60 vs 70 lbs

[Cedarsavage]

So I bought a new bow. Bear Alaskan. I wanted the rth from Lancaster but they were sold out so I bought a naked bow and component from amazon. Anyway it was supposed to be 70lbs and got a 60lb in the mail yesterday. Trying to decide if I wanna send it back and get 70. Im plenty strong for the 70 but one shoulder is kinda bad and admittedly 60 would feel better on that, but in reality I don’t need to shoot much. I really like having small pin gaps and plenty of power to blow through with grim reapers. Am I being trivial about ten pounds?

 

[sndmn11]

What is the bow for and do you have arrows already?

 

[Cedarsavage]

Whitetails Ive been shooting 340 spine fmjs and I think they’ll work either way cuz I’ve shot them from a 60 and a 70.

 

[sndmn11]

Whitetails

I think a 60lb draw weight is more than adequate for sending a broad head through a deer. I'd imagine you have an ideal velocity window and that would be the only thing I'd pay attention to but is easily solved for with lighter shafts than FMJs if need be.

 

[Billy Goat]

99% of archers are going to be more accurate at 60# than 70#. If you have a 26" DL and using an FMJ, you might want more poundage to get the speed up. Or change shafts.


I know several guys routinely killing elk sub 60# with 28-29" DL.


Your tune will have more to do with blowing through than 10# difference. Straight arrow flight you will be fine, 70# and poor flight you will cuss your heads and never use them again.

 

[Cedarsavage]

99% of archers are going to be more accurate at 60# than 70#. If you have a 26" DL and using an FMJ, you might want more poundage to get the speed up. Or change shafts.


I know several guys routinely killing elk sub 60# with 28-29" DL.


Your tune will have more to do with blowing through than 10# difference. Straight arrow flight you will be fine, 70# and poor flight you will cuss your heads and never use them again.

Good point on the tune. My 70 is not tuned the best. I shoot 29.5 draw. I guess the biggest thing is pin gap. Thinking I’ll set it up and try it out since amazon lets you return for 30 days

 

[Cedarsavage]

I think a 60lb draw weight is more than adequate for sending a broad head through a deer. I'd imagine you have an ideal velocity window and that would be the only thing I'd pay attention to but is easily solved for with lighter shafts than FMJs if need be.

Good point never thought about a lighter arrow

 

[Billy Goat]

Good point on the tune. My 70 is not tuned the best. I shoot 29.5 draw. I guess the biggest thing is pin gap. Thinking I’ll set it up and try it out since amazon lets you return for 30 days

29.5" DL with a 335 ibo bow you are gonna be pushing 340's hard. If you get them cut off at the rest they might work, but I'd generally recommend 300 for that setup. Not saying you can't get 340 to work, but 300 is the easy button.

60# be perfect with 340's.

 

[Cedarsavage]

29.5" DL with a 335 ibo bow you are gonna be pushing 340's hard. If you get them cut off at the rest they might work, but I'd generally recommend 300 for that setup. Not saying you can't get 340 to work, but 300 is the easy button.

60# be perfect with 340's.

I’ve suspected that they were a little light. I never paper tuned my old one but I plan on it with this one

 

[Billy Goat]

I’ve suspected that they were a little light. I never paper tuned my old one but I plan on it with this one

Personally I forget paper and broadhead tune.

You will probably want to start with paper, most bows I can setup for me that will pretty much bullet hole from the jump. That's just a starting point with broadheads tho.

I generally bareshaft, cause it's easier on targets, but it's subject to form too. I'll guess that your form isn't perfect and you will chase your tail for a while trying to shoot bareshafts. Shoot a broadheads at a target, follow with field points and walk them together with adjustments

 

[Billy Goat]

Personally I forget paper and broadhead tune.

You will probably want to start with paper, most bows I can setup for me that will pretty much bullet hole from the jump. That's just a starting point with broadheads tho.

I generally bareshaft, cause it's easier on targets, but it's subject to form too. I'll guess that your form isn't perfect and you will chase your tail for a while trying to shoot bareshafts. Shoot a broadheads at a target, follow with field points and walk them together with adjustments

 

[N2TRKYS]

I shoot a 60# mod on my bow for whitetails. I use a single pin set at 30 yards. This gets me 0-30 yards without any holdover or under. I can shoot to 40 yards without moving my pin by aiming at the top of the back of the deer.

Ditch the fmj and pick up some Goldtip Hunter XTs in your correct spine.

Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I shoot a 60# mod on my bow for whitetails. I use a single pin set at 30 yards. This gets me 0-30 yards without any holdover or under. I can shoot to 40 yards without moving my pin by aiming at the top of the back of the deer.

Ditch the fmj and pick up some Goldtip Hunter XTs in your correct spine.

Good luck and happy hunting.

That’s what I was looking for in pin gap. Pretty close to my domain in 70. 300 in goldtip? And do you think they’re more hardy than fmj’s?

 

[N2TRKYS]

That’s what I was looking for in pin gap. Pretty close to my domain in 70. 300 in goldtip? And do you think they’re more hardy than fmj’s?

I don’t know about more hardy. . I don’t have any durability issues with the GTs at a lower gpi and no aluminum that can bend without my knowing it. I’ve killed a buck the last two seasons with the same GT arrow. I’ll clean it off and hopefully kill a third buck with it next season.

 

[Beendare]

A lot of the experienced bowhunters I know are -or have- dropped down in weight. Actually, almost all.

A 50# compound will blow an arrow through anything in NA….so then it becomes a matter of how much more arrow speed do you want. 60# is more than enough.

No wrong answer.

 

[Ron.C]

To each his own, you are the only one that needs to be happy with your equipment choices. A 60 pound bow is more than enough but If you feel you need a tight pin gap/higher arrow speed (I pressume to compensate for range estimation error) then do what you need to do.

I used to be wrapped up about arrow speed/pin gap....... When I stopped shooting 3d and found I wasn't concerned about hitting a quarter size X or cutting a line it became way less important to me. My range estimation for hunting is more than good enough and if I'm in doubt, I laser range it.

My bow is now set a 56#. I am far more comfortable shooting it and it has plenty of power for pass through shots. Roosevelt bull in my avatar was taken at 57yards and was a passthrough.

 

[TxxAgg]

60# at 29.5" draw is perfect. I'd stick with it

 

[MallardSX2]

Crank it down the whole way and hunt with it.

 

[Stave]

I'm also thinking about getting a new 60# bow. I've been shooting a Diamond Triumph solo cam since 2007. It's actual numbers:

67 lbs
28.5" draw
432 grain arrow
262 fps
66 ft lbs of energy

I'm very happy with terminal performance. Pass through shots on dozens of whitetails. 100 grain slick tricks mostly.

My question is, are there new 60# bows that would equal the performance of my old bow? I've been out of the market for almost two decades. I assume a lot has changed. Which new 60# bows hit hardest? I will be hunting elk in 2025.

 

[jimh406]

I'd send it back. You can always shoot a 70 at 60, but the reverse isn't possible unless you modify the bow.

The holding weight at full draw is negligible with a compound of any % letoff.