1549 Campbell Street, Baker City, Oregon 541-523-2577
A number of factors should be considered when selecting a compound bow. The most important are those that affect a proper fit for the shooter. Others will affect accuracy, arrow velocity, and the shooter's comfort.
Draw weight of the bow is determined by the stiffness of the bow's limbs. Compound bows come in a variety of maximum draw weights, but the most common are the 60# and 70# versions. With most bows, the draw weight can be adjusted as much as 10-15# down from the maximum weight. When selecting a bow, the draw weight should be such that the shooter can draw the bow back quietly, slowly, smoothly, and be able to hold it for 45 seconds. An adult male with average physical strength will be most comfortable with a 55-60# draw weight. An adult female with average strength will be most comfortable with a 30-35# draw weight. As a person shoots, the draw weight may be increased with increased strength and experience. A seventy pound bow for men and a fifty pound bow for women usually works out nicely as they can be backed off 10 or 15 pounds and then increased as strength develops. If the bow is to be used for hunting, game regulations should be checked to determine the minimum draw weight allowed for each species of big game.
Your bow has to fit. You can approximate your draw length by making a fist with your bow hand and touch it against a wall straight out to the side of your body as if you were shooting a bow. While you stand straight, in a good shooting posture, have someone measure the distance from the wall to the corner of your mouth. This method won't be exact, but it will be much better than a wild guess and will most likely get you within the adjustment range of most bows. Bow manufacturers provide a range of draw lengths at which each model bow can be set. This typically involves changing a "module" on the cam, changing the anchor point of the string on the cam, or other relatively simple procedures.
Manufacturers generally rate their bows using the same IBO (International Bowhunting Organization) Standard. To get an accurate IBO Speed rating, manufacturers must test their bows under the same preset conditions: setting the bow for exactly 70# Peak Draw Weight, exactly 30" Draw Length, and they must shoot a test arrow that weighs precisely 350 grains. Bows with IBO speeds of 275 to 290 fps have designs that are highly forgiving of small lapses in form and are best used for target archery. Bows possessing IBO speeds of 290 to 315 fps are the mid-performers - combining decent speed with shootability. Bows with IBO speeds over 315 fps are best reserved for experienced archers. Most bows will not achieve the IBO rated speed. IBO speed is, however, good for comparing various bows.
Generally speaking, short bows are lighter than longer bows and are easier to carry through brushy areas when hunting. However, the angle of the string in the drawn position on short axle length bows normally requires that the shooter use a release. Longer axle length bows have less angle on the string and can be shot with fingers. Most fingers shooters prefer a bow with an axle to axle length over 37".
Brace height affects both speed and accuracy. The bow's brace height is the distance from the string to back of the grip when the bow is in its undrawn state. The longer the brace height, the more stable the bow. The shorter the brace height, the faster the arrow. Since a bow with a short brace height is more difficult to shoot accurately, it is recommended that novice and intermediate shooters stick with brace heights over 7 inches.
Compound bows traditionally had a two cam design; and while the technology of the dual cam bows continues to improve, they have been surpassed in popularity by the single cam bow because the same results are achieved with a simpler system. Manufacturers have recently come out with a cross between the two styles called "cam and a half" or hybrid cam bows. Time will tell if this is a passing fad or if superior results can be attained. At present, single cam bows are the most popular.
The draw weight of the compound bow decreases at the end of the drawstroke. This is known as let-off. It is common for bows to have let-off in excess of 75%. A bow with a 70# draw weight and 80% let-off will require the shooter to hold back only 14 lbs. once the bow reaches full draw. The only disadvantage to a high (over 75%) let-off cam is a small reduction in arrow velocity vs. a lower let-off cam system. For a compound bow, Pope and Young allows a maximum of 65% let-off to qualify for listing in their record book.
As with most things, a person can spend as much as one wants for a bow. It is recommended that novice and intermediate shooters proceed in a conservative manner until:
Most archery accessories may be transferred from bow to bow, so once an individual knows exactly what features are preferred it is relatively easy to upgrade the bow without having to purchase all of the accessories.
Mass weight is how much the bow weighs. This is generally more a factor for hunters than others. There may be as much as a pound difference between the lighter and heavier modern bows. For most shooters, mass weight is not as critical as many other factors.
Hand-shock is caused when the bow jumps forward upon release. Hand-shock is a function of Limb Angle. Some bows are designed so the limbs are bent far over, almost parallel with each other. When this type of bow fires, the top limb jumps upward, the bottom limb jumps downward. So the upward movement of the top limb cancels out the downward movement of the bottom limb and the bow doesn't "kick", thereby eliminating "hand shock". The more vertical a bow's limbs in the at rest position, the greater the hand shock will be. For most shooters, hand shock is not a large factor.
Some bows, usually the more expensive bows, have built in vibration dampening on the risers which reduce vibration and noise. The vibration dampening systems do not enhance bow performance but some shooters prefer the increased comfort and reduced noise level. It should be noted that vibration dampening accessories such as limb savers, stabilizers, and hand grips may be purchased separately and added to the bow.
A recurve bow is far simpler than a compound bow; therefore, there are fewer factors to consider. A primary consideration is that recurve bows have no "let-off", requiring the shooter to hold the full draw weight when in the release position.
Draw weight of recurve bows is rated at a 28 inch draw. Therefore, a 30 pound draw weight bow requires 30 pounds of pull to draw it back and hold it at 28 inches. A rule of thumb is that 2.5 pounds is required to pull it each additional inch of draw. So to pull back to 29 inches, 32.5 pounds will be required and 35 pounds will be required to pull it back to 30 inches. Conversely, 2.5 pounds less or 27.5 pounds will be required to pull it back to 27 inches and 25 pounds to pull to 26 inches. Most women prefer a 30 pound bow and men a 55 pound bow.
Draw length is not as critical with a recurve bow as it is with a compound bow, except that as outlined above the maximum poundage draw weight a shooter can achieve is affected by the draw length. As a rule a shooter's draw length will be 1 inch less than it is with a compound bow. Draw length may be roughly figured by making a fist with your bow hand and touching it against a wall straight out to the side of your body as if you were shooting a bow. While you stand straight, in a good shooting posture, have someone measure the distance from the wall to the corner of your mouth. This method won't be exact, but it will be much better than a wild guess.
Mass weight is the actual weight of the bow. This is typically not a factor in selecting a recurve bow since most bows are very light, ranging in the one to two pound range.
