Interesting comment on Draw Length Spec

[Rangeball]

It seems every time draw length is mentioned with Diamond, the common feeling is they are a little long on their stated draw lengths. My 28" module measures out at 28.75", about 3/4" long, which seems to be commonly reported by diamond sellors and users. I recently learned that diamond had changed their 65% module a bit, so I contacted them to see if they had addressed this issue, and found the following, which suprised me. They said they measure their DL from the center of the valley, where the bow should be shot, versus from the wall, where most dealers measure, with a +/- 1/4" AMO variance.

I always thought one of the selling points of a hard wall single cam was the consistent draw length you got from pulling into the wall.

Don't know if this is common in the industry or what, but curious if the new Bowtechs and others such as Merlin, which reportedly come in dead on spec, if this is from the wall or center of the valley?

Of course, if you're considering or shoot an Outback, you don't have to worry, as both measurements are the same


Still a purdy bow...

[Rack-attack]

Bowtech does the same thing!!

Where the heck is the "middle" of the valley

I would venture a guess about 1/2" from the wall

[Arthur P]

If they give you a valley to work with, I could see their point. However, most hard wall cams I've shot in the past few years had more like a ditch than a valley. It felt like I was either on the wall or on the power stroke with nothing in between!

[Rangeball]

I forgot to ask them if they get their IBO rating from the middle of the valley as well...

[ewolf]

You should shoot from the wall anyway. Always order a bow to your specs, therefore if you shot about 28 inches you can get a bow from 26-30. You can order special bows, you just have to be stern with the dealer.

[Danny45]

Measuring to the center of the valley WAS the common practice (can't speak about the newer bows) because that's where the largest amount of let-off is. That's why alot of bows came out with draw stops, even though they had a hard wall, so you could adjust it to stop in the middle of the valley. Once you cross the center of the valley in your draw, you are then increasing poundage again as you climb out of the valley.

[Matt / PA]

I just measured both of my 2004 BowTech singles for you guys and I can tell you that what you are describing (Measure to the valley) is NOT how BowTech measures draw length.......
First here's how I measured my draw length.
(It's easy since I shoot 30" draw models)

I took one of my CXL350's and made a mark on the shaft from the bottom edge of the nock groove down the shaft to a measurement of 28 1/4".
Next I took my brace height for each bow and made a mark on the arrow shelf cut-out/riser that exactly corresponds to the deepest part of the bow's grip.
For my Pro40 that put the mark almost exactly in between the two holes..........Liberty in the center of the nearest hole. (Don't assume brace lines up with these holes.)
don't eyeball it either, measure from the string to brace, and then use that measurement to mark your riser.

When you draw the bow you take that 28 1/4" measurement and ad 1 3/4" to it.........however far past the riser mark that the mark on the arrow travels is indicitive of the true draw length of the bow. Each bow was drawn with a release/string loop which provides equal pressure and a direct line behind the nock itself.

Here's what I got drawing hard into the stop peg/wall.And these are 100% honest findings.....if I got way over I would tell you.

2004 BowTech Pro40 Freedom Cam. Measured in at 29 15/16" (I had moved the draw stop peg just a tad to shorten my valley and let-off for 3D shooting by one line), so I moved the peg back into specs for 30"/80%let-off , remeasured and it was absolutely right dead on the 2 marks.....perfectly in line for a true 30" draw length.

2004 BowTech Liberty: Measured in at HAIR over 30 1/4" for an overstatement of a 1/4".......to be fair on this bow, it probably has about 800-1000 shots on it now with no string adjustment so I may be looking at a bit of string creep. If I remember correctly I measured it out at 30 1/8" out of the box.
This is at 30" and 80% let off specs.

I encourage EVERYONE to measure there bows........you might just be shocked at what you find.[:-]
Not as absolutely dead on accurate as a machine can do, but you can get pretty darn close, and it's a heck of a lot better than just saying "I know my bow is 30""

Any Mathews and Hoyt guys want to be guinea pigs and be HONEST about what you find?

[Rack-attack]

Matt - I read it straight from the Bowtech Manual - "Middle of the Valley"

I do agree with you, at least on the 04 Bowtechs that I have not found a draw that went over 1/4" from specs. They did much better this year than they have in past years.

[Matt / PA]

I am right there with you on the 2004's I bet I have measured 15 of them now and the furthest one was out was a Dually Patriot at 29.6" for a 29" draw. That was the only "Bad" one I saw.
Most have measured in at under 1/4" to right on.
I didn't understand that manual statement myself after measuring them myself, but I guess it gives them a bit of a "Cushion". Which explains why about 1/2 I measured fall in that 1/8-1/4" over range. Close enough to spec to be of very little consequence, but if you wanted to get "Manual" on someone to the center of the valley would probably give you that 1/4" or less back. Even so far as putting some UNDER specs.
Almost as many have measured on spec.

Try to "Feel" the center of the valley on the BowTech singles........not easy, and it's NOT far into the let down. Almost imperceptible to distance.
That's where machines have us beat hands down.

In any event..........I measure to the wall because that's where I shoot the stinkin things, and they have been measuring very good from that point.

[ijimmy]

I'll tell you this Ive got 2 merlins , they both came dead on spec . 28" and 60 lbs . The last bowtech I owned was an 01 BK2 , It came 3/4 " long .