Im new to traditional bows and am curious about arrow length. Can anyone give me a hand and tell me how I can figure out what length and weight arrows I need. I will be shooting 55 pounds and roughly a 28 inch draw length. If anyone on here can help me out it would be greatly appreciated.
I'll let someone else knowledgeable discuss spine, but generally folks cut the arrow 1" longer than the draw. So 29" for you if yer drawing 28.
Regards
It depends a lot on what you are shooting: wood, aluminum, carbon. It's always easier to cut some off than to put some back.
What spine you choose will vary with the bow too. If it is cut to center, you can get by with stiffer arrows. What is your bow?
If you are just starting with trad bows, 55 pounds is pretty heavy. Also is your 28" draw with a trad bow or a compound? Most draw about and inch and a half or so less with a traditional bow than with a compound.
We need more information to be able to give you much help.
Russ
i will be shooting a bear montana longbow. and 28 is my compound length but at work i play with the traditional bows and am able to pull that poundage to my same anchor point
If you're shooting off the shelf and using a big broadhead like a Simmons Landshake, when you grip the bow, your knuckles will be sticking out towards the back of the broadhead's blades. Pull too far back on the draw and you just might cut your knuckle with a 29" arrow. Since I have a 30" draw, shoot off the shelf and use a big 150 grain three blade Wensel Woodsman broadhead, I cut my arrows to a 32" length.
1 inch to more that your draw
If you are coming from a compound, your draw will shorten by 1", at least. Remember that with a compound you're probably only holding around 15-20 pounds at full draw. With a stick bow, you're holding the whole enchilada, and your skeletal frame will collapse a bit.
Have someone measure your draw with your bow, and start there. If it was me, and I'm guessing your actual draw will be around 26", I'd start with 45-50# spine at 28" length and go from there.