draw v poundage

oldnut

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evening all, I currently shoot a 50# bow at 28, and I am shooting distance at the minute. I would like a slightly flatter shot( not enough clouds to aim at) which would be better going up a few pounds in draw or having a longer draw , say 50# at 30 as apposed to my 50 at 28. my thoughts are a longer draw would give a longer acceleration so possibly faster from the bow...maybe... any thoughts welcome
 

FernbankArcher

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Not a longbow shooter, but many good friends are (and some are bowyers, to boot).
Issue 1 If you can draw 30", why are you shooting 28"? Probably not doing your shoulders any good if you are on a short draw.
Issue 2 Longer arrow requires longer bow, takes more energy to shift those limbs but there is some discussion over energy recovery from the decelerating limb (as the string comes straight and limbs stop)... Longer arrow means they're heavier (increased length and diameter for stiffness). You will gain velocity for sure, but maybe not as much as you expect.
My friends will hate me for saying this "out loud" BUT, few longbow achers I've met actually reach full draw, as defined by their body proportions. Most are significantly short. I suggest it would be worth getting someone (with knowledge) looking at your technique. Just to check what you are actually/capable of doing wrt draw length. Longbows tend to be heavy b--'s and shoulder damage is a recreational hazard (take care!!). I've got the tee-shirt several times over on that injury.
You say you're "shooting distance". Do you have the facility to shoot at clout? Your currect set-up, I would expect, to get somewhere near 180yd, if the bow is a good one. It's also some test of your technique and no real pressure on aim, but yor draw length must be consistent.
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
If you want accuracy you should draw to your correct draw length, and adjust the equipment to suit you. As Fernbank Archer says short drawing is not good technique, and if you are planning on drawing to your ear to get more distance, that can work, but your accuracy will suffer.
So to answer your question better we need a bit more info.
When you say that you are shooting for distance, does that mean you're going for flight and just wanting to see how far you can get an arrow to fly, or that you're shooting clout and need to be reasonably accurate at 180 yards, or that you're increasing your target shooting distance and want to be accurate at a further distance than you're used to? (And if it's the last what sort of distance are you talking about?0
What technique are you using? Where do you anchor for instance, and how do you aim?
What equipment are you using? What bow, what string material, what arrows?

All of these things will have a big impact on the answer you get, and what is recommended.

For example when shooting field archery I use a 65lbs bow with 11/32" arrows bob tailed to 9/32" and 5" feathers with a 145grn pile. When shooting target I use a 45lbs bow with 5/16" arrows, also bob tailed but with a lighter pile and 4" feathers.
Both set ups give the same speed through a chronograph
For field I use a side of face anchor and get point on at 40m, with the point on the top of the boss at 50m.
For target I use an under chin anchor and aim with the point just below the boss at 100yds.
Both set ups shoot the same if I swap, so I can shoot my field set up in a target style and aim in the same place and vice versa, but I find that the heavier arrows with the big fletchings more forgiving, however the heavier bow is too much for a full 144 arrow round. I can get away with it for field because I'm shooting less arrows with more time between shots. For target I'll shoot the lighter set up, it's not as forgiving, but because there's less draw weight I can shoot a full 12 dozen without fatigue at the end of the shoot.
 

oldnut

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loads to think about! I currently shoot a elb boo backed bow of 50 @ 28, its 72" long, I use 11/32 for targets up to 60yrd, after that its 5/16 with 2" batwings. I shoot out to 140yrds at a 2ft target (which I mostly miss!):unsure: the reason for asking about draw/lbs is we are hoping to be doing 180yrds and I am aiming a fair bit above the target at the moment , I would like to be flatter at 140. I do draw to 28" (until I have shot a lot of arrows then I notice it can start to drop) but I do have a lower poundage bow 35# that is tillered to draw 30 which is interesting to draw to ear. point being I draw to 28 but I CAN draw to 30, I was just thinking same poundage different draw length .. which would shoot further, not necessarily accurately at first but further and flatter
 

little-else

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To quote Scotty on Star Trek " ye cannae change the laws of physics".
You wont get a flat trajectory to 140 yars with any longbow, you have to artillery shoot or use a different way of aiming. At 100 yds I aim with the tip of the arrow on the targetWhen I shoot clout I use a band underneath the hand
 
D

Deleted member 7654

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To quote Scotty on Star Trek " ye cannae change the laws of physics".
You wont get a flat trajectory to 140 yars with any longbow, you have to artillery shoot or use a different way of aiming. At 100 yds I aim with the tip of the arrow on the targetWhen I shoot clout I use a band underneath the hand
What little else said... plus....
Or lower your anchor point to maybe the clavicle.
Del
BTW
(Draw weight/2) x Draw length is a reasonable approximation to the energy put into the arrow.
But longer arrows weigh more and are less aerodynamic
 
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