As long as you are tall is a good place to start.

 

@Sir Coco
Draw lengths on traditional bows have a standard measurement of 28", for Draw Length. Anyone drawing a bow longer or shorter than 28", will experience more or less draw weight. Approximately 2 to 3 lbs. of difference.

A physically longer in length, longbow or recurve will feel smoother and seem to stack less, but you're also not getting the full benefit of the limb's action. For example.... I was going to buy medium limbs for my 19" Satori riser, but after shooting the short limbs I could tell that the shorter limb's action was working better and thus giving me all of the performance and action out of that limb. I have a 28" DL.

If I had a 29" or 30" DL, I would have been better served with a medium length limb.
I hope this makes sense, answers your question and is understandable for you.

 

Makes sense, only thing is I’m not talking about an ILF bow. I’m looking strictly at a one piece longbow. So maybe a 62 or 64in would be the fit. I only have a 26in draw but want the bow only for target and 3-D events.

 

A DAS 17 original riser pretty darn good geometry a 26 inch draw with shorts or mediums.

 

Left handed I have a 26" draw, right handed 26&1/4", Hoyt target bow was just under 28". When I started shooting longbows, I was drawing 27", do or die, John Schulz told me to bend my arm more and shorten up an inch or so. He was correct and my longbow shooting greatly improved. For bow length and short armed people, a 68" bow or a 66" reverse handle, one can have a string contact issue to your chest or jacket in some awkward shooting positions when bow needs to lay over. I prefer 66" for a standard riser longbow. 64" works nearly as well for 26" and may give you some handling advantages. if you are looking at heavy bows above 60 or 70 pounds you may want to call 66" your minimum length and may like 68" better. I have killed Iowa deer with longbows as light as 37 pound at 26" and the 140 grain Hill on a wapiti 5/16 cedar passed through a big doe at 18 yards. It is 64" a backset Hill Cheetah. I have put Three deer down with a backset 42 @26 Hill Big5, that started life at 51 pounds, I used Schulz Hunter heads and cedar arrows for all three, it is 66". I would suggest a 30 something 64" in either a standard or string follow limb, a 97 small loop string from Champion bowstrings, cedar arrows from Wapiti, ( they are easy and fun to make, there are directions on line, or you just ask and i can tell you how i do them) , a shooting glove from American Leathers, a Legend stick from Howard Hill archery with a saddle 2" grip, and never say never. a 37@26 hill longbow is a hunting bow, never say never, those rabbits, pheasants and deer are tasty. Have fun and here is the best way to do it from my experience.

 

At the other end could look at one of the somewhat famed Shrew Bows. They get as short as 52":

Shrew Bows Models

Bodnik Bows zählen bei den traditionellen Top-Bogenschützen und Bogenjägern zu den leistungsstärksten, komfortabelsten und präzisesten Bögen aller Zeiten!

www.bodnikbows.com

Long they are not, yet 'longbows' they are. IMO it would've all been easier if we didn't call them longbows, but 'flatbows' or 'openbows' (string not touch limb) or something.

 

Im on the other end of the spectrum with a longish draw length. Makes me sad cuz I wana shoot little bows. But just dont shoot em well. While Im sure the same rules apply to you as me. In that a taller bow will be smoother/more stable. Id want to take advantage of some sweet performers in the 60” and under range if I had shorter arms.
Everything is a give and take. Longer smoother limbs will generally be slower ime. Higher mass will aim slower and be more stable post shot but be more cumbersome. Got to find what works for you and your needs.
Folks often recommend ilf or das risers for their versatility and I think thats fantastic advice. Gives a guy endless possibilities.

 

I have had a lot of experience in this matter with my pupils and myself. Conclusion: longer is almost always better than shorter.

A good rule of thumb is that the last digit of your bow length should match the last digit of your draw length. So 26" draw - 66" bow. Or maybe 68" bow. Part of the experience is the feel and inertia of those long levers, something like the balance pole a high wire walker uses. A short longbow is an oxymoron. Many of my small pupils shoot my 70" longbows just fine and like it.

Longbow or recurve, many archers find that when using a longer bow the smoother draw causes them to draw farther and their arrows fly faster, not slower, and more accurately. Go long. - lbg

 

For that use I wouldn't go shorter than 66", 68" would be better especially with a longer riser section.

 

I guess my first question is whether the OP wants a “Hill Style” or a more modern take/flatbow. That may alter the geometry. I don’t think he has indicated that yet.

FWIW (not shooting a “Hill-style) I find that I appear to be topped out at a length = my height. It’s at that point that my string starts to get involved with my wardrobe… 2” shorter is no problem, so I mostly shoot my 62”. DL is in the 26”-26.5” range.

Second question is whether you are planning to buy new/used and production or “custom”.
VERY FEW “custom” bows are any more customized than choice of woods and glass color(s). Really ought to call them “bespoke”, maybe?

Personally, I would go with the recommended length per the Bowyer, because he’ll know which length should be faster for your DL. New or used, I can’t imagine any decent bowyer wants anyone buying a bow which will underperform for them.

 

FWIW (not shooting a “Hill-style) I find that I appear to be topped out at a length = my height. It’s at that point that my string starts to get involved with my wardrobe… 2” shorter is no problem, so I mostly shoot my 62”. DL is in the 26”-26.5” range.

This is a good point. OP may not want a long longbow. I can shoot a 66" but need to lean out. 68" would mean a chest guard or canting. Some of us are born 'barrel chested' and/or do weights, and/or are women, and so bow length really starts to play into comfortability. I can get away shooting 64" vertical if I hunch, setting shoulders out past the hips a bit, like Kaminski recommends and as many Oly archers do. But if I stand straight up and down on a 64" bow I already get contact at the chest. Short 'longbows' that give me comfort of clearance, that I can shoot at my AMO 30.5" are rare.

 

I'd often wondered if there was some chart somewhere, research or such the equates draw length
to limb/riser size on lets say a longbow
Shorter draw, shorter limbs - longer draw, longer limbs etc.
to maximize the usage of the limb technology, prevent stacking and such.

Would be nice to have an online calculator - plug in your riser size, draw length, limb selection and voila!!!
a recommended limb length.
Maybe it's out there, just never came across it - - -

 

Great idea 💡

 

You really don’t have to buy a bow directly from the Bowyer to get him to tell you whether it will work for you or not. None of them want people shooting their product if it’s going to underperform, because that’s not good for business.

I thought I had already posted this, but just FYI, there is some software out there (it’s really just a big Excel file), but it is used to predict performance of a bow design… good idea before committing many hours and a good stave to your vision. I think it was originally developed for guys making self bows to use in flight competition, but you might find it to be an interesting thing to noodle around with…..

I guess I have to agree that the good thing about having a shorter draw is that you’re not likely to run into a bow that’s going to stack on you, but if you get into one where the limbs never open up as intended, then you’re not gonna get very much speed out of it.

But every bow is a series of compromises, and that’s fine. Nothing and Nobody is perfect, so you just go with whatever straightens your arrow.

 

I agree with the above, I ordered my first custom this year from Dan Toelke and settled on a pika, after explaining what I wanted to do with it and my Dl he was super helpful, it’s a lot shorter than my ilf rig and I shoot it almost as well