Limb questions

stafkoi

Member
Hi all
I would like to know what difference it will make to me if I swop my 68" 38lb limbs for 70" 38lb limbs will it be an advantage or detrimental if its both in different ways could you please list them, the idea behind it is I was hoping it would feel easier to draw on the 70" and then I could screw them in slightly to get more poundage out of them,
Thanks
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
In theory, you should not feel any difference on most limbs... And performance should be about the same.
But, a couple of caveats:
1. If you're at the top end of the range for medium limbs, then going to long may take some strain (pinch) off your fingers. I found that in going from short to medium. That has the effect of making things feel a little easier.
2. Some limb designs have a "sweet spot" in the draw around the expected draw length. For a longer limb that will be further back. It's probable that you wouldn't move out of that, even if it's a feature of your limbs, unless the longer/shorter ones were really the wrong size.
3. If moving between models or brands of limbs the differences between the limbs may be more noticeable than any difference in length. Hell, differences between pairs of limbs of the same model can sometimes be bigger than the change of length. YMMV.
 

Timid Toad

Moderator
Staff member
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
What is your draw length? If you are only drawing 28" (by measuring to the throat of the grip+1.75") you will lose quite a lot of cast by going up to a long limb - your sightmarks will be poorer. This is because you'll not be getting into the best working area of the limb design. If your DL is 30" you might lose a little, but winding in the bolts will recover that but you'll benefit from better string angles and a more comfortable feel. You don't say why you need it to feel easier to draw, so it's hard to advise on what you are looking for.
 

stafkoi

Member
Hi
My draw length is 27.5, I was hoping to get more poundage for the same effort if that makes sense
Cheers
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
Stakfoi, imagine you have a 6 foot long piece of wood that is 1.5" wide and 1/8th thick all the way along. It would bend quite easily. yes? If you cut the wood across to make two short pieces 3 feet long, they would be harder to bend than the long piece. They would be equally hard to bend as each other. If you cut the long piece near the middle to give one piece 3feet 1 inch and the other 2feet 11 inches, the longer one would be easier to bend than the shorter one.Perhaps that is how you were thinking???
But when you change shorter limbs for longer ones, they are not just longer; they are made stronger so they are as stiff as the 38lbs you already have.
 

LionOfNarnia

Supporter
Supporter
With a less-than-standard draw length, I do not think that longer limbs will give you any real advantages.
Perhaps better to have your coach analyse your form and see what comes from that?
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
Yes, agreeing with TT... I think you're effectively trying to get more speed without increasing poundage. You can't achieve that just with a move to longer limbs; you can't count on the length increase making the feel better, it depends on how they are designed.
Moving to a different limb might gain something, but it depends on what you're currently shooting. Performance gains tend to cost money. But, hell, different limbs can feel different, and that may just work better for you.
The surest option is to increase your current limb poundage and work to get used to the difference. Minor gains in speed can be had by lowering bracing height (bearing in mind manufacturer ranges).
Factor in that any significant change in the setup may require new arrows, which can add to the cost of a change...
If you're set on a change, see if you can borrow some similar limbs to test.
 

olis

Supporter
Supporter
That would defy the laws of physics.
I think Stafkoi is trying to use the physics principle of the lever to get more for less.
And you can do this.
It's called a Compound.
If you don't want to go up in draw weight to shoot longer distances, then you either need lighter arrows or you will just have to put up with the trajectory. (It maybe that you are using a long, stiffly spined arrow rather than a shorter weaker spined one, sto a drop in weight could be possible with a different (shorter) arrow.)
I am often out-shot by people shooting lighter bows than me. They have the form and experience, and their arrows arc high towards the middle of the target.
 
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