What do I gain by going heavier?

[Archie]

I've been thinking about getting another longbow, identical to the one I shoot (and love) now, but 10# heavier..  The weight isn't a problem... the issue is the $$$ cost.

I have really taken to shooting my BW longbow, 48# at 31".  (I am actually drawing about 30.5", so I may be losing a pound or so.)  I've shot a lot of heavier bows, but have come to love shooting this lighter one.  Tonight I accidentally shot a Wensel Woodsman almost all the way through two sheets of 1/2" plywood screwed together, so it's no slouch.

So, taking my longer draw into account, and considering the added power, just what would I be gaining to get an identical, but heavier bow, 58# @ 31?  It is likely that I will someday be hunting elk, moose, and caribou with it.  I really want someone to convince me that a heavier bow would give me more power... but that I don't need it because I've got enough already.

[old_goat2]

I think you have enough, draw length trumps draw weight, BUT you never have too much power. I pull about the same length as you and my bow hits right about 60lbs at my draw length, my buddy that owns the trad shop said it will go through a moose longways. I like that!

[ron w]

If you want to go up in poundage I would just go 5 pounds at your draw. That would put you over 50# and you can hunt anything on the planet with that weight! And you will most likely get used to it real quick!! Good luck in your quest!  

[Bjorn]

48@31 is a powerhouse! Nothing you will encounter in NA including Buffalo will survive a well placed arrow.
So 'need' no; 'want' why not!

[BOHO]

you only live once. I say get the bow. You will have more power, especially at your draw, and you never know when you'll need some extra pop like if you hit a rib or a thicker part of the shoulder blade. [email protected] with a good heavy arrow will blow thru some critters at reasonable ranges.

[m midd]

Like others have said, The weight you are shooting will kill any animal. With that being said, I myself hunt with a 63 pound bow because i like to shoot heavy arrows with authority. if you can handle the weight I say go for it..

[duncan idaho]

If you do any regular physical training now, you will have no problems going up in weight. Since you stated you were going to possibly hunt elk, I would start my physical training now for the fall season. It's never too early to get strong and in shape. Good Luck.

[YORNOC]

If you CAN shoot more weight, I believe anyone should. We do not hunt haybales. We hunt muscle, tendon, bone and hair. Not in that order at any given time. Animals move, targets dont. You NEVER know when a good shot will go bad due to animal movement.
NEVER give up accuracy for more weight however. For example, If you shoot 45# better than 55#, then stay.  If you can shoot 55# just as good, absolutely shoot heavier for hunting.

[Archie]

The issue really isn't weight.  I have a 67# longbow that I work out with daily, drawing with both hands for muscle balance.

There's just something that I have grown attached to about the BW longbow that I really connect with, and it's what I want to hunt with.  But I don't want to spend a pile of $$ for more power if it's going to be unnecessary.

Archie

[Ragnarok Forge]

5 lbs of draw weight does not add that much speed to your bow, nor does 10 lbs.  While it helps and does increase penetration using the same arrow weight you have now.  I would go ahead and get a 5 lb heavier bow and increase your arrow weight accordingly.  The extra arrow mass will give you the increased penetration you are looking for.  Particularly if you want to hunt moose or elk.  Both are very tough when hit wrong.  Put one in the boiler room and 40 lbs will kill them.  

I say jump up 5 lbs and go for it with the heavier bow.

[Archie]

Thanks, YORNOC... I pretty much agree with that.

The way I see it, there's little that my current bow won't do.  But there will be a few shots that I will take over the coming years (I hope!) that call for more.  My dilemma is... is it worth it to spend $1,000+ for those few shots?  Could be $100 per shot, depending on how many shots I'm going to take at bigger, denser animals or poor shot placement (bones).

[Friend]

Optimizing the over-all arrow design will likely provide you far more than a moderate draw wt in crease. A 10# draw wt. increase is not moderate, however an optimized arrow should quell any concerns.

[Andy Cooper]

Originally posted by YORNOC:
NEVER give up accuracy for more weight however. For example, If you shoot 45# better than 55#, then stay.  If you can shoot 55# just as good, absolutely shoot heavier for hunting.

I enjoy shooting the lighter bows, but I shoot 60-65# more accurately for some reason. I suspect I concentrate better and get off the string a bit more cleanly. Above 70# and my form suffers. My 50# bows, though, do not cause me any qualms when I find myself hunting with them.

[BWD]

A decision only you can make. Sounds like you really want to, and if you are that close to the edge...we'll be glad to give you a little shove.

[Blaino]

If YOU don't feel confident enough in your equipment that any humane shot will get the job done on whatever animal your hunting then spend the money and buy a heaver Black Widow.

[LoneWolf73]

Agree with the accuracy point. In line with that if you can go up in weight you could get a little flatter arrow trajectory for adding a few more yards to your shooting. I practice out to 35-40 yards for Elk. My bow shoots pretty flat to 30-35 so not to much arrow drop to think about. Good Luck!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by YORNOC:
If you CAN shoot more weight, I believe anyone should. We do not hunt haybales. We hunt muscle, tendon, bone and hair. Not in that order at any given time. Animals move, targets dont. You NEVER know when a good shot will go bad due to animal movement.
NEVER give up accuracy for more weight however. For example, If you shoot 45# better than 55#, then stay.  If you can shoot 55# just as good, absolutely shoot heavier for hunting.

This is dead on the money here... great post!        

The time will come later on in life when you'll have to start lowering your draw weight so you don't hurt yourself. until that day comes... go for it!

[RC]

Personally I don`t have money to spend on a lot of stuff that already working. I recently ordered a new bow that is the same weight as my other for a back-up and because my Wife let me..lol.
  Less weight at an early age will save shoulders and keep shooting enjoyable. You can kill most anything with what you have.
  10 lbs is a lot. Working out with a heavy bow and shooting one and actually hitting as good as you do with your bow of less pounds is two different things.
  If you love your Widow and you just had to have one heavier I would order one just like it only 5 lbs up.RC

[ThePushArchery]

Why not used? You can get into a 5 year old PL for $550 to $600 easy.

Also, there are so many Black Widows out there, a little patience and WTB adds here at Tradgang, you hardly ever have to sacrifice length, weight, or color options. Someone always has "your bow" you are looking for sitting on a bow rack. It just takes someone asking to buy one and all of a sudden, $600 sounds much better than the longbow that collects dust on their rack.

I say buy a used longbow, in the exact specs you need. Someone on here has one for you.

[Bobaru]

I have two bows, one 48# and one 58# at my draw.  I enjoy them both.  Mostly, I plan on sticking wiht the 48# because it's 66" and shoots very sweetly.  Still, I'm not turning lose my 58#.  And, if I go Elk hunting, I'd likely take that.  

There's a lot of talk about arrow design but, frankly, there's more potential energy in my 58# bow when I'm at full draw than my 48#.  Arrow design is interesting, but one can only increase efficiency (and the effective use of that potential energy) so much.

All that said, make up your own mind and enjoy yourself.