How to Read Draw Weight Number Markings

Compound Bow Specifications and Jargon

BASIC IDENTIFICATION:

If bow specifications seem like techno-gibberish to you, this section will assist. What does it all mean? What matters? What doesn't? Not to despair, we have this covered. By the finish of this chapter you'll be jawing modern archery jargon like an onetime pro. To get the basics, let'due south start off with the fun stuff - diagrams. The discussions on this page often reference the various parts and regions of the chemical compound bow. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the nomenclature from the diagrams below.

SELF-DIRECTED BOW BUYERS:

The mod compound bow heir-apparent tends to be a "spec-heir-apparent", pregnant that the bow's advertised specifications and features are what persuade the buyer well-nigh. This wasn't ever the instance. Chemical compound bow sales used to be driven past the "exam drive" model, where buyers would examination-shoot all the potential candidates and then cull one based on the try-out. When buyers accept a adventure to test shoot bows themselves, they tend to make their selections based on perception (e.g., a polish pull, a comfortable grip, a steady feel, an attractive look, etc.) rather than specifications; we're non suggesting that's necessarily a bad thing. Some archery stores all the same utilise this fourth dimension-honored method of bow salesmanship. Nevertheless, the retail market has changed, and the exam-drive method of bow shopping has become less mutual. Many of today's compound bow buyers are entirely self-directed, conducting their own enquiry (and their purchases) online. That changes the game. Without a bow in-hand to physically evaluate, modern buyers must rely on technical specifications, features, reviews, photos, videos and other media to guide them. Unfortunately, many new buyers have no thought what those specifications really mean. So it would be like trying to option-out a new television set without understanding the terms aspect ratio and display resolution - which would make the numbers meaningless.  So permit'southward begin by looking a typical set of advertised bow specs, and get through what those numbers really hateful. Get comfy. This will take a few minutes. Here is an advertising blurb from the 2022 Bowtech Reign 6 which lists the bow'south specification highlights.

Depict LENGTH RANGE:

WHAT IS It? What is a draw length? Compound bows are a trivial different from traditional recurves and longbows. Unlike traditional bows which can be drawn back practically any distance, compound bows are engineered to be drawn back simply then far - and and then stop. This distance is known equally the bow's "draw length", and it'southward controlled past the mechanical systems on the bow. The trick is, the mechanical setting of the bow and the physical size of the shooter need to match. If your physical size requires a bow with a draw length setting of, say, 29 inches, so information technology can be said that "your draw length" is 29 inches. So both YOU and the BOW have a draw lengths that must match up, sort of similar matching a size 10 foot to a size x shoe. Determining describe length fitment begins with measuring the person (more on that in a moment) and and so finding a bow which tin adjust to fit that person. Unfortunately, every compound bow has a limited range of mechanical adjustment, usually just a few inches. So we accept to get this i right. It's absolutely disquisitional the bow you select have enough mechanical aligning to fit your body. Equally yous might await, bow companies endeavour to engineer bows to fit their intended target audiences. For example, a typical draw length range to adjust  well-nigh adult men is virtually 25 to 30 inches. So, not surprisingly, many men'south bows are engineered to adjust within that range, give or take. The sample bow in the photo above adjusts from 24 to 30 inches of draw length, but it WOULD Non fit shooters who require a 31 inch draw length, or a 23 inch draw length. We must consider those draw length ranges equally hard limits. They cannot be safely modified outside of the specified range. If a item bow cannot suit to fit your body's draw length requirement, that'south a deal breaker. Choose a different bow.

HOW DO I DETERMINE MY Draw LENGTH? Tough question. Ask ten different archery experts for advice about your draw length, and you're likely to get ten different answers. There are a number of methods and devices commonly used to make up one's mind a "proper" draw length - few of which concur. The truth is, your "proper" draw length is the depict length at which you are the nigh comfortable and the about accurate. No matter what a chart or device (or skillful) says, if you shoot best at a given draw length, THAT'South your perfect draw length. With that said, the result isn't really so enigmatic (archery "experts" just tend to enjoy making things more complicated than they demand to be). Here's a practiced way to observe a reasonable starting betoken ...

ARMSPAN METHOD WORKS! Nosotros've utilized this method for fifteen years ... the trusty Armspan/2.five method. To measure out your depict length requirement, determine the length of your arm-span in inches. Stand with your artillery out and palms facing forward. Don't stretch when measuring. Simply stand naturally. Have someone else help you, and measure from the tip of i centre finger to the other. And then simply divide that number by 2.five. The caliber is your approximate draw length (in inches) for your body size. If yous are a person of average proportions, your arm-span will be roughly equal to your height (in inches). So there is often a direct correlation betwixt a person's height and their draw length, so you may use the scale below if you wish. But if you are particularly lanky, stocky, etc., the arm-span/2.5 method will yet yield the most reliable estimate.

RELATED JARGON` Discussions virtually draw lengths often include other technical terms (cams, modules, draw-stops, valley, etc.). We will embrace more than of that later on in our affiliate on cams. Merely just to be clear, the draw length of the bow is Not adjusted by altering the length of the bow's strings or cables. Draw length adjustments are fabricated on the bow'due south cam(s) - either by changing the cams entirely (draw length specific/not common today) or by making an adjustment to a small metal insert in the cam called a module . The length of string which is "let-out" during the bow's drawstroke, which determines the draw length of the bow, is controlled by one specific groove/area of the cam. So rather than machine entirely different cams for each draw length, manufacturers only make dissimilar bolt-on inserts for that one small expanse of the cam (the module). So rather than modify a whole cam to conform a draw length - you lot but change a little module in the cam. Brilliant! These modules are comparatively  cheap and piece of cake to machine, so a "modular" style cam is much more convenient to adapt for describe length (irresolute whole cams is a pain). Many manufacturers fifty-fifty become another pace by making "sliding modules" instead of separate inserts. The sliding module is even more convenient, allowing describe length adjustments without the need for additional parts. Information technology'south not important that you sympathize the ins and outs of module applied science, only just know that when you lot hear a discussion nigh modules, information technology's ordinarily in reference to draw length adjustments on the bow.

DRAW WEIGHT RANGES:

WHAT IS A DRAW WEIGHT?The depict weight of a compound bow is the amount of pulling strength required to describe the string back - simple enough. But proceed in heed, the draw weight of a compound bow is neither static or linear. That is to say, it isn't like pulling on a rope with expressionless weight at the stop - and the draw weight doesn't get progressively harder the farther y'all draw the bow back (like a longbow). The draw weight of a chemical compound bow is managed by the geometry of the cam system, so the required try rises and and then falls during the draw cycle. That's sort of what makes a compound bow "compound." The draw bicycle is mechanically manipulated to maximize energy storage and give us some ergonomic advantages that traditional equipment cannot. As a general dominion though, less endeavour is required at the commencement and at the end of the compound bow drawstroke, and somewhere in the centre of the powerstroke is the "acme weight" - "the hump" - the indicate where your maximum endeavor is required. This is where a compound bow'due south draw weight is measured - at the heaviest point of the cycle.

DRAW WEIGHT RANGES. A bow's actual draw weight range is a function of many things (limb thickness, limb length, limb shape, limb preload, cam design, limb pocket blueprint, hardware choices, etc.). Simply from a consumer standpoint, choosing a draw weight range is actually only choosing one of the bow's limb options. The bow companies practise all the engineering to make this a neat A, B, or C choice. All you lot have to do is selection one. Generally a bow'due south limbs come in 10 lb. increments. Some bows have more choices than others, but for a typical bow - you'll exist asked to choose betwixt forty-50#, 50-lx#, or 60-lxx# limbs when ordering the bow. If you choose 50-60# limbs, for example, the bow tin be adjusted for any depict weight within that 10# range (51#, 54#, 58#, etc.). However, it cannot be adjusted to say, 65#, or whatever other value outside of the 10# range. If y'all decide later that y'all want a draw weight that'due south higher or lower than the range you originally chose - your bow volition demand to have new limbs installed.

THIS CAN GET Confusing!Information technology'south pretty easy to empathize that a 50-60# bow adjusts from 50-sixty lbs., but some manufacturers won't always say "50-60#", they'll simply say "60#", which confuses consumers. Take a look at the Bowtech Reign six ad above. The draw weight ranges listed are "50, 60, 70". Some buyers will assume this ways they tin only get 50, 60 or seventy pounds of draw weight, which isn't true. Nevertheless, list a 50-60# bow as just a "60#" bow seems to imply the limbs are essentially non-adjustable (which isn't truthful). We presume manufacturers do this because they recollect it's obvious or because they're merely trying to keep their ads neat and tidy, but we get this question all the fourth dimension in our pro-shop. If a bow is listed every bit a "lxx#" bow, information technology's safe to presume it at least has ten pounds of adjustment (60-70#). Which brings us to another quirk. Some manufacturers will listing their draw weight ranges as ane sweeping range, like forty-70#, pregnant 40-50#, 50-lx# and a 60-70# options are bachelor. They don't really specify the three dissimilar configurations separately, and this creates defoliation, you're going to honey this, because some bows really do have large sweeping ranges on a single limb option. For example, the 2022 PSE Stinger X has a 70# limb which actually adjusts from 45-70#. But that doesn't mean PSE bows automatically have 25# adjustment ranges. The 2022 PSE Decree HD has a seventy# limb which actually adjusts from 55-seventy#. Did we mention this tin go confusing? Pay close attention when selecting draw weight ranges on your new bow. Most manufacturers make it clear, a few practise not.

HOW MUCH DRAW WEIGHT Practice I Need? We cover this result in more detail in our Compound Bow Fitment Guide, only for quick reference, here are some general guidelines for choosing an advisable draw weight based on body type. Of course, each individual is different. Yous should employ your common sense hither and translate this chart with due respect to your own historic period and general physical condition.

65-75#: Big Frame Men (180+ lbs.)
55-65#: Med. Frame Men (150-180 lbs.)
45-55#: Large Frame Women (160+ lbs.)
45-55#: Minor Frame Men (120-150 lbs.)
40-fifty#: Athletic Older Boys (130-150 lbs.)
30-forty#: Med. Frame Women (130-160 lbs.)
25-35#: Small Frame Women (100-130 lbs.)
25-35#: Larger Child (100-130 lbs.)
fifteen-25#: Small Kid (lxx-100 lbs.)

SPEED! GLORIOUS SPEED!

IBO SPEEDS ARE King! In the archery industry - speed sells. And today, the proverbial line in the sand is most 320 fps (anxiety per 2d).  Bows that shoot less than 320 fps are considered a little slow - bows that shoot over 320 fps are considered fast. Of course, that's fundamentally ridiculous ... 310 fps is 211 mph, 330 fps is 225 mph. If one exotic supercar could go 211 mph and another 225 mph, you wouldn't telephone call either tedious. Nonetheless, that's the market perception with compound bows. Additionally, there are upper and lower limits - so to speak. A bow that shoots less than 300 fps is considered unacceptably slow, and a bow that shoots 340 fps or above is considered a screamer (speed bow). Whether information technology's actually a big bargain in the field or non, speed is a monumentally big deal at the sales counter. Fast bows rule - slow bows drool.

HOW DO You GO FAST? If you're just getting into the sport, and you're not sure what these horsepower numbers hateful, or even what makes a item bow fast or slow - let'south first at the top. On the near basic level, there are three main components that yield faster arrow speeds: more draw weight, more describe length, and lighter arrow mass. Conversely, lower draw weights, shorter draw lengths, and heavier arrows yield slower pointer speeds. On the front, it'south all about energy storage and how much of your muscle free energy you lot tin transfer into the bow. The higher the draw weight (force) - the more power the bow stores and the faster the arrow will shoot. The longer the draw cycle (distance) the more power the bow stores and the faster the arrow will shoot. Yep - just like the one-time loftier-school physics equation, piece of work=force x distance. Now, when yous release that stored energy by shooting the bow, most of that free energy gets transferred into the arrow and the pointer rockets downrange. Crawly! Putting aside the upshot of efficiency for now, all you lot need to know is that lighter arrows provide less resistance - heavier arrows more. So lighter arrows go fast, heavier arrows become wearisome. Easy enough, just all iii of these cardinal components (depict weight, draw length, pointer mass) are critical measurements which profoundly affect final pointer velocities.

THE Heaven'S THE LIMIT, Correct? For the purposes of testing and coming up with advertised speed-ratings, a slick manufacturer could establish their bow's advertised speed using an unrealistic 120# draw weight, a super-long 34" draw length, and utilise a flyweight 250 grain arrow. Surely that combination would yield a blazing fast exam speed which would assist to sell more bows, correct? Well, not so fast. The willy-nilly nature of the compound bow business organisation not withstanding, we do have some rules and regulations. To keep the speed ratings fair (and useful for consumers), the manufacture uses an "Apples-to-Apples" method of comparing, where each bow manufacturer must charge per unit their bows at the same draw weight, draw length, and arrow mass. Measuring and declaring those advertised IBO Speed numbers is serious business. Bow buyers really split hairs over IBO Speeds - and the industry knows it. Manufacturers need their bows to be rated fast, because nobody wants to buy a new dull bow.

WHAT IS AN IBO SPEED Anyway? Manufacturers generally charge per unit their bows using the established IBO (International Bowhunting Organization) Standard. To get an accurate IBO Speed rating, manufacturers must examination their bows under the same preset weather condition: setting the bows for exactly lxx# Elevation Describe Weight, exactly thirty" Draw Length, and they must shoot a exam arrow that weighs precisely 350 grains. This levels the playing field on basic settings, then the differences in IBO scores reflect other design attributes (brace height, cam aggression, bow efficiency, etc.). Simply as we said, speed sells, then that petty number in the brochure has a straight touch on on the bow company's cash register (... and lead united states not into temptation). You lot won't similar this, simply near manufacturers charge per unit their ain bows. In that location is no testing authority or industry watchdog. As a result, the IBO Speed testing process is subject to some creativity. Bow manufacturers usually requite themselves a few added advantages past testing the bows with a blank arrow shaft (no fletchings), a naked cord (no nocking point, peep sight, or silencers), the lowest possible let-off setting, and with a drib-away style rest. This helps to maximize storage and eliminate friction so it's possible to clasp out a few extra fps, just it doesn't necessarily reflect realistic shooting conditions. Manufacturers can also squeeze-out a few more fps past shooting the bows from the hard-wall (forcibly cartoon the bow back a piddling too far) rather than from the soft valley (more on wall and valley concepts later). And finally, the manufacturer'due south IBO speed is likely to reverberate their "best" exam, rather than their average test.

ONLY ENGINEERS Tin can Measure out! With little more than the honor system to oversee and enforce the rating process, well-nigh bows cease upwards with advertised IBO speeds that are optimistically high, and nearly impossible to duplicate. Afterward all, nearly consumers don't have the benefit of a chronograph, and few people actually shoot 70# DW, 30" DL, and exactly a 350 gr arrow. And fifty-fifty if they did, at that place will e'er be some percentage of variance among scales and chronographs to help dismiss any claims of discrepancies. If y'all complain that your bow isn't shooting its advertised IBO Speed, you're guaranteed to be questioned most the accurateness of your measurements and testing equipment. Realistically, there's no way to concur manufacturers stictly accountable for their exact IBO speed numbers. In our experience, they're all guilty of a little IBO Speed padding. But to exist off-white, most are careful not to get too carried away. A fiddling padding and outright fabricating are unlike things.

Merely A LITTLE SWEETER` As such, we recommend you consider the manufacturers' ratings equally loftier-estimates. In about cases, the IBO speed is all the same a reliable method of "Apples-to-Apples" comparison among different bow models. Nosotros just have to accept that manufacturers oftentimes doctor-up their apples to be a little sweeter than they actually are. It's only function of the game. So don't assume something is wrong with your new bow just because it doesn't shoot as fast as its posted IBO Speed. Very few bows do. To be fair, we aren't suggesting that all bows are overrated for speed. In the past few years, some manufacturers have actually made an effort to put integrity back into their IBO Speed ratings. We've even tested a few bows whichbeat their published IBO Speeds recently. What is the world coming to?

DON'T GET Also STRUNG-OUT ON SPEED! While we understand how speed is a big selling point for chemical compound bows, and a major performance characteristic that claim concern, we strongly suggest you non go too caught-upward splitting hairs over IBO Speeds. Compared to the bows of just xx years ago, any modern compound bow is blazing fast. In the field, there is no appreciable difference between a 320 fps bow and a 330 fps bow. So keep the speed ratings in reasonable perspective and treat them as estimates - not absolutes. And remember, this is supposed to be for fun. Yous're non trying to launch a communications satellite into synchronous orbit, y'all just want to get an arrow flying hot and flat to the bulls-centre. To that end, a few points of IBO Speed won't make any difference one way or the other.

BRACE HEIGHT:

THE Bones MEASUREMENT` A bow'due south brace meridian is simply the distance from the cord (at rest) to the pivot signal of the bow'due south grip (the deepest office of the grip). Y'all can think of brace acme as basically where the cord starts off. The flim-flam is, when the string starts off closer to the riser (grip), you have to pull the string father to become the bow drawn back. So if a bow has a shorter brace height, information technology has a longer powerstroke/drawstroke and pulling a longer powerstroke means more speed and power. If a bow has a taller (longer) caryatid summit, and so the bow has a shorter powerstroke/drawstroke and the bow builds a little less speed and power. Like shooting fish in a barrel enough, right? All you have to recall for now is shorter caryatid heights yield faster speeds. Taller brace heights yield slower speeds. NOTE: For reasons we cannot explain, caryatid heights are described as short and tall rather than short and long. Information technology's kind of improper to say "a longer brace top." It'southward "taller." Although you would never say "a taller depict length", -non that it really matters ... but simply so you know if the question comes up on Jeopardy.

WE ALL WANT FORGIVENESS! Every bit with many things in archery, there's a trade-off to consider here. Short brace height bows are generally considered to be less forgiving and it is unremarkably believed short brace height bows crave more skill to shoot. Taller brace heights are the opposite. Taller brace peak bows are often characterized as existence more forgiving and like shooting fish in a barrel to shoot. It'southward a theoretically valid concept. The longer the string is in contact with the pointer, the more opportunity there is for a form glitch or bobble to interpret into the arrow flight. So a short brace height bow should crave a highly skilled shooter, while a alpine brace pinnacle bow can have a novice at the helm. Sounds logical, right? We subscribed to this philosophy for years, that is, until we realized the issue was being dramatically overblown and misrepresented.

STRING STOPS Make US RETHINK Brace HEIGHTS! The industry-broad adoption of the string end inverse everything. The string stop physically arrests the forward motion of the string at brace (center). So when you fire the bow, the cord cannot carry forward beyond it'southward starting point and smack into the shooter's wrist or forearm. Give thanks God! Anyone who has been popped by a bow cord knows how excruciating string slap tin be. The string cease saved us from all that. Today, nigh every bow on the market place has an integrated string stop, and it has inverse our perception of short/alpine brace meridian bug. Before the cord end, the average shooter tended to become "popped" past the string of a brusque caryatid height bow. But experienced shooters could manage to manipulate their grip and stance enough to avoid the incoming string. To add insult to injury, we even criticized new shooters for having "bad class" if their string was popping their wrist or forearm. Dorsum in those days, the line in the sand was about 7 inches - meaning that the average shooter could shoot a seven inch brace top bow without getting popped, but the 6 inch brace height bow ate average shooters alive. And then a prejudice developed in the industry regarding bow brace elevation. Short brace top "speed bows" were only for skilled shooters and adrenaline freaks - and alpine brace pinnacle "forgiving" bows were for responsible bowhunters and everyone else.

MISDIRECTION!  Bow manufacturers naturally co-opted the prejudice and marketed their bows appropriately, making great technical hay about the enigmatic issue of "forgiveness." Manufacturers tended to showcase their innovations on a 7 inch flagship bow, and so make a 6 inch "chronograph bow" merely for showing off. It was a strange fourth dimension. Brace acme was a big deal.  And if nosotros would have been talking most the difference in 5 inches of brace height versus 10, the forgiveness argue might have had some merit.  But the entire brace peak fence was waged within one niggling inch - from 6 to seven - and nosotros all bought into it.  Even today, very few bows have brace heights below half dozen inches or above vii inches.  The compound bow market is still trying to hang onto the fast or smooth - six or seven mantra. Perhaps information technology's just addiction at this point. Either way, we submit the caryatid height debate had very footling to practise with shooting course glitches. It was always about getting popped on the arm!  Everybody wanted to shoot those fast 6 inch brace elevation bows, merely not at the expense of peel.  So nosotros all talked nearly the sixes, just we bought the sevens. But then came the string end, bringing a long painful era to a shut.

WHO JUMPED FIRST?Ten years ago, nigh every flagship bow in the industry had a 7 inch brace peak - no more no less. At the time, market perception deemed that a brace height of 7 inches delivered the ideal blend of speed and proficient shooting manners. Anything slightly under 7 inches wasn't acceptable (too radical), and annihilation much over vii inches was considered a compromise on speed. Merely as the cord stop became "standard equipment", somebody eventually jumped ship (we don't recollect who).  At the sight of the outset 6 inch flagship bow, we gasped!Few serious bowhunters are going to buy a radical speed bow! Merely people did buy them, and most people loved them. Almost overnight we seemed to accept a shop full of 340-350 fps powerhouse half dozen inch bows whichweren't devouring wrists and forearms, and they didn't need seasoned experts to shoot them well. Few customers seemed to discover or care about their missing inch of brace top.  They weren't getting smacked past a 200 mph string.  That's what ultimately mattered.  In recent years, most bow manufacturers have joined in the hunt with their own six inch flagship bows, and the 7 inch brace height prejudice has fizzled to a murmur. The market yammer about brace height and forgiveness started to quiet, and today the 6 inch brace height is practically the standard for flagship bows - all of which, incidentally, now come standard with integrated string stops.

DOES Caryatid HEIGHT MATTER? Sure information technology does. An viii inch caryatid meridian bow will certainly be more charming than a 5 inch caryatid summit bow. How much of that is attributable to the 3 actress inches of powerstroke and how much is the result of inherent "forgiveness?" We simply can't say. What we know for sure is the market place has changed. Nosotros use to see a big diverseness of brace heights, spattered from v.5" upwardly to about 9.0", in all sorts of random partial increments (6-3/8", 7-1/4", 5-7/8", 8-1/viii", etc.), but non really any more. The good majority of the bows on the market today are specifically designed to yield a brace peak target of exactly vi or seven inches. Of course, we're aware of no mathematical calculation whereby the 6 or 7 inch brace height yields some magical bow operation apogee. Nevertheless, that's how things stand today.  The only affair you really need to remember is that the "standard" caryatid heights aren't standard at all.  They're arbitrary - incidental - the event of marketing on consumer perception.  That'due south all.  Nevertheless, chances are, when you store for a new bow, most of your caryatid pinnacle choices volition be within that "one little inch."

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS` If y'all're shopping for a brusque-draw, youth or ladies model, don't go also hung-up on brace meridian. Shorter draw lengths would exist less susceptible to whatever "forgiveness" penalties associated with brusk brace heights anyway. Shorter draw length shooters will benefit more from the added powerstroke length. Then if you have the pick, accept the shorter brace height and the performance benefits for draw lengths of 27" and under. If you lot're a taller shooter (28"+ draw length), yous'll go meliorate manners out of a 7 inch. Merely over again, don't spend as well much time debating that one little inch, and don't pigeonhole yourself into any particular brace acme camp. At the shooting line, the difference in modernistic sixes and sevens is more subtle than you might think.  What you'll notice most is only the length of the powerstroke.  Even with identical peak draw weights, the sixes feel a lilliputian tougher to depict back - the sevens feel a little easier.  But again, it's subtle - one trivial inch.

Caryatid HEIGHT PURGATORY` Better withal, use this marketplace obsession to your advantage by shopping the brace height purgatory bows. They're out there, and strangely enough, the "off" brace height oddballs may offer smart shoppers deal hunting opportunities. There are a number of bows on the market place which have partial brace heights (six-1/2", 7-5/eight", vii-one/8", etc.) - presumably from manufacturers who didn't get the 6/7 memo. Oddly enough, these bows are proverbial market bastards.  There's nix wrong with the bows, but they're often significantly undervalued/devalued merely because they're different. Spec buyers aren't certain what to make of them, and they're some of the starting time bows to hit the closeout rack. So proceed an center out.  You may notice some of these great bows at an excellent buy - if for no other reason than market place trends and buyer prejudices have left them stranded.

Beam-TO-AXLE LENGTH (A2A)

A CURIOUS WAY TO MEASURE`A bow'due south axle-to-beam length is just what information technology sounds like. At the end of each limb is a steel axle which attaches the rotating eccentrics (cam or idler wheel) to the bow. The distance between the centers of those ii metallic rods (axles) is the bow's advertised axle-to-axle length. You can think of this as the bow's overall length, but that isn't entirely authentic. Modern chemical compound bow cams are unremarkably 4-6 inches in total diameter, and the axle is roughly in the middle of the cam's placement on the bow. And so beyond the axle, 2-3 inches of cam extends to a higher place the superlative beam and below the bottom axle. And so if you lot stood the bow on end and measured its actual physical height, yous would go a measurement roughly four-vi inches higher than the advertised beam-to-axle length. To be articulate on the nomenclature, beam-to-axle length is described equally brusque and long (not tall), and bows are commonly referred to simply equally curt-axle and long-axle. What constitutes a short-axle and a long-beam bow seems to be a matter of opinion.

DOES IT MATTER? Yes. Axle-to-axle length is an important specification to consider. At that place is a noticeable departure in the stability of varying axle-to-axle length bows. It isn't a profound difference, like y'all might see when comparing a burglarize to a handgun. But longer bows are a fleck more stable. Shorter bows are less stable. In much the same way a longer pendulum oscillates more slowly than a short 1, the longer bow tends to be easier to hold steady while aiming - a shorter bow is the opposite. That'due south the theory anyway, and we submit it's generally true. Does that mean longer bows are all automatically more than accurate than shorter ones? Of form not. In that location are dozens of elements which can brand a bow more or less accurate. Axle-to-axle length is only 1 contributing attribute. But all other things existence equal, an actress-long 45 inch axle-to-beam contest bow would certainly be easier to shoot accurately than a super-brusk 28 inch axle-to-axle hunting bow. But those are extreme examples from reverse ends of the market. For hunting bow buyers, long isn't that long, short isn't that short, and the effective difference betwixt the long-axle bow and the brusque-beam bow is more of an academic discussion.

HOW SHORT IS Short? HOW LONG IS LONG? We should offset with what defines a bow as short or long, and yous're not going to like this, but the answer is ... there is no definition. There is no official classification system which designates one compound bow every bit long-axle and another as curt-axle. It's like trying to decide if someone is considered tall or brusque. It depends who you ask and what company you're in. A 5'ten" jockey would be tall; a v'10" point guard would be short. With that said, bowhunters see the long vs short effect much differently than pure competition shooters. For the bowhunter, almost of the compound bow market is compressed into just a few inches of axle-to-beam length.

THE 30-33 INCH SWEET SPOT` Much similar the 6-7 inch caryatid tiptop convention, the overwhelming majority of compound (camouflage/hunting) bows on the marketplace today have axle-to-axle specs of 30-33 inches. Over again, we're aware of no magical performance apogee at 30-33 inches of axle-to-axle length. Even so, this is the clear strike-zone for "hunting" bows. Nigh every flagship bow hits this sweet spot without fail - equally they should. That'due south what buyers desire. That's the zone where all the money is spent. A compound bow with an axle-to-axle length exterior of that zone is a factory close-out sale merely waiting to happen. And there is very lilliputian room for grace, perhaps no more than than in inch in either direction. Bows of 29 inches or less, and 34 inches or more than are all flirting with the edge. In fact, nosotros're particularly cautious about how many "out of zone" bows we stock in our shop. A bow with a very short axle-to-axle length (29 inches or less) is considered a specialty treestand bow (for maneuvering in tight-quarters blinds and stands), and a bow with a longer axle-to-axle length (34 inches or more) is considered a specialty crossover or 3D bow (for dual service as a hunting/competition bow). In that location are a few buyers out there who want out-of-zone hunting bows, but the market for these specialty products is tenuous at best.  The major compound bow manufacturers are acutely enlightened they must design most, if non all of their bows, to have exactly 30-33 inches of axle-to-axle length. The market bias is so strong, some manufacturers even proper name their bows with the axle-to-axle length in the title (e.thou., Bow Madness 32, Impulse 31, Arena 30, etc.), so potential buyers know correct away that their bows are in the sweetness spot.

PERSPECTIVE AND PURISTS` Long time archery purists never miss a hazard to scoff at the notion of a 34 inchlong-axle bow, and they might exist correct. Inside the historical context of the compound bow, today'south bows are all brusk - 30-33 inch hunting bows are practically miniatures. Early compound bows were commonly four feet long (retrieve Bo & Luke Duke). The incredible shrinking bow phenomenon didn't really get crazy until the new millennium. Advances in construction techniques and materials made it possible to build more and more compact bows, so nosotros did. And for a while, shorter was better. Each yr the boilerplate bow got a piffling more compact, until consumers finally pushed back around the 30 inch marker. It's similar to the miracle with cell phones. Early cell phones were huge. Then they progressively got smaller and smaller until consumers eventually pushed back when they got as well pocket-sized. A smart phone with a iv inch screen (iPhone 5) is about the minimum size the public accepts today. Phones smaller than that take a chance falling out of mainstream consideration. The 5 inch screens (iPhone vi, Milky way, Moto Ten, etc.) become the near love today, and the six inch screen phones are pushing the upper limit. So phones with screen sizes of 4-half-dozen inches rule, all others drool. It'due south no different than the thirty-33 inch range of compound bow axle-to-axle lengths. Manufacturers make what buyers want to buy. Does that hateful the 30-33 inch chemical compound bow is technically ideal? No. In fact, we submit the 30-33 inch axle-to-axle bias is no less empty-headed than the half dozen-7 inch brace superlative bias. So information technology's another issue nosotros have to keep in perspective. If chemical compound bows were only built in 25 inch, 35 inch and 45 inch axle-to-axle lengths, a discussion about the usefulness and benefits of each size would be valid. Just over again, the entire hunting bow marketplace is compressed into a few inches of similar axle-to-axle length, so splitting hairs about information technology is technically myopic. ALL of the mainstream hunting bows are short-axle bows, and at that place is no reason to dissect the matter farther. If you lot want a mainstream hunting bow (as 90% of buyers do), it will be a curt-axle bow, and information technology will have the shooting characteristics of a curt-axle bow. And don't listen to anyone yammer-on nearly how a 33 inch bow is more forgiving than a 31 inch bow. Information technology won't be - the difference will be negligible. Consider it amusement, smile and move on.

Full general RECOMMENDATIONS` If you lot're ownership a mainstream 30-33 inch hunting bow, y'all tin safely ignore any debate about axle-to-axle length. It'southward moot. Simply if you lot have a special purpose in mind, or if you just prefer a shorter/longer bow, and so past all means, buy a bow with more or less axle-to-axle length. As nosotros said, it does matter. A significant modify in axle-to-axle length volition brand a divergence in stability and accurateness. Just again, don't be hypnotized into thinking it will be a dramatic divergence - akin to a rifle versus a handgun. At the shooting line, the difference in axle-to-axle lengths will be more subtle than yous think. SPECIAL NOTE: Nosotros should also accept a moment to mention finger shooters (people who don't utilise a mechanical release and only pull the string with their fingers). Finger shooters often seek longer axle-to-beam bows considering the string bending (at full draw) is less acute. Short-axle bows tend to crowd the fingers at the nocking indicate. This isn't to say a finger shooter tin can't manage a curt bow, but a 38+ inch bow seems to better suit finger shooters. Regrettably, most mod compound bows aren't designed with the finger shooter in mind - most are designed to be used with a mechanical release. So a finger shooter will demand to exist choosy about axle-to-axle length.

OUT-OF-ZONE PURGATORY` Just similar the brace acme purgatory bows, at that place are bargains to be establish with oddball axle-to-axle designs. Bows with sub-thirty inch axle-to-axle lengths often get stranded out at that place. Wait for them. A bow with a 29-vii/8 inch beam-to-beam length is sure to be treated as an outcast - fifty-fifty if an identical 30 inch bow side by side to it is a superstar. The line in the sand hither is surprisingly thin - and being just 1/8th inch too curt tin get a bow sentenced to purgatory. There'southward a little more sensibility on the large end of the zone, simply the aforementioned miracle happens in the 35 inch axle-to-axle length range. Despite how ridiculous it sounds, many buyers will swear that a 35 inch bow is "too long" for hunting. That ways more practiced bows can languish in spec purgatory, often translating into discount opportunities for smart buyers. So keep an eye out ...

MASS WEIGHT:

GET READY TO Be IMPRESSED! Before we become started on a bow's "mass weight", we should tidy up one thing. Our industry loves to sound more scientific and technical than information technology really is. And so it is no surprise that nosotros constantly run into bow ads which list "bow mass" or "mass weight" instead of just bow weight. Since we don't employ bows in space, or on unlike planets, it's probably okay to simply say weight and non worry about the mass vs. weight distinction. Weighing a bow is no more technical than weighing a bowling ball or a catfish, and it's probably safe to assume customers won't get confused by it and call back the bow has 4 pounds of elevation draw weight. So we can all just relax about Science grade and utilize weight and pounds. Laughably, bow manufacturers tend to list their bow weights as gauge values anyway (e.g., 4 pounds). And so bow weights aren't scientifically precise specs either style; they're estimates.

MORE Pinch` You may be tired of this theme, but the concrete weight of a compound bow doesn't vary much. Virtually of the market is compressed into the same 24 ounces, from three pounds to four.five pounds. The overwhelming majority of compound bows autumn inside that weight range. Shorter, smaller and simpler bows weigh less. Longer, larger and more elaborate bows weigh more. As a general rule, bow manufacturers brag about existence "lightweight" when their bows are under 4 pounds, and they say cipher when their bows are over four pounds. There's nothing particularly unique about the weight of our modern chemical compound bows. The original Allen Chemical compound was "3-1/ii to iv lbs." and virtually every (successful) mainstream compound bow since then has hit that same range. With that said, there is some hay to be made most lightweight materials and sound construction techniques. Then permit's get started.

FRAMEWORK First! The compound bow begins with the frame - called the riser. This is the handle section of the bow - the largest piece of the bow. And so naturally, the riser accounts for most of the bow'south weight. The size, shape and composition of the riser is critical. Bow risers used to be made primarily from cast magnesium, just today they are generally made from machined aluminum or carbon-fiber/carbon-composites. The trick to designing a riser is to get the right balance of strength and weight - non unlike any other structural engineering effort. A bow's riser must be rigid and strong enough to resist breaking or warping, without existence too heavy. Chemical compound bow engineers busy themselves with Solidworks and AutoCAD until they have merely the correct frame for the bow. Not too heavy - non too flimsy. Information technology also helps if the riser is stylish and attractive. Nigh compound bow risers are whittled from an extruded aluminum blank, and you'll often hear manufacturers avowal well-nigh their "CNC Machined Aluminum" processes, just don't be besides impressed. That's how they all do it. There are a blue-jillion products made from machined aluminum. Compound bows are merely one of them.

CARBON RISERS` A few bow manufacturers tinker with carbon-fiber/carbon-composite risers - admittedly with mixed results. The goal is to make a bow that's lighter and stronger, which is noble enough. But edifice risers out of carbon comes with plenty of new pattern challenges. So more ofttimes than not, carbon riser bows end-upward existence prohibitively expensive or aesthetically awkward (or both). But to exist fair, nosotros should give credit where information technology'southward due. The carbon bows are getting better, and carbon riser bows are a flake lighter than comparable bows made from aluminum. One twenty-four hour period carbon risers may be the standard of the industry, but for now they remain a niche element of the new compound bow marketplace. Some guys are crazy about carbon - some couldn't care less.

DOES BOW WEIGHT Affair? Yes! A light bow (say three.0 pounds) and a heavy bow (four.five pounds) feel and behave somewhat differently. Heavier bows tend to be more stable and easier to steady on target. The heavier framed bows also soak-upwardly more noise and recoil, so they ordinarily feel more than subdued and charming. On the other hand, lightweight bows have a tendency to be less stable and a picayune more difficult to settle on target. They can also exist comparatively noisy and jumpy. But we admit, these characterizations aren't ever off-white. We've shot heavy bows which are noisy rattletraps - and light bows which are stealthy sweethearts. But the full general trend holds truthful. Apart from the performance predispositions, the physical weight of the bow may or may not be a concern for you. Some shooters are very sensitive to it - some barely detect ane way or another. If y'all haven't held a modernistic compound bow in your hand still, hither's a quick way to gain perspective. A total 2-liter bottle of soda weighs 4.41 pounds - most the weight of the heaviest mainstream compound bow on the market. Hold it out at arm's length. Does information technology feel unacceptably heavy to you? Then pour-out a third of the soda and try again. Now, you have the lightest compound bow on the market at nearly 3 pounds. If the departure alarms you lot, and then by all means, shop for a lightweight bow. If the deviation seems insignificant, don't worry nigh all this. Oddly enough, the weight of ii 12 ounce soda cans is all that separates the heaviest compound bows from the lightest. Does any of this make a large technical difference? Probably non. If compound bows merely came in concrete weights of 3 pounds, 6 pounds and 9 pounds, a discussion about the pros and cons of each size would exist justified. But since the difference from one extreme to the other is effectively 24 ounces, this effect is improve decided by personal preference.

PURGATORY PLAYS There really isn't an underweight bias in the chemical compound bow marketplace. At that place aren't many bows under 3 pounds, then no penalty really exists. Simply there is a massive overweight penalty. Competition shooters will tolerate some heavier bow weights, only bowhunters admittedly volition not. If a hunting bow feels "too heavy", that'south a deal breaker. No sale! With all the complexities and dangly add-ons of the modernistic parallel-limb hunting bow, several manufacturers really flirt with this edge. In one case a bow steps over this cliff of purgatory (4.5+ pounds), it's almost guaranteed to be expressionless weight in the stores. Bow manufacturers are acutely enlightened of this, and we've fifty-fifty seen a few who are willing to shave their published bow weights - or they only omit the spec from their literature hoping nobody asks. Of form, that seldom works. In the hunting bow market, anchors go direct to the bottom. Hither again, a portly bow can nowadays a bargain hunting opportunity - presuming yous don't mind a plus-sized hunting partner. Then be on the picket for hunting bow overweights on the close-out rack.

FORGIVENESS

JUST I More Purchase Away` No discussion nigh compound bows would be complete without specifically covering this illusive fizz word. Information technology's not a specification or quantifiable attribute, but every bow seems to have some. As we've mentioned earlier, the word "forgiving" is easily the most abused (and absurd) word in our industry. We caution you most giving this concept much merit. Words similar "fast" or "tranquillity" are at least quantifiable, but the give-and-take forgiving is more often than not industry snake oil: like shooting fish in a barrel to claim, difficult to dispute and everybody tin can have some. And once you put the word in a judgement, it seems to blend-in like special sauce on a Big Mac. Our bows are upward to 27% more forgiving than the competition. What? The word fifty-fifty leaks into other related products: forgiving arrow rests, forgiving arrows, even forgiving quivers for crying out loud. Nosotros understand the need. Who doesn't want forgiveness? We're non perfect beings. We make mistakes. Sure, we all tin can use some forgiveness from time to time. But we submit the concept has express application for archery equipment. The term would seem to imply that you tin practice things wrong, and everything will even so be okay - providing your equipment is 27% more forgiving. But that'due south a big stretch of the truth. Our manufacture works very hard to convince you greatness is simply i more purchase away: a faster bow, a more than intricate sight, straighter arrows, fancier pointer balance, etc. Merely the truth is, even the all-time equipment tin't "forgive" poor technique. If yous want to exist successful with your archery gear, you notwithstanding have to commit to the sport and put in the practice time - no matter how much you spend.

FORGIVING TO Homo Fault` When equipment is described every bit "forgiving", should you look anything at all? We cautiously say, maybe. At least in our manufacture, the term "forgiving" really means "forgiving to human error", which we might be able to justify every bit a role of ergonomics and bio-mechanics. Only before we crack that door, we should get one thing straight. If we were to strap a diverseness of properly-performance bows in a mechanical shooting automobile, the varying axle-to-axle lengths, caryatid heights, cam characteristics and grip profiles would take no pregnant issue on the accurateness and repeatability of the bows. The shooting machine would shoot each bow exactly the same, each and every time. So for a mechanical shooting machine, the concept of forgiveness would be inapplicable. Just if we repeated the same test with human beings, nosotros might expect to find some bias. It's certainly logical to look that, on average, some level of ergonomics and bio mechanics might be responsible for error attenuation or accentuation. Correct? We're non machines. We can't shoot with perfect mechanical consistency. We bobble and we flinch. Nosotros punch our triggers and torque our grips. Even for the world'southward most talented shooters, accurateness is often limited to the occurrence of human being error. Then the better question is - can our equipment choices amend our odds of success?

Mostly BELIEVED` With all the "forgiveness" disclaimers out of the mode, here is what you need to know. It is generally believed that LONGER Beam-TO-Axle LENGTHS are more forgiving. Information technology is more often than not believed that TALLER BRACE HEIGHTS are more forgiving. Information technology is generally believed that a bow with a HEAVIER PHYSICAL WEIGHT volition be more forgiving, and information technology is more often than not believed that bows with NEUTRAL OR DEFLEXED RISERS and NARROW GRIPS are more forgiving. So what does all that mean for the new bow buyer? Perchance nix. Eric Grippa won the IBO Earth Championship shooting a PSE Omen Pro, a 366 fps speed-bow with a 33-5/8" beam-to-axle length and a 5-1/two" brace pinnacle. Nobody would EVER argue that his bow was 27% more than forgiving, yet ...

REASONABLE PERSPECTIVE` We hope you'll go along the illusive forgiveness issue in some perspective. It's more than of a feel skillful discussion than a shoot practiced word. Good technique and a solid practise regimen will take a far greater impact on your success in the field. Within a typical 35 yard bowhunting range, virtually any properly-tuned compound bow can be shot with adequate accuracy. And with a fiddling practice, even a novice shooter can easily bring down big game within this range. Then if you hunt in dense forest where 20 and 30 yards shots are common, your bow'south forgiveness isn't really a factor. If y'all chase open country, where you must be able to attain out to 50, lx, fifty-fifty 70+ yards, you might consider beingness a little more selective.

PRE-ENGINEERED BUYING Feel

Y'all'RE Beingness WATCHED! If you're starting to get the feeling someone is looking over your shoulder, you would exist correct. The bow industry spends a lot of time and effort analyzing buyer preferences and crunching through sales data for trends. Bow manufacturers practice tons of surveys and polls. They read your forums and magazines. They follow your social media. They know exactly what modern spec buyers desire in a new bow (or at to the lowest degree what you say you desire). That's why 90% of the hunting bows on the market are virtual clones of each another. The data says ... you want a fast bow that's around 4 pounds, with a vi-vii inch brace pinnacle and a 30-33 inch axle-to-axle length. Right? So THAT'S the buying experience you are presented - neatly engineered and pre-packaged just like you lot wanted. We're not sure if that's a good or bad affair, just that'due south how information technology works. Can I assist who's next?

YOU Merely PICK THE TRIM` Nosotros often mention the issue of parity in the hunting bow marketplace, especially as it relates to the physical attributes of mainstream bows. With almost all of the manufacturers using the same materials, processes, technologies and target specifications, ane bow actually isn't so dissimilar from some other. They might look different. They might accept different badging and aesthetics. They may even be sold in different types of stores. But make no mistake, mainstream bows are fundamentally the same product. Equally a spec buyer, your only job is to verify the primal specifications and so choose the trim (toll/performance) level you adopt. Everything else has already been prepared to your liking.  How would you similar to pay for that?

Compound Bow Selection & Research Guide  |  Chapter one

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Source: https://www.huntersfriend.com/compound-bow-specifications-terms-diagrams-help-research-guide.html

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