Increasing Draw Weight

[M1jhartman]

Hello everyone,

I currently shoot a 48# Abbott longbow and am considering buying a heavier bow. I really like the one I have, and have been shooting it for the last 3 years. Having said that, I think I would like something a little more powerful. When you guys increase draw weight, what would you consider to be a reasonable jump? I am thinking that I want to be somewhere in the 55-60 pound draw weight.

[GUT_TRAIL]

55 would probably work well. If you are in pretty good shape strength wise and are willing to shoot often you will adjust pretty quick. I jumped from 48# on my first trad bow, up to 65 and it was ok when I shot often and lifted weights but when I stopped lifting it was to much weight. 55 seems to fit me best, good luck

[Mike Murphey]

I don't shoot but 53# on my 62" KOTA......This is the same bow I took to Africa and killed everything I shot at.....from Wartehog to Blue Wildebeste.....

[jerp]

I'm in a similar situation. I've been shooting a 50# longbow for 3 years and I'm planning on getting a recurve soon. I want to go up in weight, so for the last few months I have been shooting other people's bows trying to get a feel for how much of an upgrade I can handle with a little practice. After trying bows up to about 65#'s I have settled on 55#'s for the new bow. I don't see any reason to go higher. A properly placed shot will kill anything I will be hunting, and I want to be able to do longer practice sessions and 3d tournaments without tiring.

[oldwibowhunter]

I don't think that you will enjoy shooting 60# for a lot of arrows, the 55# should be plenty.

[Cody Malone]

55 at first the. Tighten it up to 60 after a few weeks of shooting

[LeanMachine]

You can go up to as high of a weight as you are willing to shoot regularly.

[duck'n]

I just jumped from 45# to 53#. It felt a lot different at first so I would take some shots and 53, then drop back to 45 before I got worn out and started shooting worse than normal. Added a few shots on the heavier bow each time and now it is all I shoot. Only took a week and a half or so to adjust.

[BowBuddy]

I shoot a 57# longbow and had as high as 70 # but depending on who makes the bow. The efficiency wasn't there I was getting slower speeds out of the 70# bow (Jeffereys Recurve) than a 52# bow (Bruin Recurve). I got the 57# longbow (PL) and the guys from BW said I could change out the arrows from my 54# PSA so that is why I opted for 57#. I think when it comes to higher draw weight and arrow flight you need a tuned arrow. Thats what glides through the air and animals.

[moe monsarrat]

I have some in that poundage in the classifieds.

[equin]

I went from 45# to 60# Samick Sage limbs. At first, I couldn't believe how much more effort it took for me to draw, anchor and hold 15 additional pounds. I would only blank bale shoot no more than 5 arrows at a time, take a rest, and then go back to 45# for the remainder of my shooting session. Every once in awhile, I'd draw and hold 60# for as long as I could and do that a few times to slowly build up the additional strength. It took awhile, but I was able to more easily draw and hold the added weight after about a month or two. Now, 45# seems fairly light. I just need to work more on my left-hand draw to even out and develop my back strength to avoid unbalanced muscle growth.