Arrow Speed and Draw Weight

May 1st, 2009 / Posted by David
Arrow Speed and Draw Weight

Question:
Could you please tell me roughly how much speed each additional pound of draw weight generates in fps?

Answer:
Roughly two fps per pound for small changes in the 10 pound range. However, if you turn your poundage way down on your bow you will lose some pre-stress in the limbs and the result will be a greater loss of speed than if you were shooting the same poundage with the limbs bottomed. This is because the shape of the force vs. draw curve is somewhat a function of limb pre-stress.

What Draw Weight is your compound bow set at?

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A bow with the limbs cranked out will not come up to poundage as quickly at the start of the draw. Also, a bow with the limbs bottomed will have a slightly lower brace height which also makes it faster compared to a higher poundage bow with the limbs backed out to achieve the same draw force. In other words, it is best to get a bow that maxes out as closely as possible to your desired draw force.

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