Un-fussy bows

[rory]

I've been doing my usual... ... stuffing around with my bows n arrows

I've been using the 190 grain Ribtek broadhead, and therefore 190 grain fieldpoints for a little while now. They fly great, and hit hard.

At the same time though I've been doing more deer hunting (sorry it should be 'deer watching' ) and also practicing heaps. I'm actually trying to push my effective and killing accurate range out a bit, as I'm finding quickly that these deer are the kind that have eyes in the back's of their heads

I use a recurve bow, and along with the 190 grain heads I use 23/64 Vic Ash, 75-80# shafts @29.5".
I thought I'd try a 125 grain fieldpoint today and using exactly the same shafts/fletching set-up.

Well, they fly just as straight, with no clearance or spine problems at all.

One thing though, they fly noticably flatter out to 20+ meters, I love that

All this spine talk makes my head hurt , my bow doesn't seem to care

[clinglish]

I may be wrong but because your overall arrow weight is quite heavy , the 65 grains at the front doesn't make that much difference to the spine.
MAYBE

[rory]

The point weight should have a fair bit to do with weakening the spine..

Like I hinted at though, it seems a lot of the spine theories etc really should be put to the test, as every bow, and every shooter is different

Just good fun shooting hey

[rory]

I'm lucky as my practice lane is under lights, so I can shoot anytime,

This is crazy I have a couple of the little Tusker 'Spirit's' here, so I wacked one onto a made up hunting shaft... Geez it looks funny, kinda appealing. Like a mini cooper stopped at the lights with 10 buses behind it

Straight as a die

A 90 grain point difference and only speed and tradjectory have changed

[danceswithdingoes]

Why do so many of you folks shoot with overly large diameter shafts for hunting? I can understand it for target or ABA as a line-cutter but surely for hunting you want your shaft to slip through with minimal resistance, therefore a smaller diameter shaft would be ideal.
Look at the trend in compound circles to move away from the 2315 alloys to the Axis carbons that are ultra slim and allow greater penetration.
Personally I use 5/16 VA shafts at 50# and with a 125gr broadhead weigh 600gr. My target arrows are the same diameter but weigh 450gr, at 30m (my max hunting range) the hunting shafts drop 6" lower than the target shafts, so Im looking at replacing the 5" feathers with 4" to measure any difference. I will say however that those little 600gr arrows hit with a lot of authority and penetrate a lot more than some 11/32 shafts Ive used. Food for debate anyway.

[rory]

Why do so many of you folks shoot with overly large diameter shafts for hunting?

Do 5/16 shafts come in 80# spine? Nope.

Anyhow, I like the 23/64 as they are damn strong, and mate, even though I am looking to stretch out my distances for deer, most of my kills are still inside 15 meters, and none of them knew that they were being hit with a thick shaft.

When I shoot one of these damn deer, (this weekend hopefully) I'll be able to see the smaller heads/weights in action

[rory]

Thanks for the 'heads up' Grahame

The proof is in the pudding for me though, shoots straight

[Mick Smith]

Rory

I'm thinking that maybe the reason why your arrows shoot straight with anything from 190 grain broadheads right down to 100 grain ones is because your shafts were overspined all along. This isn't uncommon, in fact it may even be benificial to shoot overspined shafts. I believe you tend to compensate for the tendency of your arrows to shoot to the left in a very short time. It works OK just so long as you don't change bows and shoot correctly spined arrows with that bow and then expect to shoot well again with your current set up. I know that's not a problem for you though, as I believe you're a one bow man.

From what I can tell, there's 3 reasons why you might wish to shoot a heavier arrow. The first one is heavier arrows tend to shoot in a more controlled and smoother fashion. The extra weight tends to mimimize slight mistakes and variations of form. The second reason is heavier arrows don't make as much noise on release as lighter ones and finally, the last reason is that heavier arrows are thought to penetrate much better than lighter ones.

I can only think of one reason why you might want to choose a lighter arrow and that's the flatter trajectory that they give. It's not a bad reason though, providing you're shooting them accurately and the noise level is acceptable and the size of the game you are hunting is such that the penetration from your lighter arrow will still be sufficient for total penetration. I believe that arrows with a total weight of around 500 grains with 125 grain broadheads would be entirely suitable for the likes of fallow deer and such.

The bottom line is that arrow weights comes down to the old equation, it's a compromise which every way you go. If light arrows suit you then use them. It's all a part of the fun of messing around with your gear and getting the results. Personally, I like to use wooden shafts with 125 grain broadheads and points, my reasons are varied, I like the flat trajectory, but there's still a considerable weight aspect for good penetration and there's a very wide range of points and broadheads available in this popular weight. The only time I feel "undergunned" with these arrows is when hunting large game like sambar deer.

Mick

[rory]

It's all a part of the fun of messing around with your gear and getting the results.

Exactly Mick

Personally, I like to use wooden shafts with 125 grain broadheads and points, my reasons are varied, I like the flat trajectory, but there's still a considerable weight aspect for good penetration and there's a very wide range of points and broadheads available in this popular weight. The only time I feel "undergunned" with these arrows is when hunting large game like sambar deer.

Even with the lighter heads I am still shooting 640 grains. The larger heads can get me up to 730-750 grains Shooting them from a high 60's # bow, I ain't worried about much either way

Over spined arrows theory...hmmmmm...dunno.

I suppose a lot has to do with what you feel in the shot, and the flight therafter. I really don't beleive my arrows shoot left, I definately don't 'allow' for it. Then again, how far left really is left

I can group pretty well either way, just changing between the 2 set-up's takes a few shots. But at 25 odd meters, the lighter headed arras shoot much easier

125 grains - I agree too Mick, it's a nice number with lots of choices More fun stuff to fiddle with

[ed]

whoa did someone quote a trend in "compounds", yech, splutter, cough.

As for thick shafts, I think it is purely for the weight and spine. It is hard to get a heavy weighted and spined wood shaft. POC just can't do it for me as I shoot arrows spined 80# up to 130#. So yo go to hardwoods and the Vic Ash shafts from Keith. I spine Tas Oak dowel for the heavier stuff.

I think that if there was a good arrow wood of very dense hardwood, then people will use it if it can be bought. Hmm Ironwood arrows anybody? Don't bother with Jarrah, I have tried it and it is too soft a spine.

[LBR]

Why do so many of you folks shoot with overly large diameter shafts for hunting? I can understand it for target or ABA as a line-cutter but surely for hunting you want your shaft to slip through with minimal resistance, therefore a smaller diameter shaft would be ideal.

Just an observation here....

5/16 = 20/64
11/32 = 22/64

3/64" difference in the smallest to largest, in wood arrows anyhow--not much of a difference that I can see, either for targets or game. I have the same problem as others noted--getting the proper spine in anything other than 23/64.

Can anyone suggest a heavy wood shaft that goes up to 120-130# spine? I've had little luck finding any here in the U.S., and the very few I've found were very expensive.

Chad

[ed]

could ou imagine some company holding stock for such people like us? Not going to happen. 5% of the population is my height or taller and you would think I could find work clothes that fit too eh.

For your info I have found Keiths shafts at the lighter spines to be very good. I got a batch of 80# shafts and they fly like they were spined 20#s heavier. Maybe it is just me, or coats of finish, but I have never had an arrow spined under 100# go straight before. Admittedly I have only shot them out of a center-shot bow. Static vs dynamic spine differences of hardwood shafts?

I think maybe the better option is to look to make them yourself from stock. I have some Tas Oak shafts made from dowel 9.5mm that spine up to 120#s. Trouble is you end up with a shed full of weaker shafts of no use to you just like the suppliers