Are 56" bows the rave?

[1screagle]

I have been seeing alot of bows from different bowyers in the 56" and 58" lengths lately. I purchased a new riser from Wes Wallace for my 60" Mentor limbs to make a 56" bow and love it. I don't have a very long draw, less than 28", so there is no feeling of stacking for me. A friend of mine has a little more than 29" and he felt it starting to stack. Other than that issue, my bow is an awesome performer. I feel very comfortable with it out to distances I normally hunt at. My experience has always been the smoother cast from longer limbs and greater distance seemed more forgiving. I like this package for hunting for various reasons. Is this a trend for alot of traditional shooters or just a fad? What are your thoughts about these shorter length bows?

[Bill Carlsen]

I've always preferred short bows. Loved the 56" Groves when they were in business. If you can shoot a short bow well you can't beat them for hunting. Now you just need to get some blood on it.

[amar911]

I have bows that were specifically designed from the outset to be short and others where the longer designs were made shorter by creating a riser than was not as long as the original (like your Mentor). The Mentor is a wonderful bow of Brackenbury design and is exceptionally well executed by Wes. I can understand the draw length limitation of that design, even with the shorter riser, but as long as it stays smooth and doesn't stack out to your draw length, then you are going to love the versatility. My 56" Morrison Mini-14 ILF riser with "C" length longbow foam/carbon limbs is also 56" and is a similar concept to your bow with a shorter riser used to reduce the length of what was originally designed to be a longer bow. Bob Morrison recommends maximum draw lengths for the various combinations of his risers/limbs, and with my combination I am just a half inch over his recommendation, but it works well for me and gives me a short, handy bow that shoots very well. Of course, bows like the Shrew, Hoots, Big Jim Thunderchild and others were originally created to be short and work well even for those with longer draw lengths. It ain't just a fad -- that's for sure!!!!

Allan

i lean more towards the short bow for hunting,i hunted most of the season last year with a kodiak mag-52" never had a problem, got a 56" grizzly im gonna get bloody this year. i think short bows have been around a lot longer than long bows.

[1screagle]

Allan,
Out of all my bows the 56" seems to out perform the others at near the same weight. Still stable as a rock. A wonderful suprise as I have chased after that Holy Grail hunting bow for quite awhile. Can't say it is the HG bow but if I only could have one I think it would serve me well. I will say that my perception of the shorter length bow is if my mind wonders, the arrows tell me very loudly! I liken it to the difference between the steering of a Porche vs Cadilac. The tighter steering requires more attention to input. I would love to shoot your Morrison, but maybe I not, I'd hate to try something else at this point and get my mind going in another direction. Alot of great bowyers and bows out there.

Kenn

[JimB]

Most of my recurves are 56".I like shorter bows but ones shorter than,56",I don't do well with.I consider 56" on the longer side for short bows.I don't think it is "the rage",I decided 30 years ago that was my favorite length.

A lot of people like longer bows.

[swamprooter]

I bought a 17" riser and shoot short limbs for a 58" bow and really wish I had a 15". I am only 5'6" and draw 26" so I love shorter bows and don't have to worry about stacking or finger pinch. Don't think it is a fad at all, I can't imagine going longer than 58 in a recurve or 60 in a longbow but as I said I am not tall either. Chris

[Huntschool]

I normally shoot longer bows 62-64".  However, I picked up a 1968 Bear Super Mag 48 this past spring.  I had one back in 1969 and liked it and shot it well but let it go because I was shooting a SK more.

I love this little bow.  That Bear grip fits me so well and I really do not have trouble controlling it out to 22 yards.  I know its not everyones cup of tea but it is SHORT and feels good to me.

Will I give up my longer bows...  Not on your life...

[Rob W.]

I have always felt the grip plays a bigger part than total length. I shoot 54" to 58". If my draw was 29" plus I might sing a different tune though.

[Shawn Leonard]

Bow design has everything to do with it. I have a 54" recurve that will handle 30"s with no stack or pinch, but I could not say that about a 56" Grizzly or a 52" K-Mag, they pinch and start stacking at 27"s or so. This year I am hunting with a 59" ILF set-up with border limbs, I shoot it very well and that extra 4 or 5 inches will not effect me from a treestand! Shawn

[Mike Mecredy]

It seems to me many that order longbows are wanting the midsized longbows, and even at that are wanting them 54" to 58" and have a draw length of 27" +.  I've made a few lately like that but I try to talk them into 58" - 60" just for the extra speed and smoothness. I'll ultimately make what they request but the length is sort of important.  I've only had one come back and ask for something a few inches longer. I've found to some the stacking must not be an issue.  I don't mind it as long as it stacks at the right time.  I like a bow that will stck at about 27 1/2", it's sort of like a draw clicker, helps me anchor the same everytime.  

-Mike

[Hogcoots]

My draw is 29" and I shoot a 56" recurve.  I don't have any problems and it shoots where I point it.  I drew a 48" recurve this morning 50# at 28" and it was not comfortable to get it out to 29".  I am leaning toward a 52" to 54" recurve for my next purchase.  I like to hunt the thick stuff and like the maneuverability of a short bow.  I don't know about it being a rave or a fad. I say shoot them all and have a good time.

[Morning Star]

I don't know about rave, but when it comes to being practical, 56" is my magic number.  For me it's a good compromise for a compact hunting bow and accuracy.

It's all relative to your draw length and bow design though....mines 28".

[Keefer]

I have a Hoots recurve that is 56" long and a few weeks ago I shot 13 rounds of 13 arrows that's 169 shots and not a bit of finger pinch...I have very tender fingers due to severing my string hand in a logsplitter accident back in 1985 and I was very blessed to have it reattached and blessed to still shoot with that hand...I asked Lee Hoots if his bows had any noticeable pinch and explained my situation and also about hunting the ground and I wanted a short bow without much finger pinch..Well He and I decided for a 47# bow and  56" would be the way to go and I can say without a shadow of doubt that his 56" doesn't pinch my finger's... Keefer's <><

[mcgroundstalker]

When I first got into trad, my bows were all 60". Smooth drawing and able to shoot them all day long. Now I find that a 56" will do just the same or even better, with my 26" T-Rex draw.  :rolleyes:

... mike ...    ...

[joekeith]

I must admit that I PREFER a short bow.  I've gotta 28" draw and it seems like I'm not picky when it comes to finger pinch or stack.  I say that cause I've read where people with the same draw length as mine have complained about the pinch, or stacking on bows that don't bother me at all.

When I first came "back" to trad shooting I got a 64" recurve and just couldn't get used to it being so long.  It shot well, I hit good with it, just didn't feel right.  Then I gotta R.W. Stalker, only 46" long and it "felt right".  No pinch, no stack, and hit where I was lookin'.  I say no stack, but it hit a "wall" right after 28".  It was like it had a draw stop to it.  Worked great for me.

Since then I've got 52", 54", 56", and 58" being as long as I like to go.  Like 'em all.  Then the darndest thing happened.  I gotta 66" long longbow.....and I love it.  Never thought that would happen.  Now two of my favorites are a 46" Recurve, and a 66" LongBow.  Never say never.

[cacciatore]

At 29" I am confortable from 50" to 60".I like riser with a little of mass so when I choose a shot riser bow I want heavy woods.I don't see any advantage shooting longer bows at hunting distances.

[mahantango]

I find 56" to be an ideal compromise between manuverability and stability. Just a great length for a hunting bow for average draw lengths. My "go-to" is a 56" Hollenbeck recurve that I have yet to find anything that compares.

[mahantango]

Yeah, joekieth, my second favorite is a 66" Hill-style. Go figure.

[bayoulongbowman]

not for me....