[dynamo61]

I just read that any manufacturer can produce a fantastic slow bow…..so what does everyone consider a slow bow to be? Under 300?……250?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

IMO, a slow bow is one that shoots an arrow I can see in flight or shoots an arrow with a rainbow trajectory to 50 yds LOL.

 

[No1Rackmaster]

for crossbows...anything under 380 f.p.s witha 4oo grain arrow is for sure a slow bow.

we are not talking about verticle bows here right......?

 

[bman1187a]

350 or less

 

[frederick d. be]

I know that by today's standards 320 fps with a 400 grain arrow is slow to you guys but I see the other side on the vertical bow where that is smoking fast and has good energy with about .568 slugs and 90.93 foot lbx of KE and that is a lot of energy. The older crossbow shooters in here realize that but us newer folks feel the need for speed!!!.....but does it come with a price? I have two xbows that shoot over 400 fps with a 457 grain arrow and one that shoots a 400 grain arrow at about 320 so I get to experience/see both sides of the spectrum. A well placed shot is a well placed shot.

 

[Redm2]

for crossbows...anything under 380 f.p.s witha 4oo grain arrow is for sure a slow bow.

we are not talking about verticle bows here right......?

My thoughts are pretty much the same. Over time what we consider a slow crossbow will probably creep closer to 400fps as we develop faster more reliable bows. If we are about peaked out like vertical bows, then thoughts on speed will pretty much stay the same, imo.

 

[jerry_d]

My fastest vertical hunting bow was around 285. This being my first year with crossbows, I bought a Tenpoint rated around 410 that I get 375 with it. Anything over 325 is good for me (super fast) and what I hunt. I'd say under 300 is too slow these days when 500 will be the new standard and $300 can buy 415 fps at Bass Pro or Cabelas.

Sort of off topic, but I'd love to see a 350fps bow that was equipped with all the fancy do-dads: detachable Cranker, noise suppression, really good scope, advanced trigger, etc.... Typically those options get reserved for the latest hi-tech hi-speed bows.

micro 380

 

[No1Rackmaster]

i do think arrow weight will have to creep up gradually as the bows get faster, for 2 reasons

to avoid a total drifier state and to gain more foc.

 

[frederick d. be]

i do think arrow weight will have to creep up gradually as the bows get faster, for 2 reasons

to avoid a total drifier state and to gain more foc.

I tried 3 different setups/arrows on both my R29X and my R29. The zombie slayer with 125 up front and a 110 insert for a total of 225 won out both times. Both bows did not shoot either the executioner or the ravin arrows well at all with 100 up front. With all that energy I suspected this would be the case. In any case the 457 grain arrow....zombie slayer....groups extremely well at distance as we saw.

 

[Huntersthompson]

My thoughts are pretty much the same. Over time what we consider a slow crossbow will probably creep closer to 400fps as we develop faster more reliable bows. If we are about peaked out like vertical bows, then thoughts on speed will pretty much stay the same, imo.

No such thing as faster and more reliable. Unicorn. Faster and narrower have consistently led to mech and S@C failure. Now with speeds reaching 500 fps,targets,arrows,nocks also suspect.

 

[Redm2]

No such thing as faster and more reliable. Unicorn. Faster and narrower have consistently led to mech and S@C failure. Now with speeds reaching 500 fps,targets,arrows,nocks also suspect.

I'd disagree. The 400fps crossbows have become more reliable over the years.

 

[No1Rackmaster]

faster bows require more from the user, like you should own a good press and be able to swap string and cables.

hence the term...over bowed.

 

[machall650]

Ok, stop making my crossbows slow. All of this talk of less than 400 fps being slow ! Nonsense, just look at it as 300 fps is on slow side. Above 300 is fast and 375 is faster. I am sure i have never owned a 400 fps using a 400 gr arrow crossbow in my life. May never own one that shoots 400 fps

 

[Huntersthompson]

I'd disagree. The 400fps crossbows have become more reliable over the years.

400 fps is pedestrian speed these days and the cut off for completely reliable. Seeing bunch of members detuning to get reliable over fast. Not saying fast are not accurate but there is a price to be paid for it in reliability cash. If I could have a 420 fps xbow with 400 gn. that got 800 to 1000 shots on S@C and under 10 cocked would be ecstatic....not costing more than my Browning. 😶

 

[Redm2]

400 fps is pedestrian speed these days and the cut off for completely reliable.

You're making my point for me. Additionally, I would take the position that string and cable changes have little to do with reliability as they are consumables.

 

[Huntersthompson]

Like you said,we disagree. Gas is consumable but not buying a truck that gets 5 mpg either.

 

[wpxbow]

I too am curious as to what target shooters will experience with shooting hundreds of arrows at 500+ fps long term . The hunting only guys will probably experience excellent long term relibility , but the target guys is a different situation. I probably ended up with about 130 arrows shot down my RDX400 (383 fps with a 440 gr arrow) from September to late Nov and so far zero wear issues.

They added a sporting crossbow class in Las Vegas a couple years ago but one of their rules is that max speed is 325 fps, now believe those rules were written by Mission so most of the shooters are using Sub -1s with a Gearhead and Ravin thrown in occasionally. Of course they don't have any way to measure speed there. Part of the issue is there target backstops, very strange and can be a challenge even for the target guys to keep from burying arrows.

 

[Blacktail]

Now this is a slower crossbow, the tick toter did not go 20 yds 208 fps

002 — Postimages

postimg.cc

]

 

[Inspector98]

Funny what we "think" we need nowadays...
That Vixen kilt that buck just fine👍

 

[Inspector98]

I'll probably keep one "speed" bow in my arsenal...the rest will be under 335 fps.. probably well under😉

 

[Iron Duke]

When I reentered ... bow hunting about 20 years ago my Holy Grail was 300fps. Took a few years and a Bowtech Allegiance before I got there. Anything from 299fps on down was then slow to me. When I entered crossbow hunting my Bowtech Strykeforce shot 428gr @ 386fps. No bow below that mattered but I think below 350fps I considered slow. Today I shoot a 450fps Ravin R29X and a 452fps Scorpyd Velocity. I see them as pedestrian...lol There's R500 & Nitro505s out there that are "fast" bows.