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I shoot a Mathews Q2, 29" (should be 30, i shoot with a bent arm bought it used) 70 lbs. with a 400 grain arrow, wraps, blazer 2" and 100 grain tip, i am shooting 260 FPS, i can cut about 2 inches off of my arrow and i think that should get me to 270. my pin gap at 20 and 30 is realll close, then a decent leap from 30-40. 40 and 50 are close., but if i shoot the 60 yard target with my 50 pin, i am about 2 feet low. is this drastic drop normal?

what do you guys think is a good hunting speed? a buddy shoots a LX at 290 and his 20 and 30 pin is the same pin and he hits with in 1/4" from 20-30 where as i hit about 3" high at 20 with my 30 pin.
thanks!

Dude... I'm slingin' arrows at about 160 to 180 fps... depending on the bow. Albeit a GOOD bit heavier than yours.

Worry more about a SHARP broadhead and good shot placement from a QUIET bow than about a few more FPS.

I set up the chronograph one day and experimented with vanes, arrow length, point weight etc. I have a similar long draw as you so trimming the arrows amounted to an inch or two at most. The conclusion that I came to is that a few grains here or there do not radically change the arrow speed. Also I found that changing my nock to a lighter one actually helped accuracy (2 grains difference). In testing arrows over the chrono I switched from 85 to 125 grain heads and saw a 10 fps decrease (now I am going by memory and it was not much). I did switch from a 4 inch vane to a 3 inch and saw a 5 fps increase. I can't remember how many different things that I tested but they really all came out in the wash.

In response to "where as i hit about 3" high at 20 with my 30 pin." I would say lose the 20 yard pin and use it for a distance pin. 30 yard, 40 yard, 50 yard, 55 yard, 60 yard something like that. I had my 5 pin sight set to 20,30,40,45,50 before I broke it, since they drop pretty fast at distance. It is much easier to compensate close up than far out. Actually I now use a 3 pin sight since I have caught myself counting pins and that is a bad habit for hunting.

My bow shoots 250 fps and is quite adequate...

Casey,
You might gain about 3 fps by cutting off those 2" (figuring about 16 grains lost at 8 gr/in, and gaining 1 fps/6gr).

Your pins should uniformly increase in spacing. Your 260 fps is fine for hunting.

RR

I am by no means an expert, but all the stuff I read says that, at that velocity and arrow weight, each 3 grains of arrow weight reduction nets about a 1 fps increase in velocity. I am shooting a new 2007 Bowtech Allegiance with all the string stuff that came on it, plus a tubeless peep and string serving added to accommodate the STS, a total arrow weight of 379 (per Gold Tip Website), 28-1/2 inch draw, the �slower� smooth draw module, and tuned down to 63 lbs, and I got 282 fps chronographed over my pro shop�s chrono. If I were to work up to 70 lbs like you, I probably would be a hair over 300, and I could pick up some more by switching out to �speed� modules.

The 20-40 yard pins are so close the flared bases just about touch, and the 50 yard pin has only a slightly larger gap. I have a fifth pin I haven�t even tried to use yet, but maybe this weekend.

Whether any of this makes a difference in the real world, or justifies a major expense over a bow already sending an arrow at a very decent speed, I cannot say.

Arrow speed is such an emotional and psychological disease now days. I honestly can't understand the need for "the additional 5 fps" so many guys are trying to acheive. It means absolutely nothing. Speed isn't what kills, the broadhead blades and the sharpness of such is what kills, not an additional 5-20 fps. Most hunters are so hung up on speed (bragging rights that they have a fast bow) that they sacrifice accuracy and shootability. I have seen guys shooting really fast bows (according to the hype from the manufacturer), yet they have every string dampener and supressor on the market on their bow. So all the speed they have gained has been lost due to the supressors and other gadgets on their bows.

I went the speed route and found it to be counter productive. Sure, my arrows flew flatter out to 40 yards, but after that, they became unpredictable with the slightest breeze or blade of grass that touched the arrow during flight. Penetration on elk and trophy deer became a real concern as well. I upped the weight on my arrows to 450 grains and shoot them at about 280 fps. There aren't many animals that will stop my arrows now. I like the confidence I have gained from increasing arrow weight. Angling shots or shoulder shots on deer no longer scare me. I know my arrows will easily break the shoulders, the sternum, neck...etc. Deer seldom give the perfect broadside shot, so it is nice not to have to be so picky about shot angle. I guess what I am saying is, with the range finders and short ranges you are shooting, don't worry about a couple of feet per second. It doesn't mean a thing. Flinch

Listen to this guy FirstCoues! Archery manufacturers (and bowshops) HAVE to sell speed to make money. A sharp broadhead and good placement are all it takes. Don't buy the nonsense about speed and accuracy either, speed magnifies every mistake you make! (It's noisy too!)

The guys that have the fastest bows are the guys who are the unhappiest and are never satisfied. It's a sickness, don't get caught up in the hype, bro!

I won't put my bow on a chrono. Why?

It's fast enough. More importantly, it's accurate.

you guys have given me some very good advise!


personally, i really like the mathews LX as it shoots faster than my Q2 and both of my buddies thathaven them and shoot very well.

i like my 260 FPS with 100 gr. muzzies! will kill anything i shoot at!

Yip, Yip, my bow is very quite and accurate too...here is my little secret, I only shoot 250 fps...shhhhhhhhhh!

You bet. Mathews makes great bows. Just don't "hotrod" 'em.

I too got caught up in the "speed" thing. My first real bow was a Matthews Z-max, it would do 300fps......that accounted for several deer and then, the Black max 2 came out....well I just had to have it.
So I ordered a 70 lb model with the "turbo" (50% let off cam).
Wow that sucker was fast, 322fps.
Now it did account for my largest whitetail and a 360" elk but try as I might, I never could get real good accuracy.
I got the thinking......I am anal about accuracy on my rifles....why not apply that to my bow as well.
What really got me is when all my hunting buddies and I would get together and shoot at one of our houses, mine usually took last place when it came to accuracy, but first when it came to velocity.
So my current set up is a Matthews Switchback XT.....what a sweetheart, right now I'm shooting 70 lbs with a 30" draw and 80% let off....295 fps, but its got accuracy to boot.
Now when us guys get together my setup usually takes one of the 3 top places 1st 2nd or 3rd....when we compete.
So in all........SPEED DOES NOT MATTER!....its all in the Broadhead and shot placement.......trust me.

Great post Tom.

The speed thing cracks me up. I've been shooting bows for 30+ years and remember killing deer with 45# recurves in the late 70's. I still have a 52# Damon Howatt which was smokin' hot in its day. It does ~ 170 ft/sec with a 475 gr arrow.

I've been killing deer for the past 14,15 years with a 60# recurve of my own making. I built them for fast flight strings, shoot 500 grain arrows from them - they get ~ 190-195 ft/sec, with a Zwickey Eskimo attached. Shoots through deer like hot butter.

Recently bought a Mathews Outback as a result of shoulder surgery in December and can't find carbon arrows that will weigh anywhere near 500 grains all up. The best I'm going to get is 400 grains. I've been assured that will shoot through anything at 55#. Plan to test that theory next fall.

My advice is to not sweat how fast your arow is going. Use a good, sharp broadhead, keep shots reasonable, go forth and slay critters.

As a longbow shooter, 155 fps is good enough to kill any animal in the lower 48, and has probably killed bigger ones in the Upper US.

In fact, a 155 gr. arrow with a 550 gr. shaft will go all the way through a deer and out the other side. Providing you put the arrow where it should be put.

A friend of mine shot a cow elk with a 50# selfbow made of hickory, and it buried the fletching. All you need to do is penetrate the lungs, and you're there.

Speed is fine, but boy, is it noisy! I feel the responsibility to speak up for traditional bows here. Mankind used them for 12,000 years to feed their families and to make war. The compund bow is just a blip...about 50 years old.

Biwinters, I have been told that people build the weight in carbon arrows by adding weed-eater mono to the inside. Another choice would be "lead fishing line" which you can get at shops that sell fishing stuff for deep-sea fishing.

I've never tried either. I'm strictly a wooden arrow guy myself, although I do have a dozen "Autumn Orange" aluminums stored away.

I shoot a Jack Howard Recurve, a 21st Cen. Longbow, and a lot of wooden bows I've made myself. Tried making a longbow with glass, but it took me weeks to quit itching!

Gene, I knew there was something I liked about you!

Yep.... damn it....

I did the wood arrow thing till we had a hard time finding quality cedar ~ 10 years back. Make the switch to Easton classics.

I'm now getting learned about carbons, fall away rests, cams and all things compound related. Bought a Mathews Switchback a few weeks back - can't shoot the big recurves anymore .

Good choice in bows. Really like the 21st century bows. The secret to building bows is to wear long sleeve clothes, wear a respirator and preferably work outside. Fiberglass really sucks when you get it on your skin.
Good luck.

-- BW