How To Increase Draw Weight On A Recurve Bow

Published February 28, 2018 in Archery TipsPast P.J. Reilly

Yes, yous can adjust the draw weight on sure recurve bows

Compound bows are well known for their power to have the draw weight adjusted. Virtually accept a x-pound adjustment range, but there are some that can be adjusted from 5-seventy pounds.Did y'all know it's possible to adjust the weight of some recurve bows?In an episode of "Behind the Riser," filmed by Shrewd Archery, which follows U.Southward. Olympian Brady Ellison during the 2018 Lancaster Archery Classic, Ellison talks near "taking three turns out of" his Hoyt recurve bow after the first day of competition. That action inverse the draw weight from 52 pounds to 47 pounds. (Ellison went on the win his second consecutive championship at the Archetype in the Men's Recurve Division.) Brady Ellison So yes, you can modify the depict weight of certain recurve bows. The only bows this will work on, however, are those Olympic recurve and Traditional recurve bows that take ILF limbs and fittings.ILF stands for "International Limb Fitting," which is a universal limb attachment organisation that allows ILF limbs and risers from various manufacturers to exist mixed and matched. Several Hoyt recurve bows employ a modified ILF connexion system that uses the aforementioned hardware equally ILF bows, just the hardware spacing is distinctly different than ILF. This unique limb connection system is the Hoyt Formula system. Formula bows suit in exactly the same manner as ILF bows. limb bolt32 An ILF or Hoyt Formula riser will take dovetail pockets to capture the dovetail bushings on the limbs. And they'll as well take limb bolts. The limb bolts on these risers are adaptable. Turning the limb bolts clockwise lowers the bolts closer to the riser and increases draw weight. Adjusting counterclockwise raises the bolts and decreases draw weight. Also, nearly all risers with adjustable limb bolts utilise some type of locking screw to go on a limb bolt in place subsequently adjustments have been made. Information technology is very important to unlock these screws before adjusting limb bolts, and so lock them again when adjustments are consummate.According to John Wert, who heads the TradTech division of Lancaster Archery Supply, which produces ILF and non-ILF recurve risers and limbs, the bolts on ILF recurve bows accept a recommended best working range. Starting at a maximum height of 20mm (xiii/xvi of an inch) for lowest draw weight and adjusting in to a minimum height of 15mm (5/8 of an inch), for the highest draw weight. Those distances are measured from the underside of the limb bolt to the surface of the limb pocket beneath it. limb bolt22 limb bolt12 "This is the all-time range for the unabridged sphere of ILF bows," Wert said. "You can take some in or out farther, but then you are in a gray area that tin lead to bug. If you know what to look for, you can arrange to every bit low as 12 mm and as high as 25 mm on some limb and riser combinations."The chief trouble with turning in a limb bolt shorter than 15mm is the leading edge of the limb bolt cap can start to dig into the limb surface. Back the limb commodities out more than than 20mm, and the dovetail limb bushing can demark in the riser hardware– or even worse, the limb could fly out from under the bolt altogether. limbss1 The number of turns an archer can put in or take out of a limb inside that 15-20mm frame varies, according to Wert. Some spiral patterns on the limb bolts are more aggressive than others, which would affect the full turns.It'southward upwardly to each archer to figure out how many turns the limb commodities can withstand to stay inside that 15-20mm gap. Likewise, the amount of weight that can be added or subtracted varies from bow to bow. Information technology's upwardly to the archer to figure that out, so he or she knows how many turns are possible, and how much weight each plough gives up or puts back on. But more often than not, a set of limbs has an adjustment range of viii-x% of the limb's depict weight. limb bolt72 During the Lancaster Archery Classic, Ellison was able to reduce his draw weight by virtually 5 pounds by taking three turns out of his Hoyt limb bolts.Information technology's important to note that equal turns must exist put into/ taken out of the meridian and bottom limbs in order to maintain the tiller. Unequal turns volition affect a bow'south tiller measurements, which can affect the bow's tune and the way the bow sits in your hand.Bow manufacturers vary on how they decide limb weights. Some, like TradTech archery, stamp their limbs with the low end of their weight range. So a TradTech limb rated at 50 pounds would draw at a minimum of 50 pounds at 28 inches with the limb bolts backed out to 20 mm. The weight would increase from there equally the bolts are turned in and the limbs would reach a maximum weight of approximately 54 pounds. limb bolt10 Other companies, similar Hoyt, use the middle of the range for their limb ratings, and some rate their limbs at the top cease of the aligning range.So all of this begs the question, "Why would I change the describe weight on my recurve?"In the Shrewd video, Brady said he was having trouble holding his bow nevertheless at the higher depict weight. So he lowered information technology to gain more than command. Other archers might find more control past increasing the draw weight.Some other reason to adjust draw weight might be to get an arrow to tune better. If the tune is close at a ready draw weight, changing the weight just a little could exist all that's needed to become perfect flight.