exact draw length

[Ari_Bonn]

So I am trying to figure out what my exact draw length is due to having a shoulder injury and I can no longer shoot my heavy bows. Because of this I would like to be as close as possible to 40# (the legal requirement in BC) without going under.

The arrow is exactly 28" BoP and my anchor is my middle finger to mouth corner

First picture feels a bit more relaxed and I draw slightly under 28"


The second picture I have my bow arm as parallel to my body as possible without taking out my shoulder with the string or slapping my arm not able to expand anymore at all.  (seem to get a cleaner release?) The back of the broadhead touches the riser.

Need your guys help to determine what is proper I appreciate it  

Can post more pictures if necessary.


   

   

[moebow]

Ari,  Nearly impossible to advise from just these "posed" pictures.  Your bow hand is different and your head position is different in each picture.  In the second picture, you have drawn the string back farther on your face and your head is turned differently too.

I'd advise that IF you can have someone take a series of pictures over several actual shots and see if there is a more common position that you are achieving.

I don't know how things are in Canada but here in the States, on the very rare occasion anyone is checked for draw weight, usually the marked weight of the bow is good enough.

Arne

[McDave]

Perhaps more important than static position at full draw is whether you are creeping on release, which can cost you an inch of draw length by the time the string leaves your fingers. Once you get consistent form and a good release, there may be acceptable differences in form and alignment such as you discuss that could change your draw length by 1/2" or so. At that point, I recommend shooting both ways until it becomes clear to you that one way or the other works better for you. This isn't always the way with the longest draw length. You may be more accurate with a shorter draw length.

[slowbowjoe]

As McDave says; my draw had been around 28" with a pretty straight bow arm. Found I shot better with a little more bend in it (same anchor), and my shooting improved. Draw length now is around 27".

Along with creeping and anchor variables, it's hard to tell (for me, at least), the exact extension of thebow arm.

[YosemiteSam]

From the looks of things, if the back of your point is at 28", you're well under that.  Others can correct me if I'm wrong but I think draw length is usually measured to the plunger hole and that's easily 2" from the back of your point in the first picture.  On my Samick, the plunger hole is about 2" behind the front of the riser.  But from what I can tell, there's at least a half inch or more of shaft hanging over the front of the bow.  So, if I were to guess, I'd say you're at 25.5" +/-.

On a local shop's recommendation, I started a few years ago with a samick sage & 29" arrows.  Drawn to 26.5", I'm good.  But much past 27", a broadhead will hit the riser on the way back.  So, again, if 28" is your arrow length, you're pretty far from that.  

If your shoulder is limiting you too much, switch hands & learn to shoot left handed & left-eyed.  A thumb ring will let you shoot the same bow with the opposite hand.  It's a whole different way of shooting but if you can't wait for a full recovery, you may have to get creative.

[McDave]

Actually, the official measurement of draw length is from the valley of the nock to a point that is 1 3/4" in front of the pivot point of the bow.  The pivot point and the plunger hole should be in approximately the same place.  1 3/4" in front of that brings you approximately to the back of the bow, although the distance from the pivot point to the back of the bow may vary depending on the bow.  But most people measure draw length by measuring from the valley of the nock to the back of the bow, because it is easy to have someone mark an arrow there while the person being measured is at full draw, and in most cases that is reasonably close to the official measurement.

[Ari_Bonn]

Thanks guys, Ill just get something marked 40 @ 28 if they give me heck ill just over draw a bit.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by McDave:
Actually, the official measurement of draw length is from the valley of the nock to a point that is 1 3/4" in front of the pivot point of the bow.  The pivot point and the plunger hole should be in approximately the same place.  1 3/4" in front of that brings you approximately to the back of the bow, although the distance from the pivot point to the back of the bow may vary depending on the bow.  But most people measure draw length by measuring from the valley of the nock to the back of the bow, because it is easy to have someone mark an arrow there while the person being measured is at full draw, and in most cases that is reasonably close to the official measurement.

Thanks for that detail.  So for a typical Samick Sage or other production recurve, is the stated weight typically based on 28" to the plunger or 28" to the back?

[McDave]

28" to the back of the bow.  However, as the allowable weight range on a production bow is typically + or - 2#, the marked weight could be an inch in either direction.

[YosemiteSam]

Interesting.  Looks I've been mistakenly thinking I draw 26.5 when I've actually been pulling 28 all along.  Now I know why the spine charts never quite lined up for me.

[Knott .1]

An easy way to measure draw length is to put a clothes pin on the arrow close to the end and draw and let down. Measure from the nock valley to the pin. Today's and tomorrow's measurements may vary somewhat. Will give you some insights into your form consistency.

[Stumpkiller]

Exactly as McDave said, and the tip given by Knott.1 is the way we always used to determine how to cut your arrows.

The clothespin trick gives you broadhead finger clearance if you position the pin legs down (so it pulls up against your fingers/knuckles) and cut on the far side of the pin jaws.  That gives you a little "oops way" for a gloved bow hand and adrenaline.

Don't forget to add back 7/8" for the head taper.

[p1choco]

On the sage riser, 1.75" past the valley of the grip is right at the back of the bow. At least most of them are. So if you were to place a clothespin or card and draw back, it should mark your amo draw length. As long as you are not making an effort to pull harder to get a "good" measurement. Do it a few times and draw like you would normally.