Can brace height effect point of impact?

[shortstroke 91]

Let's start with the issue I'm having. Right handed shooter, B-50 string, shelf material is as thin as I can get, wood shafts are full length and point weight is maxed out at 190. I'm still hitting about 4" left of my target and I heard somewhere that moving my brace height could change my impact some. Is this true and if so which way does what? If it's not possible my next step will be switching from Dacron to D97 to see if that will weaken the shafts some more and get me where I want. Hopefully it won't make my bow too loud.

Thanks to any and all.

[drewsbow]

Yes if you lower the brace you will increase the power stroke and should move the arrow to the right. Will it be enough is another matter but it doesn't hurt to try . Drew

[saumensch]

Just today i was bareshafting some new arrows.
Heres how my observation today was:

Raising the brace height made the shafts act weaer
lowering BH made the shafts act stiffer.

with my setup today 0,75" of brace height had roughly about the same effect as 25 grain of point weight.

Hope i could help, good luck,
Axel

[rastaman]

You are hitting 4 feet (') or 4 inches (") left of target?

[rastaman]

My bad sir!  i see it is inches...i don't think you can correct 4 inches with adjusting your brace height..

[cacciatore]

Yes

[Orion]

Lowering the brace height will increase the power stroke and push the arrows further to the left.  Raising it will reduce the power stroke and move the impact to the right.  Whether you can raise it enough is another matter.  

One other thing to consider.  If the brace height is too low already, the arrow could be slapping off the riser, or at least contacting it too hard as it passes, which would also throw it to the left.  How many shafts do you have?  Probably the easiest solution is to get lighter spined shafts.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Yes, but not enough to account for 4 inches.   Save your time and buy lighter spine shafts.   A 300 grain head and lowered
Brace height will not correct 4 inches.   Have you bare shaft to fletch shaft tuned?

[Night Wing]

I can't speak for wood or carbon arrows, but since I've shot aluminum arrows for 47 years and come February, it'll be 48 years, I think I've got enough first hand shooting experience to  give my comments on this. There are variables involved which are listed in the next paragraph below.

Just keep in my mind, I have a 30" draw length and I shoot 32" BOP aluminum arrows from two 66" recurves, with 19" risers and 23.5" length limbs and both recurves are cut 3/16" past center. I also shoot with a split finger tab; one over, two under. Lastly, I shoot a 12 strand Dyna97 fast flight bowstring on each recurve. BTW, the "recommended" brace height for my 66" take down recurves is 7 3/4"-8".

Since I'm a right handed shooter shooting two right handed recurves, I can make an aluminum arrow move 4" to the right by "lowering" the brace height.

The above goes against conventional wisdom that says if you lower the brace height, you stiffen the arrow so it should move the arrow to the "left".

But, I don't think conventional wisdom plays very well with long draw lengths and long aluminum arrows.

As an example, with my 42# recurve, with the point weight I want to shoot and I shoot point weights from 75 grains to 135 grains depending on aluminum arrow spine, I can move a 32" BOP aluminum arrow to the right by lowering the brace height when shooting a 2114, 2212, 2213, 2215 and 2117 arrow.

I can do the same thing with my 37# recurve shooting the same 32" BOP aluminum arrow if those arrows are 2114s, 2212s and 2213s although the point weights won't be as heavy as the point weights I use for my 42# recurve. The only exception, both bows can shoot a 32" BOP, 2212 aluminum arrow with a 75 grain point weight which was a pleasant surprise for me.

Now, for the last detail. After experimenting with different point weights and brace heights for both bows shooting different spined aluminum arrows, both bows have a 7 3/4" brace height which is right at the bottom of the recommended brace height for each of my two recurves.

I might add a few people have sent me private messages saying they have the right aluminum arrow spine, but can't make their arrows move more to the right by increasing the brace height or adding more point weight.

I told them to start lowering the brace height by one, 360 degree twist, shoot the arrow to get rid of the slop so the arrow gets used to the new brace height and see if their arrow moves to the right. If it does, but not enough, then they add another full twist to lower their brace some more. It has worked for some, but not for others.

In closing, if one is shooting an aluminum arrow, lower the brace height and try it for a two dozen shots. If it doesn't work and the arrow moves further to the left, raise the brace height back to where it was before ones starts experimenting.

I look it at this way. You've got nothing to lose and if works, you've attained your objective.

[shortstroke 91]

Thanks, I was able to raise my BH from 7.5" to 8.5" and I'm hitting right where I look now. I didn't get a chance to chronograph before it got dark so I don't know how much speed that inch is gonna cost me but I really don't care either. I think my string has too many twists now so I'll try to build a shorter one tonight and save the current one for a backup.

[Night Wing]

shortstroke,

I always go by a "rule of thumb" when it comes to recurve string lengths. I subtract 4" for the string in conjunction with the length for a recurve.

Since I shoot 66" recurves, every string I order is made at 62". When I had a 64" Bob Lee recurve, the string for it was 60".

Although I don't shoot a longbow, if I did, I'd subtract 3" for the bowstring in conjunction with a longbow's length which I think again is the "rule of thumb" for a longbow. So for a 66" longbow, the string I'd order for it would be a 63" length string.

As for speed, with the lower brace height producing a longer power stroke, if you look at my signature where both bows are shooting the same 2212 arrow, the 42# bow shoots this arrow at 185 fps and the 37# bow shoots the exact same arrow at 174 fps.

Not too shabby speed wise for two low poundage bows. Of course, my 30" draw length helps in conjunction with the lower brace height plus a short 19" riser with 23.5" length limbs. This is why I like long length bows with short 19" risers and long limbs.

[Bldtrailer]

I've found when my shots are grouping to the right     length as a quick and easy brace hight field check(it works)  Some of my bows need a higher brace Appalachians, some lower Blacktails/ Stalkers but all have a sweet    spot.  

[dragonheart]

I have found also that bows have a sweet spot to the BH.  The more Hybrid the design the higher the BH.  The more straight the limbs the lower.  String follow bows are the lowest with recurves being higher.  Once you find that sweet spot and match the right arrow to it, man a bow will really shoot forgiving!

[Chuck from Texas]

My experience tells me that a change or brace height can make 4" difference. (at 20 yds or more) Experiment with it and be careful to note your reults. Be sure you have a consistent draw length and anchor or the results will be inconsistent.