Do you need to put your bowstring on a diet?
While working up some speed data, see Short Draw Bow Speeds And Technical Discussion, for Archery Report’s Bow Speed Database I needed to know how much weight was on the string. Weight, or lack of it, on the string acts just like a lighter or heavier arrow. More weight will slow the arrow down, less weight will allow it to move faster. An old rule of thumb used to be that you’d gain one foot-per-second for each four grains reduction of weight. The wide variety of bows on the market makes that number somewhat variable today. In my recent experiment it turns out the number was between 3.15 and 3.88 grains per foot-per-second. Managing weight on your string can have an effect on bow speed and the resulting kinetic energy.
Most of my older bows needed some silencing on the string and cables. Some of those silencers weigh more than others so experimenting with various options is a good thing. My new Bowtech SWAT seems to be fine with silencers on just the cables.
Below, you’ll find the weights of some common components we place on our strings.
- Red nock set – 7.5 grains (a typical string set up would include two)
- Black nock set – 5.1 grains (a typical string set up would include two)
- Rubber eliminator button – 3.2 grains (a typical set up includes 2-3)
One red nock set, one black nock set and one eliminator button. A 15.8 grain combination.
- D-loop – 6.4 grains (a very short 4.5” in length)
- Monofilament nock (in place of nock sets) – .7 grains
D-loop and and monofilament tied nocks. A 7.1 grain combination.
- ¼” Meta-Peep by G5 – 6.5 grains
The 1/4″ G5 Meta-Peep.
- 1/8” Fletcher Tru-Peep – 8.8 grains
The Fletcher Tru-Peep.
- Spider Legs Silencers – 31.55 grains (a typical string set up would include two)
Spider Legs String Silencers.
- Sims String Leeches – 28.4 grains (a typical string would include two)
Sims String Leeches.
happy hunting, dv
If you liked this blog you may like the following:
- JD Welding Arrow Spin Testing – A dv Gear Review
- Overhauling A Hunting Bow
- Archery Release Mystery Solved
- DIY $25 Bow Press
- Short Draw Bow Speeds And Technical Discussion
- Short Draw Bow Kinetic Energy And Trajectory
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