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Is That Really The Fastest Compound Bow?

Almost without fail, one of the first questions asked about any new compound bow is: “How fast is it”? This is because “speed” has been hyped by many as the primary consideration when comparing the various attributes of any one compound bow to another to the extent that it is a foregone conclusion within the industry that “speed sells”. So, if a particular bow is advertised that it produces a super fast arrow velocity, then it will sell very well. Of course, “I.B.O.” speed is always faster than arrow velocity that is measured using “A.M.O.” standards, so “I.B.O.” speed is the one used most often when advertising or marketing a particular bow. But what if I told you that all of this emphasis on “I.B.O.” speed, or even “A.M.O.” speed for that matter, can be extremely misleading in terms of how compound bows should be compared? You would most likely think that I am saying this because our bow is slower than others and therefore I am making this statement in an attempt to divert your attention away from bow speed as a consideration in buying a new bow. Nothing is further from the truth.
As a matter of fact, I most definitely want you to consider bow speed as a primary consideration because, in fact, our BLADERUNNER bow is one of the fastest bows that you can buy today. Now you may question how I can make a statement like that when our advertised A.M.O. arrow velocity is 230 f.p.s. and our “unadvertised” I.B.O. speed comes in at around 300 f.p.s., where other bows advertise higher speeds. The reason that I can make the claim that the BLADERUNNER is one of the fastest bows that you can buy is that I am not referring to “I.B.O.” or “A.M.O.” speed or any other speed comparison that is measured at three feet in front of the bow. What I am referring to is “terminal velocity”, or the velocity that the arrow possesses at the target, where it counts.

If you have ever become involved with reloading ammunition for your hunting rifle, or spent any time researching or investigating ballistics data in order to become more informed about what that bullet is actually doing when you pull the trigger, you are aware that the ballistics data is not limited to “muzzle velocity”.

In addition, ballistics tables will provide data with respect to velocity, energy, and trajectory for distances of 100 yards out to 600 yards or more. This information is provided, for one reason, because it is actually just as if not more important to know what is happening at terminal ranges, as it is to know what is happening at the muzzle. If one could always walk up and stick the end of the barrel into the target and pull the trigger, then muzzle velocity would be some of the most important information that you could obtain. In the same light, if a bowhunter or target shooter could always have the animal or target at one yard, then “initial arrow velocity” would be the primary concern. Obviously, one does not judge or make comparisons regarding the capabilities of a rifle and ammunition based on muzzle velocity alone. So why do we make comparisons of compound bows with respect to the arrow velocity only at one yard as though what happens down range at the target is of no consequence? The reason for this is that all compound bows of conventional design and geometry produce what is known as “archer’s paradox” which can be described as a condition where the arrow shaft begins to bend upon launch and continues to bend back and forth for 10 to 20 yards as it travels down range.
This bending in flight causes the arrow to loose velocity at a substantially higher rate than it would if the arrow were not bending. The rate of increase of the loss of velocity is relative to a number of factors that include initial arrow velocity, the magnitude at which the arrow is bending, and the duration of flight that the arrow bends prior to reaching some relative stability. Without going into more elaborate detail regarding all of the aspects of an arrow in flight, I can tell you that what I have described is an undeniable fact of the laws of physics (check it out for yourself if you wish). So, if all compound bows (of conventional design) produce this effect and all arrows shot from these bows are all loosing velocity rapidly as they travel down range, then it becomes apparent that there are some understandable reasons to limit the comparison of such bows to “initial arrow velocity”. After all, if you want to advertise the fastest speed possible in order to make the bow sell better, then you wouldn’t want to reveal the actual data regarding “terminal velocity” because that just wouldn’t make the bow sound so fast.

As a matter of fact, if you really get into the harsh details of compound bow dynamics and arrow ballistics, you will discover that some of the “fastest” bows could very well be slower than some of the “slower” bows when compared with respect to “terminal velocity”. Now, consider a bow that eliminates “archer’s paradox” rather than causing it. The elimination of arrow bending in flight results in a substantially higher amount of retained arrow velocity down range. So a bow that produces zero paradox could be slower in terms of initial arrow velocity but yet faster in terms of terminal velocity than a compared bow that will induce paradox to the same arrow. The BLADERUNNER bow possesses a unique and unconventional design geometry that eliminates archer’s paradox. Compare the BLADERUNNER to any of the best selling conventional bows that advertise blistering I.B.O or A.M.O. speeds. Using the same arrow, peak draw weight, and the same draw length you will discover that the BLADERUNNER is faster with respect to terminal velocity. So, if you want a bow that sounds like it is really fast at one yard, then you may want to choose one of our competitor’s bows. But if you want a bow that is truly fast at terminal range, buy a BLADERUNNER.

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