Compound to trad & draw lenght

[tuffshot]

From time to time when a newbie or someone who has been shooting the compound, they ask about draw lenght. The standard answer given is about 2inches shorter than your compound.

This was true for years but times have changed as well as the compound. For the most part most shoot a release and have different anchor points which lengthens their draw. But now there are other parts to the equation.
Some shoot with a bent elbow and the release, some shoot with a closed stance and others may have been shooting too long of a draw to begin with.
Another change is the grip that is most popular at this time is just having a small piece of wood on both sides of the riser which exposes the metal in the middle. This allows for more heel of the hand to be used and shortens the draw even more.

Now when they pick up the recurve, because of the weight they push the arm straight out and search for an anchor. In some cases the draw will be lengthened. So as times change there cannot be a standard answer to this question.

One such incident I read on another site was while he was asking about trad bows the gentleman stated he was 6'4" and drawing 28 inches, wonder what his draw length was with the compound. Changing times call for different information and those who give it will need to adjust to them.

[Pinelander]

No way, man!! Compound archers have always set their bows up at too long of a draw. Just kidding around, ya know. Guess it all depends on where they anchor, but with that bent arm and heel down grip it's not as long as some might think it is.

I've watched them shoot at the indoor range. Very short draws for their physical stature. Arm is bent like a crowbar, and wrist looks broken at a 45 degree angle. Would bet that most of them in general are around 28" draw. I will pose this question to the pro-shop owner next time I see him, and see what he thinks for a ball-park figure on the setups he has done.

[Steve]

I am a full 28" draw with a recurve - shoot a compound most consistantly set at 27" - would be stretching at 28 - by my ear (potentially very painful) at 30". This is a shorter bow with a release.

Steve

[Scooter]

Whenever generalizing there are bound to be exceptions but lets take the average. Most compound archers are shooting release with a D loop. This coupled with the lower grip as stated (I won't mention the bent arm because I think it is bad practice in general) will give someone a shorter draw not a longer one. Those who say someone shooting that compound setup going to recurve will end up shorter don't know a recurve from their elbow. The goal should be to get in line with either bow so the anchor point should be where this is achieved and not the other way around.

Put a release on and note where the attachment point to the loop is in relation to your fingers and then curl your fingers such as a finger release. It will be different.

If I had to make a general rule on this I would expect on average at least an inch LONGER with recurve.

General not if the compound archer is shooting fingers with good line and form then the differnce should be very marginal if at any, maybe related only to a grip difference.