Does a "forward handle" shorten your draw length?

[kevgsp]

Do you loose a little draw length when shooting a forward hanlde longbow compared to a locator grip?

Is this the trade off for a shorter bow?

[David Sapp]

I lose about an 1-1.5 inches with my Shrew/Griffin LBs vs a BW recurve. Can't help any in regards to a locator style grip.

[Jesse Peltan]

A low grip will shorten your draw length compared to a high grip. A forward riser does not shorten your draw length.

[Yolla Bolly]

What Jesse said----and I seem to shoot a forward grip more consistently than the old low-gripped Bear I had some years ago.

[Guru]

If you shoot with your wrist in the same position on any grip, then it shouldn't change the distance from the deepest part to your anchor. I shoot the same straight wrist on any bow...

But if you use diff. wrist angles on diff. grips then I suppose it will change

[kevgsp]

Oops, didn't really phrase that right I guess.  

I can see how DL will be the same from deepest part of grip, what I meant was by setting your hand forward in the riser am I not going to lose some powerstroke if thats the right term?

[Hardhed]

I think you will, as the limbs will be closer to your anchor point.

[George D. Stout]

Your draw length will not shorten, but the power stroke will.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Yep, less power stroke, less limb travel.  That's why you see so many very short bows with forward-set risers.

[Jesse Peltan]

Yes you will lose a little powerstroke, but I think it is worth it to have a little forward risor because of the stability gains. The speed loss from and inch or two forward is way worth it for me.

[Curveman]

I would think that the forward riser would move the center of gravity away from you and lessen the stability.

[Jesse Peltan]

No actually the forward riser moves the center of gravity towards you. But that is not what makes it more stable. I don't have a good explanation for the added stability, you just have to shoot one.

[Yellow Dog]

Depend's if you're shooting low wrist or high wrist. Have had a Shrew and I'm partial to Griffin's right now and I see no difference in my draw length. I have a 30" draw and tune my bow's for a 31" arrow. Shoot a 2 blade set up vertical and use the back of the blade on my index finger of my bowhand as a "draw stop". Never noticed a difference in draw length on a foward handle bow.

[TNstickn]

Some bows have a very high brace height because of the foward handle design and lots of handle deflex and not much limb reflex. It does shorten the power stroke and limb movement, but your draw length is your draw length. Kinda like the inseam of your pants. Riser depth from recurves to longbows usually vary some. A long bow generally has a riser not as deep back to belly as a recurve.
Given that your measuring from the back of the bow to your nock, the depth difference from bow to bow is the only variable that would change your draw length, which is how most people measure it.