Draw Weight Question for Recurve Experts

[olsenck]

I have two bows that are both set to pull 40.25 pounds through the clicker at the exact same draw length

The first is a 23" Hoyt Matrix with Win and Win 38 pound QX-1 limbs (68" total), and the second is a Hoyt Gold Medalist with 38 pound Medalist limbs (70" total).

Why is the Matrix so much easier to pull through the clicker? I'd swear that the Matrix is five pounds less draw weight. And it is faster too.

Any explanation would be appreciated! :5bouncy:

Thanks,
Chris

[Oldaro]

The way I see it, your Matrix is stronger when relaxed than your Gold Medalist. It means, with string at brace height, the Matrix limbs are tensed more than GM's. To be more visual, if you measured the "spine" of your bowstrings, the Matrix would have a harder spine...

When you draw your bow, you expect the weight to increase, up to the draw length where the elasticity of the fibers in the limb backs reaches its end, and the shooter encounters the "wall". The material used in the bow limb construction has been programmed to behave that way.

So, an ideal recurve or a longbow, for that matter, would have nearly the same draw weight from the brace height to the wall, since that's the best way to construct a recurve... as opposed to the compound bow; where you can program all your desires into the cam. To the shooter it seems like an easier draw, because the weight remained almost exactly the same all the way troughout the draw. With not so perfectly made limbs, one would feel the weight increase, and experience that as "heavier".

IMHO, the same peak weight, as recorded by the instrument, shows that there is very probably only the feeling that differs, while both bows show the same # @ clicker. Also, the force characteristics of the both bows would prove at the chronograph that Matrix shoots better, or delivers a faster arrow.