Arrow selection

[tshark]

I need some help with arrow selection. I have a 45# browning recurve. I want to use carbons just for the durability factor.

I currently have some CX 200's that I picked just by looking at the arrow selection chart. I think they might be a little light though. i dont have a scale but at 7.0 gpi and 32" with a 125 gr head thats about 350 gr or so. is that good or do i need heavier/stiffer?

thanks for any help you can give.

[BT]

Lighter spine and added weight.
Throw some weight tubes in the 200's to add weight and use head weight to manipulate the spine.
(probably starting at 150/175 and then working up)

[tshark]

Ahh, I hadn't thought of weight tubes. 3rivers has them in 3, 5, and 8 gpi. If I get 5 gpi and 150 gr. head that will give me in the 520 area. I think that will be much better. At least I can start there and see how it does.

Right now, the bow is a much better shooter than I am, but I want to go ahead and get everything else where it needs to be so I can be consistent while I am trying to get better.

Thanks!

[BT]

I take it that you are shooting at 32" correct?.
If your seeing any tail waving, you can best tame that by going up or down in head weight.
Any questions....throw them up here

[tshark]

Yeah, I bought them full length before I had means to cut them down and just haven't yet. I figure I will leave them that way.


Thanks for your help. I'm sure that I will have more questions when I start practicing and tinkering more.

[arwin]

I would trade off them carbons if they are un-cut. Shouldn't be too hard on the classifides on TradGang or Stickbow.
Having your draw length included will help a bit more since we could figure the exact draw weight of your bow at your draw length. Most bows are scaled at 28 inches and you could lose or gain 3lbs an inch over or under 28 inches.
You want around 10 grains per pound of draw weight for a stickbow. That will be easier on the limbs and increase life of the bow, not to mention making it quiet. I find that carbon tends to be stiffer than what it's rated for, so you may have to play with point weight a little. I would go with the lightest spine made for your bow. With wood or aluminum, you can sometimes get away with an overspined arrow.
Gold Tip 35/55's , CX Heritage 150's Terminator 45/60's, Blackhawk Vapor 3000, Beman Classic 400's, Easton Axis 400's are all great carbons to try.

[smj]

I shoot my lighter bows with 3555 Gold Tip Traditional .003 shafts and play with point weight. I use them full length, but don't suggest it unless you have a longer draw. I think the 3555 come 2 inches shorter than the heavier GT shafts like the 5575 or 7595 (30" rather than 32"). The Traditional shaft has a reasonable wood look. The only issue I have with them is that they are light - but a tube helps. Using them 30" with a 145 tip should get you around 400 grains as a starting point. I'll go check one of mine and update this post.

www.goldtip.com/_downloads/GT_arrowSpec.pdf

Little better than I thought - about 440 grains with a 145 tip. This one is a 3-feather fletching. I find that with a 45# bow, at some point the arrow will get so heavy that it is not nearly as much fun to shoot the bow anymore - so keep that in mind if anyone tries to talk you into a monster arrow! This arrow would put between 9 and 10 grains per pound draw, I think that would work and leave you with reasonable flight as well. After that, you need to decide what you are going to try to do with the bow - big game in Africa probably is not in the plans, but something else might be. Small game, any shaft you want to shoot but I would try to stay around 9 grains per pound draw minimum, go heavier for bigger animals. Browning probably has a recommendation for that bow, somewhere, that would tell you how light you can go and expect the bow to hold together. Above, about the 3555, by "light" I mean for an elk arrow! But then again, I'd shoot a heavier draw weight, too, if I were elk hunting! I normally draw 31", I get by shooting this arrow shorter by opening up a bit between my bow arm and the bow when I cant the bow over. I hold my shoulder a bit out of line, if you will. (I have to do this, every lighter draw bow I've made is for someone with a shorter draw length than mine anyway!)

[smj]

As an aside here, check out the traditional bows offered at both Browning and PSE...

www.browning-archery.com/cat.php?k=135050

www.pse-archery.com/cat.php?k=135538&sk=135538

[tshark]

My draw is 28.5" so i'm guessing I'm right at 45 lbs when drawing, maybe a touch over. I mainly hunt whitetails so if I hunt anything with it, that's what it will be.

If I go with the GT 3555 traditional and 145 gr. head at 29" or so, that will put me right at 400 gr.

If I got with the CX Heritage 150's with a 145 gr. head that will put me at 435, which is a little closer to 10 GPP.

Thanks for all the info you guys are providing. It helps a beginner out a whole lot.

[BT]

Mar 16, 2009 9:12:19 GMT -5 tshark said:

My draw is 28.5" so i'm guessing I'm right at 45 lbs when drawing, maybe a touch over. I mainly hunt whitetails so if I hunt anything with it, that's what it will be.

If I go with the GT 3555 traditional and 145 gr. head at 29" or so, that will put me right at 400 gr.

If I got with the CX Heritage 150's with a 145 gr. head that will put me at 435, which is a little closer to 10 GPP.

Thanks for all the info you guys are providing. It helps a beginner out a whole lot.

The 200's are to stiff at the draw/weight
The 150 or 3555 are your shafts @ 29"