Got a Real World Weapons or Armour Question? Mk X

[Spiryt]

On a modern compound bow, with it's pulleys and whatnot, the arms of the bow move very little, and less of the stored energy has to be expended in moving the bow arms, and so more is available to propel the arrow.

DrewID

Yes, but much of it has to be expended to propel the wheels themselves, which with all modern materials are still pretty heavy, have not very aerodynamic shape and are obviously located in the worst place possible - very end of the arms which move rapidly.

That's the main limitation of compound bow, and why as far as sheer dynamics go, they beat traditional bows 'just' soundly, not by several times.