Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: madmaxthc on July 05, 2019, 08:25:25 AM

Title: Do I need silencers?
Post by: madmaxthc on July 05, 2019, 08:25:25 AM
Good morning Gang,

I have been shooting my new Baraga (ASL) and I was surprised how silent it is. This is the first time I shoot anything else than a recurve, I was wondering if I *have* to use silencers. What do you think?

Best,
Max
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Pine on July 05, 2019, 08:58:15 AM
I only use silencers to fine tune an arrow setup.
They are not necessary. Look at some old footage of some of the most famous archers and you won't see silencers.
It's a more modern addidion.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Terry Green on July 05, 2019, 09:00:41 AM
Quote from: Graps on July 05, 2019, 08:58:15 AM
I only use silencers to fine tune an arrow setup.
They are not necessary. Look at some old footage of some of the most famous archers and you won't see silencers.
It's a more modern addidion.

Older bow designs were quieter.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: varmint101 on July 05, 2019, 09:59:07 AM
Quote from: Terry Green on July 05, 2019, 09:00:41 AM
Quote from: Graps on July 05, 2019, 08:58:15 AM
I only use silencers to fine tune an arrow setup.
They are not necessary. Look at some old footage of some of the most famous archers and you won't see silencers.
It's a more modern addidion.

Older bow designs were quieter.

Why is that?

I have a Bear Tigercat and it's the quietest recurve I own. There are silencers in it. Bowhush actually! Maybe that's it LOL. It seems faster than my new '59, but it should since it's 49 and new is 45.

I'd say if your Baraga sounds quiet enough and no vibe, then you don't need silencers. If it's not then you do.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: GCook on July 05, 2019, 10:28:17 AM
Older bows were slower and the older Dacron strings give a little more on the shot allowing for it to absorb some of the energy. 
I have strong wraps and wool silencers on my recurve and wool silencers on my longbow.  I also use limbsavers on the limbs to dampen any vibration.  My arrows are tuned to the bows set up this way. 
As bad as my hearing is I try to shoot my bow in an enclosed spot to hear the differences.  Minor adjustments in brace height can change sound significantly.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Orion on July 05, 2019, 10:40:39 AM
Adding silencers will make the bow even quieter.  If you're not going to hunt with the bow, probably not necessary.  But if you are going to hunt with it, why not make it as quiet as possible. 
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: madmaxthc on July 05, 2019, 11:02:55 AM
That's all good advice,

I bet my ears are not as good as deer's , I'll get some silencers on. Good point about the slower speed and the use of dacron on older bows.

Thank you, tradgangers, you save the day once again  :)


Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Tim Finley on July 05, 2019, 11:07:26 AM
Orions got it right  !!
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Medley on July 05, 2019, 02:51:42 PM
Ya, that's the kicker for me. If I'm hunting with a particular bow, I'm doing everything possible to silence it.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Sam McMichael on July 05, 2019, 05:18:14 PM
I have seen a few bows that were very quiet without silencers, but like Orion said, it may be good to make a quiet bow even quieter.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: flyonline on July 05, 2019, 06:21:30 PM
Never mind  :knothead:
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: madmaxthc on July 05, 2019, 09:35:12 PM
Quote from: flyonline on July 05, 2019, 06:21:30 PM
Be aware that silencers, particularly big fluffy ones will probably change the tune of your bow and may effect the flight of your arrow.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll make sure to re-test a couple of bare shafts after setting up the silencers  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Terry Green on July 06, 2019, 07:03:50 AM
Quote from: flyonline on July 05, 2019, 06:21:30 PM
Be aware that silencers, particularly big fluffy ones will probably change the tune of your bow and may effect the flight of your arrow.

As the original owner of BowHush....I found the complete opposite....as in probably NOT going to change....

Not saying this is 100% true, but out of say 20 bows I owned, not one of them ever were out of tune after installing fluffy wool silencers....not ONE.

I would also like to add to my previous comment, No not all modern bows are loud..... Just saying the older designs were over all quieter.....

I will not hunt with a noisy bow..... And no matter how quiet my bows are they all have silencers..... But I have never found the need for limb savers..... I've never owned a bow that needed such.

No matter your bow of choice just make sure it's as quiet as possible for hunting.  :readit:
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Charlie Lamb on July 06, 2019, 07:47:41 AM
True ASL type bows are naturally quiet and I've killed a pile of game with them unsilenced. Having said that I often add a very small set of wool silencers to my ASL's. By small I mean 7 or 8 strands of wool trimmed to a 1" diameter ball. Makes a very quiet bow "deadly quiet"... and has no impact on bow performance.

[attachment=1,msg2875234]
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Terry Green on July 06, 2019, 04:22:22 PM
Hello Charlie....November?
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: OkKeith on July 06, 2019, 04:36:58 PM
I have the wool ball silencers on several of my bows but have the "rubber legs" type on others. Both work well. The rubber legs style seem to work better for me in wet weather.

OkKeith
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: GCook on July 06, 2019, 05:20:29 PM
Bowhush is the most durable and  effective string silencer I've used.
I hav not noticed performance changes but as said I tune with my bow set up how I hunt.
Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Charlie Lamb on July 06, 2019, 06:42:44 PM
November could work T.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: flyonline on July 06, 2019, 11:44:32 PM
Quote from: Terry Green on July 06, 2019, 07:03:50 AM

As the original owner of BowHush....I found the complete opposite....as in probably NOT going to change....

Not saying this is 100% true, but out of say 20 bows I owned, not one of them ever were out of tune after installing fluffy wool silencers....not ONE.

.....

No matter your bow of choice just make sure it's as quiet as possible for hunting.  :readit:

Sooooo, apologies, but it looks like I was wrong  :dunno: I was about to post up a quick reply and thought better of it and instead went and put my arrows where my mouth was and tried to re-create my original performance.

First shot: Stiff (last time was waaay weak)???
Tried again, and again. All stiff.

Hmmmm. Changed everything I could think of that might have impacted last time and still out. I even stripped the feathers from a fletched shaft to check and sure enough, still out. So somehow I got it completely wrong, not sure how this happened as I am normally very careful and do multiple sessions over multiple days so I don't get a one-time false reading (measure twice, cut once!!).

At least these match up perfectly with my #56 nighthawk/sage hybrid with 150gr heads instead of 125gr so all was not lost.

Moral of the story, take everything you read with a grain of salt listen to Terry  :notworthy:  :notworthy:

p.s. will update my original post to remove caution
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Steelhead on July 07, 2019, 12:05:07 AM
I don't think you have to use silencers.I just had a Baraga and it was a very quiet bow.I did have wool puffs on it.In my opinion it will be quieter with silencers.As the sound you will mostly hear on a very quiet bow without silencers is string twang and or sting hummmm as the string dampens out after it returns to brace height.A hunting bow should be as quiet as possible!
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Terry Green on July 07, 2019, 08:06:46 AM
Flyonline....at least you found your problem.  Again, not saying they won't change anything, just that they never changed anything for me.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: madmaxthc on July 07, 2019, 10:06:09 AM
This really is an amazing community, the internet should learn from you, guys  :thumbsup:
Kudos to you, Flyonline
Thanks Terry Green and all the others for the precious advice.
Charlie Lamb, great catch! I hope to have a pic like yours with my ASL one day.

:clapper:
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: pavan on July 07, 2019, 02:56:35 PM
Brush Buttons and the rubber duber silencers made by the same company could change tuning.  Especially if you add nocking points to keep them from sliding around on their own.  I use a bit of alpaca wool, it takes just that little bit of vibration out of a longbow string and is real handy to use as a wind indicator, if you pull a fiber and set it free on the breeze.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Terry Green on July 07, 2019, 04:41:36 PM
I tried brush buttons years ago.....threw them away....too noisy banging into the limbs.

But that was just me...maybe not so noisy for others.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: pavan on July 07, 2019, 07:03:53 PM
That kind of rubber got hard in the cold.
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Terry Green on July 08, 2019, 09:52:57 AM
I live in Ga....don't get cold till December ...loud in September at 95 degrees :biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: pavan on July 08, 2019, 02:06:41 PM
I have dang near died from a heat stroke, I have dang near died from freezing to death.  Neither is a good option. Some will enjoy disagreeing with me, but almost any bow will see some kind of improvement with even a small amount of vibration dampening of some kind, whether it be feel or sound. 
Title: Re: Do I need silencers?
Post by: Terry Green on July 08, 2019, 04:13:20 PM
No big deal Pavan....i just don't like brush buttons  :biglaugh:  Found them loud. :readit: