Best way to measure draw length
06-29-2008, 03:04 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 6
Best way to measure draw length
hey guys, i want to know the most accurate way to measure draw length. i have never been measured. i have been shooting an old pse given to me by a friend and i don't even know the dl on it. but now i am looking for a new bow and i need to know so i can buy one
06-29-2008, 03:44 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 7,367
RE: Best way to measure draw length
Form a T with your arms and body back up against a wall. Measure from finger tip to finger tip and divide by 2.5. Whilethe resultsmay not be wrote in stone, it will give you a good place to start and it could be right on the money.
Dan
Dan
06-29-2008, 06:34 PM
#3
RE: Best way to measure draw length
I've done the "T"with my arms and the math said I had a 30" draw. But yet when properly measured at the bow shop (long bow with a pre-measured dowel rod in 1/2" increments permanently attached to the string), the bowshop accurately measured me at a 29" draw. So, I'm a 29" draw...
Bama44, find a bowshop or reputable sporting goods store with an archery section, and get measured. They'll probably have the longbow with the dowel rod sitting around there to measure you.
Bama44, find a bowshop or reputable sporting goods store with an archery section, and get measured. They'll probably have the longbow with the dowel rod sitting around there to measure you.
06-29-2008, 06:56 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: Best way to measure draw length
ORIGINAL: MeanV2
Form a T with your arms and body back up against a wall. Measure from finger tip to finger tip and divide by 2.5. While the results may not be wrote in stone, it will give you a good place to start and it could be right on the money.
Dan
Form a T with your arms and body back up against a wall. Measure from finger tip to finger tip and divide by 2.5. While the results may not be wrote in stone, it will give you a good place to start and it could be right on the money.
Dan
Thats a great way to get close. And going in blind thats what I recommend.
The bow method that ButchA refers to works... if you have decent form and keep your head up straight.
What Dan writes illudes to the real truth... and that is that bows are just like shoes.... a size 11.5 Nike might be the same as a size 11 New Balance (infact it is because thats what I wear... Nikes always run small). There is really no set in stone standard as to what constitutes 11 vs 12 etc... just roundabout guidelines.
And so it is with bows.... Bear... for example... notoriously short, especially when you get out to the longer draws 29"+... in my opinion its a poor design because they give 30" and 31" draw shooters nothing but problems. High Country.... runs a little long... I have a Mathews LX as my backup bow set at 29" and its a hair short... my High Country Iron Mace is set at 29", but measured AMO/ATA it is really 29.5" (which is my draw length as its measured).
Don't worry about hitting it right on the head... all I ever use it for is a starting off point...I adjust it til its just right for the individual.... any tech worth their Allen wrench set will do the same.
06-30-2008, 05:17 AM
#5
Dominant Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ramsey , Indiana
Posts: 22,545
RE: Best way to measure draw length
I had a pro shop measure my draw once, they took three attempts and got a different measurement each time. The difference was only about 1/2" each way, so I took the one in the middle, and I shoot just fine.
06-30-2008, 08:12 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Balt, MD (orig: J-town,PA) The bowels of Hell!!!
Posts: 2,188
RE: Best way to measure draw length
ORIGINAL: SwampCollie
Thats a great way to get close. And going in blind thats what I recommend.
The bow method that ButchA refers to works... if you have decent form and keep your head up straight.
What Dan writes illudes to the real truth... and that is that bows are just like shoes.... a size 11.5 Nike might be the same as a size 11 New Balance (infact it is because thats what I wear... Nikes always run small). There is really no set in stone standard as to what constitutes 11 vs 12 etc... just roundabout guidelines.
And so it is with bows.... Bear... for example... notoriously short, especially when you get out to the longer draws 29"+... in my opinion its a poor design because they give 30" and 31" draw shooters nothing but problems. High Country.... runs a little long... I have a Mathews LX as my backup bow set at 29" and its a hair short... my High Country Iron Mace is set at 29", but measured AMO/ATA it is really 29.5" (which is my draw length as its measured).
Don't worry about hitting it right on the head... all I ever use it for is a starting off point...I adjust it til its just right for the individual.... any tech worth their Allen wrench set will do the same.
ORIGINAL: MeanV2
Form a T with your arms and body back up against a wall. Measure from finger tip to finger tip and divide by 2.5. While the results may not be wrote in stone, it will give you a good place to start and it could be right on the money.
Dan
Form a T with your arms and body back up against a wall. Measure from finger tip to finger tip and divide by 2.5. While the results may not be wrote in stone, it will give you a good place to start and it could be right on the money.
Dan
Thats a great way to get close. And going in blind thats what I recommend.
The bow method that ButchA refers to works... if you have decent form and keep your head up straight.
What Dan writes illudes to the real truth... and that is that bows are just like shoes.... a size 11.5 Nike might be the same as a size 11 New Balance (infact it is because thats what I wear... Nikes always run small). There is really no set in stone standard as to what constitutes 11 vs 12 etc... just roundabout guidelines.
And so it is with bows.... Bear... for example... notoriously short, especially when you get out to the longer draws 29"+... in my opinion its a poor design because they give 30" and 31" draw shooters nothing but problems. High Country.... runs a little long... I have a Mathews LX as my backup bow set at 29" and its a hair short... my High Country Iron Mace is set at 29", but measured AMO/ATA it is really 29.5" (which is my draw length as its measured).
Don't worry about hitting it right on the head... all I ever use it for is a starting off point...I adjust it til its just right for the individual.... any tech worth their Allen wrench set will do the same.
Using a long bow with a dowel rod will only ball park you as good as the "T" method. There are too many variables and unless you use your release it will not be the same as shooting fingers.
The bow has a lot to do with it. The size of the grip will shorten or lengthen your DL. Bowtechs typically have no grip between you and the riser while Mathews has a thick grip that shortens the DL by 1/4" or more.
Then you get into form and such which can/will change the DL by an inch. Hand placement, elbow bend,shoulder out or tucked, headforward, backward or where it belongs all affect DL. You get the idea.
This is where a good tech comes in. He will measure you, (Or have enough experience to tell by looking at you.) then start having you shoot bows and adjust as needed. If you are new to the sport find a good shop. Even if you are not having a good shop really helps.
06-30-2008, 08:34 AM
#7
Spike
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location:
Posts: 60
RE: Best way to measure draw length
The advice above sounds really great! Just to throw my 2 cents in find a decent Pro Shop or someone that has some idea of what they are talking about because I've been to a lot of shops that are there just to sell you a bow. They don't know any thing about selecting the right equipment. I now am very picky of what archery shop I go to.
I hope this helps
Jeff
I hope this helps
Jeff
06-30-2008, 08:00 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
RE: Best way to measure draw length
ORIGINAL: davepjr71
Then you get into form and such which can/will change the DL by an inch. Hand placement, elbow bend, shoulder out or tucked, head forward, backward or where it belongs all affect DL. You get the idea.
Then you get into form and such which can/will change the DL by an inch. Hand placement, elbow bend, shoulder out or tucked, head forward, backward or where it belongs all affect DL. You get the idea.
06-30-2008, 09:32 PM
#9
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
RE: Best way to measure draw length
You may as well throw all of those measuring methods out the window.
No two bows are set up to have the same draw length. Many of them fib at least alittle to get their published speeds to look good on paper. Mathews is usually about a 1/2 inch longer thantproper ATA DL. Bowtech is generally pretty close to proper ATA draw length. PSE is another that fibs on their draw lengths. No two bows will measure to have the same draw length.
If you are a true 29" DL you would likely fit perfectly into a Mathews with a 28.5 inch cam. Same for PSE.
Measure your draw length on the bow that you intend to purchase.
Most of the time I can look at someone and guess within a half inch of what they fit into.
Sometimes I run into someone that is just built funny and I am a little more off.
No two bows are set up to have the same draw length. Many of them fib at least alittle to get their published speeds to look good on paper. Mathews is usually about a 1/2 inch longer thantproper ATA DL. Bowtech is generally pretty close to proper ATA draw length. PSE is another that fibs on their draw lengths. No two bows will measure to have the same draw length.
If you are a true 29" DL you would likely fit perfectly into a Mathews with a 28.5 inch cam. Same for PSE.
Measure your draw length on the bow that you intend to purchase.
Most of the time I can look at someone and guess within a half inch of what they fit into.
Sometimes I run into someone that is just built funny and I am a little more off.
