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Let off.

HalfsackZac

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2021
Messages
49
Location
Iowa
New LiftX should be here any day or so the shop keeps telling me…… what are people running for letoff. I’m leaning towards 70 lbs with 80% letoff at 31 inch draw.
 
May I ask why so much draw weight? :)

I dropped to the mid 50s, over 35 years ago, due to seeing so many guys getting rotor cuff surgeries, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, etc. o_O
I've been killing deer and have managed to avoid any surgeries. :cool:
 
Let off is a personal decision. The low let off makes you continually pull or it wants to go off. You will get a few extra fps with the lower let off. Higher let off always you to hold a bit longer but if you get too high, creep can be an issue. I don’t love the elite system because I tend to creep too much without noticing. Depending on the bow I like 80 to 85.
 
I didn’t know 70 was considered high poundage, I’ve always shot 70 lbs. I got a buddy who shoots 80 but he is a gym rat.
 
I didn’t know 70 was considered high poundage, I’ve always shot 70 lbs. I got a buddy who shoots 80 but he is a gym rat.
I just talked to a guy that I've never met, at a local archery pro shop and he was looking for a new crossbow. He said he'd been shooting a Mathews compound that was 80# and his shoulders were shot. o_O He can no longer draw a bow without a lot of pain and/or discomfort. He hasn't looked into the source of the damage causing him pain. Rather he's just looking for another option, so he can continue to hunt. :) He ended up purchasing a new TenPoint Turbo X crossbow.
 
From what I've experienced let off is situational. I have a bow with adjustable let-off 80 -90% i like 80 for practice just to keep my form correct but when a buck or pig makes me have to hold it longer that about 30 sec i enjoy to 85 to 90 let-off. So i mostly practice with 80% and hunt with 85%. Hope that helps! Enjoy the new bow!!!
 
I just talked to a guy that I've never met, at a local archery pro shop and he was looking for a new crossbow. He said he'd been shooting a Mathews compound that was 80# and his shoulders were shot. o_O He can no longer draw a bow without a lot of pain and/or discomfort. He hasn't looked into the source of the damage causing him pain. Rather he's just looking for another option, so he can continue to hunt. :) He ended up purchasing a new TenPoint Turbo X crossbow.
yeah..only person ive ever talked to that shot a heavy bow like that, was I think a 100# bow was Tom Miranda when he took his elephant
 
I shot a Black Widow @ 72# for a lot of yrs. Luckily my Joints are still good. I Think 55# is plenty for any game w/the right arrow set up. I don't remember what the let off is on that Widow ha! but any let off on a compound would be awesome!!
 
Let off to me is a marketing number. If your form is tight and you're pulling through the back wall at the shot then let off is a moot point, IMO. I believe some states have restrictions on the amount of let off you can have. Which to me seem strange. How are you going to enforce that one? Especially if you allow crossbows (which are 100% let off) to be used during archery seasons.
 
I think 70#s is still pretty much standard. I would figure out how much weight you like to hold and not worry about what percentage let off that ends up at. I like about 18#s, so I'd need a really low let off if I dropped my DW way down.
 
80% is probably pretty standard. As for draw weight, which wasn't really the question, lol, I will say that there is a real advantage to having a lower draw weight when you start having to bundle up late season or have to make some weird over the bridge draw or let the animal pass without a shot. Light draw weight also helps make smooth, non-jerky draws when deer are really close, and you can't get away with sharp movements.

Personally, I shoot two compounds. One at 60# and the other at 44#. Both are perfectly tuned to the same 585 grain high FOC arrow, and both shoot through deer just fine. I tend to carry the 60 pound bow early season and like the lighter draw bow for colder weather since I am usually bundled up more and the cold makes my muscles less capable after sitting for extended periods of time.
 
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