Low draw weight advice, new archer.

Hi all, I?m a newbie and have been shooting about 12 weeks. Doing well I think and now just up to 50yrds. Bow all set up now and am using a recurve with 26 lb limbs and drawing about 32lb. Finding to bow easy enough to draw and getting good groupings. My question is, at 50yrds my sight is low 7.3 at nearly full horizontal extension on the sight bar, I?ve even had to lower the bar itself to its top screw points. If I get below 8 there is danger the fletchings will hit the site aiming bar, the sight adjustment bar is still out of the way and not a problem.
So I need advice on which of the 2 following things I need to do get up to 60yrds in a while. I know that above that I?m going to need stronger limbs if I have any chance of accurately hitting anything. I would like to shoot up to 60yds this year and develop my skills and move on next. I want to enjoy hitting the target not looking for arrows!

So option 1 would be to move the horizontal sight bar back as I have no more adjustment on the depth to reach 60yds. This option presumably means losing a degree of acuracy as its nearer to my eye.

Option 2 would be to tighten in my limb adjustment bolts to give me 2-4 pounds more weight. They were set since I bought the riser and have about 14mm of thread left out ( set midway I presume)
This would mean I could have the sight higher I?d hope and could still have it horizontally out fully for accuracy.

So 1 or 2? I know I?d have to alter brace height etc if I change the weight and wonder about arrow type (currently Eastern XX75 1916 which feel good).
I?d welcome advice on these two options but really don?t want to move up limb weight just yet and consentrate on my form and groupings up to 60yds no more.
 

jonUK76

Member
It sounds like you're doing pretty well (I think I was shooting regularly for over a year before I went beyond 30 metres!). I would suggest going with option 1 to start with - moving the sight closer, which increases your potential range because of the parallax effect.

The trouble with the other option is it will affect the tune of the bow, and it may stop shooting so nicely, something which will be emphasised more at longer ranges. Other things could happen, e.g. I guess you have quite a long draw from the 32 lbs "at the fingers" figure from 26# limbs? It's possible winding the limb bolts right in could cause more stacking, which is where the draw weight starts going up rapidly at the end of the draw, which will be likely to affect your technique negatively (for example making you struggle to pull through the clicker, if you're using one).

Yes I think your last sentence sums it up pretty well - concentrate more on form than fiddling with equipment, particularly so early in :)
 
That?s exactly what I thought, don?t want to run before I can walk. If I leave the limbs where they are, I can consentrate on form and only need to know all my sight settings after a while. It makes sense, I do indeed have a long draw and don?t want to push the boundary?s of the equipment. Also happy to know that my problem is normal. Ive listened to so many people say they can easily hit 70, 80, 100 with low poundage. I?m beginning to realise that this sports like any other, ie, I caught a fish and it was th........is long!
 

jonUK76

Member
No worries. I'd guess most of the long range low draw weight people are using skinny, light carbon or carbon/aluminium arrows (like Easton ACE's, Carbon One's etc.) which should extend the effective range quite a bit over using XX75's which are comparatively heavy and being wider, are more impacted by drag.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
My advice is to try the short extension for the sight as it costs nothing. You may find the sight appears less wobbly on aim as the movement will be reduced.
If that works you may want to try raising the draw weight a little at a time to see what difference that makes. You may find your release gets crisper as the weight pulls the string away from the fingers that little bit more.
If your current arrows are a good match, a slight increase in weight might help even more, specially if they are a bit stiff at present. Again, the change costs nothing but you may learn something to your advantage.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
It certainly can be a steep learning curve. But it doesn't have to be too steep.Sometimes, new archers are exposed to too much new information. Sometimes conflicting information.
I think we should try to learn the really vital stuff first. These vital ingredients will still be in use when you are world number 1.
Even if, like me, you can't reach those heights, the few vital items will get you further than loads of trivial bits. And I feel it offers more enjoyment, too.
 

Kernowlad

Supporter
Supporter
I started with xx75s last year. Great until I hit 50 metres then I had to aim too high for my sight - I could hit the target even at 80 but I had to aim at some trees above the target.
So took the plunge and got some ACGs - the slightly painful part of these is that they are sold in batches of 12 - and are over ?25 each! However some places (Bowsports) will sell them individually. Hey presto, even 80 yards was well within sight range! I've made a few expensive upgrade errors but this wasn't one of them.

XX75s are quite heavy but at short ranges, I still use them quite happily.
But do bare in mind that this is with a 50ish lbs compound bow.
 

Bowmania

New member
If you want to shoot a 60 and it's just for practice (your groups will spread) I say shoot what your shooting now, but put a gold spot on the 1 ring. You might have to readjust it to the 3 or 4 ring, but it's the cheapest and quicks 'fix'.

If your just trying to spread your groups out (to get better) shoot bare shaft at 50. What does fletching do? It corrects your mistakes. I can't figure out why anyone 'practices' with fletching. Except a little hard to find arrows if you spread your group too far.

Bowmania
 

Corax67

Well-known member
I made the move up from XX75 to ACC's when I went from 60yds to 80yds - painful on the wallet but a heck of a lot easier to get the distance. I maxed out with 36# limbs (40# OTF) which I find really comfortable to shoot.

Try to use as low a poundage as you can get away with for as long as possible, your shoulders will thank you for it :)



Karl
 
Brilliant advice from all. Lighter arrows at some point and stronger limbs. I?m not going to change for a while as suggested, get use to the poundage I?m on and enjoy painless shooting for a few months. Only question I would ask you all, what poundage limbs would be sensible to move up to when I do make the change? I?m pulling 32 pounds on 26 pound limbs at the moment. Limbs are expensive so I?d want the next set to last me a year ish.
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
I don't think there is ever a simple answer to that question.
Imagine that you are almost on your limit at present. You try someone else's bow that is 2lb heavier and it feels like hard work. You know that straight away.
Imagine that you are well within your limits at present and try the same heavier bow. This time the new weight feels good and to some extent you feel better; rather than struggling. You might want to try another 2lb heavier.
As you shoot more, there is a chance your form will improve and you may find the draw weight seems to get easier. That can lead on to you being able to shoot longer rounds. NOT necessarily further; but more arrows. You are getting archery fitter. Pushing the draw weight too far usually causes archers to shoot worse, shoot fewer arrows, and lose interest.
If, after another couple of years you are feeling even stronger, you may feel like increasing draw weight again. But if you can reach all the distances and get good results at all of them, you don't need to go up in weight.
There are advantages to having higher draw weights and thinner heavier arrows. Top archers often choose that route and do the training that goes with it.
It is worth thinking about how much time is available to you for archery. If you shoot once a week that session should to include getting satisfaction from your results and some sort of learning from others; or your own experience. If you shoot more often than that, some sessions might be given over to working on form etc.
 
Thanks Geoff retired, I?m happy at the moment and think I?ll stick with what I?ve got until later in the year. Might turn up the tiller weight over that time.
 
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