Ok tell me like I'm a 6 year old...

[Trushot_archer]

How exactly does brace heigth relate to forgiveness??? Less time on the string? All the common sense brain cells I usually use escape me on this one???

Trushot }}------>

[DoninVa]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Less time on the string gives you less time to torque-jerk or pick your nose and I have done all the above with great percision<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Don

[TECbownut]

take a 30&quot; draw bow for example, with a 6&quot; brace height there is a 24&quot; power stroke (the arrow is on the string for 24&quot but with a 7 1/2&quot; brace height the arrow is only on the string for 22 1/2&quot;. that is why a shorter brace bow has more speed because it has a greater power stroke but is more critical to shoot because the arrow is on the string longer giving the archer more time to screw things up like we do.....

[AK]

I don't think it has anything to do with the &quot;time&quot; or &quot;length&quot; the arrow spends on the string. If that were true, guys with 30&quot; draws would be in deep poo-poo. ;^)

Rather, a short brace can cause increased torque because of (1) the alterations you make to grip the bow to keep your wrist from getting whacked by the low-braced string. Also, (2) the closer the string drives the arrow towards the rest, the more critical arrow spine, bow tuning, and a perfect release become due to arrow having very little distance over which to make its paradox to clear or pass through the rest properly after leaving the string. Finally, (3) a shorter brace is often associated with other characteristics of very short speed bows...the sum of all the radical design aspects contributing as a whole to more finicky shooting.

This might not seem pertinant to most of you compound guys on the surface, but it may be of interest anyway. Shooting selfbows with the arrow pass located 1/2&quot; or more away from the centerline of the bow, I've found I can shoot brace heights as low as 5-1/4&quot; to 5-1/2&quot; without running into arrow flight problems or suffering a loss of accuracy. When braced much above 6&quot;, the bow wood tends to suffer increased set and makes for a more sluggish bow. Many claim that selfbows braced much above 6&quot; will suffer shorter lifespans as well. For those reasons I prefer to brace my bows between 5-1/2&quot; to 6&quot;, and do quite well with it, all things considered. Based on the high degree of arrow pass offset and very low brace heights used by selfbow shooters (while achieving very good arrow flight and accuracy), I would be surprised to learn that variations in brace height alone have a terribly great impact on the accuracy of even more highly braced, centershot compounds.

But Oh Dear Lord, these mind numbing concerns are part of why I reverted to shooting simple sticks in the first place. ;^)

[dick cress]

I believe that it is the torque created by the angle at the nocked arrow. The less the angle the less the torque that is applied to the arrow.

Dick

[Greg / MO]

double entry. danged computer.

Edited by - MQ1shooter on 12/13/2002 00:02:40

[Greg / MO]

While AK seems to be extremely knowledgeable, and with first-hand experience to boot in the use of his sticks, everything I've ever read (many, many articles) would verify what TECbownut said.

The longer the arrow is &quot;on the string,&quot; the more time -- however minute -- the archer has to flinch, jerk or do anything but execute the perfect follow through. Anything in that category will cause the bow to move before the arrow is &quot;away&quot; and affect the flight.

'Course you can't argue too much with someone who can cut a sapling down and kill a bear with it! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Discipline -- not desire -- determines destiny.

[PABowhntr]

I think everyone pretty much has this covered but I thought I might throw in my two cents as well.

First off, a 30 inch draw archer definitely has more to worry about in terms of any given bow's level of forgiveness when compared with someone shooting a 28 inch draw. That extra 2 inches of powerstroke means there is more distance that the arrow is attached to the bowstring which means that there is a great chance of shooting errors affecting arrow flight and thus accuracy.

Second, a 30 inch bow with a 6 inch brace height doesn't have a 24 inch power stroke. 1 3/4 inches needs to be subtracted because of the AMO method of measuring draw length. So, a 30 inch draw length bow with a 6 inch brace height actually has a 22.25 inch power stroke. I made the same mistake a few years ago...

[comndr45]

Another thing to consider. Just like a longer A-A bow is more stable in resisting a canting-type torque(with the axis along the arm), a longer brace height puts the cam/idler and end of limbs(therefore more weight) further from the pivot point at the grip(moving the inertial center toward the shooter). To me this would resist the side to side torque(with the axis down the riser vertically) better than a short brace height with the cams closer horizontally to the grip. This is the same principle as the long target stabilizers on the front of the bow to give inertia and resist torque. Maybe I'm way off base, but it makes sense to me.

The most important bloodtrail leads right to the foot of the cross

[CG]

FWIW, In the last 15 years only 1 archer has had a 28&quot;+ draw length and won Vegas.

&quot;What we do in this life echos an eternity&quot;