Correct draw length

[James Park]

I have two PSE Primos STL's. Their draw lengths are 1/2" different.
With the longer draw length I have shot a 1384 FITA. With the shorter draw length I have shot a 354 at 70M. So they are both working well.
However, the shorter one feels too short and the longer one too long (and the technique errors I make with each of them reflect this).
This matches my experience over the years that your draw length needs to be correct to within quite a small margin if you are to get optimal results.
What have you found?

[Flehrad]

No difference....
I've changed draw lengths 3 times in the last 18 months..

I don't shoot well enough for it to reflect yet :P

[2Dogs]

The same!.....having 1/2" adjustments on bows is not nearly enough.

Should be another "Law of Archery", that your draw length shall always be inbetween the two pegs :o

[Jules]

Can you just change the d-loop length by 1/4"?

[James Park]

Can you just change the d-loop length by 1/4"?
Yes, that will do it. I can also change the draw length by twisting the cable. (And I will set it to midway between the two current lengths).
My main point is that I think we need to get it correct to quite a close tolerance if we are to score best.

[Jules]

Unfortunately I don't think my form is consistent enough for me to be able to specify draw that accurately. Sometimes I stand at full draw and move the whole assembly closer to the target by straightening my bow arm, then back toward myself until my anchor is with my knuckles on my ear lobe. I think this means that my draw length could be almost one inch longer than I have it at the moment.

This American guy here has some great comments concerning fine tuning of draw length (at the end of the 2nd post in the topic linked below). He described how if you are shooting Vegas style comp, you may be willing to accept a slightly larger group size to reduce the chance of outliers (9's in this case). To do this he talks about having a slightly long draw, which causes the sight to wander about the target more, but also keeps it more stable and less sensitive to perturbations.

He calls it "Long/Short Ended Draw":

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?s=6725b76a4bb7bab3a167d9e7ee6d3c97&threadid=45382&highlight=stabilizer+weight


I think that what he is describing is what a statistician would call the Kurtosis (4th moment) of the probability distribution of the shots. Even with the same mean (expected score), variability and skewness, the distributions could have either fatter (due to short draw length) or skinnier (long draw length) tails.

He recommends that if x's are important (for count back or if you are scoring that US system where the 10 ring is a 9 and the x disc is the 10), you might go with a 'pointy' setup and just wear the odd extreme outlier. This seems to parallel the balance of a car and its handling - rearward CG leads to it being more pointy and manoeuvrable but less stable. Like having a slightly too short draw!

Does any of the score tracking software let you analyse this shot by shot (cross sectional) analysis rather than just time series overall score round by round? I think you would be a great test bed Jim, with two similar bows that are set 1/2" either side of your preferred draw length. Your form would be as repeatable as anyone

[Marcus]

I use to get away with murder with my draw length. I could shoot within about 2" and still shoot good scores. However I was not as consistant as I could have been and I did use my release aid very well.
Hwoever as time goes on and the brain breaks you simply can not rely on stuff like that.
Since I have improved my form alot I can hold alot steadier. On a good day I can tell you which part of the X I will hit and can aim in the X at 18m.
However with that comes that I muct get my draw within about 1/8" of an inch. Any further out and I will not shoot as well. It's such a small amount that it can be difficult to pin point.

[Ozzy]

The same!.....having 1/2" adjustments on bows is not nearly enough.

Should be another "Law of Archery", that your draw length shall always be inbetween the two pegs :o

How very true :o .
& if we attempt to shorten it with the r. aid/string loop we still end up with the string too hard against the face :-?
Only way to fine tune draw length is string twist/length :wink:

[Peter King]

Could it be that we need slightly different draw lengths for different circumstances??
For outdoor target, a shorter draw length feels more stable to me, particularly in the wind, than the DL which feels comfortable and allows a better operation of the release aid for Indoor competition with perfect conditions????

The Outdoor need for stability and control of movement feels different to the need for almost effortless release aid operation Indoor.

[NOCK HUNTER]

Could it be that we need slightly different draw lengths for different circumstances??
For outdoor target, a shorter draw length feels more stable to me, particularly in the wind, than the DL which feels comfortable and allows a better operation of the release aid for Indoor competition with perfect conditions????

The Outdoor need for stability and control of movement feels different to the need for almost effortless release aid operation Indoor.

Yes Peter,
from what i've read this is the way a lot of Pro's see it in the USA.

[Jules]

Umm... yeah... if you look up about three posts there is a good reference that CG posted somewhere else the other day. I talk about... what you just... talked about.

[Vorian]

Forgive me my ignorance, but please answer this question.
I shoot a 29" draw right now, but how can one tell what's the correct draw length?
I mean, are there any guidelines to this matter?
for instance should your knuckles be behind your jawbone?
or should the string apex your nose and corner of mouth?
when does it feel right? are there any refferences?

yours,

Bart

[mrlogan]

I would also like to find this out.

I draw 29 1/2 on a recurve and am not sure if it is right.

It feels ok and I am shooting ok so I assume that it is right but maybe it is not ?

I draw to the side of my nose and to the corner of my mouth.

I suppose if I always go to that spot then it should be ok.

It just made a a bugger to work out the poundage I was drawing when I first started (I always thought I was drawing 28 inches - measured to the arrow rest instead of the front of the bow).

Finally sorted it out though.

[Peter King]

Interesting article by George Ryals in the current issue of The Glade. It covers multiple Draw Length settings for different situations, bow balance, Tiller tuning and Creep Tuning for 2 cam bows. Very relevant to the previous posts in this thread.

[Jules]

Hey wow, yeah - sounds interesting.
Where do we find this "Glade"?

[Peter King]

Jules
I get it via Bows Arrows Bits (along with Archery Focus) but you can order it from most archery retailers, or look at www.theglade.co.uk and have it sent direct.

The Glade has some items of most interest to the English, but has some very good articles.

[jb127]

I have a 27and a half inch draw. Looking at two hoyt compound bows. One has adjustments from 27 and a half to 30 inches - razortec and the other 26 inches to 28 and a half inchesis an xtec. Which bow is best for me. I use a mechanical release. Just getting started. John

[Jules]

If 27" draw is really you're best guess, surely the range centred on that gives you the best option to be able to adjust both above AND below your current draw?