new string woes

[gjw77]

Ok gang,
   I just got my new string in the mail.I have a 58" AMO bear grizzly recurve.I ordered the string at 58" AMO,54" actual length as per manufacturer's recommendation.I strung it up and measured the brace height it was 9 1/4".My bow's range is 7 1/2 to 8.Having no fear I unstring and started untwisting.I went through this several times and the lowest brace icould get was 9".This was with the string at or near twist-free.
  So I measured the string end to end(off the bow) and it only measured about 53 1/8".
  Am I missing something obvious here?The string is dacron and I know it will stretch but I can't get anywhere near the right brace height to start shooting.I think it's just plain too short overall.Is there a little trick I'm not doing or should I order a new string at 55" actual and hope for the best?Any tips are appreciated.

[vermonster13]

I'd order from someone else. The string is still that short after that much untwisting. not a good thing.

[gjw77]

Thanks.
 At least now I know I'm not an idiot,lol.I was thinking right along those lines too.

[peak98]

I'd twist it back up to abot 8.5 inches and pull it back to half draw several times, then let it sit overnight and check it again in the morning...just to see how much it will stretch. If the string wasn't prestretched I think it will end up stretching 1/2-1 inch, if it was prestretched, you'll know fairly easily because it shouldn't stretch that much at all.

[insttech1]

You gotta get a longer string; no way around it bro...

M

[vermonster13]

The string is too short guys.

[joe skipp]

I may have a AMO 58" string laying around the shop, if I do, I'll mail it to you. Just shoot me you mailing address...

[insttech1]

VM--don't get technical with me...LOL!!!

But I did edit my post...

(And I stayed in a Holiday Inn once too, but apparently it didn't do me much good...alas...)

See Ya,
M

[O.L. Adcock]

gjw77, "I have a 58" AMO bear grizzly recurve.I ordered the string at 58" AMO,54" actual length as per manufacturer's recommendation.".....Where did you get that?? AMO/ATA is 3" not 4". A 58" AMO string should be 55" actual on 1/4" pegs and 100 pounds of tension.....O.L.

[Shawn Leonard]

OL, I would have to agree with gjw as I have a bunch of old strings in the tubes, how Bear and Martin used to ship them and I have measured them, they are 4"s shorter endless loop. I believe the figuured about an inch of stretch. 58"amo measures 54 and 62"amo measures 58"s. etc. Shawn

[Shawn Leonard]

When did AMO come about? What year? Shawn

[O.L. Adcock]

Shawn, Earlier then 1970 and the specs have never changed. If manufactures put strings out like that, then they did not do so to AMO standards. I can see a Dacron string being 1" shorter as it will settle/stretch that much, his is almost 2" too short. Whoever sold him the string should have raised the flag in do you want a 54" string or a 58" string AMO? Cause they aren't the same thing.....O.L.

[gjw77]

O.L,
  The packaging on this string says 58" AMO.They said a 58" AMO for a recurve was a 54" actual length.If it was for a longbow they said it would only have to be 3" shorter.A 55" would probably work.At least it wouldn't be too short,lol.

[O.L. Adcock]

gjw77, "They" are wrong and look who's paying the price for it. Direct "them" to the ATA Standards so they they don't cause grief for others:  http://archerysearch.com/publications/AmoStandards.pdf

[Shawn Leonard]

These strings were put out by Bear and martin and are from the late 60s early 70s and I checked again and the ones that are for longbows are 3"s shorter than AMO amd for recurves 4" shorter than AMO marked on tubes. Shawn

[gjw77]

Yeah i've seen the same info from other sources,in fact 3 rivers uses the same guidelines when selecting a string from their dacron lineup,4" shorter than AMO.Still the string I have only a shade over 53" so it's too short.I measured my old one and it was approx. 54 1/4".I had my bow braced with it at 7 3/4".
Btw the too short string is a J & D custom string.My buddy lives near a store that carries them so he picked it up for me and mailed it to me to save on shipping.
  I'm also running out of time between now and my Maine bear hunt so I need to get one fast,lol.

[vermonster13]

The Standards were accepted in 1986 as OL states. The strings for the older bows were dacron and expected to stretch an inch so were 4" shorter for recurves and 3" for longbows on most bows. If everyone actually stuck to the standards now, they should be 3" shorter for modern bows and materials.

[gjw77]

My string has to be dacron.So do I need a 54" actual or a 55"?Or will either one work?I'm assuming I can always twist the 55" short enough to get my brace right.
  I'm valuing everyone's input so far on this.I'm just trying to get the proper string so I don't go through the same thing again.Thanks again.

[vermonster13]

The string is supposed to be measured untwisted by AMO standards. On my older Bear recurves, 4 inches shorter has always worked.

[Falk]

Good to see you back again O.L.    
So, the 3" LB vs. 4" RC thing again, ha?!
I (almost) gave up on that subject and am pleased you came along here ...

If Bear Archery, or any other company wrote: 4" less then AMO bowlenght for RC "they" were wrong! I don't care who "they" were - applying standards the wrong way - is still wrong after all. It's important to note that AMO string lenght has to be measured under tension, though.

BTW: AMO standards are from 1968 not 1986