What's so wrong with full length arrows?

[Mike Orton]

I keep my arrows at full length and would shoot them at 36" and up if Easton would sell them that long, even though draw is only 29 inches.  For me it seems that longer arrows fly nicer and the added length gives me extra weight.

I've seen National Geographic TV shows where tribes in the Amazon River shoot 4 foot arrows without fletching into monkeys in the treetops.  They get pretty good flight out of those long stickers.  Pass throughs might take a while to complete....

My bows are center cut so the issue of archers paradox is minimal.  I never gave any consideration to carrying an extra few inches of arrow length and must admit that I enjoy shooting with folks who are always accusing me of not coming to full draw.  The only actual draw back I can see to shooting the full length arrows is that if a guy was Gap shooting he'd want custom cut arrows to maintain the GAP for aiming.

[swampbuck]

Longer than needed arrows acually shrink the gap between the tip and your intended target making it closer to point on at closer ranges.This tends to help with accuracy reguardless if your looking at the tip or not.At least thats what I've read here and there.
 I stop cutting when my 250 tips fly right which happens to be an inch longer than I'd like with my new LB but I'll take good flight over a shorter or longer arrow anyday and the tips are homemade so it's a personal thing I could always shoot something differnt

[GingivitisKahn]

My son and I are knuckle dragging, full-length arrow shooting yikers.

[scriv]

I used to cut mine so when I mounted a BH horizontally it would just touch the riser when at full draw- sort of like a clicker.  Now i leave an inch hangin' out for tuning purposes, but then again I draw 31".

[billy shipp]

I may hunt with 3 different bows during a season, so I may have to use 3 sets of arrows, depending on what bow i'm using, then again, all 3 bows may shoot all the same arrows....it all depends on the bow.
If I am tuning arrows to any bow, I start with full length arrows, then cut off 1/4" at a time, maybe change tip or broadhead weight, until that particular arrow shoots well out of that particular bow.
I couldn't care less how much EXCESS shaft I have, or what other folks have to say about my arrows being longer than necessary, as long as it shoots like I want it to.
Isn't the object of the game to hit what you're aiming at, and not trying to please others that question why your arrows are soooooo long.
Shoot what works.

[JWD in VA.]

I too have the 30" draw with my longbow, 32" with my recurve. I buy the whole arrow, I'm shootin the whole arrow, not cutting anything except to keep all of my shafts to the same length. Also a big fan of 3 fletch and very high custom cut feathers. On a good day, I can hit what I'm lookin at consistently. My two cents

[Dave Worden]

I think the key here is arrow flight.  If full length fly well, why cut them?  At that length and that spine, they're perfect.  If the flight is not perfect, then cut, add tip wt, change spine wt, whatever.  Again the key is arrow flight.

[T Folts]

I got into the situation where I though I needed short arrows because I had this idea that I only need an extra inch off arrow so why have more. I cut my first batch of heritage 150's to 30" to start my tunning not knowing that would make them too stiff to start with. They showed weak because they were kicking off the shelf so I kept cutting 1/4 of a inch at a time untill I got to 29" I draw 28 - 28.5" I got frustrated stopped tunning and let them sit for several months. I found out I needed 350 grains up front to get them to fly correctly. Now I have 31.5 inch arrows and they fly good with 175-200 and show slightly weak at 250gr, so I guess I will have arrows a little longer than I wanted but more inportant I want great arrow flight so arrow flight wins over length.
Terry

[Pat B]

I have a 26" draw and make all of my arrows at least 29". This give me better weight for hunting and makes the arrow less spine sensitive. My arrows these days are either hardwood shoots or cane and my bows are wood; self and backed. I don't have problems with longer arrows hanging up in the woods any more that I would with 26" arrows.
 I believe that arrows cut to draw length(or near that) is a product if getting to lighter and therefore faster arrow flight. IMO, this is not necessary for the hunting archer. My bows probably only shoot 150fps but I am accustom to their flight and can put them where they need to be when the time comes. That in my opinion is more important than a fast arrow.
   Also, an increase in arrow length(over 28"{industry standard}) will decrease spine weight by 5# per inch, not increase it.       Pat

[Ben Maher]

with full length arrows at my 26.5 draw i cannot play at pretending that I'm John Schulz speed shooting......