First, welcome aboard cavscout. You will likely hear advice from those much more experienced then I But–I went through this process about 3 yrs. ago. Started with those 125 gr. points then after reading Doc. Ed’s data and listening to Dave P beat knowledge into this jarhead, went to 300gr. up front. Kinda like an APDS (sabot, gunner.) Put the weight up front and all things work out nicely and tuning is much easier.

And save yourself some $ cause eventually you will go there.

Scouts up

Mike

Cav — I agree with ColMike: start with the head weight you want and need for a good lethal arrow as per Ashby, then work back. With all due respect to KK and other respected retailers, most are still way behind on FOC and arrow weight knowledge. Why bother to build a mediocre arrow first and hope you have enough length to increase the spine sufficiently for a good EFOC head? If you’re just hunting deer, you don’t need to start with 300 but can go with one of the several good single-bevels in the 200-225 category. And if you haven’t already, you might consider starting with carbons rather than woods, since it only takes a few seconds to switch heads and experiment with various weights. That’s what I did when I decided to go for the optimum arrow weight and

EFOC–got it together with carbon shafts, then, knowing the total weight and head weight I felt was best for my bow, I started experimenting with wood shafts. Alas, I’m still conducting that experiment years later and have reached a point where I will shoot woods only with my selfbow, and back to carbons with the Java Man r/d longbow. It’s all fun if you have the money and time to play with it.

Hey Cav, I’m not going to get into the EFOC topic here because I have no problem with it but as far as your original question, an arrow combo like you mentioned above ought to shoot great out of your bow. That + 5#’s or so has been the norm with wood arrows for the past zillion years so it ought to be a good way to start. Then as you progress you can experiment until you go crazy with it like me. Like Dave says basically, with wood there’s really only so much you can do with spine, weight forward and poundage combos. At least from what I’ve “played with” that’s so. It takes no time to weaken spine on wood shafts with weight up front and after awhile you can end up with some heavy slow arrows. All of archery is not how far you can drive a shaft through an animal.

A combo like you questioned at first has accounted for many animals and has made many a fun stump shot. Good luck and welcome.

I was surprised with my Samick Red Stag. I bought a 40# to work on my form and I’m pleased with it. It performs way better and quieter with a fastflite string. Ralph

Ralph said: All of archery is not how far you can drive a shaft through an animal.

So true, Ralph–for archery, as you say. For bowhunting, assuming good shot placement, and with a goal of the fastest possible lethality always our priority, it’s hard to imagine another element that’s more important than “driving a shaft through an animal.” That said, you directly addressed Cav’s question, while I did not. 😆

“I am super stoked to be working with woods again, this time with a lot more information!”

There’s just something about the sweet sound of a wood arrow leaving the bow and the gentle wooden thump when it finds it’s target. The fact that one takes the time to be one with the wood to try to make it the perfect shaft is a joy of it’s own.