Arrow Length?

[wildernessmaster]

Decided to go all in on archery. Got all the equipment for a home bow shop.

As other post I have posted indicate, I am building some new arrow setups. Totally from scratch.

Before cutting my arrows and starting the build, I decided to take my primary bow (Matthews Vertix) and put it on the draw board and measure the actual ATA draw length it is set to. When I did, I discovered my actual draw length is 30.5. I thought my measured draw length was 29.5 (pretty sure of it).

I also set my current arrows (set up for a draw length of 29.5 - 30.5ish long) on the bow and noted there is about 1/4" of space off the end of the insert (didn't have a tip in it). I actually put a broadhead on it and put it back in, and I am surprised I have not been cut. They hang over my fingers.

Doing my research I see that your arrows should be 1" - 2" longer than you draw... That would make mine 31.5 - 32.5. I can do the full 32.5 because the arrows (pre cut) are 34. Should I go short (31.5), long (32.5) or take the bow back to the dealer and have him set it up to 29.5.

I have three bows and I have noted that this (vertix) is the one that doesn't want to pull me back forward out of my anchor position - even though it is my heaviest draw weight bow.

 

[Billy Goat]

I generally set mine up so my arrow only extends about an inch past my rest. If you setup your arrows 1-2" longer than your draw they are going to be well past the riser of your bow.

If the bow fits you leave it where it is, if it doesn't get it adjusted. I'd use the draw board to determine your arrow length. I don't mind the broadheads being inside the riser, if you want them well past your fingers mark the arrow out where you feel it will be safe once in the draw board. Keep in mind if your arrows are 2" longer than you were originally planning you are probably going to be running into a weak spine.

 

[5MilesBack]

My current actual draw length on my bow measured with an arrow is 32 7/8", and I cut my arrows to 30" carbon to carbon with no extended inserts/outserts etc. I've never had a problem with cutting my fingers, but I also wrap my fingers around the grip.

 

[Brendan]

Decided to go all in on archery. Got all the equipment for a home bow shop.

As other post I have posted indicate, I am building some new arrow setups. Totally from scratch.

Before cutting my arrows and starting the build, I decided to take my primary bow (Matthews Vertix) and put it on the draw board and measure the actual ATA draw length it is set to. When I did, I discovered my actual draw length is 30.5. I thought my measured draw length was 29.5 (pretty sure of it).

I also set my current arrows (set up for a draw length of 29.5 - 30.5ish long) on the bow and noted there is about 1/4" of space off the end of the insert (didn't have a tip in it). I actually put a broadhead on it and put it back in, and I am surprised I have not been cut. They hang over my fingers.

Doing my research I see that your arrows should be 1" - 2" longer than you draw... That would make mine 31.5 - 32.5. I can do the full 32.5 because the arrows (pre cut) are 34. Should I go short (31.5), long (32.5) or take the bow back to the dealer and have him set it up to 29.5.

I have three bows and I have noted that this (vertix) is the one that doesn't want to pull me back forward out of my anchor position - even though it is my heaviest draw weight bow.

My arrow length, measured carbon-to-carbon is 1.75" shorter than my draw length. No need to be 1-2" longer.

Your fingers should never be up and out in the way of the arrow. They should be loosely curled, maybe lightly touching the front of the riser. Hand should be "dead" with no tension.

I like cutting my arrows shorter because they are stiffer that way, and allow me to run more point weight.

Make sure you're measuring draw length correct. DL = distance from deepest part of grip, to inside of string at D loop at full draw, plus 1.75"

 

[Ucsdryder]

I like my arrow to stick just past my index finger on my bow grip hand. Just in case. I don’t need my Broadhead finding my finger somehow. 30.5” is a decent draw length. How tall are you?

 

[wildernessmaster]

My current actual draw length on my bow measured with an arrow is 32 7/8", and I cut my arrows to 30" carbon to carbon with no extended inserts/outserts etc. I've never had a problem with cutting my fingers, but I also wrap my fingers around the grip.

How does that math add up? Even if your grip is super narrow your arrow would be coming through your rest?

 

[wildernessmaster]

My arrow length, measured carbon-to-carbon is 1.75" shorter than my draw length. No need to be 1-2" longer.

Your fingers should never be up and out in the way of the arrow. They should be loosely curled, maybe lightly touching the front of the riser. Hand should be "dead" with no tension.

I like cutting my arrows shorter because they are stiffer that way, and allow me to run more point weight.

Make sure you're measuring draw length correct. DL = distance from deepest part of grip, to inside of string at D loop at full draw, plus 1.75"

Yep measuring it correctly. Watched a couple of videos on it to make sure. So as i said with my comment about mathing not adding up...

If you measure the draw length from the deepest part to the nocking point on the string any arrow that size or less would be on the shelf to falling out of the back of the shelf. If you use 2 blade broadheads who come nearly back to the insert edge then your broadhead is in the shelf/rest area. Do you want them there?

As far as my grip my fingers curl but loosely, sometimes if I feel like I am tensioning with them I would place the tips on the riser to ensure I am not.

 

[wildernessmaster]

I like my arrow to stick just past my index finger on my bow grip hand. Just in case. I don’t need my Broadhead finding my finger somehow. 30.5” is a decent draw length. How tall are you?

Was 6'3" now around 6'2" after a few hundred lawn dart parachute landings

 

[wildernessmaster]

BTW my arrows are 250 spines so not worried about them not being stiff enough.

 

[Brendan]

Yep measuring it correctly. Watched a couple of videos on it to make sure. So as i said with my comment about mathing not adding up...

If you measure the draw length from the deepest part to the nocking point on the string any arrow that size or less would be on the shelf to falling out of the back of the shelf. If you use 2 blade broadheads who come nearly back to the insert edge then your broadhead is in the shelf/rest area. Do you want them there?

As far as my grip my fingers curl but loosely, sometimes if I feel like I am tensioning with them I would place the tips on the riser to ensure I am not.

I use all types of broadheads. 2, 2 with bleeder, 3, and 4 blade fixed, plus mechanicals. I also will run iron will collars.

Arrow isn't falling off anything if you use a rest with containment - I use Hamskea on all my bows.

How short you can go with the arrow is determined by rest position, which is (should be) determined by Torque tuning.

Arrow length is a spine, speed, FOC tuning tool as well - for me, shorter is better and I go as short as I can without getting rest interference (after torque tuning).

 

[wildernessmaster]

Here is the original arrow length arrow on my mission and my vertix. Draw length is about 3/8" difference between the two. The Mission tends to pull me forward at full draw, but I think that is because the back wall is lighter.

Note how the arrow is about optimal on the Mission but is all up in the insert region on the vertix?

 

[Billy Goat]

Both of those are longer than I would shoot. Looks like your draw length is about an inch shorter with the mission than the vertix. To me with that rest positioned where it is optimal would be just forward of the Berger hole.

 

[ZDR]

Both of those are longer than I would shoot. Looks like your draw length is about an inch shorter with the mission than the vertix. To me with that rest positioned where it is optimal would be just forward of the Berger hole.

Same here - longer than I care for. I like mine ~1" past the rest. as Billy Goat stated, just in front of the berger hole would be perfect for me.

 

[Brendan]

I'm with everyone else, I personally always run shorter. Even if you need to weaken the arrow, I'd prefer to cut length, and add tip weight for better FOC.

My opinion on how you should think about it: Optimal isn't based on how it looks. Optimal is based on good dynamic spine, good torque tune, how the bow/arrow combination tunes, target arrow weight/speed/FOC, and then lastly where you want the broadhead.

 

[Billy Goat]

I'm with everyone else, I personally always run shorter. Even if you need to weaken the arrow, I'd prefer to cut length, and add tip weight for better FOC.

My opinion on how you should think about it: Optimal isn't based on how it looks. Optimal is based on good dynamic spine, good torque tune, how the bow/arrow combination tunes, target arrow weight/speed/FOC, and then lastly where you want the broadhead.

Second paragraph is spot on.

 

[5MilesBack]

I shoot a QAD as well and my arrows are cut just in front of it at full draw. So ya, BH's directly above the shelf.

 

[Reburn]

Im like a 31.625" draw. 31" mods on my mathews. arrow is at 29.5 carbon to carbon. 300 spine and I need every 1/8" cut off I can to stay with a 300 spine. Heck what do I know anyways ill probably cut my fingers off.


All I got to say about the draw lengths being different is find some charts figure it out what mods you have on the bows. Then measure from grip to end of carbon and set them the same on the bow you like the draw length on better. I can tell you my mathews and hoyt are within 1/16" from each other, its easy to do with a draw board and press.

 

[Billy Goat]

That's what I got. Started shooting those arrows 5 days ago, left them long incase I need stiffer spine.