# Thoughts on ATA of bows in relation to DL?



## ProtecMan (Apr 14, 2003)

Being a longer DL person (30.25") it is getting harder and harder to find bows in longer axle to axle (ATA) to hunt, shoot indoors and 3D. I picked up a Katera XL this spring for a hunting bow and lost all of my anchor points when compared to my Protec and VantagePro!
So the question is: what are your thoughts on the shortest ATA bow to shoot in my DL?


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## NockOn (Feb 24, 2003)

I have a good friend with 30+ draw lenght and he shoots the Vendetta XL and it works great for him. He even uses it to shoot FITA at 90M with amazing results.


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## FS560 (May 22, 2002)

The issue is not the relationship of DL to ATA, except that a longer DL will have a flatter string angle. The issue is string to face fit. This is not a simple issue but rather complex, involving string angle, primary draw length, secondary draw length, nose length, forearm length, loop rope length, etc, etc.


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## hollywood88 (Feb 9, 2009)

i had the same problem because bows are shrinking so much. i fojund that even though the pearson legend is almost 4 inches shorter ata than my old conquest the string pitch is the same. with the larger cams offered today it will lessen the pitch on the string making it anchor and shoot like a longer ata bow. id say look for a 36 to 37 inch bow with a large cam and that should put your string pitch about the same as your longer ata bow with smaller cams. good luck with your search, it took me several years to luck into a bow with a comfortable anchor.


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

Years ago, I was shooting a 48" ATA Hoyt ProVantage Carbon Plus, with a 27 1/4" AMO drawlength and 1.6" force draw eccentrics on it. At the time, I was shooting 1714 aluminum arrows, a springie arrow rest, an ancient Killian Chek-it site, a 30" Aluminum Stabilizer (matche to the bow), and a 6X Magna-Site scope. My site marks were all shot in, since we didn't have the "advantage" of the computer generated tapes, clinometers, cut charts, etc.
However, at a particular event, I had just posted a 556 field score. We were sitting around the table, and I had my bow beside me, since I never let it out of my sight at a tournament. A fella I didn't know was sitting with us, and commented that my bow, with its long ata, and tiny eccentrics was "killing my scores"....because, "You can't shoot a long bow like that with those small eccentrics and get any accuracy out of it." I didn't say much, but of course was thinking, "This guy sure doesn't know much.".

Well, this fella gets up from the table and goes over to see what scores are being posted. At the time, my 556 was the top posted score, and was several points above the others on the board. He came back to the table, and said, "Good God, some fella by the name of Dorigatti has a 556 score posted up there. That is a helluva score. I wonder who he is and what he shot that score with."
I had my opening....I said something like, "I'm that Dorigatti you are talking about, and I posted that score with the bow that you said is impossible to shoot accurately with because it is so long and has such tiny eccentrics on it." He was pretty much dumbfounded and his jaw sorta dropped, and he was rather embarrassed. The others at the table were laughing so hard I thought they'd hit the floor.

Myths are born every day. Today's bows, IMHO, have gotten to the other extreme as in so short that they indeed to take a heckuva great shooter, with absolutely perfect form and alignment...in order to shoot well with.
You will notice that a lot of the better shooters are already opting for the 40" and LONGER ATA bows for their target shooting, both indoors and outdoors. SOME manufacturers are already starting to offer back the bows of 41-45" ATA.....

Sorta like "new and improved"....and learning that the "old boys" and the "old longer ATA bows" indeed were perhaps not so bad afterall.....

So many things are coming back out as "new and improved" when in actuality, they are taking them off the shelves, polishing them up a bit, packaging and re-naming them...and offering them up at a premium price as "new and improved"...when it is 1970's, '80's or '90's "technology" returning back into favor.

Take a quick look at the "back tension" grip gate releases....technology from the mid 1970's....and how many of the top shooters have returned to this "new and improved" technology that is the same thing, but shinier and pertier and instead of costing $25 like they did in the 1970's....they now cost $100 or more...yeah, right.....

field14 (Tom D.)


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## ProtecMan (Apr 14, 2003)

Thanks Tom and I am leaning more and more to going back to the more traditional type bows. I just started shooting a release last year for hunting after 16 years of shooting fingers and thought I should take advantage of the newer technology. In actuality, my 2002 Protec shoots just as well if not better (albeit, slower and a tad bit louder) than my Katera XL.
I thought that Hoyt would come out with something new and grand to replace the VantagePro, but I was mistaken and have since sold that bow prematurely. So now were shopping again for a suitable replacement!


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## AT_X_HUNTER (Aug 10, 2005)

I shoot a 31" DL. I've shot some 31" ATA bows but like you, was not as comfortable with them. Now, I stick with a 35" ATA for hunting and around 40" for target.


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## rick prather (Aug 23, 2007)

in respons to holleywood 88; measure the ata at rest then at full draw.the limb movement and the rollover of the cams will surprise you. you may be even shorter at full draw.


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## Brad HT (Dec 9, 2006)

I have a fairly shorter DL than most (27"), and I shoot an Elite XLR. Its not terribly long, but Ive been shooting pretty good scores with it.... My question is, what is anyones opinion on going a bit longer ATA for my short DL... Is it resonable to think that If I went 39"+ ATA, my sight picture would settle down even more?

B~


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