Arrow length

[Wolftrail]

I think my current arrows are to short. They are about 29 1/2" from the very tip to the bottom of the nock. My draw is 27 1/2".  I have heard that a longer arrow produces better placement. I should be using 31" arrows correct. ?

[monterey]

Well, as long as you are not cutting you fingers at full draw you ought to be OK.  I have never heard that longer arrows improve shot placement. Maybe it's so   :confused:  

All of my arrows are on the long side.  I always start with full length shafts with points that are hunting weight.  Then I do everything that can be done to get good arrow flight except cutting the shafts.  I always get to good flight without cutting.  I'm a heavy poin largish Fletch guy so that makes tuning easier.

You have nothing to lose by trying longer and at least you will gain another set of arrows.  

[Pat B]

The length isn't as critical as the spine at a given length.

[Wolftrail]

Shooting a recurve my tip was at the base of the riser, you know what I mean, recurves having a deeper riser than a longbow. Apparently longer arrow is more accurate to point and gap shoot.

[monterey]

See what you mean.  A short arrow might be hard to see.  Are you a gapper?

[Wolftrail]

Originally posted by monterey:
See what you mean.  A short arrow might be hard to see.  Are you a gapper?

Not really I try to shoot point on aim and instinctive combined.

[monterey]

I shoot pretty much the same and do find that having a few inches of arrow out there makes for a better picture.

[Wolftrail]

Originally posted by monterey:
a few inches of arrow out there makes for a better picture.

Well said.    

[Jean-Luc Streff]

There is a common misunderstanding about cutting arrows to
"your" draw length. The idea of cutting arrows to the draw length (for traditional archery practice) probably originated from tournament recurves with a clicker. With a clicker, you would draw exactly as far as the arrow tip makes that clicker flip back, and soon after you release. In this discipline, you can go down in spine, to compensate for the loss in length, because spines are often available down to 1000, or even 2000. Not so with most (or nearly all) hunting arrows. But if you cut your arrows, they get stiffer and you are off spine. Once you have cut your arrows, there is no other way but increasing the tip weight, to correct the spine. A 600 spine arrow, replacing a 500, could be cut an inch or 2. But if you would cut more, your arrow would end up too stiff. I was doing exactly that mistake in the beginning, but now I never cut arrows, unless I actually need them stiffer. The best advice is "do not ever cut your arrows", In most cases here is absolutely no need for that, all you are achieving is messing with the spine.

[mikkekeswick]

You don't change the arrows spine you change it's dynamic spine.