Hypothetically speaking: If you had a short draw length……

[JohnnyBa]

And that’s that. It is what it is, the dreaded short draw length. 25” to be exact. ‘IF” this were you, and you had the knowledge you have now, what bow would you look for to get the maximum performance for that 25”’s of raw pulling power, with a further LIMFAC of 45#’s. I know there are a ton of factors that are involved here, but I just want to know what an expert archer would pick if he were to start at the beginning again. Long bow? Hill or RD? Recurve? Do bowyers really consider what the recurve tips on all draw lengths to make sure they give the desired performance or LB’s, are they made with consideration of having their limb speed the same for all draw lengths? Just wondering how and why…..

[GCook]

If I were looking for the most energy for the limited draw length the supercurve bows would be my starting point.  Not a generic riser with a certain length of parts from an ilf set up.  But a Bowyer who specializes in that type of thing and knows how to build a set up that maximizes whtvyou can get out of the bow.

[JohnnyBa]

If I were looking for the most energy for the limited draw length the supercurve bows would be my starting point.  Not a generic riser with a certain length of parts from an ilf set up.  But a Bowyer who specializes in that type of thing and knows how to build a set up that maximizes whtvyou can get out of the bow.

Yeah, thought about the super recurve, but I just cannot see how a 25” draw would be enough to bring the super part of the curve into play. I really can’t see, unless bowyers just can do it, how a short draw would get a factory built recurve.

[MnFn]

If it were me, I’d search out guys with shorter draw length. Little Big Man comes to mind, or Paul Bruner if he’s still with us. There are others around, I just can’t think of them.

Maybe do a search on Little Big Man. He has not been around much lately but had a lot of success shooting a big bear and a bull moose amongst other critters including some nice bucks. He was pretty descriptive on his tackle I think.
Pretty sure he shot a Widow some.

[streamguy]

Kirk Lavendar at Bigfoot bows has done a lot of experimentation on limb design to maximize efficiency at different draw lengths.   Others have as well, I'm sure.  I'd reach out to Kirk, and see if he has insights or recommendations.   Or other bowyers as well.

[JohnnyBa]

Kirk Lavendar at Bigfoot bows has done a lot of experimentation on limb design to maximize efficiency at different draw lengths.   Others have as well, I'm sure.  I'd reach out to Kirk, and see if he has insights or recommendations.   Or other bowyers as well.

Now there is a winner! I have one of Kirks bows, Flatliner, and that is “My Gold Standard” I use to compare others I have and will shoot. I even wonder though, since I bought this one sort of “off the shelf”, am I even getting all it has to offer? Doesn’t seem right that only 28” and beyond can get the built in designed performance of a particular limb.

[goose_]

I would shoot whatever you enjoy and whatever is most accurate. if that means self bow or asl even though it wouldn't be a speed demon, that's what I'd do. Robert Carter has some insight on draw length and bow choice. you might look him up on Youtube. as far as bow design, I have nothing.

[Orion]

"Doesn’t seem right that only 28” and beyond can get the built in designed performance of a particular limb."

That's not particularly true.  Over time, bowyers came to marking the draw weight at 28 inches, so it's by far the most common reference.  Folks understand it.  Whether that's the optimal draw length for that's particular bow's peak performance is anybody's guess.  Of course, we do know that a longer draw length extracts more energy from a bow.

Though most bowyers will mark the draw weight at any draw length requested, most don't actually build a bow for optimal performance at a particular draw length.

Thus, your quandary.  Unfortunately, all we have is anecdotal examples to go on.   

[MnFn]

Yeh, I was thinking of Kirk also but forgot about adding him in my earlier post.
I remember he posted a photo of a short bow that he had built. The draw length of those short limbs was impressive.

[katman]

Have Kirk build you a SS if you want performance at your draw. Kirk does build draw weight specific bows.

Otherwise email bowyers making super curves and ask them if you can get into there sweet zone at 25".

[Gun]

I don't worry so much about performance/speed as I do QUIET. I've had a bunch of shoulder and nerve issues over the last 5 years. (Missed one complete season as I could not pull a bow, right or left)
I went from 29 1/2" draw to 26" when I started rehab. I'm at 26 1/2" pushing 27" now. I used to like more of a working limb, but now prefer more mass in my riser and a shorter limb. Went from a "A" mag Bear TD with #3 limbs to a "B" w #1 limbs.

I really don't think it matters. Shoot what you like. Just get deadly with it!

Quiet over Speed for me.

[McDave]

For any recurve, in order to get the best performance, the recurved parts of the limbs must open up while being drawn to store energy, and release that energy into the arrow when the bow is shot.  If the recurves are not opening up, you might as well be shooting a longbow; if they open up too much, the bow starts stacking.

It's not so much the overall length of the bow that matters, as the length of the limbs.  For example, if a person with a 25” draw wants to shoot a 68” Olympic recurve efficiently, he can do that as long as the riser is long enough so that combined with short limbs, the total length is 68”.

It's also true in the other direction: if a person with a 30” draw wants to shoot a 58” bow efficiently, he can do that if the riser is short enough to support sufficiently long limbs for the 30” DL.

It would be perfectly fine to shoot super-curved limbs with a 25” DL, as long as they are short enough that the recurves open up when the bow is drawn to 25”.  I don't know if anyone is making super-curved limbs that short, but if they aren't it isn't because of a design limitation.

Some bowyers, like Black Widow, publish accurate information with their bows about which DL's are optimal with which limbs.  For example, a KB with 54” limbs is optimal for DL's from 23-26”.

[Hud]

Based on my experience and 27" draw, I would stick with Deflex-Reflex, or Hybrid.  The are many to choose from, but IMO Dick Robinson at Robinson Stykbow, or Herb Meland (Pronghorn) are masters at their craft. The ASL bow would be third.   If my memory is correct John Schulz's draw length was 26" and Steve Turay at Northern Mist shoots a 26" arrow, and both made and shot ASL - longbows. I don't view 25" as a disadvantage.

[Bowwild]

X2 on Kirk. He made the bow in my Avatar for me specific to my 26" draw.  I would not let my son, who has a 30" draw shoot it.