fastest bow today

[hootie c]

The Question is not about the need for speed,Its what is the fastest bow on the market today.God Bless!!!Joey

[Turkeys Fear Me]

Originally posted by owlbait:
Black Swan says 206-208 fps.

Do you happen to know if that's on their new ILF limbs?

[nc recurveman]

well I think their is hunting speed (practical) and range speed. I think of it in these terms. think of a racecar 150mph all day long but effected by the slightest thing and boom crashes. F-250 going 65mph takes a whole lot of variables and remains controlable. slower hunting speed = a Highly controlable flight. Where pushing the limits of given equipment are more subject to erratic flight.

[Bjorn]

The top bows are within a few FPS of each other. Look at Blackie's list and the tests in TBM; ignore the claims by the bowyer.

[PAPALAPIN]

Why  is speed important?  Because speed translates to a flatter trajectory, making it easier to shoot instinctively.

Jack Howard advertised his Jets  to be the fastest bows ever made, or your money back.

I am a big believer in Jack Howard bows.

I would take all of my Howards with draw weights of 49, 51, 54, 56, and 57 pounds to local shoots and issue the "Jack Howard Challenge"

A shooter would shoot three of his arrows through my Crony and get his average speed.  Then he would shoot those same three arrows from my bow with the closest weight (or exact) through the Crony and take the average speed to see if his bow was as fast as my Howards, pound for pound.

The only bow that ever beat my Howards for speed was a Border Black Douglas owned by Keener from SC.

So, Raging Water, I can support your poistion...but it was just a tad faster.

If you ever find a bow faster than a Jack Howard or a Border Black Douglas, grab it.

[ishoot4thrills]

Okay I have numbers for Pittsley's Predator recurve as reported by Blacky Schwarz in the "Bow Review" section of "Traditional Bowhunter" magazine from the April/May issue of 2006:

Draw Weight: 50.5 lbs. @ 28"
Arrow Weight: 454 grains
Arrow Speed: 198 fps with mechanical release
Arrow Speed: 193 fps with finger release

These speeds are from using arrows weighing 9 grains per pound(gpp) of draw weight. IBO speeds are rated at 5 gpp and 30" draw length. I wouldn't consider using an IBO speed test with trad equipment as it may jeopardize the bow and  the safety of the shooter.

Adding two more inches of draw length to Blacky's test parameters would yield a substantial increase in speed but still be safe to shoot.

C'mon guys, there's nothing wrong with a fast bow as long as you can shoot it accurately and get it quiet. A fast bow equals an efficient bow and also means you can shoot it with less draw weight and use heavy arrows and still get plenty of penetration.

Ron Pittsley's Predator recurve was the fastest bow tested by Blacky up to that date as reported in that issue of Traditional Bowhunter mag.

       

[Van/TX]

Seems that someone put up a pretty good reward a while back, if anyone could provide solid proof of a bow shooting at least 200 fps, pulled to 28", with 10 gpp arrow weight. I'm pretty sure nobody ever collected on that reward.

I'm with LBR.  I want to see the bow that will do this.  Of course it can't break after the first shot and it should be reasonably shootable    ...Van

[Bowwild]

I understand that Hootie is simply asking an academic question.  Of course any speed comparison should have some standards: arrow weight should be reasonable and the same from bow to bow. Of course draw weight and draw length are also important. I have no idea the FPS of my set-up with any of my bows. My best friend was impressed (I take it for granted) with the apparent speed my Pittsley Predator Anniversary shoots. This friend used to be a very avid and successful IBO recurve archer (Champ many times -- some of you on here would probably remember him.) So his being impressed, impressed me. I don't know if it (the Predator)is faster than my Bear TDs, Blacktail, Fox, Widow, etc. I do know that it seems to be the easiest of my bows for me to shoot consistently. I'm also curious about this topic and have been thinking about buying a Chrony. This will just be for fun though because there are so many things more important than speed. Speed with accuracy is worthless. Speed without quiet is ineffective. Any advice out there re: brands and model of Chrony?
Thanks

[Bowwild]

I meant speed withOUT accuracy is worthless. Sorry.

[Traditional-Archer]

That’s pretty good, thanks for the information. I would guess that the bows were real close in speed although within a few FPS. I know you already know this but I will say it anyway, like most of us at trad gang as if by reading the first bit of this post suggest. Speed is not of much importance to most trad shooters, but on the other hand like Papalapin has mentioned speed is a factor in the makeup of a bow. When I looked for my first recurve I will admit speed was one of my questions when looking for and buying my traditional bow. Now to answer your question on my bow, a Schafer silvertip three peace take down made by Dave Windower. It is FF I shoot EFOC arrows and a 28.3/8 inch arrow, 63 lbs @ 27” arrow weight 718 Grain.
A friend from a local archery shop all wheelies in his store, wanted to see my bow. I was shooting the indoor range at his store; he was impressed with the accuracy and speed of the bow. He asked if I would shoot the bow and send an arrow through his speed trap, I have to admit converting from a wheel bow myself, I was a little curious. Three shots three separate times a total of nine shots averaged out to 189 FPS. I don’t know if that is fast for a recurve, for me it does not matter. I would think all traditional bows are pretty close to that some above some under. For me it will do, we look for all kind of ways to improve our shooting, I would think speed is probably one of the last factors in the equation, of course I am not a trained structural engineer or speed demon,
Just a guy who loves my bow the rising sun, this bow will be handed down to my son when I am ready for my new bow and its name will be the setting sun, I already know that. For some reason I do not think the first question out of my sons mouth will be dad how fast is it. Good luck in your quest.
Bruce    

[Raging Water]

Okay, so now you know which bows are the speed demons.

Question is, which one fits you best?

That, my friend, is a fun and exciting journey.

Have FUN!

[Two Arrows]

Why, whenever this subject, (which I believe to be an important subject) why does it bring about so many negative replies? As someone stated before, that flatter the trajectory, the better the accuracy (distance estimates). I guess I don't follow the logic of a person who would force the arguement against that?? Of course, consideration would have to be met with several other factors such as bow noise, ease of draw, etc, etc. But, why someone has to rain on someone's parade when this subject is brought up just baffle's me.

[jackdaw]

This is an interesting and somewhat "tickleish" topic, depending on which side of the speed fence you stand. Speed to me is a relative "non-issue". My bows cast an arrow fast enough suit me that a deer is not going to elude me at my self appointed 20-22 yard distance.....with 7-10 yards being even better. I have no earthly idea what my arrow speeds are at the 12 grain per pound arrow set up I'm currently using. Yet I'm constantly running into fellow trad shooters who are obsessed with 3 more feet per second. I know that this is not what was originally posted about, but I just ignore the speed demons when the speed banter fires up at a shoot, show me how well you shoot, then we'll talk....

[SteveB]

Posting speeds without gpp of arrow weight and draw length are meaningless. My understanding is the fastest bow Norb has put thru his standardized, long accepted tests is a Fedora recurve.

[ishoot4thrills]

HHmmmmm......I myself have never ran into any trad shooters who were obsessed with gaining 3 more fps, as was stated. I have, more often than not, ran across wheelie bow shooters who were extremely obsessed with a couple of fps gain at any cost.

I'll say it again. A bow that is capable of launching an arrow at high speed is an efficient bow in design and therefore has good cast. If that bow is sound in craftsmanship, quality, and durability then what does it hurt that it shoots with great speed? If you can get it to shoot quietly, usually with a couple of string silencers, then that speed can equate to better penetration on game with a relatively heavy arrow. And also, you can get away with shooting that fast bow at less poundage and it still be very adequate for hunting. Less draw weight usually means better form and generally easier to shoot accurately.

[PAPALAPIN]

A big factor on speed opinion is in tuning.  A pefectly tuned bow, with the best set of arrows for it, will produce top performance for that bow.  It will effect speed, clean release, quietness, arrow flight, and other factors.

Many guys put a lot of time and effort into tuning their bows to that exact "sweet spot".

This can be effected by the bow string material, construction, number of strands, string lenth (fistmele), nocking point, finger placement style, and many othr factors.

These guys take a lot of pride in the effort they go through to get their setup as perfect as they can, and this is understandible.

This has to be coordinated with all the factors of their perfectly matched set of arrows.  Arrow length, weight, and spine; fletching factors, point weight, etc.

With all that said, it all goes out the window if they can't shoot accurately and consistantly.

There is an old saying from the days of traditional tournaments.  "The bow is not as important as the man behind the bow"

So, it is not so much that guys are negative about speed.  They just my have other factors involved that are more importand to them in attaining the accuracy they strive for.

If you really want to start a heated topic, ask what is the "Best bow in the world" and see where that goes.

Although there will be many opinions, we all know it is the "Jack Howard Gamemaster Jet"  

[COMPOUNDLESS IN CONCRETE]

I would think that with the new foam cores, carbon cores, foam carbon cores, that we are going to see some bows with impressive speed in the not too distant future.  

My take on it is that extra speed can mean flatter trajectory which will aid in instinctive shooting, and also help to compensate for small yardage estimation errors for gap shooters.  

That being said, I probably shoot one of the slowest recurves on the market, the Samick Sage.  It is cheap, about $120 from 3Rivers, loud unless you upgrade to a fast flight string and whiskers,put some rubber pads between the limb and riser, shoot arrows that are 11.3 gpp, and not very visually appealing when compared to some of the works of art that are out there today.  But it is all I have to shoot and all I could afford, and I am thankful to be able to enjoy it.  

If it were faster, I am sure I would be shooting more accurately at different distances, but learning the trajectory and finding the sweet spot has been fun, and in the end, that is why I love traditional bows and everything that comes with it.

[Steelhead]

I am not sure what curve is the fastest.Thier are certainly quite a few that are at the high end of the spectrum and within a few ft per second of each other.

Alot of folks on here have these fast bows with excellant efficiency.

Most of these these bows are not loud and they dont lack in the accuracy department either when set up properly.

When  these fast bow threads come up and they come up about every month.Folks always say give me quiet and accurate.As if fast bows were inherintly loud and inaccurate.Just not true at all.I have had quite a few fast bows that were faster than average and shot plenty quiet and accurate.You can shoot a heavier arrow if you want to slow them down a bit.

Which is what I do.Not to slow them down.But I like the momentum I get from a heavier arrow for hunting and they still fly fast with that high effeciency bow.

I do have slower bows that I love as well as the smokers to be fair.Its not all about speed.But theirs nothing wrong with a fast bow with good all around performance.

[The Great Jashu]

Originally posted by ishoot4thrills:
Okay I have numbers for Pittsley's Predator recurve as reported by Blacky Schwarz in the "Bow Review" section of "Traditional Bowhunter" magazine from the April/May issue of 2006:

Draw Weight: 50.5 lbs. @ 28"
Arrow Weight: 454 grains
Arrow Speed: 198 fps with mechanical release
Arrow Speed: 193 fps with finger release

These speeds are from using arrows weighing 9 grains per pound(gpp) of draw weight. IBO speeds are rated at 5 gpp and 30" draw length. I wouldn't consider using an IBO speed test with trad equipment as it may jeopardize the bow and  the safety of the shooter.

Adding two more inches of draw length to Blacky's test parameters would yield a substantial increase in speed but still be safe to shoot.

C'mon guys, there's nothing wrong with a fast bow as long as you can shoot it accurately and get it quiet. A fast bow equals an efficient bow and also means you can shoot it with less draw weight and use heavy arrows and still get plenty of penetration.

Ron Pittsley's Predator recurve was the fastest bow tested by Blacky up to that date as reported in that issue of Traditional Bowhunter mag.

                   

These are about the exact same results I got from my 50 lb Predator with a similar arrow setup. So, I would think its a good test and their bows are consistent. So, if thats what you were looking for comparing apples to apples and not a a super light arrow and high poundage. My Predators are extremely accurate and none of the deer that have been in their way heard anything before the arrow went through them.

[R H Clark]

My metal riser ILF with Winex limbs will shoot a light arrow about 220 fps. Tuned the way I like it is about 208 fps.I like the ILF's with metal risers because I think they can take the stress of lighter arrows much better.

There are competition shooters that have shot untold number of arrows in the 5-6 gpp range from ILF's.

I like a light fast arrow for 3D and one a little heavier to hunt.