fastest bow today

[Boone the Hunter]

This is an easy one, Matthew (raging water) has the fastest bow ever made because it's something like 200@28  probably shoot'n 350 fps with a 2000 grain arrow    

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by John Nail:
   

Originally posted by hootie c:
I sure would like some numbers guys.God Bless!!!Joey

Arrow speed is for compounds, usually expressed in feet per second. [/b]

          Give me a break man! Arrow speed is for compounds??

[Two Arrows]

Originally posted by Danny Rowan:
Personally, I could care less. My Brack Quest is a fast bow but I shoot heavy arrows so speed is not important to me. I want a bow that will cast a heavy arrow efficently.

???? Well, that doesn't make sense at all. In your case, speed should be very important to you, if you are shooting heavy arrows.

[SteveB]

Arrow speed is for compounds

Never heard anyone say I would have bought that recurve, but it just seemed to fast    Frequent descriptions of favorite bows include quick, really slings an arrow, hard hitting and so on - all are speed(efficiency) related.

Arrow speed with matching criteria does give you an accurate indication of the most powerful, or effecient, or whatever you want to call it. It is one of the few characteristics that can be measured easily.

Guys spend hours trying to maximize their arrow setup (efoc, bevels, sharpness, footings, etc.) to gain every bit of proformance. If having the deadliest setup possible is your goal, how can speed (with set criteria) not be important or at least a consideration?

[Raging Water]

My Border is just freaky fast, dead in the hand, and super quiet. However, it is a high wrist and I am a low wrist guy so.........

I just sold my Border Black Douglas Swift. It sold in a matter of hours. That was fast!

[LBR]

It is one of the few characteristics that can be measured easily.  

That's where the rub comes in.  Sure, anyone can fling a few arrows and get chrony readings--but there's a whole lot more to it if you want accurate and equal comparisons.

As I noted earlier, there's a ton of different things you can do to "make" a bow shoot faster (or slower)--for "test" purposes at least.  There's also things that a lot of people don't think about, or check.

Some things that have to be taken into consideration...

brace height- string material-strand count- serving length and size-nock fit-release-draw weight-arrow weight-arrow tuning-silencers-draw length-release-chrony calibration-bow tuning  

I'm probably leaving out a bunch.

Speed/performance/whatever can be checked properly, or it can be checked easily--but not both.  That's why there will likely never be a consensus on what bow is "THE" fastest.  It's a trick question.

[LBR]

If having the deadliest setup possible is your goal, how can speed (with set criteria) not be important or at least a consideration?  

Ask someone who hunts with a selfbow.  Or, think about what your answer would be if your buddy that only uses a compound or a rifle were to ask you a similar question.

I couldn't tell you how many fps my selfbows will shoot an arrow, but I can tell you they will easily put an arrow through a deer.  I can tell you I have used them to out-shoot a ton of shooters who had bows that were obviously faster, and I've been out-shot by archers using bows that were obviously slower than mine. I know hunters that kill more game than I do with their slower bows also.

I don't mean that as a smart-aleck answer, but rather an honest answer to your question.

I'm a hunter, and I like to shoot in tournaments.  I know I don't shoot the fastest bows on the market (especially my selfbows).  I can honestly say I cannot think of one instance where that has ever cost me an animal or one point on the target range.

[Thumper Dunker]

My old red wing still gets 180fps with a 500 grn arrow . I like a fast shooter for what I hunt .Shooting a white tail standing still under a tree stand at ten feet might not matter, shooting a incoming coyote it matters.

[Steelhead]

I think thier will be those few times over the course of a lifetime when you hunt alot that that little bit of extra momentum imparted to the arrow from a very effecient bow may make the difference between the recovery of an animal or one lost to the thickets.Especially if you are shooting lighter weight bows or have a shorter draw and shoot lighter weight bows.

The devils in the details and hunting like many things in life is a game of inches.Just a little extra penetration after centering a rib on the way in and out may allow an arrow to poke out the other side just enough to give a good enough blood trail to enable you a better chance to recover game.Or possibly an excellant blood trail when otherwise it may be marginal to near non exsistant.

I have had this happen a few times and was glad under those circumstances that I was shooting a bow that was very effecient and I feel helped me get maximum pentration and allowed me to barely pop an arrow out the bottom of the brisket of a nice whitetail where all the ribs comes together.I honestly dont think a less effecient bow would have got the same results and would have made for less of a chance of the recovery of the animal in thick cover.

Just for the record I do have bows that are somewhat slower to moderate speed and some that are what would be considered at the upper end.Thier is about a 15 ft. per second difference between the less high performace ones and the ones that are at the upper end at 10 grains per pound.I typically use an 8 or 10 strand astroflight string or 6 or 8 strand 450 or 12 strand 8125 on these bows.

I am not shooting very heavy bows.50 to 55#s at 30 inches draw.I have been hunting with bows with a little more umph to them the last few years.

I have hunted alot with mild R and D longbows in the past.I was shooting around 65 to 70 #s at 30 inches with them and was very successful with them.With the lighter weights I shoot now I do prefer as much speed I can get from a quiet and stable shooting bow thats well tuned with carbon arrows and around 11 to 12 grains per pound and 200 to 250 grain grains up front.I like a 2 blade head or 4 blade with low profile bleeders like the stingers

Its lethal.I like my setup and am confident in it.Too each his own.

So did anyone figure out who makes the fastest recurve?Its blowin in the wind.

[John Nail]

Back before this website was even started, we had long sessions about bow speed. It was a "compound mentality" and was discussed to death. Sure, everyone wants an efficient bow. Who wants to pull 50lbs and 45lbs performance? Guys used to post they were getting 200 fps with brand X. It got to be ridiculous. I posted this challenge:
"If you have a recurve that will consistently post 200 fps pulling 28" with an arrow that weighs 10grs. per pound, through my Oehler chronograph, I will give $1000 for it"
That was back when $1K was unheard of for a bow. I never had to pay it.
My point is, if you're concerned about speed, you're not concentrating on accuracy. Accuracy kills.
Most good modern designs will shoot around 170/180 with a 10gr/lb arrow. You can't go wrong with most name brands. What you're really paying for, is cosmetics.
My 2 cents worth.

[jhg]

Originally posted by ishoot4thrills:
...

C'mon guys, there's nothing wrong with a fast bow as long as you can shoot it accurately and get it quiet....

[Bowwild]

This thread has gone far beyond Hootie's "just for fun" question. Of couse that's ok. There are ways to really speed up the stick bow.  You need a pile of cables, some wheels, at least one cam, you know where I'm heading.  Of course I'm just having a bit of fun here but as a retired wildlife director I'm reminded of some of the regulatory discussions involving muzzleloading rifles as the smokepole has evolved (in some versions it doesn't even "smoke" anymore).  I used to always caution these muzzleloader developers that if they try real hard they'll succeed in reinventing the centerfire rifle.

Personally, if someone said such and such a recurve was the fastest I would be curious but cautious. I would first want to know what so many have stated above -- the set-up and criterial for such a claim. Then I'd expect the bow to be noisy, harsh to shoot, and ugly. However, if one of the beauties I own turned out to be the "Fastest" I'd be tickled pink! A good friend of mine just deveoped a new bow. I saw it for the first time yesterday. I have huge respect for this friend and his archey know-how. However, I wouldn't use the bow if it were given to me because it doesn't satisfy my aesthetic. I hope others don't share my bias because I wish the bowyer and the bow well.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Lots of opinions here and not a lot of answers.  There are no real answers for very good reasons.  

Anyone can lay claim to the fastest bow. Until you set the bows up side by side with identical set ups no one will ever know. Plus you would have to shoot them out of a hooter shooter or other machine for consistancy.  

Even worse is that three different bows from the same manufacturer with identical specs will shoot different speeds.  With the possible exception of the aluminum riser / carbon limb combos where it is a lot easier to use consistant materials.  There are to many variables in wood and glass bows for even identical bows to to shoot the same speeds across three or four identical bows.  

Shooter4Christ - It is not shallow to shoot gorgeous bows.  It is personal preference.  I happen to have a pair of beauties I shoot.  I am making a self bow this weekend to deer hunt with it won't be gorgeous.

I take the shoot whatever you want stance on trad equipment.  If you are a speed guy, shop, shoot different bows, and buy as many as you like.  If you don't like that theme to your "trad" archery then buy what you want and like.  As long as it doesn't have wheels, stabilizers, etc... Then it fits the "trad" bill for me.

I do not discriminate against any trad bow for any reason.  Hill, R/D longbow, recurve.  I will shoot them all and smile while I am doing it.

I think many of us get hung up in our own perceptions of what is "trad" and forget that perceptions ( ours ) are only our reality and do not apply to anyone else.  Others perceptions are their reality.

[Sant-Ravenhill]

"Back before this website was even started, we had long sessions about bow speed. It was a "compound mentality" and was discussed to death. Sure, everyone wants an efficient bow. Who wants to pull 50lbs and 45lbs performance? Guys used to post they were getting 200 fps with brand X. It got to be ridiculous. I posted this challenge:
"If you have a recurve that will consistently post 200 fps pulling 28" with an arrow that weighs 10grs. per pound, through my Oehler chronograph, I will give $1000 for it"
That was back when $1K was unheard of for a bow. I never had to pay it.
My point is, if you're concerned about speed, you're not concentrating on accuracy. Accuracy kills.
Most good modern designs will shoot around 170/180 with a 10gr/lb arrow. You can't go wrong with most name brands. What you're really paying for, is cosmetics.
My 2 cents worth." John Nail

I kept thinking I wanted to post my thoughts on this, but John went ahead and pretty much covered any points I wanted to make.

[Str8Arrow]

Originally posted by John Nail:
My point is, if you're concerned about speed, you're not concentrating on accuracy. Accuracy kills.

I am certainly not a speed guy and couldn't tell you what any of my 20+ trad bows have shot with a given arrow weight. However, some of these types of statements are very cliche. They are not only over used, they are often not completely correct.  

It's quite possible for humans to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. We can also choose to put together the most accurate setup possible and still look for a very efficient bow beforehand.  Also, accuracy kills nothing without any speed. It takes both to be successful. As hunters, we get to decide what proportion of each we want to apply towards our setups.

[Northwest_Bowhunter]

Originally posted by Bill Carlsen:
One of the reasons the reflex/deflex longbows are so popular is because their design inherently invites speed into the equation.

Why would a reflex/deflex have more speed then a Hill style longbow that has a heavy deflex, which used to be a very popular option.  You get all th eenergy with a couple inches of deflex with none of the take away of the reflex.

Just curious...

[Ragnarok Forge]

R/D longbows use the same basic design as a recurve with less radical curves in the limbs.  There is more area under the energy curve for an R/D longbow than a D shape.  The R/D shape allows for higher energy storage and release over the limbs travel distance.

Essentially the reflex / deflex segments of the limbs store and release energy more efficiently during different segments of the firing stroke of the limb.

[Robert Honaker]

Bob Lee is preety darn fast, but Chastain Wapiti is hands down faster. Wish I had a Predator to compare.
Wapiti and Predator designs are very similiar with the Wapiti more radical in design. I would love to try both out side by side.

[John Nail]

Originally posted by Str8Arrow:
 

Originally posted by John Nail:
My point is, if you're concerned about speed, you're not concentrating on accuracy. Accuracy kills.

It's quite possible for humans to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. We can also choose to put together the most accurate setup possible and still look for a very efficient bow beforehand.  Also, accuracy kills nothing without any speed. It takes both to be successful. As hunters, we get to decide what proportion of each we want to apply towards our setups. [/b]

Taken out of context. I stated that most modern designs would shoot at least 170fps with a hunting setup. Versus what? Nobody does 200fps yet-with the same hunting setup. I am not good at math, but maybe one of the whizz-kids here can tell us the flight time difference 20fps would make at 25 yards?
Not trying to argue, just trying to point out the difference in modern bows is very slight, at least as far as hunting use goes.

[Ragnarok Forge]

I haven't done the math yet, but being an engineer and having worked with these types of things often enough, I can say that the difference in flight time is neglibible.  As in small fractions of a second at 25 yards.  The impact point difference will also be small enough that only the very best shots will see much of a difference.  Most of us simple don't shoot well enough to know that the overall group is hitting 1/2 + inches lower at 25 yards.