First trad bow help!

[Mdfowlman2]

Get a 19 inch ilf riser and 30lb limbs and start working on form. Anything above 30 is just going to make bad habits and a medium length riser will help with consistent shots.

I’ve been doing a ton of reading and it seems what I’ve read most is there is no benefit to the longer riser for a longer draw length, besides a larger sight picture. What in the longer riser makes them inherently more consistent?

 

[Justin.Medcalf]

I’ve been doing a ton of reading and it seems what I’ve read most is there is no benefit to the longer riser for a longer draw length, besides a larger sight picture. What in the longer riser makes them inherently more consistent?

It just depends on the shooter. I draw 29.25 inches on the money and I shoot a 21 inch satori with medium limbs for a 64 inch bow for hunting. long limbs for a 66 inch bow for target. I have shot Ilf risers from 17 to 25 and the shorter risers for me amplified any mistakes in my release. The longer the bow the better the string angle on your fingers. I have been shooting trad for about 10 years now and I started with a 58 inch bow because I didnt know any better. I think if you draw at 28 or over you shouldnt go below a 60 inch bow. I spot and stalk and tree stand hunt with my 64 with no issues.

 

[Beendare]

Good explanation^..... I totally agree.


It’s worth mentioning, that there are many segments in Tradd shooting. If you are talking consistent repeatable accuracy, then the comment above is dead on.

....

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I’ve been doing a ton of reading and it seems what I’ve read most is there is no benefit to the longer riser for a longer draw length, besides a larger sight picture. What in the longer riser makes them inherently more consistent?

This is very wrong. Where are you reading that?

A longer riser keeps the limbs from stacking at full draw (getting sharply heavier in poundage in the last inch of draw).

A longer riser reduces the angle of the string on your fingers, making it easier to get a clean release.

A longer riser reduces the effect of torque either in the bow or string hand when the shot breaks.

In summary, a longer riser is more forgiving of a multitude of errors. Most olympic archers shoot with 25" risers because they give them the best chance to win.

 

[bjfoxhoven]

I’ve been doing a ton of reading and it seems what I’ve read most is there is no benefit to the longer riser for a longer draw length, besides a larger sight picture. What in the longer riser makes them inherently more consistent?

I would disagree with this from my experience. I have a 31”+ draw and shot a 66” 40lb bow to learn. Last year I got a 62” set up at 46lb and could shoot it pretty well, but could tell it was a little short for my draw. I now have a 19” riser making a 64” bow. That two inches makes a world of difference (heard there before) ha. Would be nice if you could shoot some different lengths to see what feels best for you. Sight picture had absolutely nothing to do with why I went with a longer riser. I am shooting a couple pounds less now...but it feels like I’m shooting 10lb less.

 

[DEW0341]

I’ve been doing a ton of reading and it seems what I’ve read most is there is no benefit to the longer riser for a longer draw length, besides a larger sight picture. What in the longer riser makes them inherently more consistent?

Question those sources. If the argument is made that a shorter riser is better for hunting strictly for using in a blind or more “maneuverable” than maybeeeeee. But you can just get a longer riser and then get short limbs, problem solved.

I have a 16” riser and 19” riser takedowns and a 21” ILF riser. Night and day difference between the 21” and 16” in my ability to stay consistent shot to shot and it’s more forgiving.

I have long limbs making it a 66” bow that I will use for range fun/3d stuff. As well as take hunting in more open areas. I also have mediums that make it 64” for which is a happy medium I can do about anything with minus hunt out of some blinds if I ever needed to. And if I want I can go ahead and get some shorts to make a 62” bow for some thick vegetation hunting or in the blind, (but I already have 2 62” takedown recurves.) With that 21” riser I get some added mass weight, it sits better in the hand, floats less in the wind, shot is dead in the hand, I can maintain consistency shooting 1 riser that has the same grip that I’m used to and switch out all the limb lengths and poundage I want from 62 with shorts to 68 with X longs.

If shorter risers were the way to go from an overall accuracy standpoint than wouldn’t more target archers in every discipline shoot them?


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[Mdfowlman2]

This is very wrong. Where are you reading that?

A longer riser keeps the limbs from stacking at full draw (getting sharply heavier in poundage in the last inch of draw).

A longer riser reduces the angle of the string on your fingers, making it easier to get a clean release.

A longer riser reduces the effect of torque either in the bow or string hand when the shot breaks.

In summary, a longer riser is more forgiving of a multitude of errors. Most olympic archers shoot with 25" risers because they give them the best chance to win.

I want a 60-62” bow so from what I read I’d be better off going short riser and long limb vs long riser and short limb, as the limbs may stack at my draw. Im sure a long riser and long limb combo is great and very forgiving but I’d end up with a bow longer than I want as this will be for hunting

 

[Mdfowlman2]

Question those sources. If the argument is made that a shorter riser is better for hunting strictly for using in a blind or more “maneuverable” than maybeeeeee. But you can just get a longer riser and then get short limbs, problem solved.

I have a 16” riser and 19” riser takedowns and a 21” ILF riser. Night and day difference between the 21” and 16” in my ability to stay consistent shot to shot and it’s more forgiving.

I have long limbs making it a 66” bow that I will use for range fun/3d stuff. As well as take hunting in more open areas. I also have mediums that make it 64” for which is a happy medium I can do about anything with minus hunt out of some blinds if I ever needed to. And if I want I can go ahead and get some shorts to make a 62” bow for some thick vegetation hunting or in the blind, (but I already have 2 62” takedown recurves.) With that 21” riser I get some added mass weight, it sits better in the hand, floats less in the wind, shot is dead in the hand, I can maintain consistency shooting 1 riser that has the same grip that I’m used to and switch out all the limb lengths and poundage I want from 62 with shorts to 68 with X longs.

If shorter risers were the way to go from an overall accuracy standpoint than wouldn’t more target archers in every discipline shoot them?


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Won’t the long riser and short limb stack more vs a short riser and long lim configuration?

 

[Mdfowlman2]

I would disagree with this from my experience. I have a 31”+ draw and shot a 66” 40lb bow to learn. Last year I got a 62” set up at 46lb and could shoot it pretty well, but could tell it was a little short for my draw. I now have a 19” riser making a 64” bow. That two inches makes a world of difference (heard there before) ha. Would be nice if you could shoot some different lengths to see what feels best for you. Sight picture had absolutely nothing to do with why I went with a longer riser. I am shooting a couple pounds less now...but it feels like I’m shooting 10lb less.

Does that bow feel much better because the overall bow is 2 inches longer or because the riser is two inches longer?

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I want a 60-62” bow so from what I read I’d be better off going short riser and long limb vs long riser and short limb, as the limbs may stack at my draw. Im sure a long riser and long limb combo is great and very forgiving but I’d end up with a bow longer than I want as this will be for hunting

Wanting a given bow length is a little different than saying a longer riser doesn't give benefits. You're right that a 60-62" bow would would probably stack with a long riser and shorter limbs. But, I'd argue you should learn on a 64-66" bow regardless of what you want to hunt with.

As a long draw (32") guy, I have hunted in the past with a 62" longbow, and now hunt with 64" recurves. You won't find any noticeable difference between 60-64" unless you're hunting in a ground blind. To get the benefits of a short bow, you need to go SHORT, like 54-56" and then you lose a lot of shootability.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

Wanting a given bow length is a little different than saying a longer riser doesn't give benefits. You're right that a 60-62" bow would would probably stack with a long riser and shorter limbs. But, I'd argue you should learn on a 64-66" bow regardless of what you want to hunt with.

As a long draw (32") guy, I have hunted in the past with a 62" longbow, and now hunt with 64" recurves. You won't find any noticeable difference between 60-64" unless you're hunting in a ground blind. To get the benefits of a short bow, you need to go SHORT, like 54-56" and then you lose a lot of shootability.

Not sure I have the extra funds to purchase two trad bows this year, I was hoping to find something good to learn on and good to hunt with. At this point I plan to end up with two sets of limbs, I lighter set to allow me to learn proper form and a heavier set 45-50 lbs to hunt with.
A 19” riser may be a good compromise, my draw is 29.5 so that may work good all around

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Does that bow feel much better because the overall bow is 2 inches longer or because the riser is two inches longer?

I can’t say for certain because I don’t have any extra long limbs to test on the 17” riser. No doubt it would feel better either way.

 

[DEW0341]

Won’t the long riser and short limb stack more vs a short riser and long lim configuration?

I will say that there are people such as Cody Greenwood at the trad lab who can answer these sorts of questions A LOT better than most of us here but.... Modern designs these days with ILF limbs are quite good and very efficient. Stacking will also depend on your DL, and is more likely to occur on mom and pop custom bowyers limbs that have large variations due to the “custom” creation that it is in whatever wood is selected etc. for example one of my custom 62” bows is rated at 51# @ 28. Well At 30.75” draw it feel like I’m going to snap it in half at full draw holding 59#.

Get what you feel confident with. As long as you are happy. Do it to it brother. You will find people on forums who will tell you that a certain way is the only way. With trad archery it’s give and take. You can’t have your cake and eat it to. If you select a certain set up you will be sacrificing in some department or another, and that goes for ANY set up you choose. Pros vs cons for every decision made. But as long as you’re confident in it and enjoy it, then don’t let anyone change your mind. You will likely evolve as a trad shooter as time goes on and find what really works for you. I know I have over the past 3 years, and currently my go to that I’m shooting is the 21” riser with long and medium limbs.


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