How are Riser lengths measured?

[nchunter]

When someone mentions a 15-inch riser, or a 17-inch riser, etc. where is that length being measured?  Is it the total length, or from upper to lower limb bolts?  Or something else?

[osage1]

That is a good question, i understand a recurve bow, but longbows are differnt

[nchunter]

I forgot to specify, I'm asking about three-piece takedowns.

[Gene Charbonneau]

I just measured my 17" TT Titan ILF and its 16.5" end to end.

My Morrison 16" ILF is 16" end to end.

Seems with ILF risers that they use end to end or approx. end to end.

[Orion]

On take-downs, many just measure it from end to end with the riser laying on its side.   However, with the Titan, they probably measured from end to end along the back of the riser. On that curved riser, that would lead to 16.5 inches instead of 16 inches.  Measuring along the back is consistent with how one measures overall bow length.   With one piece bows, it's from the end of one fade-out to the end of the other fade-out, measured along the back of the bow or from the side, depending on your preference.  The length doesn't vary much from one method to the other.

[Chris Shelton]

If you wanted to make your recurve shorter, would a smaller riser do that?  Or is it suppose to be from shorter limbs???

[md126]

chris, a recurve can be made shorter by making either the riser or limbs shorter, or both. (of course shortening a recurve after it is made is very difficult in my opinion)

how much you can shorten either the riser or limbs will depend on the original overall length and design of the bow. as a general rule a shorter working limb will stack sooner so draw length should be considered too

mike

[Jesse Peltan]

The true length of the riser is a straight line from fade out to fade out.  The length of the limbs is measured along the curve from nock to end of fade out.