# FPS difference between 60lb and 70lb bows



## wwpalasota (Oct 4, 2009)

Looking at bows for my dad. We plan on taking an elk hunting trip together next year. I am wondering how much speed or ke whatever you want to say I would be giving up if he gets a 60lb bow vs the 70lb. He is currently leaning towards a hoty alpha max or a bear truth 2.


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## gbear (May 30, 2009)

which can he shoot more comfortably, more accurately, the 60 or 70? 
About the speed, technically if you shoot an IBO weight arrow the 60 and 70 will be the same speed, but i'm not gonna argue about that here.
I wouldn't worry about the speed if you are looking at fast bows anyway. Cause you are going to want an arrow that is heavier than IBO for hunting.
I know for each 1" of DL under 30" you lose about 10fps, and for each 3 grains of arrow weight above IBO you lose 1fps.


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## Baxy (Sep 4, 2009)

I'm new to archery 
is this right ? my maxxis is rated at 318 fps at 50 , 60 or 70 lbs ??
doesn't make sense


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## OneScrewLoose (Feb 18, 2009)

He should be fine with either of those bows at 60# with a good sharp fixed blade head, and even better with a cut on contact like a Snuffer SS or a Stinger or Buzzcut. He won't be disappointed with the Truth 2:wink: I'd lean toward the Magnus heads, great quality and a lifetime warranty!!!!! Can't go wrong there!!!! I'd personally go toward the Snuffer SS for something that size just to get the extra half inch or so of cutting surface.


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## rmadduxjr (Jul 20, 2007)

Baxy said:


> I'm new to archery
> is this right ? my maxxis is rated at 318 fps at 50 , 60 or 70 lbs ??
> doesn't make sense


A 50 lb. bow shooting a 250 gr. arrow should achieve the same speed as as 60 lb. bow shooting a 300 gr. arrow, the same as a 70 lb. bow shooting a 350 gr. arrow. IBO speeds are based on shooting 5 gr. per lb. of draw weight. Hope this helps you understand. Kinetic energy will be less on the lower poundage bows than the higher poundage bows but speeds should be the same.


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## TMan51 (Jan 25, 2004)

Many, if not most, of todays bow designs will shoot an elk weight arrow fast enough to meet your Dad's needs. My 60lb Katera, for instance, will shoot a 425gr arrow at 275fps/70lbs KE. Plenty of speed, plenty of punch.

For elk, it's really a matter of taking the right shot, with enough bow. The opportunities lost to the 10lb difference in bow weight are few and far between.

All of my current crop of 60lb bows, have more zap than any of the 70lb bows I used in the last century. Elk are still made of the same stuff, but bows are a lot better.


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## bowmanhunter (Dec 27, 2003)

buy him a 60#er

Speed doesnt kill unless your driving a car

Accuracy and kinetic energy will any day of the week though


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## glpoe1 (Jul 29, 2009)

bowmanhunter said:


> buy him a 60#er
> 
> Speed doesnt kill unless your driving a car
> 
> Accuracy and kinetic energy will any day of the week though


I agree, I agree, I agreee, X3. If you place the arrow where intended it will do the job. All the hype of fast bows is just a bunch of bunk. IMO.


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## bfisher (Nov 30, 2002)

glpoe1 said:


> I agree, I agree, I agreee, X3. If you place the arrow where intended it will do the job. All the hype of fast bows is just a bunch of bunk. IMO.


 Especially the accuracy part. Shot placement is the most important thing, all the other things being equal. Poundage is just a number and thosw with the biggest ego or denial problems are the ones needing the most poundage. Your dad should, as already mentioned, shoot that which he can handle comfortably and accurately regardless of the poundage.

Take this into account. People are still shooting and killing elk with 50-55# recurves and longbows that produce maybe half to 2/3 the energy of a same-weight compound bow. And in a lot of instances getting complete pass throughs to boot.


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## Karbon (Jul 5, 2006)

bowmanhunter said:


> buy him a 60#er
> 
> Speed doesnt kill unless your driving a car
> 
> Accuracy and kinetic energy will any day of the week though


Well said.

I'll never go back to 70#+. Unless I need to shoot Superman or something.


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## MT Olie (Nov 7, 2009)

I was a Superman fan for along time 70#+, but now I'm older and wiser and shoot better with 60#....


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

*I shoot a 70 lb bow but it's not for most folks.*

I shoot a heavier arrow and like the extra speed and kinetic energy. But then I'm 6 ft, 220, stocky build with good upper body strength. The draw weight isn't a big issue for me with a Mathews Drenalin which has an easy draw cycle anyway. Still, I turn the draw weight down to mid 60's to extend my practice sessions. I'm probably shooting in the 66/67 range right now. That said, I have a couple buddies that can't draw my bow more than two or three times. A 60 lb bow is just right for them and they do pretty well with them on elk.
Here's a website with an archery calculator that will help you to undersatnd the trade offs between draw length, draw weight, arrow weight etc. You can easlily calculate your speed and kinetic energy under different scenarios.

http://www.backcountrybowhunting.com/articles/tools.php


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## hoodedmonk (Feb 7, 2009)

I have a 60lb Truth 2 and it's draw very smooth. I think it would be an excellent choice for your dad.


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## kicker338 (Nov 30, 2008)

totaly agree with 60lbs I live in post falls Id. and hunt elk using a diamond blk. ice 60lb think I can speak for your dad I turned 62 this sept. for smothe and easy pull its one hard bow to beat. Huntedbyelk ever come over here and hunt wolf lodge saddle brush so nasty thick you cant see an elk past 40 yds.


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## SteveID (May 6, 2008)

Like everyone has said, 60 lbs will be more than enough for elk. Your shots will probably be close if you call the bull in. Pick an arrow 400 grains or heavier and a good fixed blade broadhead and you'll be fine.


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## bfwhite (Sep 29, 2009)

I just checked the difference on my Firecat with 60# DW and 300g arrow and the KE was 69. At 70# DW and 350g arrow the KE was 81. The speed was the same for both 60# and 70#.


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## MightyElkHntr (Dec 13, 2006)

As far as speed, on an average 10 pounds with the current bow models equals about 25 feet per second if shooting the same arrow through both... 

My PSE Axe is set at 70.5/30 shooting a 395 gr arrow at 320 fps and has 83.6lbs Ke at 20 yards and 70.4 lbs Ke at 70 yards.

The same bow in a 60 shooting the same arrow would yield about 25 fps and around 12-14lbs Ke at 20 yards... which will still have 55or so lbs of Ke at 70 yards, plenty for most animals in this continent.


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## Rocky44 (Sep 18, 2007)

Buy the 70# bow, so you can trim it down to 60# or maybee 65#!


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## jkeiffer (Aug 3, 2007)

generally 10 lbs difference in draw weigh is about 25 fps in speed difference with the same arrow. most 60 lb bows can be maxed out to 64-65 lbs and with the speed of todays bows you can definately get away with a 60 lb model.

later
jkeiffer


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## TheTracker (Sep 11, 2009)

wwpalasota said:


> Looking at bows for my dad. We plan on taking an elk hunting trip together next year. I am wondering how much speed or ke whatever you want to say I would be giving up if he gets a 60lb bow vs the 70lb. He is currently leaning towards a hoty alpha max or a bear truth 2.


A 60lb shoots a 300 grain arrow at the same speed a 70lb shoots a 350 grain arrow!


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## hauntedbyelk (May 3, 2009)

kicker338 said:


> totaly agree with 60lbs I live in post falls Id. and hunt elk using a diamond blk. ice 60lb think I can speak for your dad I turned 62 this sept. for smothe and easy pull its one hard bow to beat. Huntedbyelk ever come over here and hunt wolf lodge saddle brush so nasty thick you cant see an elk past 40 yds.


Would love to hunt Wolf Lodge and have spent some time in the brush working as a forester and hunting deer and elk all over the state. Unfortunately the out of state license and tags got to be a bit pricy when I got out of the Air Force and had to surrender my Idaho residency (grew up in the Troy/Moscow area.) So now I spring for the non-resident fees every couple years. Most recently hunted elk in the St Maries area.
The Diamond Black Ice is an exceptionally smooth drawing bow and a great choice, probably the nicest draw cycle of any bow I've ever picked up. I would own one but liked the longer ATA of the Mathews Drenalin a little better for my 29 in draw length.


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## TMan51 (Jan 25, 2004)

glpoe1 said:


> All the hype of fast bows is just a bunch of bunk. IMO.


I can tell you've hunted with several "fast" bows.

If you can't shoot, they are as worthless as any other bow. If you can't tune, that would also be the case.

For my own experience, I find that the faster, the deader, is pretty much the rule. Fast starts at 270fps, and above 300fps tuning begins to cause me problems. Between the two numbers, the effectiveness on deer is worth the effort in practice and tuning to get them there.


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## Mr. Burns (Apr 21, 2008)

there really is no difference this day and age. with the efficency of the bows now, there is no real reason for a 70# bow in my opinion.

infact, you will have to use an arrow that is 50 grains heavier than what you have to use with a 60# bow, so you loose the speed that one would think they would gain


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## Mr. Burns (Apr 21, 2008)

Rocky44 said:


> Buy the 70# bow, so you can trim it down to 60# or maybee 65#!


I still say do NOT back bows down. you loose the tight tolorances and efficency (minimal on efficency) that you get from shooting a bow maxed out.


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## Karbon (Jul 5, 2006)

Mr. Burns said:


> I still say do NOT back bows down. you loose the tight tolorances and efficency (minimal on efficency) that you get from shooting a bow maxed out.


I agree. Since I'll be getting one of the smoothest drawing speedy hunting bows ever (Right Kev) I ordered 65# limbs on my Vanquish. Since it has a long brace, I could justify the 65# since it pulls super easy...so I've been told.


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## Malexry (Nov 30, 2013)

Its always rated for the highest weight, unless it is stated other wise. the bow is adjustable and if he wants to put it to 70 he will have 318 fps, if not then it will lose some fps, usually a good rule of thumb is that 60lb at a 30" draw is around 300fps give or take 10 pounds depending on the bow and the quality and the make. This is not true all of the time but in my experience it seems to work out that way. Does anyone wish to second that?


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

there's some truth to that, but pivoting and lockable limb pockets have reduced that problem to virtually nothing. the point is, the same bow at 60 and 70 lbs. with the proper weight and spine arrows for each poundage, will yield only a few more FPS at the higher poundage...hardly enough to make the effort of drawing the higher weight worth while. IOW....there's not much a 60 lb. bow, the right arrows and a good shot, won't kill.... "deader than a door nail"...on this continent any ways.
i'm not real "arm strong", and I've killed almost all my deer with my bow set at 55 lbs. it's so much easier to draw and hold, especially in the cold.


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## TMan51 (Jan 25, 2004)

Malexry said:


> Its always rated for the highest weight, unless it is stated other wise. the bow is adjustable and if he wants to put it to 70 he will have 318 fps, if not then it will lose some fps, usually a good rule of thumb is that 60lb at a 30" draw is around 300fps give or take 10 pounds depending on the bow and the quality and the make. This is not true all of the time but in my experience it seems to work out that way. Does anyone wish to second that?


I have seven Hoyt's from 50-60lbs, and in the past quite a few more that went to 70lbs. The loss of speed to bow weight, at any GPP leve, is less than the shot to shot variance. At 5GPP my 50lb bows shoot on the money for the IBO rating, just like my 60lb and 70lb bows do/did.


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## SCFox (Dec 11, 2005)

Karbon said:


> Well said.
> 
> I'll never go back to 70#+. Unless I need to shoot Superman or something.


Sixty pounds and a kryptonite Buzzcut would get the job done. 

SCFox


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## Yichi (Dec 18, 2008)

Holy 4 year old thread batman...


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## enkriss (Apr 10, 2009)

Yichi said:


> Holy 4 year old thread batman...


Yep...and I would of went with the 70lber....lol


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