Long Distance Spec.

[Max]

JohnK's post is the second time stabiliser length has been mentioned as a factor in limb weight choice versus distance - how does this work?

[JohnK]

As Shirt said earlier, if the stabiliser is so long that it obscures the target when the sight is set to the 100 yard mark, it can be difficult to aim. This is why I switched from a 35in 3 tuner Beiter to a 33in 4 tuner.

I think it's a very difficult question to answer t be honest. I had 39lb on my fingers and shot with G3's and Everest pro limbs shooting ACE 670's. I could just manage 100 yds but struggled to get a decent sight mark. The reason for this was my very high anchor point. Anchor point makes a huge difference to how far a given person can shoot. This variable makes bow power/arrow type impossible to predict. What suits one may not suit another.

However one thing that is fact is light arrows go further and flatter than heavy ones. If I shot recurve an ACE is the only arrow I would consider. Oh and plastic surgery on my face to make it a bit longer. lol

[Rik]

Originally Posted by Max

JohnK's post is the second time stabiliser length has been mentioned as a factor in limb weight choice versus distance - how does this work?

When you point your bow upwards, the stabiliser points up too... If it's long enough and the angle is extreme enough, the target is hidden behind the stabiliser!

I have seen attachments which angle the longrod downwards, which would avoid this as an issue, but then you'd get into how that would affect the overall balance of the setup...

Another data point:
It occurred to me that I used to shoot 100 yards occaisionally with a (just) sub-30lb draw weight and aluminium shafts. I had to turn the sight round though, and the arrow behaviour at long distances was sometimes just plain weird. I wouldn't recommend it.

Hmmm. Non-weight factors affecting sightmarks; Tab shelf height, nocking point position, sight extension, jaw position (open/shut - see "tab shelf height"), head tilt.... I'm sure I can think of a few more if I try hard enough

[Max]

Thanks Rik. I should have paid more attention to Shirts reply! I think once the stabiliser had blocked my view, I would be thinking I was on the road to nowhere with that draw weight. Interestingly, of all the non weight related obstacles to long distance, I think anchor point is probably the most critical. The difference in sight marks with two different people using the same bow can be amazing - Rich has shot my bow at 20 yards and his impact point is a good 12" lower than mine.

A very informative thread - thanks for all the info.

I also find the clicker gets in the way too, right in the view of the sight ring. Thank goodness for for Compound!

[joetapley]

One important factor not yet mentioned is draw length. Short arrows = light fast arrows. Shorter the arrow lower the required poundage for 100 yards.

[tel]

Glad I asked!

[jadlem]

shorter arrows mean less weight held at the fingers for a given set of limbs too.

Bow tune, efficiency of the archer/bow/arrow system and physical dimensions of the archer are all factors in this.

Another illustration of how variable the factors are, my recurve setup:
30" acc 500 spine, light points, 70" bow winact with long limbs 39lbs at my draw length, could barely get 80 yds sensibly on the sight.
My wife: 28" 810 navigators, 68" aerotec and everest carbon limbs with a very thin string using beiter nocking points could get the distance. The same arrows out of her 30lbs compound make for an almost flat trajectory out to 100yds too.

Originally Posted by jadlem

shorter arrows mean less weight held at the fingers for a given set of limbs too.

Bow tune, efficiency of the archer/bow/arrow system and physical dimensions of the archer are all factors in this.

Another illustration of how variable the factors are, my recurve setup:
30" acc 500 spine, light points, 70" bow winact with long limbs 39lbs at my draw length, could barely get 80 yds sensibly on the sight.
My wife: 28" 810 navigators, 68" aerotec and everest carbon limbs with a very thin string using beiter nocking points could get the distance. The same arrows out of her 30lbs compound make for an almost flat trajectory out to 100yds too.

I agree totally on the first point.

I'm not surprised to see the 500 spine ACC ( 3-28?) did not go to 100 yds very well. At 30" long they weigh a wopping 384 gn's! With only 39lb of thrust behing them I'm amazed they made it at all. By my calculation a 520 ACE (307gn)would be sailing 144" or 12 Feet over the boss with the same sight mark. I don't rate ACC arrows with recurves bows, they simply don't do the job well. They are too fat and too heavy. The ACE is the best option, or something of equivalent weight anyway, the thin profile is only of benefit when it's windy, which it always is.

Compound bows are more efficient than a recurve bows anyway. Less power will still give more performance even with the same arrows.