Limb / Bow Length

DaveJW

New member
Looking for some advice...

What factors determines whether you purchase medium or short limbs?

I have a 25" riser am just over 6' tall and have a draw length of 28 1/2".

I started off with medium limbs (coaches suggestion) then purchased some second hand long limbs of the next weight am now about to go up in weight again.

Should I get long or medium length limbs?

Cheers,
Dave
 

ben tarrow

Well-known member
Looking for some advice...

What factors determines whether you purchase medium or short limbs?

I have a 25" riser am just over 6' tall and have a draw length of 28 1/2".

I started off with medium limbs (coaches suggestion) then purchased some second hand long limbs of the next weight am now about to go up in weight again.

Should I get long or medium length limbs?

Cheers,
Dave
Medium limbs on a 25" riser gives you 68" bow.
Rule of thumb, bow length = draw length + 40"

Shorter bow gives faster arrow, but draw weight "stacks" more.
Longer bow, slower arrow, but more forgiving.

Also have to consider your face geometry.
If you have a big nose and small chin, you may need to go shorter to reduce the string angle.

Best answer, borrow some to try, even if its just test driving in your favourite shop
 

jonUK76

Member
Draw length is the biggest factor. The longer the bow, the longer the draw can be before string pinch starts to become an issue. The shorter the bow, the more pronounced the angle of the string is at full draw. As an extreme example very short bows like horse bows (normally 48-53") are very difficult to shoot with a Mediterranean (conventional three finger) draw if you have a longer draw length, because the string angle puts a large amount of pressure on your fingers at full draw, making release more difficult.

Another issue is the point where limbs tend to "stack" should be delayed a little with long limbs, compared to medium. Stacking refers to the tendency of some limbs to rapidly increase draw weight once the draw length goes beyond a certain point.

It's not all one way though - going for long limbs unnecessarily may result with less arrow speed (greater mass of the larger limb slows things down, at least a little) and possibly, less efficiency from the limb if the draw isn't long enough to take it into the region where it's working at it's most efficient.

FWIW I think a 28.5" draw is normally considered 68" bow territory (for a target bow).

Lancaster Archery has a blog on this with their views on the subject you might like to have a read of - http://www.lancasterarchery.com/blog/what-size-recurve-bow-is-right-for-me/
 

Corax67

Well-known member
Draw + 40" is what I was told when I first started archery too.

For recurve I am 6'3" with 28.5" draw and shoot 36# medium limbs on a 25" Inno CXT riser (68" bow) giving 40# off the fingers - I can put ACC's out to 100yds all day long with this rig and it doesn't stack at all.

Tried a set of long limbs way back and couldn't get on with them, the bow felt oddly 'sluggish' and I couldn't get the same consistency at distance I do with the mediums but that could just be me.


Karl
 

JohnK

Well-known member
All other factors being equal, a 2in change in bow length gives a 2fps change in speed. This is according to a former chief engineer at PSE Archery.

You will lose very little speed between a medium and long limb on a conventional recurve bow. It will also give a flatter string angle at full draw, which might be more comfortable. I started on a 69in bow and then shot 70in bows for years. It was only when I went up to 72in bows that I felt truly comfortable.

Incidentally, if someone is 6ft or more and only has a draw length of 28 1/2in, it sounds to me like they either have very short arms for their height, or have poor alignment. I'm 6'3" and my draw length is around 32 1/2in. It's worth confirming your draw length with a trusted coach.

(And remember that draw length is measured to the pivot point + 1 3/4in. *Not* to the button. I mention this because I've heard otherwise from people who should really know better.)
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
(And remember that draw length is measured to the pivot point + 1 3/4in. *Not* to the button
Yes, that is important; and the draw weight you get on your fingers is dependent on that, too.
 

JohnK

Well-known member
Also, could I ask where you learned that you should measure draw length in that way? Thanks :)
 
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