The affects of brace height on performance??

[Matt / PA]

I just replaced the old string my Pearson Hunter with a new one and the new string is .5" longer which lowered the brace height from 8 3/8" down to 7 7/8".

I have read where each bow will have a sort of "sweet spot" where they shoot smoother and quieter with respect to brace height.........however let's assume I can't feel any difference in shot feel by changing brace height:
Is there a performance advantage to a higher or lower brace height? With the higher brace height the limbs are more pre-loaded, does this effect speed?
I realize that the higher brace height should still provide added forgiveness like my compounds but like the compound are you giving anything up with a shorter power stroke?

Or should I just throw the compound rule book straight out the window and just have fun?

[Wingbone]

The longer your arrow stays on the string, the better cast you'll get. That string is accellerating right to the end. As long as you're not having flight problems and the bow is reasonably quiet, you're going to have better ballistics with a lower brace height.

[Arthur P]

IMO, it mostly depends on the individual bow. Yes, as Wingbone says, you'll have a bit longer power stroke but the flip side to the coin isyou're not loading the limbs as much. They aren't under as much preload at brace height and are not loaded as much at full draw. You might have evenreduced your draw weight by maybe a pound. So the question would be then:Has the extra half inch of power stroke compensated for the weight reduction? You'd have to have a pretty spiffy chronograph to see much difference with only a half inch change.

As long as thebow is quiet and you've gotgood arrow flight...

[LBR]

Yep--what Art said. Not only would you have to use a good chrony, but you will also need a very consistent anchor point and release. Probably very few people that can shoot the difference.

Chad

[Matt / PA]

I'll tell ya one thing I just learned.......that twisting the string up on this bow to raise brace height made it noisier than heck. I guess I can tell the difference![:-]
I mean only about a 1/8" change and it's night and day for noise level.
I took it from 7 7/8" to a touch over 8" and it sounded like crap.
Took the twists out to the minimal I started with and quiet as a mouse. Amazing.
I researched my particular Pearson Hunter 709 (Green glass) and found it was only made in that style one year....1966. Next year she'll be 40!
Anyway I also learned suggested brace is 7 1/2" to 8" so that might explain the noise issue.
I'll just leave the string as is and maybe she'll quiet down even more as the string settles and brace lowers a bit more.
Good stuff........oh and it shoots much better at the lower brace too.