Draw Length Question

[nlester]

If I had a bow that was #60 @ 30 inches, and my draw length was actually 28 inches.....how many pounds would I be pulling?  Would having a bow over my draw length be OK?  Thanks for any info in advance.

[Fletcher]

You will lose about 2.5 lb/in, so about 55 lb at our 28".  Better the bow be made for a longer draw than a shorter one; won't hurt a thing.

[nlester]

I've got bows that had shorter draw lengths and it is a little bit of a problem with stacking and finger pinch.....never shot a bow that was longer than my draw length.  Thanks for the help!!!

[Bowwild]

I measure all my bows with a very accurate digital scale. I measure them first to see how close the documented specification is to the real weight. Then I measure at my draw length for tuning purposes.

My draw length is 26".  I find on most of my bows (11) I lose 3 pounds per inch. I just measured a Checkmate I traded for. It was written on the bow 49# at 28". It's actual draw weight is 54# @ 28" and at 26" the draw weight is 47.5#. By the way, this is the greatest difference in documented weight and actual I've ever noticed. I've checked my digital scale with known weights of 50 pounds to make sure it is accurate.

Be aware, when checking draw weight, especially to verify the specified weight written on the bow, not every bowyer measures this the same. The ATA specification is to measure the draw weight 1.75" foreward of the pivot point of the grip. This is usually (not always) at the back of the bow shelf (away from the archer).

[vermonster13]

The measure point isn't from the back of the bow shelf if done properly. It is the pivot point which in most cases is the deepest part of the grip. The place the arrow should rest on the shelf. 26.25" back from that point will give you the 28" draw weight if it is an AMO bow done properly.

[Stumpkiller]

Originally posted by nlester:
.....never shot a bow that was longer than my draw length.  

Is that 'cause the arrow kept falling off the shelf?    

[nlester]

LOL.....how long you been waiting to use that?  Clever.  

[CG]

Regardless of the "weight @ xx#" that a bow is marked, I'm not aware of anything a bowyer would do different for, say a 26" vs. A 30" draw on the same bow. I'm not a bowyer, so I might be wrong here, but I would think that the bowyer marking the draw weight at something other than 28" is only due to the customer's request and doesn't preclude the bow from performing like it should at shorter or longer draw lengths.  On the other hand, a bowyer might try to steer a customer towards a different length based on their draw.

[Bowwild]

I was probably not clear enough about the location where the draw weight measurement begins. From the point 1.75" from the pivot point towards the back of the bow shelf draw the string 28" and measure the draw weight. In my case, I stop at 26" and take the weight measurement.

 

[Orion]

BowWild:  You were clear the first time.  As you noted the 1.75 back of the pivot point is usually, but not always the back of the bow. Vertmonster is saying the same thing -- when one takes the weight measurement at 26.25 inches to the pivot point (AMO/ATA method), it removes the thickness of the throat as a variable.

[The Whittler]

Most bows will loose or gain 2.5 to 4 lbs per inch.