the same compound using fingers and shooting without sights.  I believe it was shooting at or around 200 fps, not sure.  I never was a speed freak.  But I know my current bow is a little slower and has more arc than I'm used to and I still haven't fully adapted at ranges over 17 yards.

[riot1013]

Talondale, how's the hunting where you're at?  I am thinking about getting out today with the snow on the ground but I really don't want to fight the gun hunters.