MOST bows are marked at XX @ 28 inches. however, sometimes custom bows i notice the desired draw wt is recorded at their draw length. ASSUMING 3pounds/inch of draw is a given (AGAIN - assuming) is there really any difference in ordering a bow at your own draw?
How 'bout some bowyers chime in too - if a person orders a bow and wants 48 lbs @ 29 inches, do you just use your template to make a bow that is 42 lbs at 28 and know it will be 48 at the 29 inch draw?
mg
Yep. But I know exactly how much each design gains per inch.
Mike
I would regard the bow in your example that picks up 6# of weight in that extra inch of draw as entirely unacceptable! A well built bow that is 42@28 should be around 45@29, not 48@29.
Yeah it varies. I know I've weighed a couple of my bows to see difference at 27,28,29,30 and some gain 2-3 per inch, another i just tested only gained about 1-1.5 pounds/inch in the sweet spot between 27-29 its a real smooth bow.
Just realized i fouled up the #'s on the original post. i intended to ask - Is 42 at 28" the same as 45 at 29". Again, if you were ordering a custom bow and you had a 29inch draw and wanted 45 at your draw, would you a)order the bow 42 at 28 or b) order the bow 45 at 29?
any other bowyers
mg
If I was ordering a bow, I would tell the bowyer what I wanted at MY draw length and let him get there however he does it. Most bowyers I know guarantee to hit your ordered weight within 2# or so anyway. Most that have been doing it a while know their recipes well and get real close to what they want to 99% of the time.
To answer your original question; 45@28 would be the same thing as 48@29 if the bow gains 3# per inch.
I shoot 50#@ my 29.5"DL. I can pick up just about any bow marked 45@28 and it will be right at 50# at 29.5".
Bisch
I think if your draw length is close to what is marked on the bow the 3#'s may not make alot of difference in performance at each draw length respectivley.
If you have a bow that let's say was made for a 29" draw and your draw length is 26" I don't think you are going to have the same performance out of the bow at 26"'s as a bow that is made for a 26" draw.
Does that make sense?
The draw weight may be the same but the feel and performance will be completely different. I agree with Tater. The draw curve will be wrong and the bow will stack if it is made for a shorter draw length than yours. It might not be much depending on how gradual the back wall is but if you are paying for a custom bow get it made to your natural draw length. The arrows will be different as well since you will have a longer heavier arrow that will take less tip weight to spine correctly. Just my opinion.
The particular bowyer you choose should be able to precisely answer your question.
Would submit for your consideration to have the bow marked per the actual draw wt. at 28"s for possible future resale purposes.
If you order 48# at 29" the bowyer should better have measured it and delivered just that. He may still mark it 45# @ 28" as that is the accepted standard.
Some bowyers marked bows with "X"s before or after the poundage. 45XX = 47# and X45 = 44#. Others marked the actual poundage as 47# or 44# as measured. Now they are happy to get it within a 5# range and call it close enough. Howatt/Martins were (are?) notorious for undermarking bows so they seemed faster. A "45#" bow may be faster than other 45's but it might actually be 48#@28".
For all intensive purposes, yes. The only exception I can think of is a really, really short bow, or and older bow where it might stack more than 3 lbs per inch. Some bows would be a bit less, i.e. Toelke chinook and McCullough 59er that seem to be preloaded and only add 1 1/2 to 2 pounds out near 27 and 28. But for most cases you would not notice.