# what does letoff mean?



## GANoles09 (Sep 4, 2009)

I'm still new to bowhunting, I dont understand the terrm like "80% letoff"?? thank you

GANoles09


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## Kill Shill (Sep 23, 2008)

if a compound bow is 60 pounds and has 75% let off the holding weight once the bow is at full draw should be 15 pounds. this is why they are COMPOUND bows. thats what the wheels or cams do.


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## ctmartinshooter (Aug 16, 2003)

More succintly put, "let off" is the percentage the draw weight is reduced when you're at full draw.


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## edthearcher (Nov 2, 2002)

*let off*

the difference between draw weight and holding weight:mg:


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## LONGSHOT ARTIST (Aug 28, 2007)

GANoles09 said:


> I'm still new to bowhunting, I dont understand the terrm like "80% letoff"?? thank you
> 
> GANoles09


it basically means your holding 20% percent of the draw weight at full draw.... for example....a draw weight of 60lbs with 80% letoff means your holding a weight of 12 lbs at full draw...the lower the letoff the more holding weight the higher the letoff the less holding weight....this plays a huge part in holding steady.


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## iafarmer (Dec 10, 2009)

It seems the higher your letoff % the easier it is to hold. Does a person give anything up (speed, energy, etc.) by using a bow's highest letoff versus its lowest... say 80% instead of 65%?


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## kunas (Dec 15, 2008)

The disadvantage to a high (over 75%) let-off cam is a small reduction in arrow velocity vs. a lower let-off cam system. All other things being equal, a bow with 65% let-off will shoot faster than a bow with 80% let-off. However, the difference in speed is usually only a few fps.


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## TailChaser (Aug 13, 2005)

Something I just posted on another thread.

"All things being equal" yes, but you shorten the draw length by just moving pegs, no, you lose speed. You also lose any valley you might have had.

However a cam designed to be at 70% letoff at the same draw, yes would be faster.

The main point is more holding weight means more accuracy, because you're pulling back harder and therefore pulling the bow straighter in your bow-hand, making up for any torque that may be there, so it's more forgiving. It def. makes a difference. Adding 10 lbs of holding weight is probably the same as adding an inch of BH, but actually increases speed a little. Tradeoff is when hunting you can't hold it as long before you give out.


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## escorza88 (Oct 14, 2012)

TailChaser said:


> Something I just posted on another thread.
> 
> "All things being equal" yes, but you shorten the draw length by just moving pegs, no, you lose speed. You also lose any valley you might have had.
> 
> ...


So, a lower let off is better for target shooting ?


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## Outsider (Aug 16, 2011)

I think for target shooting higher let off is better since you have to hold on target for a while before you shoot.


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## BigShow (Sep 4, 2006)

escorza88 said:


> So, a lower let off is better for target shooting ?


Generally speaking, yes. However target bows are usually lower poundage to begin with, so they can be less let-off while still being higher % of the draw weight.


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## huteson2us2 (Jun 22, 2005)

Most pro Hoyt shooters prefere the Spiral Cams because they have 65% let off with a solid wall. 65% let off does not allow as much movement of the bow during the shot that 75% or 80% allows. Hunters prefere higher letoff, because animals are unpredicable and sometimes a hunter needs to hold his bow a long time before the perfect shot presents itself.


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## Ragman44 (Dec 28, 2014)

Great explanations all. Thank you - from another new archer.


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## Bsambo86 (Jul 20, 2017)

So if you have a higher percentage let off does that make the actual draw weight harder to pull? I recently pulled a 70lb bow with 85% and it was much harder than a 60lb with 75% and harder than my 70lb with 80%. Just curious.


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## GoofyArcher (Sep 21, 2015)

escorza88 said:


> So, a lower let off is better for target shooting ?


depends on taste , its very personal


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## Hama Yumi (Nov 2, 2017)

I'm pretty sure higher let offs require more aggressive cams so that's probably the reason why.


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## "TheBlindArcher" (Jan 27, 2015)

Bsambo86 said:


> So if you have a higher percentage let off does that make the actual draw weight harder to pull? I recently pulled a 70lb bow with 85% and it was much harder than a 60lb with 75% and harder than my 70lb with 80%. Just curious.




Unless all three were the same model bow with the same cams then it's not an apples to apples comparison. 

I have a bow I can change between 65% and 80% letoff and I don't notice a difference in the draw right up to the drop into the valley. Once I hit the back wall I feel the difference as one wants to take off a little more than the other.


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## Tacoma#12 (Jun 12, 2017)

Bsambo86 said:


> So if you have a higher percentage let off does that make the actual draw weight harder to pull? I recently pulled a 70lb bow with 85% and it was much harder than a 60lb with 75% and harder than my 70lb with 80%. Just curious.


You are correct in your finding. Let off % makes a difference in the feel of draw because of how's it dumps or drops into the valley when the cams are breaking or rolling over. Newer bows are getting better. I don't like to feel a huge drop into my valley. Some do , some don't know the difference. But you are correct in your thinking. Even with same bows same setup. From 65% to 85% would be a big difference in draw weight feel. It's the draw force curve.


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