Shorter bow + longer draw = weakened limbs?

[skychief]

I have a 29" draw and have discovered a 56" recurve that I am shooting really well.   It's a vintage bow for what it's worth.

A friend that has been shooting traditional for a looooong time told me that it's possible to weaken the bows limbs with my draw length.  

What do ya think of this?

Thanks, Skychief.

[halfseminole]

I shoot a horn bow with a length of around fifty inches.  It will draw to 38".  It doesn't seem to be getting weaker.

[skychief]

Total bunk?

[KenH]

If it's an all wood stave or board bow that has some age, it's possible that you would strain the wood enough to weaken the limbs. If you're talking about a vintage wood-glass composite or solid fiberglass bow, or a wood-horn-sinew composite like half-seminole and others shoot, then I think you're friend's leading you astray...

[Stump73]

Halfseminole, you have a good 1ft 3in of draw over me, if you typed your draw length correct. Thats a long draw. Wow

[Scott E]

That's his correct draw length and yes it is longer than most.

Bowyers will often post what the suggested maximum draw length is for a certain design. If you stay within those suggestions your bow will last a very very long time.

[damascusdave]

It may be possible to weaken the limbs...that is why I only paid a couple of hundred bucks for this 52 inch Kodiak Magnum that I draw to 30 inches...gonna be sad if it blows up one day but there are more out there like it...and I doubt I will live long enough to do any damage to that bow...Bear built them to draw at least 30 inches

DDave
 

[JimB]

I have a 29" draw length and most of my bows are 56",my preferred bow length.I've been shooting one since 1972 and also have a 54" that I've been shooting since 1978.