# Arrow Length - How Short?



## dragonheart

i would leave the arrow length alone. If you want to shoot faster, buy lighter arrows. I would not shoot a shorter arrow, you will be placing inaccuracy into your current setup. If you can get 3 inchs in front of the contact point with your arrow rest, that is optimum for the arrow to have very litle jump when the bow weight initially transitions to the arrow. If you cut the arrow right at the arrow rest, the arrow will jump upon release and is less accurate. Been there done that more than I care to remember. I believe you will be disappointed if you cut your arrows short and you will gain very little speed given how little carbon arrows weigh. :shade:


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## Krooz

So I'm about right then since the tape is a smidge over 2 1/2" long. 

Thanks

Krooz


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## Harperman

dragonheart said:


> i would leave the arrow length alone. If you want to shoot faster, buy lighter arrows. I would not shoot a shorter arrow, you will be placing inaccuracy into your current setup. If you can get 3 inchs in front of the contact point with your arrow rest, that is optimum for the arrow to have very litle jump when the bow weight initially transitions to the arrow. If you cut the arrow right at the arrow rest, the arrow will jump upon release and is less accurate. Been there done that more than I care to remember. I believe you will be disappointed if you cut your arrows short and you will gain very little speed given how little carbon arrows weigh. :shade:


...Dragonheart.....I dont want to hi-jack this thread, but I'd like to hear more about Your thoughts on the arrow length vs. arrow rest contact point.....P.M. if You want to, or I could start another thread.....Thanks.....Jim


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## Krooz

I don't think that's hijacking! - I'd like to hear more as well. I sort of thought as long as the arrow was beyond the rest all would be well....shorter-stiffer-faster etc.

Krooz


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## Krooz

Here was one opinion I has found..... I know what they say about opinions(!) but I'm was looking for real experience and I figured I'd find it here at AT.....

Krooz


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## dragonheart

Here are my thoughts from experience and recent testing.

In the past, I would cut the arrow right at the arrow rest. I would worry about having arrow shaft hanging out in in front of the rest. I do not worry about having arrow hanging out on front of the arrow rest anymore, I want that in my set up. 

In indoor shooting I found I needed to leave the arrow longer, to get the spine I needed because of shooting stiff big diameter arrows at lower bow weight. Look at many of the top indoor shooters in the world and they are shooting long arrows, I mean just look at a snapshot of the line at Vegas and the arrows are almost as long as there sight bars LOL! Those archers are doing that to lengthen the arrow and weaken a stiff arrow with alot of FOC (heavy points). Indoor speed is really kinda irrealavant, so we are looking for all out grouping ability. I believe most pro archers would change to a faster, shorter arrow if it was more accurate arrow to shoot. The short arrow, cut at the arrowrest is simply not as accurate.

Everyone chases the rainbow, so to speak, of speed and accuracy. I want as fast a bow I can shoot, but not at the compromise of accuracy. I will shoot a lighter arrow that is cut in front of the rest not at the rest.

Will an arrow cut at the rest group and shoot? Sure, most bowhunters will never see a difference at 20 yrds. Why not build a setup that is as forgiving and accurate as possible? I believe that this is accomplished without cutting our arrows too short. 

Cutting arrows right in front of the arrow rest is not as accurate, IMO. For one thing the insert or point is inside the shaft, so at the end of the arrow the shaft is thicker and stiffer in comparision to the rest of the shaft.

Easton recommmends 1" in front of the furthest point of contact with the arrow rest. I would venture to say from what I have shot over the years that 2" is better and 3" is even better for all out accuracy.

Give it a try. You may have to go up in arrow spine a size or decrease point weight. Get 3-4 longer arrows, tune the bow, and compare the group size to arrows cut right at the rest. I believe you will be surprised how forgiving the longer arrows are to form errors. The longer arrows just simply group better than arrows cut at the arrow-rest. You do not have to buy the most expensive arrows to test, just check to make sure the shafts are matched. 

The heavier the point the less arrow you need hanging out in front of the rest, the lighter the point the more arrow you will need in front of the rest. IMO 

Shoot the "X"

Jeff


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## Krooz

I have some old arrows that are long enough that I can cut short to test - some 55/75 and 75/95. That should be interesting to compare....

Thanks

Krooz


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## fingers

Optimum forgiveness is one aspect but there is another that I think about. Look at your photo, if that arrow gets squeezed off the string on the draw( hey, it happens)where is that razor sharp broadhead in relation to your hand? It would be a nightmare to have it come down against your hand and be caught there. I want it out front. I relax my hand so my fingers don't stick out straight like that but the picture shows what I'm talking about.


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## shadowhunter

*"nodes"*

For a finger shooter dealing with archer's paradox, the arrow is going back and forth sideways not up and down like release shooters. The front node is the arrow rest. The back end of the arrow may hit the rest as it leaves the bow. That is the back node and the arrow length is very critical for accuracy. Spine and length are both factors important to getting a straight arrow flight to the target.


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## Harperman

I've hear of FITA syle Archers doing something called "NODE" Tuning, and have looked at some info on it briefly, but I'd love to hear some in-depth info concerning this.......Anyone got anything to share with the rest of "US"??........Thanks...........Jim


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## Hoyt Thompson

dragonheart said:


> Here are my thoughts from experience and recent testing.
> 
> In the past, I would cut the arrow right at the arrow rest. I would worry about having arrow shaft hanging out in in front of the rest. I do not worry about having arrow hanging out on front of the arrow rest anymore, I want that in my set up.
> 
> In indoor shooting I found I needed to leave the arrow longer, to get the spine I needed because of shooting stiff big diameter arrows at lower bow weight. Look at many of the top indoor shooters in the world and they are shooting long arrows, I mean just look at a snapshot of the line at Vegas and the arrows are almost as long as there sight bars LOL! Those archers are doing that to lengthen the arrow and weaken a stiff arrow with alot of FOC (heavy points). Indoor speed is really kinda irrealavant, so we are looking for all out grouping ability. I believe most pro archers would change to a faster, shorter arrow if it was more accurate arrow to shoot. The short arrow, cut at the arrowrest is simply not as accurate.
> 
> Everyone chases the rainbow, so to speak, of speed and accuracy. I want as fast a bow I can shoot, but not at the compromise of accuracy. I will shoot a lighter arrow that is cut in front of the rest not at the rest.
> 
> Will an arrow cut at the rest group and shoot? Sure, most bowhunters will never see a difference at 20 yrds. Why not build a setup that is as forgiving and accurate as possible? I believe that this is accomplished without cutting our arrows too short.
> 
> Cutting arrows right in front of the arrow rest is not as accurate, IMO. For one thing the insert or point is inside the shaft, so at the end of the arrow the shaft is thicker and stiffer in comparision to the rest of the shaft.
> 
> Easton recommmends 1" in front of the furthest point of contact with the arrow rest. I would venture to say from what I have shot over the years that 2" is better and 3" is even better for all out accuracy.
> 
> Give it a try. You may have to go up in arrow spine a size or decrease point weight. Get 3-4 longer arrows, tune the bow, and compare the group size to arrows cut right at the rest. I believe you will be surprised how forgiving the longer arrows are to form errors. The longer arrows just simply group better than arrows cut at the arrow-rest. You do not have to buy the most expensive arrows to test, just check to make sure the shafts are matched.
> 
> The heavier the point the less arrow you need hanging out in front of the rest, the lighter the point the more arrow you will need in front of the rest. IMO
> 
> Shoot the "X"
> 
> Jeff


This is about the best advice I have seen on the subject.

I would like to elaborate on this a touch more.

The reason the arrows have built in forgiveness with a longer arrow is proper clearance or useage of the NODES.

I have seen a few have already mentioned this.

If the arrow tip is directly on top of the launcher then it will press hard into the launcher arm or blade. this cause you to either stiffen up the launcher or play with the nock height.
By having the arrow tip 2-3" in front of the launcher you will not have to worry about the about the tip pressing into the rest.

The arrow as fired from a release fired compound bow, the midpoint of the shaft will flex upward to start with. If the front node is too far behind the launcher then the tip will dig into the launcher and cause it to fall. If there is no spring action in the launcher like most drop aways then it will springboard off the launcher before it has had ample time to get the required guidance from the rest to help steer it toward the target in a repeatable and accurate manner.

Having some arrow length in front of the launcher will allow the tip to dip down into the air space above the riser shelf. This allows the launcher to guide the arrow more as the length of shaft and allow for proper initial steering of the arrow.

Thus this setup will add forgiveness into your arrow and arrow flight.


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## TheAncientOne

If you are shooting broadheads, you need to be sure that they clear the front of the riser. I wouldn't go less than 1" in front of the rest for field points. I prefer longer arrow in both my compound and my recurve. My target is AMO arrow length, which is 1.75" in front of the rest 

TAO


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