Draw weight and Accuracy

[wanabehunter]

Ive recently been Thinking about high draw weight bows and the difference in how you aim when shooting say a 45lb bow and a  70lb+ bow.. Howard hill believed that higher draw weight is better for accuracy, byron furgeson shoots a 73lb long bow and I was watching another  video of a archer (unknown) doing many of the trick shots byron does with a 73 and a 77lb bow.... so does using a heavier weight longbow make it easier to be accurate in some way? any ideas?

[Justin Snyder]

I believe there is a point of diminishing return by using heavy bows.  It is only more accurate if you can handle it comfortably.  I think it is because the extra weight acts like a stabilizer to your arms. The extra pull locks your draw into alignment and you cannot pull it to the side because those muscles aren't that strong. Having said that you can see how a bow to heavy that makes your arms shake just trying to pull it back would counter any possible help. 

[Pat B]

For the average shooter a stronger bow would be detrimental to their shooting. If you start with a lighter bow and gradually work your way up to a heavy bow, getting your muscles developed and you can maintain proper form them you might do OK. Using a longer bow will aid accuracy because a longer bow is more stable.
   Your best bet to get more accurate is to shoot every day and concentrate of each shot. That is how Howard Hill, Byron Ferguson and the others got so good with a heavy bow.  I would rather be accurate with a 45# bow than try and struggle with a heavy bow.    Pat

[Badbill]

I used to shoot a 65 lb. compound bow (forgive me, I've since repented) .  When I'd be holding at the let off I noticed that I'd move my hand around and kind of play with aiming.  When I used a 62 lb. straight back I was more accurate because I was using a lot more energy to hold the bow still at full draw.  I just didn't have the strength at that weight to move it around.  I can pull and shoot at 75 lbs., yet at that weight my accuracy starts to slip away because I'm then expending a lot of my strength to just hold the string back.  I think finding a happy medium is the key to finding a balance between accuracy and higher weight. I personally would like to be able to shoot a 85 lb. bow, so I figure I better be able to pull a 100 lb. bow back. That is a lot of weight.

[Hillbilly]

In general you'll be more accurate with a bow that you can handle and that isn't making veins pop out on your forehead when you pull it back. There are accuracy advantages to heavier bows, such as a flatter trajectory and a crisper release, but you have to be able to handle the bow consistantly.

[JackCrafty]

For me, the release is the hardest thing to keep consistent.  I can pull a 65lb bow, but my release at that weight is pretty sloppy....or maybe spasmodic would be more like it.
If you've got no problems with the draw weight and release with a powerful bow, then the flatter trajectory will make it easier to hit a target at longer ranges.

[GregB]

When I was younger...much younger, I bought a set of 75# limbs for my Bighorn recurve (I normally shot 65#limbs). I think the heavier weight contributed to my flinching and target panic. I've been trying to get over that for years now. I think shooting what you can comfortably shoot accurately is the key.

[DBernier]

So far I agree with the gist of every post. In "my" case I started shooting and kept it up more or less since 1945. That is a lot of years of building up your back/shoulder mussels. Working from the ground up is, I think, the right way and I believe you can do it in 5# increments. I can comfortably pull and hold a 72/75# long bow comfortably. I normally shoot a 65# bow, my current Osage self bow. I find with a days practice, I can shoot a very good group with the flatter shooting, heavier bow. You have to be able to concentrate on your fundamentals of stance, grip, draw, set and release. What does this all mean to me? Well I can shoot a higher poundage bow, within my limits, more accurately than a lower poundage one. I find there is less error in my "point of aim".

Dick

[Kegan]

Well, I got two theories.

The first would be that while practicing more and more, to get so accurate, you also build up the muscles allowing you to shoot those heavy weights. Why? Well, that leads to theory number two...

That the heavier bow, like DBernier said, throws the flatter trajectory, so long as the arrow is spined properly. Also, these heavier bows are mroe easily constructed well (even if not properly designed for maximum speed, a 90# bow will shoot faster than a 45# bow).

I shoot as much as possible (several times a day). I can easily handle an 80# without any problem, and can shoot rather accurately (stationary or moving). The heavier bow shoots faster. But if you had a fast, perfectly designed 50# bow, I garuntee you it would be the most accurate of all.

That, and I want to shoot a T-Rex !

[wanabehunter]

I dont know :S... I think I will make up a bunch of arrows..like 24 and just start shooting atleast 300 arrows a day and see where that brings me in a few months. I have one arrow atm that seems to fly perfectly straight from my bow..its fun to shoot 

[DBernier]

Well Wanabehunter, I would find out "everything" about that arrow. Spine wt, overall weight, position of nock relative to grain, fletching etc and make 200  more, and check em, to end up with a doz. like it. Good luck.

Dick

[Traxx]

If you can draw hold and be in complete controll,of that heavier weight,throughout the shot sequence,while maintaining good form,it is a good weight for you.If at any time durring that sequence,the bow weight is controlling that sequence,you are over bowed.Even if it is only a thought,Concerning the weight,it is a distaction to the shot.I have had many a person,come into the shop,determined to get a bow of x amount of weight and after going through my little draw weight tests,end up leaving with a bow of a lesser weight.I have yet,to have one of those customers come back and tell me i led them wrong.It has been my observation,at many shoots and archery events across the west,that a lot of  archers,Traditional and other,are overbowed.The Men you mention,in your post,were excellent shots because they worked on perfecting consistency in their form,and shot execution.

[Kegan]

If you can draw hold and be in complete controll,of that heavier weight,throughout the shot sequence,while maintaining good form,it is a good weight for you.If at any time durring that sequence,the bow weight is controlling that sequence,you are over bowed.Even if it is only a thought,Concerning the weight,it is a distaction to the shot.I have had many a person,come into the shop,determined to get a bow of x amount of weight and after going through my little draw weight tests,end up leaving with a bow of a lesser weight.I have yet,to have one of those customers come back and tell me i led them wrong.It has been my observation,at many shoots and archery events across the west,that a lot of  archers,Traditional and other,are overbowed.The Men you mention,in your post,were excellent shots because they worked on perfecting consistency in their form,and shot execution.

What sorta tests?

[wanabehunter]

If you can draw hold and be in complete controll,of that heavier weight,throughout the shot sequence,while maintaining good form,it is a good weight for you.If at any time durring that sequence,the bow weight is controlling that sequence,you are over bowed.Even if it is only a thought,Concerning the weight,it is a distaction to the shot.I have had many a person,come into the shop,determined to get a bow of x amount of weight and after going through my little draw weight tests,end up leaving with a bow of a lesser weight.I have yet,to have one of those customers come back and tell me i led them wrong.It has been my observation,at many shoots and archery events across the west,that a lot of  archers,Traditional and other,are overbowed.The Men you mention,in your post,were excellent shots because they worked on perfecting consistency in their form,and shot execution.

I am aware they worked very hard, im just thinking that maybe the change in arc ect may change they way you aim ect.. just a thought..not putting down any of them... well byron is kind of annoyingly cocky but still hes very good.

DB: I had been shooting just arrows made from dowels but when I considered being very accurate I decided to make my own quality arrows.. I got hand spined poc shafts in 3# range, a blitz fletch jig\feather chopper ect.. lessons learned: use dowels unless your hunting because poc breaks very quickly.. I even broke arrow with a rubber blunt today.. it hit the ground? no rocks just dirt...only been shooting it for afew days im down to 2!\12 original arrows. I still need to get a spine tester, taper tool, grain scale, ect

[DBernier]

Wanabehunter, where are you located, state that is. It is not in your profile.

Dick