shorter draw = shorter bow?

[skitterwalker]

Hello everyone. When I got started into traditional archery this year I made some assumption biased on internet info. My assumption was that if I used the formula for draw length it would be pretty close. Now, I knew that I have T-Rex arms, and I figured out as a young lad in scraps that I'd better wrestle than go toe to toe. The formula calculated out to 27 1/2". My actual length is around 26 1/4".  Would I get better performance from a bow with an AMO of 60" or less? Perhaps I'm not using the limbs like their design? This might explain why I have  little problem with my 54" Browning Nomad. Can someone give me their opinions on this? Thanks.

[old_goat2]

It's all about the bow design! And nothing is written in stone. Had a bowyer tell my wife to get max efficiency she should shoot his medium length limbs on a 15" riser but she consistently got better speed from a particular set of extra long limbs, the bowyer could of been right most of the time about his limbs but that one set of limbs performed differently. I've heard some bowyers say a longer limb is more efficient of a lever than short limbs. That's why you need to shoot a lot of bows till you find the right one for you!

[Stump73]

Thats why BigJim is building me a 54 Thunderchild since my draw length is 25". Im not in the power stroke with 56 tc.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

It's all about the bow design! And nothing is written in stone.


Amen brutha.... Amen...


But... typically you are right about getting better performance with a shorter bow at your draw length.

Those draw length formulas are also not set in stone, every body is different. Of course, things like bent arms to accommodate a straight grip, neck, head, anchor positions and how open one's stance is will influence your draw length.  Some short bows back in the day were made to handle long draws.  I would bet that Big Jim or Kirky could design a bow that would work better for your draw and for your grip, but make sure that you are settled into your form or know what would be best for you before spending the money.  Until then work to get the most out of what you have, there is really nothing wrong with Browning Nomads when the the correct arrow is tuned in properly and your form is consistent.

[skitterwalker]

I read my post again and it reads a little like the Browning is problematic. What I meant was that I heard a lot of stories about finger pinch and stacking with the the Nomads. I was thinking it felt fine  for me. Now, I know that my draw is shorter. Sorry. Anyways, would a long bow be a good choice bc of the way the limbs tiller?

[Bjorn]

I have a 72" recurve that shoots like a demon and I draw about 27". So it really depends on what the bow was designed for. My fav is a 64" R/D longbow.  Tell your bowyer what you want, he will make suggestions, and you will likely be a happy man.

My draw is also 26 1/4". I can say that a 62" Robertson longbow shoots a very clean arrow at that draw, but 66" JD Berry bows shoot a really good arrow at that draw as well.  It is possible for any good custom bow to perform at a shorter draw, the odds are in favor of shorter ones getting the most out of the limb in many bow designs, but there are some designs that longer is going to be better.  It all comes down to how the individual shoots and how they are going use the bow, as to which would be a better choice.

[Sixby]

Length is not nearly as important as limb and riser design. Some bowyers can build you a bow that will perform very well at a short draw length clear out almost as long as you want it. For a generic , factory type bow with just standard type riser and standard laminations the shorter bow will perform better in most cases. However a draw specific bow built for your draw length by a bowyer that knows how to build draw specific will optimize the performance you will get. Only one problem with draw specific is that you do not want to sell that bow to someone that has much longer draw length or it may stack or even break over time.

God bless, Steve

[Producer]

Steve,
I would think that when I order my next custom and I have it specific with my draw length of 29" that would not be a problem with the bow holding up for a long drawer, corect. I know some one who is an excellant archer and he shoots a bare magnum of 52" with a 30.5 draw and he claims that there is no stacking or finger pinch. I have heard others on this site make the same claims. So it goes back to bow design and it has been recommened to always shoot the bow if you can before you buy it. Not possible with a custom.

[Sixby]

Originally posted by Producer:
Steve,
I would think that when I order my next custom and I have it specific with my draw length of 29" that would not be a problem with the bow holding up for a long drawer, corect. I know some one who is an excellant archer and he shoots a bare magnum of 52" with a 30.5 draw and he claims that there is no stacking or finger pinch. I have heard others on this site make the same claims. So it goes back to bow design and it has been recommened to always shoot the bow if you can before you buy it. Not possible with a custom.

There are customs and then there are customs. A draw specific bow for an archer that draws 29 inches would possibly stack at 30. You want max performance and minimum limb travel. this might not be the best bow for a man drawing 31 to 34 inches and yes I have had archers that draw 34 inches. Do not ask where they get arrows because I have no idea LOL.  You are absolutely right in that you cannot shoot a true custom before you buy it. You can shoot one or more of the bowyers products but then it still would not represent the bow you will get from a real serious custom builder.
You could look , as do many , for a good used custom from a quality builder but unless you have identical shooting style, grip, sight window and shelf preference, tiller, poundage, and draw length as that shooter had then all you could get out of the bow is the quality of the build .


God bless, Steve

[Nativestranger]

Generally a shorter bow will be more efficient than a longer one. That's as long as it doesn't stack at your drawlength. Generally a shorter bow also has a lower brace height which helps gain back a little extra power stroke. You will also want a bow with strong reflex and preload in the limbs to maximize the stored energy hump at the beginning of the draw. A short aggressive recurve bow 54" - 60" is usually the best bet. However you should avoid very short bows that are designed to accomodate long draws if you want performance. They usually have reduced limb preload and large brace height than usual. Both of which hurts stored energy. I have a 26.25" drawlength and 2 of my best performing bows are 53" and 57". But the 57" outperforms the 53" on the chrono. It has much more early draw weight even though brace height is higher. Of course all that  just my humble opinion. I am sure any of the experienced bowyers here can design a suitable bow with max performance for a certain draw.