Bow Speed

[BWallace10327]

I am happy with how my bows shoot, and like to chronograph them for fun.  Please to not chime in with how accuracy is more important and speed doesn't matter. Everyone knows that. In the real world, yes, but not on this thread.  If anyone has chrono'd their bows, please share. Mine are as follows, all at 10 grains per pound;

Martin Savannah Stealth, 57#@28"- 178 fps
Yellowstone Half-breed, 56#@28"- 175 fps
Wapiti Spike, 53@28"-172 fps
 
I have yet to chronograph my Lewis Hollow Hayestini or my Black Widow SAG but they're pretty quick.  I'm curious to see how quick.

[Trond]

Have you checked your chrono-results up against the theoretical speed from spine calculators? I haven't chronographed my Cayuga, but the ArrowPerfect calculator says that I should have 179 fps with arrows at 10,9 grains per pound. Could have been fun to find out if that is true...

[ishoot4thrills]

My specs are in my signature below.

I have a relatively short draw length but I'm pleased with the results of my Kanati. I have a very consistent chronograph that I've had for many years. I've used it with reloaded ammo for rifles and pistols, wheelie bows, recurves, longbows, etc.

[Gordon Jabben]

I just went over to a friends house and chronographed my bows.  All were shot with the same 540 grain arrow with a 55-60# spine. My draw is 27" but all the bows are weighed at 28" and all had a heavy Dacron string except the Classic with a D 97.  To say my release is not very crisp would be an understatement but I only once had a bow vary over two fps with several shots.
Howard Hill Tim Meigs 61#-167fps
21st Century 59#-161fps
Northern Mist Whisper 59#-158fps
Northern Mist Classic 53#-154fps

[Bowwild]

I put a 414 grain arrow through all my bows and a pro-chrony. I've done this with more than 30 bows over 5 years.

The bows range from 44-49#@26".  All but one have ranged from about 165-180. Most are around 168-172.  One was just barely over 150...that one lives somewhere else now.

One of the quickest I've ever tested was also the most economical bow I've owned...a new Bear Super Kodiak Grayling Green. I paid only $175 for that blem during a visit to the factory.

At my draw length I'm happy with bows around 170 with that arrow.  I hunt with a bit heavier arrow so the FPS drops considerably but I like having a baseline.

[dougbutt]

I don't have chrono, but  my bigfoot ss [email protected] was sent through the chrono by Kirk before shipping it to me.  It came in at 194 fps at 10 grains per inch.

[Cwilder]

I chronoed my bow for the first time on sunday
53 lbs 574 grain arrow 190 fps
Morrison 17' xd riser with morrison max 2 limbs

[LBR]

I couldn't say for sure where my chrony even is...

Last time I used it on one of my bows I was averaging 187 fps (if I remember correctly) shooting 9.5 gpp @ 30.5" draw.  That was with a 14 strand Dynaflight '97 string shot with fingers and a fairly lousy release.

Where did all those 200+ fps with 10 gpp@28"  shot with fingers go?   :D    :p    :rolleyes:    

I had a couple that were getting readings over 200 back when chronos first came out. I do not know if those were ever accurate, but I did get a surprise when I found out how light some of my cedar arrows were when I bought a grain scale. I know that was accurate and I was not shooting ten grains per pound.  I had a dozen of perfect flying 70 pounders that only weighed 490 to 495 grains, no wonder those 2018s seemed heavy to me.

[LBR]

My post was tongue in cheek.  

This thread reminded me of several years ago when I took my chrony to a rendezvous and set it up.  Lots of folks got their feelings hurt...they were certain they were getting "around 200 fps" until they shot through the chrony.  Seems most were in the 160's-170's.  Never had it calibrated, but I did compare it to two or three others--we were the same.

Also reminds me of an article in an old Archer's Digest I have, where in an article the claim is made that a recurve is shooting over 200 fps, and I think the claim is the arrows are well over 10 gpp.  At that time I don't think there was a wheel bow that could have matched it...but I am sure the speed was embellished just a bit...probably not more than 50 fps or so...I'll have to dig it out and read it again.

[BWallace10327]

I chronographed my Wapiti Spike again, but with an arrow that was a little too still.  I was really amazed that with a 31" Gold Tip Traditional arrow with a 200 grain field point.  This bow was breaking 170, but when I tried a 30" 5575 GT Trad arrow with the same 200 grain point I was only getting 155. The 5575 arrow was only about 15 grains heavier, weighing in a 517 grains.  The 5575 flew poorly, indicating a stiff spine while the 3555 flew perfectly. Also, my Yellowstone Halfbreed flings the very same GT Trad 5575 @ roughly 175 and a heavy 615 grain 2117 @ 166.  Bow arrows fly great out of this bow. Is there just a correlation between speed and proper spine or is there a direct causation?

[LBR]

  Is there just a correlation between speed and proper spine or is there a direct causation?

Speed and chrony readings.  An arrow that isn't flying true, light conditions, distance from the chrony, etc. can all affect the reading.

[jhk1]

Older Craig Ekin HHA Big 5 (probably 20 years old or so), straight limbs (no reflex or string follow), 68" 50#@28" (drawn to 29.5", so probably 53-54#), 14-strand B55 dacron flemish string; 555 gr. 2117 Easton GG aluminum arrows 30.5" long; 169-171 fps.

2013 Seven Lakes string-follow ASL (3 cedar and 1 walnut lams in the limbs), 68" 52#@28" (55-56# at my 29.5" draw), 14-strand 8125 HPME flemish string; same arrows as above; same 169-171 fps as the Big 5 above.

Omega Original hybrid LB (by Kegan McCabe), 66" 43#@28" (I draw this one to 30", so probably 48-49#@30"), 12-strand D97 flemish string; 505 gr 2114 Easton aluminum arrows 30.5" long; 180-182 fps.  

Kegan's not kidding when he says his bows are fast.  I recently picked up a used Omega Delta recurve, 62" 42#@28" (probably 47-48#@28"); 8190(?) HPME endless-loop skinny string.  I think I was shooting the 505 gr 2114 Easton aluminums out of it (could have been carbons weighing 475 gr, I'm not sure.  Either way, the arrows were at least 10 gpp), and it was running 188-192 fps.

All results above are with split-finger release with a basic Neet glove.
All through the same chrono at my club.

[Wheels2]

Chronographs are nice for checking speed between different arrows from your bow, but my speeds don't come close to what is calculated by the 3Rivers Dynamic Spine Calculator.
My Shooting Chrony gives me 184-190 fps with a 405 grain arrow at 54#.  The 3Rivers calculator shows projected speed of 210 fps.  That is a lot of difference.
I am using a battery that is a year and a half old, so I am not sure how much that enters into things.

[halfseminole]

Could be release.  Chrono picks that up really well.  It's one reason I really prefer thumb release-one finger, not three.  Still, that's quite a discrepancy.  Optimistic calculator?

I would guess that a chrony set up under a tree on a warm breezy day with the dancing particles of light that sparkle between the leaves on the unit can give some false readings as well.  When they were charging a dollar a shot, I was not about to spend my life's savings on finding an average, but when I had one in stable light with no charges, I was surprised to find that at about ten grains per pound, my average arrows speeds were very close with all of my bows, 172 to 176. I did learn that I had way more soft releases than I liked when I stopped my draw and held for a second. I got my consistent readings when I simply hit anchor and released, my normal hunting shot tempo.

[reddogge]

Originally posted by dougbutt:
I don't have chrono, but  my bigfoot ss [email protected] was sent through the chrono by Kirk before shipping it to me.  It came in at 194 fps at 10 grains per inch.

Maybe he meant grains per pound. Other wise you are shooting a 275 grain arrow out of a 57# bow or 4.83 grains per pound which is scary light.

[LBR]

If you look in the catalogs, arrows are often rated at grains per inch.  You have to allow for nocks, feathers, inserts, points, etc.

[screamin]

Morrison Gen 2 riser with medium SF Ultimate Pro's 53@28, 9 grs per pound, 193. Max 1's same weight, 190

[md126]

For true and honest performance comparisons between bows each bow has to be shot out of a shooting machine (like a Hooter-Shooter) with mechanical release, the same setup as far as string, the same arrow, and at the same draw length. Way too many variables otherwise.

If you just want to check performance as it relates to only your set up and shooting style then just a chrono is fine.