Bows marked less than 28"

[Soilarch]

When buying used bows...is the fact they are marked for a certain poundage at a certain drawlength indicate they have a better chance of stacking after the drawlength?

What I mean is: I have a 29" DL.  Should I shy away from bows marked ##at27" or ##at26"?

[Bill Skinner]

It depends on the model of bow.  Some of the shorter bows may be designed to work properly at a shorter draw length, most modern bows are designed to draw to 28 inches.  In your case, some bows will start to stack as you pass 28.  Most won't until you pass 29.  I can't give you specifics, there are too many models out there, best bet is to ask the person you are buying it from or the bowyer if possible.  Bill

[Slasher]

Most bowyers design their bows for 28, but some prescribe that certain lengths work better for different draw lengths... Other than that, it is just marked for us short draw guys to get a  real weight at our own draw lengths...

[Gatekeeper]

I have 56” Centaur that I bought used. It was originally built for someone with a 25” draw and my draw is 29.5”. I don’t notice a problem with the bow stacking. At my draw the bows weight is 58#.

[yamapup]

slasher has it right. If you are concerned about your longer draw, just ask the bowyer who built it.  A bow marked for 26" might well draw smoothly to 29". Pup

[Bowwild]

I don't think this specification necessarily implies anything about the bow's performance characteristics except what the draw weight is supposed to be at the listed draw weight. For instance, when I had my Widow PSAIII made in 2004 I simply asked Widow to mark the draw weight on the bow at my draw length of 26 inches. It reads 52# at 26".  Of course it is also 55.7# at 28" (I checked with digital scale). The limbs of this bow are at Widow now undergoing a $140 process to reduce the draw weight by 5 pounds. They will write the draw weight as 50# at 28" on the limbs. However, it will be 46# at my 26".

[ThePushArchery]

I have a bob lee Takedown - 58".

Marked 45# @ 25".

Notice no difference.

[ChuckC]

I agree with Bow wild.  I am guessing that few bows are designed to be different at different draw lengths, within reason.  By that I mean, having one set of limb shapes for 26", one for 27" etc.  

If you are the person the bow is being built for and ask that the poundage be put on the bow at your draw length, that is what it says.  If however it is a stock bow, it will show @ 28".

ChuckC