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Let-off and accuracy

Thetrueredneck

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2019
Messages
337
Location
Arkansas
So I was watching this last night and for some reason I can not wrap my head around this, I am not a bow expert in any way but I like tinkering and my Elite Remedy will allow me to adjust the let-off myself and I’m going to try. To be honest I’ll probably call it a success or fail on how many nocks I end up replacing.

 
My friend bought a new bow that has adjustable up to like 90% and after shooting he prefers the lesser/least let off.

My first bow was 75% and the 1 I replaced it with is 80%. First bow is lighter and 2nd is little heavier. I much prefer having a little more weight in the hand and higher let off. Neither of the bows I would consider heavy but the 1st is a composite riser vs aluminum riser. The 1st bow is dual cam and 2nd single. I much prefer the single cam...the easier draw makes for less movement


Being able to hold full draw for a long time is real important to me...I've had to sit there pulled back waiting on a shot for a long time. Not as critical if u elevated but really important on the ground

My biggest "game changer" with archery for me has been lowering the draw weight. Being able to draw in awkward positions in a slow controlled way, being able to hold that dude back for 5 minutes and be comfortable, and if need to let down I can do it with little to no jerky motion.

It would be interesting head to head matchup 70pd draw with 90%lo vs 40pd draw with 80% and see which holds full draw the longest without getting shaky


Yeah...u gonna need to build new arrows but it's worth it IMO

Again, just my opinion and I think most will disagree.

Shot them both about the same accuracy wise but the heavier riser is better in hand feel at the shot
 
I wish my new bow had adjustable let off, I think I like more holding weight. I'd like to see say 75 % vs 90% on like an elite, only change let off to compare

Aims much better for me but it's true, makes it a lot harder to hold for much time.
 
My friend bought a new bow that has adjustable up to like 90% and after shooting he prefers the lesser/least let off.

My first bow was 75% and the 1 I replaced it with is 80%. First bow is lighter and 2nd is little heavier. I much prefer having a little more weight in the hand and higher let off. Neither of the bows I would consider heavy but the 1st is a composite riser vs aluminum riser. The 1st bow is dual cam and 2nd single. I much prefer the single cam...the easier draw makes for less movement


Being able to hold full draw for a long time is real important to me...I've had to sit there pulled back waiting on a shot for a long time. Not as critical if u elevated but really important on the ground

My biggest "game changer" with archery for me has been lowering the draw weight. Being able to draw in awkward positions in a slow controlled way, being able to hold that dude back for 5 minutes and be comfortable, and if need to let down I can do it with little to no jerky motion.

It would be interesting head to head matchup 70pd draw with 90%lo vs 40pd draw with 80% and see which holds full draw the longest without getting shaky


Yeah...u gonna need to build new arrows but it's worth it IMO

Again, just my opinion and I think most will disagree.

Shot them both about the same accuracy wise but the heavier riser is better in hand feel at the shot
I am with you on the lower pound philosophy it’s not that I can’t draw 70+ it’s the fact I just don’t think it fits my style of hunting. I bought my bow for the higher LO due to longer times at FD verse the quick shot. I also am just getting back into bows after quite awhile away do to shoulder bicep and scapula reconstruction and the easier pull and hold and release help, lower pounds 55-57# and 85% Lo.
 
I’ve messed around with 75%-90% on different bows I’ve owned. I liked the 75% as I found I could hold steadier easier but I fatigued faster and my form suffered. For hunting I need to be able to hold longer even tho 90% is not as steady. With 75% I could pull into the back wall harder. My understanding is target archers prefer the lower let off.
 
My 90% bow (3 years old) is a little shaky early in the shot process when I am holding at full draw. As I expand into the shot it becomes more solid. Adding holding weight by pulling into the draw stops just before release engages the muscles and steadies the shot. Accuracy and tuning have been good and I have seen how accurate it can be after holding for what seemed like forever. If I am trading off some range accuracy for field performance then so be it. No complaints here.
 
Hope it's OK to ask here OP.

How much accuracy comes from a well balanced bow vs holding weight? I like to hold more because I feel like I'm more steady. But I moved some stuff ( orbital dampeners) around and I was much more steady today, left everything else the same
 
For accuracy its less about let off and more about the actual holding weight. Everyone will have a holding weight that they shoot best. The only way to know is to tinker (which is a major calling card of the new elite bows allowing such a range of holding weight)


All other factors being equal, including that you possess the strength to draw the bow properly, you would likely shoot a 70 pound bow at 80% letoff with a very similar accuracy level as you would a 50 pound bow at 72% letoff. Why? Because the holding weight for both bows is 14 pounds.

it's up to the individual to decide if they want the highest possible accuracy over other factors (such as how long they can keep the bow drawn)

Personally I default to accuracy. The percent of encounters where I need to hold back for 5 minutes is very small. But I've never had an encounter yet where more accuracy was a bad thing.
 
Having a limb stop at a slightly shorter draw length can help alleviate some issues. I prefer a lighter draw weight, so as to accommodate a quite and slow drawing on stand.
 
I used to chase accuracy, with letoff around 78%, then remembered I’m not shooting deer at 50 yards. Now prefer less holding weight so I can stay full draw longer more comfortably… I don’t take it out to 90% though, 85% at most.
 
Having a limb stop at a slightly shorter draw length can help alleviate some issues. I prefer a lighter draw weight, so as to accommodate a quite and slow drawing on stand.
Not sure I am following what you mean here. I may have to disagree :p
 
Having a limb stop at a slightly shorter draw length can help alleviate some issues. I prefer a lighter draw weight, so as to accommodate a quite and slow drawing on stand.
You're saying set the limb stop one hole shorter than your DL will increase holding weight, right? One hole longer would allow for a little longer draw and a little more left off. Lucky stops can change holding weight ( and DL) a little bit in the same fashion, right?
 
You're saying set the limb stop one hole shorter than your DL will increase holding weight, right? One hole longer would allow for a little longer draw and a little more left off. Lucky stops can change holding weight ( and DL) a little bit in the same fashion, right?
My draw length is set slightly shorter. I then bend my front arm to accommodate my anchor. It doesn't change the draw cycle, the let off remains the same, so you can have a little more of a push pull scenario while aiming.

If you set the draw length long and adjust the draw stop to your actual draw length that will increase the holding weight.
 
My draw length is set slightly shorter. I then bend my front arm to accommodate my anchor. It doesn't change the draw cycle, the let off remains the same, so you can have a little more of a push pull scenario while aiming.

If you set the draw length long and adjust the draw stop to your actual draw length that will increase the holding weight.
Thank you for the insight
 
I have crap form anyway due to draw length and my shoulder. Maybe I will add this to my tinkering and see how it works as well.
Having a limb stop at a slightly shorter draw length can help alleviate some issues. I prefer a lighter draw weight, so as to accommodate a quite and slow drawing on stand.
 
You're saying set the limb stop one hole shorter than your DL will increase holding weight, right? One hole longer would allow for a little longer draw and a little more left off. Lucky stops can change holding weight ( and DL) a little bit in the same fashion, right?
I have lucky stops on my revolt x. For 3d season I put it on the 4 dot which gives me a 76% let off and then during hunting season I put it on the 1 dot which gives me closer to 85
 
I target shoot some as well and still prefer more let off. That may change. But lower let off can make the bow more jumpy. Especially on my Matthews. I’ve never once made a bad shot and thought…”let off”

Im at 85. I think 80 would be fine, but bellow that I wouldn’t like it.
 
To be honest I’ll probably call it a success or fail on how many nocks I end up replacing.
You'll find that if you shoot individual target dots per arrow, you won't trash any arrows. Plus, the end result is the same as grouping arrows. :cool:

I was never so happy as when the higher let-off bows arrived on the scene. :)
I'm shooting an Elite Ritual 30 at 57# with an 80% let-off and absolutely love it. :cool: Several years ago, I had an IBO Pro show me some pointers on my shooting form. Combined with what he showed me and this bow, I'm shocked at how my accuracy improved at longer ranges.
I can hit a 2" target dot 4 out of 5 times, at 40 yards. Prior to this instruction, this was not possible.
 
No matter the letoff, you should be pulling into the backwall and not dwelling in the highest letoff area of the valley.

If you have a 90% letoff bow, just pull harder into the backwall when you are ready to shoot. This allows you to hold it in the easiest part of the valley when awaiting a deer and then pulling into the wall (to simulate more holding weight) when you are about to shoot.

I only shoot 40 yards and in with my compound when hunting and that range is 30-30 winchester range in the grand scheme (meaning 40 yards is not a distance that requires purpose built machine to achieve accuracy....just like rifle hunters in the brush and 150 yards and in might carry a 30-30 rather than a benchrest rifle), so I don't worry about features that make a bow more accurate (past a certain point) because at that range if I miss it is totally due to a mental glitch/target panic/punching the trigger.

If I shot more 3D competitively or was hunting elk or something out west from the ground, then I'd care more.
 
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I just replaced the 70lb. limbs on my older Hoyt Power Hawk with 50lb. limbs. The 70lb. limbs were getting to be too much work to practice with due to way the cam rolls over. I believe it is 75% or 80% let off. It is now a joy to practice with and will shoot adequately for whitetails. My newer bow is an Elite Kure at 60lbs. Because of the cam design and the 90% let off it is as easy to shoot as the Hoyt with 50lb. limbs. It is also faster than the Hoyt was with 70lb. limbs shooting the same arrow weight. I am sure if I limit my shots to 30yds with the Hoyt, I will get complete pass thru shots.
 
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