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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: FrankM on March 22, 2010, 09:03:00 PM

Title: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 22, 2010, 09:03:00 PM
I just picked up a new string. The bow is 60" and the string is 14 strand 56" long. But, I put the string on without twisting, and the brace height is 8 1/4". The bow specs say it should be 7". Do you think this will be okay? The string is to AMO specs. Or do I have to get a 57" inch string for this?
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: Van/TX on March 22, 2010, 09:09:00 PM
Maybe the bow is not 60" AMO.  In any case you should probably get a 57" string...Van
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: Robert Honaker on March 22, 2010, 09:28:00 PM
leave it in overnight. I bet it will stretch and be around 7 1/2 by morning.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 22, 2010, 09:42:00 PM
I just checked it. Now it's down to 7 5/8".

GOD, I hate being such a newbie.  :)   You guys got any firearms questions, I'm here for ya! LOL
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: koger on March 22, 2010, 10:08:00 PM
After you put a couple of hundred arrows through it, should be spot on. If long then, just give here a few twists. Those Jags shoot real nice have helped tune up several. All the guys around here are shooting them with a wrist sling on and a tight bone/handle fit witht heel of the hand. They shoot really sweet, center shoot the rest like a compuond,set the nock 1/4 inch above center and should do ok. Sam.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: Jeremy on March 23, 2010, 08:31:00 AM
AMO specs state a bow's length is 3 inches longer than the string that properly braces it and that strings are measured under tension.
A 60" AMO bow should need a 57" string so when you buy a '60" AMO' string it should end up being 57" after settling in.

Bows and strings mis-marked "AMO" has become a real big pet peeve of mine!  If you mark it "AMO" it d*** well better BE "AMO"

OK, I'm calm now.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: vermonster13 on March 23, 2010, 08:43:00 AM
What Jeremy said.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 23, 2010, 11:37:00 AM
Interesting. I emailed Martin, they said said to use a 57" inch string as it should be 3" less for this bow. Yet, I left the 56" string on overnight. The brace height is now at 7 1/2" which is the upper end of the brace height of 7" to 7 1/2" for the 2009 model. The recommended brace height is 7" only for the 2010 model, which this is. So, if I shoot this string it'll probably lessen the brace height. But, according to Martin and some of the posters, I should probably go back and get the 57" string. Do you think that would be best? Did Koger tune the other Jags with a 56" string?
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: vermonster13 on March 23, 2010, 11:42:00 AM
Let the string settle in. It will most likely stretch some more when shot for a bit. I'd wait and see where it ends up before spending any cash on a new string.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 23, 2010, 12:04:00 PM
So, the string package said AMO 60" bow and said the length was 56". Does that mean it comes out of the package at 56" and will stretch to 57" meaning it's really a 57" string, or is it just a 56" string?
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: dhaverstick on March 23, 2010, 12:59:00 PM
Frank,
  I can make you a new B50 string with a lot of twist if you would like. That way you will have plenty of adjustability. Just send me a PM with your mailing address and color preferences.

Darren

PS. Looks like you and I are in the same profession; code monkeys
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 23, 2010, 01:06:00 PM
I'll think about the string, not a bad idea. And yes, I'm a computer geek. That's why I'm analyzing this to death. LOL
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 23, 2010, 05:42:00 PM
Can you clear something up? The norm is generally 3" for a longbow, and 4" for a recurve. Does this mean that if your recurve bow is 60", it should be only 56" tall when strung? No matter what string length is used? In other words, the standard is not string length, but bow length?
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: lpcjon2 on March 23, 2010, 06:27:00 PM
Frank Just shoot it and relax.It's all good!
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: vermonster13 on March 23, 2010, 06:35:00 PM
AMO is 3" less than bow listed length period if it is AMO. Otherwise it is just whatever the bowyer says. There is one bowyer who's bows take strings 2" shorter than what is written on the bow for bow length. If everyone just did AMO there would be a lot less confusion.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 23, 2010, 07:14:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by lpcjon2:
Frank Just shoot it and relax.It's all good!
Sorry. I mean, Bazinga!
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: lpcjon2 on March 23, 2010, 07:18:00 PM
It all works out in the end I think I was way worse than you when I started,I drove my buddy nuts.Once you get down to shooting a lot you will get the feel for the bow and the arrow, and it will take less effort to get it adjusted when something changes.Good luck
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: vtmtnman on March 23, 2010, 08:01:00 PM
It is possible that the new string was purposely made shorter to account for stretch.I learned after several strings to make a dacron string 2" shorter to account for stretch and 1" for any FF low stretch material.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 23, 2010, 09:30:00 PM
I checked my bow and the brace height is hovering at 7 1/2". The 2010 spec for the Jag says 7". I haven't shot this string yet, but it's been on the bow for about 36 hours straight. I think I'll shoot it, and then put a 57" string on it for funzies and see how it's diffferent.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: Jeremy on March 24, 2010, 07:54:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by vermonster13:
AMO is 3" less than bow listed length period if it is AMO. Otherwise it is just whatever the bowyer says. There is one bowyer who's bows take strings 2" shorter than what is written on the bow for bow length. If everyone just did AMO there would be a lot less confusion.
I had one longbow marked 64" that took a 62.5" string to brace!


Quote
If everyone just did AMO there would be a lot less confusion.
That needs repeating a few more times.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 24, 2010, 11:41:00 AM
Well yeah, but AMO for recurves is 4 inches right? Martin said 3 inches which is for longbows. Hence, my confusion.

<<-------------------------------
If everyone just did AMO there would be a lot less confusion.
---------------------------------
That needs repeating a few more times.
------------------------------->>
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: Jeremy on March 24, 2010, 11:56:00 AM
QuoteOriginally posted by FrankM:
Well yeah, but AMO for recurves is 4 inches right?
NO.  A bow marked to AMO specs needs a string that is 3" less than the marked AMO bow length.  It doesn't matter if the bow is a longbow or recurve - it's 3".

Bowyer's mismarking their bows "AMO" have added to the confusion.  And I have no idea how some bowyers measure their bows, some don't make any sense at all!

AMO standards have been around since Feb of '68, so I really don't know why more bowyers aren't following the standards.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: LBR on March 24, 2010, 12:24:00 PM
http://www.texasarchery.org/Documents/AMO/AMOStandards.pdf

That's a link to the AMO standards.  It reads that a bow should be marked 3" longer than the string that puts it at proper brace, strings are to be measured under a certain amount of tension, etc.

It wouldn't matter if all bows were marked with the AMO.  Most have an inch or more lee-way in the brace height, which can change the string length by an inch or more.  Everyone has their personal preferances in tuning.  And you also have bowyers who have their own ideas when it comes to measureing brace height (from the front or back of the bow), "true draw", etc.

The easiest thing I've found, when it comes to replacing a string, is just measure the existing string and buy another string that length.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 24, 2010, 12:42:00 PM
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 24, 2010, 12:54:00 PM
This guy has a pretty good explanation. It appears that dacron strings will be 56" out of the package, and ff will be about 57".

http://www.bowhunting.net/artman/publish/TailorMaidMeasuring.shtml
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: LBR on March 24, 2010, 03:18:00 PM
His explanation pretty much mimics the link I posted.  Here's where he, ATA, AMO, etc. miss the boat.

"The Archery Trade Association (ATA) specifies that a Traditional Bowstring should be labeled and sold by the length of the bow not the bowstring length itself. A 60" Bowstring is for a 60" bow, not the length of the bowstring."

In a perfect world that would be fine and dandy--but in the real world it's useless for a lot of bows.  Some bows don't follow AMO/ATA specs, some shooters don't like their bows tuned within the parameters of an AMO length string.

I learned a long time ago--if you make custom strings, go by the actual string length.  If you don't, you will be spending a lot of time re-making strings for bows that don't follow AMO specs, or you will loose a big portion of your customers because the string you made for them doesn't fit and if you don't make good on it they won't be back.
Title: Re: Jaguar Recurve bowstring length, I don't get it
Post by: FrankM on March 26, 2010, 11:16:00 PM
Update:
The string I have is from Stone Mountain, and is marked as 56" length, there is no AMO marking. The string measures 56" end-to-end while my bow is strung.

I've shot 100 arrows and the brace height is about 7 3/8". I figure it'll settle into 7 1/4" after another 100 arrows. This is 1/4" above the recommended brace height. But, if I would have put a 57" string on, the brace height would be about 6 1/4", what I experienced with the string Martin sent with this bow. It would take at least 30 twists to get up to 7". It seems like this bow is made for a 56 1/2" string, not a 56" or 57". If it shoots fine, is it not a big deal about the string? Or am I doing something "bad" and should get a 57" string?