Need More Speed

[DonBo]

I'm shooting competetively a lot this summer. I can see where my "slow" bow is costing me points because of the need for such pinpoint yardage estimation. I'm shooting 55 lbs and don't see me cranking that up much. I'm also not too excited about spending the big bucks on new arrows (though I may end up doing just that). So much for the easy fixes.

My big question is, I still use the rubber tubing on my peep site. (Only because I've NEVER had it turn on me when I needed it. Never.) I've heard you can pick up considerable speed by doing away with the rubber tube. How much truth is there to that? Any other tips or tricks to pick up a little speed-without sacrificing noise or hand shock?

I'm shooting a Matthews DXT, 28", 55 lbs

[InTheNorthwoods]

I've heard you can pick up considerable speed by doing away with the rubber tube. How much truth is there to that? Any other tips or tricks to pick up a little speed-without sacrificing noise or hand shock?

I'm shooting a Matthews DXT, 28", 55 lbs

Removing the tubing from your peep and putting in a tubeless peep will increase your speed, but the difference will likely be negligible (a few FPS). The same would hold true for removing any accessories from your string such as vibration or noise suppressors.

If you are interested, there are a number of caluclutors availabe on the web (by doing a quick search) that will give you a rough estimate of how much speed you may gain by reducing the weight on the string, increasing the draw weight, or changing arrow weight.

In reality, you are probably shooting around 250 fps with your setup. To see substantially higher speeds and therefore be flatter shooting, you will probably have to make more drastic changes than changing minor things on your bow (i.e. buying a new speed bow, increasing poundage while pushing spine specs on a lighter arrow)

[bisekb]

Removing your tube will increase your speed, but ever so slightly. You are only talkin a few fps but it is still an increase. Although at a price, I work on bows and sell them for a living and still am not a huge fan of the tubeless peeps. They are nice and clean looking but do have tendancies to twist. One way to gain speed is to change arrows. A shorter arrow even a half inch shorter can gain u around 6 fps, and get lighter arrows and you can increase 10 fps or more, which is substantial at your draw weight, and your bow.

[Scoot]

Yep, what they said. For a fix, you're looking at a major overhaul in bow or arrows. Little stuff like tubing, kisser button, etc. will only buy you a few fps.

BTW, if you know how to set up and use a peep without the tubing, you won't have problems. It can be a pain in the rear to get right, but if you get it right, you shouldn't have problems. I'm on about my 10th year without a tube and I'll never look back. The other side to the arguement is that the tubes can break from fatigue (very rarely and a little prevention can go a long ways), but can also break from getting caught on sticks, etc.

[psepuncher]

This may not be for everyone. I make my own set up..

I found light weight small diamater arrows and cut them down {very short}, I use my QAD rest as an overdraw. For the nocks I have QAD Tune-A-Nocks. For the vanes I use AAE speed Flytes.

Speed Flyte vanes are hard to find and I think {off the top of my head} they are 4". Using these arrows I outfitted them with 2 blade magnus.

The arrows were hitting 6" high at 20yrds compared to my others.

I use a none tubed peep and no string attachments other than the QAD rest. For my string silencer I use an STS, the limbs are outfitted with double sims vbl's and the stabilizer is a combo doinker and sims coil.

fast flat and super quiet.

[Powerstroke]

The only way to truly compare would be to also know what weight your arrows are. I agree with the ~250FPS guess.

In your case you may pick up 8-10 FPS with changes in your setup. The upgrades you're probably hoping for are going to be found in a newer bow. Even changing arrows has its limit because of the energy of your bow. Your DXT is a great bow and was awesome not that many years ago, but the amount of speed that has been gained in the last 4-5yrs is amazing.

Another option that may help you a little would be adding a new string.

THat being said, changes in peep, string, arrows, you're talking about more than $100, and closer to $200 depending on how far you take it. If you're gonna think like that, your DXT would sell for a good $4-500 easy depending on accessories included and you could put that towards a faster bow that can shoot your arrows and use your old accessories. Its a tough and expensive choice.

As far as removing your tubing, a few FPS. It wouldn't be noticeable. I do like my tubeless though. Peeps don't move, strings do, so if someone's peep keeps rotating, its because of their strings. Quality strings don't stretch once their broken in.

[Scoot]

The upgrades you're probably hoping for are going to be found in a newer bow. Even changing arrows has its limit because of the energy of your bow. Your DXT is a great bow and was awesome not that many years ago, but the amount of speed that has been gained in the last 4-5yrs is amazing.

Yep, I totally agree. Arrows might help to the point of being noticable, but not really big. The only way you're going to make a noticable change is through the bow. That bow may have been new not too many years ago, but things have sure changed a lot in the last few years...

[DonBo]

Thanks for the input guys, but I have no intentions of buying a new bow. Bought this one less than a year ago. Speed is not a huge deal for me. I bought the DXT because it is SO smooth and quiet, a much more important trait than speed for me. It's all practice for October.

I'm really just trying to eek out a bit more speed for targets. I'll probably end up with some new arrows to accomplish that. The ones I'm shooting now are a bit on the heavy side (for hunting purposes) and I'll end up switching back to them come broadhead time.

[sportfish]

I have a dxt shot it for 2 years thought it was great untill I bouught a 101 airborn bowtech. the dxt is to short, and slow to be competitive, the 101st will shoot 80 yards great , the dxt holds the same group at 40 yards

[sticknstring]

The most noticeable change in speed will be from a change to lighter arrows or an increase in poundage. Even if you only go up 3-4 lbs and drop 50 grains in arrow weight, you'll see a noticeable difference in trajectory. That'll help out with the targets and then you can easily switch back to your hunting setup come fall.

[Archerysniper]

Check into a heavier limbs if your shoulders can take it, I think I paid around $60 for a new set of heavier limbs for a bowtech don't know much about mathews though. As far as arrows go I know my carbon express 300 were running at 302 fps and my easton full metel jackets are running 285 fps. So you could try playing with your arrows to get a few more fps If you have some buddies with diffrent style arrow shoot them through the crono even most ranges have diffrent types of range arrow you could try.

[redlund]

Check out pinwheel software, they have a program (on target 2) you can download a free trial version that is very good at seeing the affects of changes on your exact bow,peeps,loops,vanes,arrows,etc. you select from a list. Alot of good info in that program.

[DonBo]

So here's what I ended up doing. My bow was new a year ago. In that time the string/cables stretched some. I was now shooting 52 lbs. My arrows were nearly 400 grains. Arrow speed was 248 FPS.

We cranked it back to 55 lbs. where I started. I got new arrows with smaller tips, approx 350 grains. Arrow speed now 275 FPS.

Haven't shot them yet, but that's a pretty substantial gain. I'll put them to the test tomorrow night.

[eyeguy 54]

well thats about 58 KE so you should be able to kill about anything cept a tank.

[Archerysniper]

Just don't miss don I know that was a problem during a certain spring season .I'm glad you got your speed back and thats cookin for a lower draw wieght, booners beware come september.

[DonBo]

Just don't miss don I know that was a problem during a certain spring season

[Scoot]

Hi Don, just curious- you mentioned the strings/cables stretching-- did you replace them?

[DonBo]

Hi Don, just curious- you mentioned the strings/cables stretching-- did you replace them?

No. Bow was brand new less than a year ago.

[Scoot]

That's what I thought you were getting at. I'd suggest you do so. If the factory strings have stretched already (you're not talking about a break-in period, you're talking about stretching over the course of a year), they'll likely do more of the same. Many/Most factory strings aren't all that great. The fact that the bow is that new doesn't matter much- the strings are stretching because the manufacturer of your bow is saving a dime and not putting quality strings on it. If you want to avoid future string/cable problems, you would be well served to put new, quality ones on now.

I think I remember you saying you don't like to tinker with your bow much-- strings stretching over time will require you to constantly be chasing a moving target. Get everything perfect and it'll slowly change over the next few months. It's frustrating! With quality strings and this won't be an issue.

Just my .02 on this. Good luck with your set up- I hope you stick a monster buck with it this Fall!!!

[DonBo]

Scoot, I've never done any adjusting since it was new. I'm sure there was some "break-in" issues with the drop in poundage. I've never really checked the poundage since then. I shot for just a few weeks with my field tips before switching to broadheads last fall, that involved switching sights, adding quiver, etc. I've since (obviously) switched everything back to my target set-up with no issues this summer.

Do you think the lowering of my poundage by a mere 3 lbs in a year is more than just from the break-in? Anybody know what kind of strings Matthews uses on their new bows?

[Scoot]

I see- it sounds like the only thing that has really changed since you broke it in was the poundage dropped three pounds. Is that right? Or, maybe the poundage change was also associated with the break-in period? Once you get 50 or 100 arrows through it, nothing should change.

I think I misunderstood- I thought you were seeing a gradual stretching of the string and cables. If things aren't changing, your timing is staying good, your poundage doesn't change on you again- then it sounds like you're in good shape!

[DonBo]

I'm hoping the drop in poundage was associated with the break-in period as I've had no issues this summer. I will keep a better eye on it now that you got me thinking about it though.

[Powerstroke]

Not sure when they started, but Mathews uses Zebra strings.

I'm not sure if you use a tubing peep, but if you didn't have tubing you would notice your peep rotating.

Once a set of quality strings has had a hundred or so shots in it it should stop stretching. My last bow got a custom string off AT and it didn't move through 2 years and i sold it to a buddy and its still shooting great. Also quality strings may add speed too. Sounds like its doing great, sorry you're going to have to move all your pins.

[psepuncher]

Not sure when they started, but Mathews uses Zebra strings.

I'm not sure if you use a tubing peep, but if you didn't have tubing you would notice your peep rotating.

also string/D loop's would twist.

zebra's have been aroung on the market for a good while.

If a quality bow company puts them behind their name,

that should count for something.

Myself I'm looking for Winners Choice this year.

And need to get that done yesterday.

I think quality strings are a must. Sure you can get out and shoot with streachy strings but it causes more issues to think about.

[Archerysniper]

+ 1 on the winners choice after my years tikering with my bows that is the only string/cables I will shoot.