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I’ve been using the same draw weight on my bow for years, but I started wondering about the heaviest draw weight available for compound arrows so I decided to do some research and share my findings.
The heaviest production bow weighed 100 pounds and was manufactured by PSE.
Arrows commonly found weigh up to 80 pounds as measured by manufacturers.
However, heavier weights may be available for custom order or customization.
While most, if not all, major manufacturers offer compound bows in the 70-pound range, it can be difficult to find one heavier than that.
There are however a number of options out there for people looking for really heavy weights.
Heavy Compound Bow Draw Weights (And Who Makes Them)
Regardless of why people want heavy weight arrows, it is not common.
This makes it difficult because if the manufacturer feels that they can sell the product well enough, they will not bother to engineer and produce it.
However, there seems to be enough interest that both in the past and now there have been bow manufacturers willing to produce these monsters.
Modern Heavy Draw Weight Bows
Here are some of the top manufacturers currently producing compound bows over 70lbs draw weight
Manufacturer Model(s) Peak Draw WeightHoytCarbon RX-3Carbon RX-3 UltraHelixHelix UltraDouble XL80 lbsPSEEvoke 31Evoke 35 ECBeast ECS80 lbsMathewsVertix75 lbsObsessionFXless-30FXnFXllaw6w
I’ve poured over all the major brand websites and as you can see I’ve come up with a handful of compound bows offered in draw weights over 70 pounds.
Hoyt and Obsession offer many options and both make well designed bows.
One manufacturer that may have some options that I left off the list was Martin.
They listed a few bows as 70+ pounds but it wasn’t clear what that meant or what the maximum weight was.
If you are looking to buy a modern compound bow and have the strength of a gorilla, then definitely look at the bows from the table above.
Heavy Weight Bows of the Past
There have been real monster bows made in the past.
I scoured the web for the worst manufactured arrows I could find and compiled as much information here for you as I could find.
This composite bow may have the heaviest draw weight of all production bows.
According to the information on their site, PSE made this bow in the year 2000 only.
While this bow is out of stock you may be able to find a used PSE Gorilla on eBay. The bow reached 100 lbs of draw weight and was only 65% lowered, so at full draw it was still holding 35 pounds.
Draw Weight: 80 – 100 lbs Drop: 65% IBO Speed: 307 fps Second Weight: 5.2 lbs Axle to Axle: 42 inches Brace Length: 6-1/2″
As you can see, this was not a small bow at 42″ axle to axle length.
At the time 307 fps was amazing, but now bows can achieve this with much lower draw weight.
Before PSE thought of Gorilla they sold Mach 4.
Listed by PSE as produced for the 1992 model year, the Mach 4 boasted a curb weight of 90 pounds.
Being an older bow this can be hard to find I have seen some listed on eBay in various draw weights.
I had a very hard time getting the perfect fit for this bow, probably because of its age, but I was able to get the axle to a 41 inch axle length.
You could get a Mach 4 length range from 28″ to 32″ but if you wanted a 90 pound pull weight you were limited to a draw length of 30″ to 32″.
For the 2010 and 2011 model years Hoyt produced a series of compound bows in their Maxxis line that increased by 90 pounds draw weight.
Known as the Maxxis Dangerous Game, it comes in two different axle lengths, 31″ and 35″.
Information about this bow is limited but a contemporary catalog stated that in addition to extra heavy limbs, they also used reinforced components, special wood grips, and dangerous game graphics.
Mathews Monster Safari
Mathews is among other heavy lifting instruments.
The Monster Safari is still available from Mathews as a custom order but is not listed in their online catalog.
With a maximum weight of 85 pounds and an IBO speed of 350 fps, it feels like they came to play hard.
The bow is beautiful with African wood inlays and a patent pending beehive riser.
It has a length of 33″ to the axle with a brace length of 6”.
This bow looks great and performs very well making it attractive to someone after a high draw weight.
There are a variety of Mathews Monsters listed on eBay at any given time, which may be worth checking out if you’re after a heavy hitter.
But if you do enough digging in the web forums you find mention of this 100 pound legged monster.
It looks like it was made in the early 2000s and packs quite a punch.
Bowtech is no slouch for design and quality either.
Why do you want Heavy Draw Weight?
Well, but it’s not uncommon why people go for heavy weight bows.
Most shooters with heavy bows want large amounts of Kinetic Energy and/or arrow speed.
Especially for bow hunters, kinetic energy is important in pursuing big game.
There are some calculations that go into getting your kinetic energy and a heavier draw weight isn’t always the way to get there, but it does enable you to shoot heavier arrows that may be too heavy for them.
Manufacturers have perfected ways to achieve maximum arrow speed without pushing the draw weight limits.
That being said, heavy weight bows still have a lot of fans on the internet and a lot of people want them.
What are the disadvantages of Heavy Draw weight?
Pulling those high pulling weights is definitely taxing on your shoulder, but as long as you don’t try to pull more weight than you can handle and listen to your body, then you’ll be fine.
For example if you are bow hunting and you have been sitting out in the cold all afternoon and suddenly you need to draw that monster back to get your shot, it will be very difficult under stress and discomfort.
Does Draw Weight affect distance?
Yes and No. All else being equal, a higher draw weight will allow the arrow to fly more consistently in a flat trajectory.
However, as you increase in arrow weight you must also increase your arrow weight which affects the trajectory negatively.
So yes, draw weight definitely affects the distance you can shoot, but it doesn’t always mean you can shoot farther.
How can you tell the weight of a compound bow drawing?
There are a few different ways to find the weight of a compound bow diagram.
The first way is to look on the bow itself for a mark or label that lists the maximum weight.
This method is somewhat unreliable because it will only tell you the weight of the limbs that have been tightened all the way down, and they are usually off by a few kilograms.
A more accurate way to find draw weight is to use a bow scale that is attached to the bow string and you would not return the bow as if you were going to shoot it and record the maximum weight reached during your draw.
A compound bow is a bow that uses a bow mechanism, often made of strings and pulleys, to bend the legs in the sharpening of modern bows.
Compound bows are often used for hunting and practice.
Very Heavy Draw Weight Bow
Very Heavy Draw Weight Bow
PSE produced the heaviest composite bow ever, weighing in at 100 pounds.
The maximum bow weight for the most common bow is 80 lbs., according to the manufacturers.
However, larger weights can be made to order or custom made.
Common Draw weights are available
Common Draw weights are available
It can be a challenge to find a compound bow that weighs more than 70 pounds because most major manufacturers offer 70 pounds as their heavy draw weight.
However, those looking for higher towing weights have a variety of options.
Heavy Draw Weight Bows
Heavy Draw Weight Bows
In the past, very large missiles have been made.
Hoyt Maxxis Dangerous Game
Hoyt Maxxis Dangerous Game
Hoyt Maxxis Dangerous Game
The Hoyt Maxxis 35 Dangerous Game is a limited edition model, the regular Maxxis 35 is offered in weights from 40 to 80 lbs.
A second set of limbs in this unique configuration can support objects weighing between 80 and 90 pounds.
The Maxxis 35 Dangerous Game also boasts wood grips, solid parts, and special graphics on the limbs.
The draw length can be changed without the need to press the bow.
In summary, the Hoyt Maxxis 35 is a lightweight, balanced bow with excellent shooting ability and minimal vibration.
This premium hunting bow, which comes in weights from 40 pounds to 90 pounds, is perfect for big game hunters and anyone looking for high-quality steel.
Despite not being the cheapest bow available, many shooters agree that this top-notch setup is fun to use.
Mathews Monster Safari Bow:
Mathews Monster Safari Bow:
In 2013, the Mathews Monster Safari hunting bow was the best.
It’s fit, strong, and classy.
Safari is one of the great arrows with durability, high speed smoothness, and quality.
It has high strength and stability.
It is made of high quality materials.
This is the most expensive bow Mathews has ever produced, and it has the resources to back it up.
The main difference that gives the Safari its value is the AVS camera system, the entire Honeycomb Core Technology, and the African Wood Inlays.
The twin cam bow produces incredible speed and power.
It may have a slightly smaller market because it is only available in 70- and 85-pound pull weights.
For those who can’t afford or are willing to spend more than double the price of many high-end bows, however, its price tag will make its niche even more limited.
PSE sold the Mach 4 before coming out with the Gorilla.
The Mach 4 was listed by PSE as a 1992 model year and had a curb weight of over 90 pounds.
The bow is 41 inches to the axle.
For the Mach 4, there were a variety of lengths available from 28 to 32 inches, but if you needed a 90-pound towing weight, your options were limited to 30 to 32 inches.
The Evoke 35 EC is a true all-purpose bow that can handle any type of archery with ease.
In the Evoke, PSE installed two riser bridges, which greatly increase the riser’s strength and stiffness while limiting the total empty bow weight to 4.5 pounds.
Overall, the Evoke 35 EC meets the needs of shooters who want a single bow to handle all types of shooting or who want more stability in the target.
For those looking for a longer, more forgiving model, the bow shoots and directs well.
The Evolve Cam System is available with an axle-to-axle 35-inch bow.
New bridge riser design increases power.
The Evoke 35 EC is a Pro Series bow that can be used in the woods for those who want a long axle-to-axle hunting bow, and a high level of archery.
The Evoke 35 is not the fastest bow, but the landing platform and ease of holding this arrow aim makes for a few feet per second slow arrow speed.
As carbon riser bows have gained a lot of popularity among archers, Hoyt spends a lot of money and introduces a bow named Hoyt helix.
The Helix is a great choice for shooters, bringing all the benefits of the RX-3 series without the carbon riser.
To keep everything running smoothly, the Helix gets the same updated grips, new cams, a new riser design, and wider limbs with more rugged pockets.
A compact design with 30.5-inch axle-to-axle spacing is available.
It provides 350 feet per second of arrow speed.
The Helix is a bowhunter’s dream bow because of how easily it pulls off the low-range speed and accuracy it produces, yet it’s small with a 30.5-inch axel-to-axel ratio.
The Helix is a real winner for people looking for the latest Hoyt technology without paying the equivalent of a carbon model.
Advantages of Heavy Bow Draw Weight:
Advantages of Heavy Bow Draw Weight:
Basically, heavier weight arrows tend to transfer more energy to the arrow thus increasing its speed.
Faster arrows will pierce your target deeper and is only possible with a heavier draw weight on the bow.
You can shoot strong, heavy arrows with a heavy bow.
Thicker materials are used to build limbs with higher tensile strength.
Disadvantages of Heavy Bow Draw Weight:
Disadvantages of Heavy Bow Draw Weight:
Heavy bow weights are not detrimental to archery, but you definitely need training to handle them.
Most archers suffer from fatigue and discomfort.
In extreme cases, these severe residuals can lead to shoulder surgery.
Heavy weight bows are the best choice for hunting and archery competitions.