Draw length and weight

[DC]

I was out playing with my new sinewed bow. It felt like I was full drawing it. The anchor point seemed right but there seemed to be a lot of arrow past the bow. I clipped a clothes pin on the arrow and drew it. 24.5". So I got one of my old trusties and did the same thing. Felt the same but my draw length was 26.5". I put both bows on the tree and measured the draw weight of each bow. One at 24.5 and the other at 26.5. Both were exactly 40#. Anyone else notice that their body shuts off at a given weight? I would've bet that I was pulling both bows the same.

[Del the cat]

Interesting...
I tend to anchor fairly consistently but I find my left arm will stay flexed a bit more as I get tired/lazy and I can loose an inch of draw.
Del

[loon]

low vs high wrist? leaning head? deeper/shallower handle?

[DC]

I think my bow arm is flexing(shortening) when it hits that 40# mark so my anchor stays roughly the same. It was first thing in the morning so I wasn't limbered up yet. A couple of years ago I made my bows 40@28. I gradually started increasing the weight thinking I was getting stronger. I'm thinking now maybe I wasn't getting stronger, I was just bending my bow arm a bit.

[PEARL DRUMS]

My mind has a shut-off, Don. But its a matters of bowyers panic that I have battled for a few years, not the actual weight I'm capable of drawing. Not all, but a lot of bows that break seem to break at 2/3 draw, which for most of my personal bows is around 35-40#. My mind tells my fingers to let go when I hit that range so the bow doesn't break. I have to bare down and focus to get fully drawn. The best thing I can do to help my situation is to grab my 59 Grizzly and shoot it for a week or two. It is a way to re-set my shooting mind and forget that bows can break.

[DC]

This is similar I think. When I started my tree just had a single block(pulley) and I could not bring myself to pull past 40# unless I really concentrated. I was sure it would break. Double block system cured that.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Very similar. I do the same on my tree, even now. It only takes a handful of breaks and our subconscious rules.

[DC]

I've been lucky, only one real break in my hands. Popped a bunch of splinters but they don't really count. Most break on the tree.

[bradsmith2010]

yes,, I will draw about the same weight,, just like you are doing,,
 

[Strelets]

Yes, I have several English longbows of different nominal weights. I think that I am drawing them the same length, but when I measure carefully I find that I am getting exactly 70 lb out of all of them, providing that the draw length does not exceed 27".  Beyond 27" then the actual weight that I can draw decreases.

[DC]

OK. Assuming that my body has a shut-off at 40# would I be better off (speed wise) tillering my bows a little lighter so that I get maximum draw length out of that 40#? Does draw length trump draw weight in this case? I know that if I just knuckle down and pull I'll get the best of both but Like Del said, toward the end of the day you kind of slack off.

[bradsmith2010]

i think in general , it would be better to have the 40 at a longer draw,,but there are always exceptions,, but with hunting arrows yes,,
I know some of the flight bows are shorter draw,,
its gonna depend on the bow wood,, if the 24 inch has no set and the longer draw has set, it may be a wash,, I know it sounds vague, but it is a tricky question,,
 in theory,,,,,the longer power stroke will give you more speed,, if the bow is not taking any set,,but like I was telling stickbender the other day,, sometimes the bow dont know the theory,,

[DC]

Yeah. I would imagine that the draw length on flight bows is governed by the rules so whether that applies, I dunno but yeah the set thing rears its ugly head. I'll have to watch that.
Thanks