I'm working on my third bow. It's a Hackberry stave and compared to the Mulberry and Kentucky Coffee it's like carving butter.

My question is it is 72.5 inches long 1 3/4 at the fades to a 1/2 tip....  It has a 4" non-bending handle and 2+ inch fades in this picture. I am shooting for 50#@28....   is there any advantage to leaving the bow 72 inches long? What would you do at this point....  as it sits now it's pulling 50#s at 16"s..

The longest bow I have ever shot was 66"s and it shot great...

 

 

The shorter you make it, the more weight it will gain. Your going to have to keep taking wood off the belly and or make it a little bit narrower from fades to mid limb +. I would take wood off the belly.

Its all personal taste in regards to bow length. I myself would take it to 66" tip to tip. I have found that you need to be around 35/40# @ 20" to land close to 50 @ 28" with all the finish work. Heat treat that belly Coaster. Hackberry will take on some good set, its quite soft. I do love my hackberry bows though! Very fast wood.

That pyramid design (vs a rectangular) you're using will allow for a longer draw length through a shorter bow. I like that 66" that Pearly mentioned also. I would keep the outer third of the limbs more non-bending if you stay with your origanal length and reduce weight inner limbs......Art

Thank you for your coments guys...  I normally shoot bows 56 to 60 inches(laminated)and at my slight 27" draw I think I'll cut it down a bit. I think I'll make it 66 or so and it will still be the longest kid in the rack....

To me longer bows seem to draw smoother and stack less.

If your hunting with it the longer it is the more it gets caught in the brush, at least in my neck of the woods. (wonder how I know that?)

Well it's 66"s now and starting to bend...