Draw length?

[HartHeart]

How is the draw length measured on traditional bows? Specifically, a longbow...

[HartHeart]

More specifically, how can I measure my draw length.

[durp]

clip a clothes pin on ur arra couple inches from the end then draw the bow...clothespin will slide up the shaft when it hits the riser...now measure from the clothespin to the valley of the nock and thats it.

A posed draw length may be different than a draw length is when actually shooting.  I make arrows for a number of people, at first they almost always tell me the wrong draw length.  Sometimes they have form issues and are drawing shorter than they should.  I am one that does not believe that the maximum possible draw is always the best draw.  You can violate good form on either side of what is correct, depending on the shooting style you choose.  I would suggest turning an arrow into a measuring stick and have someone watch the back of the bow when you shoot.  Use different colored markers to make it easier to read.

[Ryan Sanpei]

It may be a bit much, but here's how I prefer to measure my draw length.

 

[HartHeart]

Ok, great that give's me pretty good idea of how to find it. Another question,; I'v got a bow 55#@28" but my draw is 26". How much poundage roughly will that be??

[CRM_95]

Originally posted by fwknicely:
Ok, great that give's me pretty good idea of how to find it. Another question,; I'v got a bow 55#@28" but my draw is 26". How much poundage roughly will that be??

Probably 49-50ish. That's an estimate. It can vary by bows.

[old_goat2]

Don't overbow her and pay for some lessons! And get arrows for her bow, don't give her your old heavy hunting arrows to shoot out of a lightweight learning bow.

[fling]

This is what I did. I got a 29" arrow (measured from the valley of the nock to the back of the point). then I wrapped some 1" painters tape around the shaft at 28" and took a shot. Moved tape back until it was bumping the riser at full draw and shot. that way I got a more accurate draw length. Because my draw length is different if I just pull back my bow compared to when I actually shoot my bow. ended up with a 263/4" draw length.

[forestdweller]

One of the quickest ways is to take a piece of cardboard or thick paper that won't move around.

Stick it on the arrow shaft so that it rests a good amount in front of the front of your bow. As you draw back your bow the paper or cardboard will move forward along your arrow.

Go to full draw, take the arrow off and measure from wherever that piece of paper is to the nock valley and that is your draw length.

Repeat this multiple times to make sure that your results are consistent.

Also, generally speaking your draw length will be about 1 to 1 1/2" shorter with a longbow vs a recurve due to the different grip style.

[McDave]

Actual draw length is 1 3/4" in front of the pivot point.  So measuring to the back of the bow is an approximation, since riser thickness differs.  For most purposes, this doesn't make much difference, but it does emphasize the importance of individual testing to determine such things as proper arrow spine, etc.

Also, if you want a draw weight at your draw length of 45#, and you (think) you draw 27", if you order a bow marked at 47# @ 28", it may or may not come out to be 45# at your draw length, depending on whether you and/or whomever is selling the bow are on the same wavelength as to how drawlength and draw weight was measured.

[HartHeart]

Thanks for the great advice guys, this is just what I wanted to know. I'm a newbie with the stick n string, got rid of my training wheels so I have lots of questions.

[30coupe]

With the technology available today, often in your own pocket, it's pretty easy to determine accurately your actual draw length. Today, I had my son record my draw with his cell phone as I shot several times. I was using Easton xx75 camo hunter arrows, so it was pretty easy to see how far I was actually drawing.

I also learned that my form wasn't always great. I was collapsing forward with some of my shots, which shortened my draw even more. When I pulled through the shot, I was getting a full 27" draw. I thought I drew about 27 1/2" but that was based on  methods like the clothes pin trick. As someone already mentioned, your draw when actually shooting may not be the same as when you just draw  without shooting.

[damascusdave]

When I first started shooting Trad about 8 years ago I thought I knew what my draw length was. The more I shoot the less I care. My draw length is between 28 and 31 inches depending on a bunch of factors. All that matters is that you have a consistent draw length for the combination you are shooting at the moment. My friend has been getting schooled about shooting the way Howard Hill did by Howard's nephew Jerry. He has been known to adjust the spine of his woodies by taking some sandpaper to them to allow for his draw length of the moment. He is going to teach me the basics this weekend.

DDave

[BRITTMAN]

Originally posted by durp:
clip a clothes pin on ur arra couple inches from the end then draw the bow...clothespin will slide up the shaft when it hits the riser...now measure from the clothespin to the valley of the nock and thats it.

Do this , it's simple and it works .