How much does draw length affect draw weight?

[singleVI]

Okay, I was in the shop the other day having my peep tied In and out of curiosity had them see what the pull was. I had the limbs all the way in and I thought that meant it would be at the bows 60lb max draw. Turns out its only pulling 55 lbs. The young guy said that It might be my 26" draw length affecting the weight. I cant figure out how that works...
Its my 2010 Firecat Tr2 btw.

[KP]

Draw length does not affect draw weight. I have never seen a bow's actual poundage equal the max stated poundage. It's usually pretty close, but never exact.

All bow limbs lose poundage as they get older and I'm sure that even your 2010 has lost a little already. Your 2010 model bow pulling 55 lbs at 26 inches is so much more efficient than a 4 or 5 year old bow. They are just getting so smooth that almost all of the stored energy is transfered to the arrow.

The bottom line is... I think there's nothing wrong with your bow and I wouldn't worry about it. BTW, Firecat, isn't that what Ted Nugent shoots? 

[singleVI]

Yeah I think Ive heard him say he uses a Firecat, and maybe an Alien X, and probably lots of others. He pulls 53lbs I think, but I'm sure he doesn't have a 26"draw. I'm thinking of having Martin switch out the 60lb limbs for the 70 and just adjust to 60. I could back off to 55 or up to (maybe) 70 depending on the hunt. I sure my rig is good enough for deer now but Id like to try hogs in the future. My light 320gr arrow at a slowish 265fps at 55lbs makes me a little nervous. Some extra velocity wouldn't hurt.

[KP]

Yeah, you could have 70 lbs limbs put on and then back-off the weight to around 60 lbs. Keep in mind though, the farther down from max poundage you take a bow the louder it becomes.

In the world of archery, speed and noise go hand-in-hand. I like to keep my set-up shooting as fast it can, however no bow will (as of today) will shoot a "hunting arrow" faster than the speed of sound. With that in mind, I always go for a quieter bow.

My bow is a 2005 Pearson Dagger, 27 1/2" draw, 60 lbs., with arrows over 400 grain. Last year I chronographed the arrow at 245 fps. So far, I have had pass throughs on 1 caribou at 35 yards, 1 cow moose at 28 yards, and 1 bull moose at 61 YARDS! I also burried an arrow deep into the spine of another cow moose at 35 yards and she dropped right there.

It's all a bunch of trade-offs. Here I need arrow weight (so I get a quieter bow too), when I go back to the lower 48 and start hunting deer again, I'll want a faster arrow.

Good luck and keep flingin' arrows, KP.

[Cottonwood]

KP - what broadhead and grn wt are you using?

[KP]

Montanan,

I'm trying a newer set-up this year. This year I'll be using the Carbon Force Radial X-Weave 300s. So far my groups have really tightened up.

Until now I've shot the Easton Excel 340s with a 100 grain Innerloc 3 blade broadhead. I prefer the 125s for added weight, but my arrow flight was too erratic. Neither the arrow nor the broadhead are very expensive, which is good because I shoot A LOT. I've noticed that out of a dozen Easton Excels, I only got 1 or 2 that don't shoot very well. That was good enough odds for me. I just do the ole shoot 'em all and mark the fliers with a dot or two.

One day I'd like to upgrade the broadheads to G5s or Shuttle T-Locks, but now my son shoots. Between the two of us we go thru a few arrows and broadheads each year. Anyway, the Innerlocs have killed a big game animal in Alaska every year for 4 years now (and I get 6 for around $30.00).

I may try the 125s again this year with the Carbon Force 300s. Maybe they can keep those 125s going straight thru the air... those Easton Excel 340s couldn't do it.

Good luck,
KP