Arrow length at riser

[Baby Huey]

What do you have for arrow length near the riser when at full draw? I need to cut my arrow shafts and was looking to cut them shorter than what is typical. I believe the rule of thumb was to be an inch in front of your riser for broadhead clearance. My old arrows I think had too much length in front of the riser. They were about 1.75\" in front of the riser:



I was thinking of cutting mine to be around the middle of the riser. I made sure that I had enough clearance for blades, and as long as I don\'t extend the fingers of my grip hand above the riser shelf, I shouldn\'t shear them off! What are your thoughts on this arrow length?

 

[elky McElkerson]

i was paranoid when i started. my DL is 28\" and my arrows are 28.5\" nock seat to end of carbon tip. now that i know better, i bet i could go shorter.

BUT, my arrows are gosh darn tuned to my bow. i\'m okay with the length with respect to arrow weight and affected spine. i just leave it there now. when i screw on a head removal broadhead for turkey, it is kinda nice to have it out there..i bought some full lengths for even added security with a decapitation turkey head. those are scary.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I don\'t like having anything sharp behind my fingers. I just imagine my drop away failing and slicing off my index finger on my left hand. I don\'t see any advantage to shorter arrows, I like them heavy.

 

[Tdiesel]

I have always gone 1\" in front of rest contact point. has always worked for me and the newer compounds you won\'t have any trouble as long as your fingers are down around the handle where they should be.I believe my arrows are 28\" or a touch shorter 27.8 and I shoot a 29\" draw.
arrows are 450 or so grains I find it a good mix of trajectory and weight.

 

[Baby Huey]

I also like my arrows heavy, but I see a slight advantage to a shorter arrow. Typically speed rules these days in selling bows, and I remember when overdraws were all the rage, they helped a shooter use a shorter arrow, thus reducing the weight of the arrow which increased the speed of the arrow.

I see a shorter arrow in a different aspect, where it helps the arrow recover from archer\'s paradox quicker. I believe a shorter arrow will help the arrow stabilize in flight faster and reduce lost momentum in the time it takes for the oscillations to dissipate. The video below shows archers paradox in a recurve bow where the fingers aid in making the string oscillate horizontally when the string is released. A compound and release aid will help reduce the side-to-side movement, but archers paradox is still part of a compound.

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I look at the arrow as a hollow column that has a force applied to it at the moment the string is released. The arrow at full draw is at rest. As the string is released the back of the arrow moves first, and since there is a non-uniform weight distribution (field point or broadhead at the front of the arrow), the arrow will bend as the force travelling through the arrow will need to \"push\" the weight at the front of the arrow. This will cause the arrow to bend and oscillate in flight.

As an extreme example let\'s imagine a yard stick and put one end on the floor, and then apply a force downward at the other end. The yardstick will bend. Now, let\'s say we cut that yardstick by 2/3rds so that we have a standard 12\" ruler. If we do the same experiment and put one end on the floor and apply the same force that we applied to the yard stick, the ruler will not bend as much.

Although it is only a small amount of gain in arrow strength by cutting it an inch or two shorter, it helps reduce the flexation and oscillation that the string imparts on the arrow upon release. This shorter length should help the arrow stabilize quicker and get into gyro and true flight quicker.

 

[Bowfreak]

I cut mine based on desired spine. I don\'t mind if they are shorter or long but prefer them to be at least to the berger button hole. That way it gives me leeway should I make minor draw length changes, bow changes or rest changes.

 

[Baby Huey]

Thanks for the input everyone. I have 36 shafts, and I will keep 12 uncut for now and cut 24 to the length in the photos - about midway in the riser. Approximately at the berger hole and about 1\" in front of the rest.

 

[elky McElkerson]

Does this jive with the spine charts for that particular manufacturer?

Bowfreak is right. For me. Getting the spine numbers right is the priority. Where it falls w respect to the Berger is secondary to me.


Sent via Jedi mind trick.