A guy at the archery shop told me that, unless you are a good competition shooter, a short axle to axle bow will shoot just as accurately as a long one. Is that true?
In fact, even if you ARE a good competition shooter, a short axle to axle bow is just as accurate. The real difference generally is a sort of nebulous issue called forgiveness. Essentially, the shorter axle to axle bows are more efficient in terms of their power - so they are faster pound for pound. However, it also means that, for example, the tuning of the bow so you are at exactly the right balance point on the string for proper tillering is touchier in general. Particularly if you are a fingers shooter, the tolerance of string flex as you are releasing is a bit less, etc. etc. So, fundamentally, if you make a good shot, they are just as accurate as any other bow of the equivalent quality. It has more to do with, when you make a bad shot - from a technique standpoint - how forgiving the bow is to you doing that. For higher level competition shooters, the difference between the 10 ring and the X ring in the 10 ring is significant, and so small differences in the technique of a shot are more noticable. Thinkingblade
In the old days it made a tremendous difference, especially if you were a finger shooter. But with todays bows, and with the use of a release, if your intent is to use it for a hunting bow, a shorter bow will work well for you. But still in the world of competition archery, the target models are never the short axle to axle models they promote for hunting. The minute difference in the accuracy of a bow on the tournament line can cost a person thousands of dollars.
