Carbon choice ?

[OldbowKY]

#6489

Got a new bow coming in a few Mos. R&D 58″ LB 45 to48 #. I draw 27″

Going to need some new arrows of course. Maybe from Santa.

I have always shot Easton for 50 plus yrs. or woods I have made.

Plan on carbon w/ 200g to 250g head, Shoot 175g now.

Figure I will start w/ 500sp shafts , want med/high FoC 15+%.

Arrows I am looking at Axis FMJ, Axis Trads, Trad. Only, Bloodline ????

Been shooting carbon for several yrs., but am new to this heavy FoC thing. Just need some ideas what works best with it ??? Thanks

[Doc Nock]

#51869

Oh, boy! You’ll get a ton of varied opinions on this one I bet and all good!

Personally, I shoot the same draw weight you do but from a longer draw. (47#).

I like to get the lighest GPI carbon I can so when loading the front end for EFOC, I don’t end up shooting a piece of re-bar weight wise.

I’ve shot GT Entrada (now renamed something else). Since they have a lighter GPI, they have thinner walls, I use the alum arrow 2.5″ over-footing to strengthen the front end.

I had my latest bow built with some well researched and tested carbon/foam core… and had to go up in spine to use all that stored energy. Previously, I shot GT5575’s and at your draw, the .400 should work well enough. I use 100gr inserts in all my shafts.

You can always add more weight up front, bump your foc, and lighten spine if they’re too stiff. You can also leave them longer and tune them from full length and cut from the nock end once built up the way you want in the front.

You can shim out your sideplate with anything behind your side plate material if they fly weak..

Adding nock end weight, even a cap wrap, can stiffen an arrow appreciably.

Get yourself a good tuning guide (one on Tuffhead site I’m told), read it, study it and keep it at hand and start tuning whatever you like.

Of course, this all assumes you have access to a cut off saw to shorten in tiny increments till you find your sweet spot!

Cheers!

Now you’ll hear a lot of other good ideas!

[OldbowKY]

#54069

Thanks Doc. Looking at Easton Bloodline shafts 480s =6.8gpi

400s =7.7. Is that about what you are talking about?

Not sure what BH wt. I should shoot for w/ a 100g inserts?

What “total” weight do you try to get without getting into the “rebar” mode? 45-47 range.

Thanks again, Ernie

[Doc Nock]

#54155

Those must be some premium shafting! Best I found were about 8.1gpi.

Find the O.D. and then find an ID for alum shafts that matches and make up some over footing… course, if they break on a deer, you’ll gladly sacrifice an arrow to the god’s for a deer. I just like the insurance. Bit more work, but it is helpful. I rattled a few such carbons off rocks and they showed no visible signs of stress aside from a flattened field point!

I know a lot of guys who like 480 gr total weight, but I shoot for under 600. Currently, running about 580. That is with GT 7595 and they’re heavier shaft…but was in a bind when new bow came last year and needed something and they were available on short notice.

Get the tunin guide off Tuffhead website and follow it. Bit more work but IF…IF you wish to proceed down the EFOC alley, it really makes a difference.

AS for BH weight… Pick one! Then once you build up the front of the arrow, (insert, head wt and over foot (if)) then start tuning bare cutting from the back from full length… I avoided cap wraps and crown dipped (sprayed mine)for less weight…

I marked dots on my arrows like dice… and kept a log, shooting several times each with results…then cut a wee bit each time…redo.

Tedious. Some prefer to rely on their eyes to tune… Different strokes for different folks!

Be methodical, keep track, and use what you got or want.

I used to shoot 175 head and 100 insert. Then bumped to 200. I even toyed with going with 50 gr. brass inserts and bumping the head to 250…

But they all work. Sharp heads, good arrow flight, and solid form are more critical than all the bells and whistles. Everyone approaches this to their own set of rules. Those are just what I’ve bought into listening to those I admire. Works for me. YMMV.

Have fun!

[OldbowKY]

#54270

Thanks, I have been a 10gpi fan since I started making my own arrows in the 60s. You are right in the ballpark with what I was thinking at 550gpi to 600gpi total.

I went through my BH box and found some 150g Journeymans same as Eclipse and Some old Glenn Parker Timberwolf at 190g also the ever present Zwicky Deltas by the dozens. Just add the 100g steel BH adapter.

But I am interested the 3to 1 single bevel that are popular on this sight, might try them.

Use those small number dots or fine felt tip pin to keep track of my good and bad ones.

Tedious/ Methodical = That is all part of the game and half of the fun.

Thanks

[Doc Nock]

#54367

I’m sure some or even many might argue the “methodical and tedious approach”.

I meet many who claim to be “old school” and want to just go by how the arrow flies. Big feathers, underspined, light tips, “but they fly like darts…” reasoning. And then the “You don’t need all this scientific voodoo stuff”

I’ve often marveled since corresponding with Doc Ashby, reading of the tribes that tuned EACH arrow to their own bow, and had 1000 gr. heads! 4′ arrows was it? Amazing…and they had to kill to live!

Seems to me, myopic though I might be, that while a simple stick and string, there are endless physical laws and alterations that affect performance: arrow length, tail weight, front weight, side plate pressure, center cut, brace height, nock height, nock fit on the string, silencer placement, quiver on limbs, lower limb tip protector…ad naseum!

Only science I want to employ on MY stickbow is what makes that arrow/bow combo the most effective it can be for the draw weight I can handle!

Any of those broad heads can do the work/trick! Or some of the fine new Grizzly, Tuskers, etc, etc… up to the wonderful, but a bit more pricey heads available!

I start hunting something tougher than whitetail on a regular basis, I’m going to have to go up to more rough & tumble heads perhaps!

Have fun and mind your p’s and q’s!

[OldbowKY]

#54433

I like to call myself tinkerer, never satisfied with things.

Methodical & tedious no way.. Just like to play as my wife said, “can’t leave anything the way you get it”.

[Doc Nock]

#54440

:):)

Call it what you will. I, too, find it a confidence builder to invest time stroking the most I can out of what I have with my set up.

Play till you’re heart’s content… but have fun!

[Sach]

#55494

Lads I don’t understand all this high techy stuff. I do right good with my Big Lots all fibery-glass bow an’ tree limb arras. Heck, I kin hit the target better ‘n half the time from all the way back to 10 feet!

Pullin’ your leg. Ernie’s a buddy and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to jerk his chain a little. 😆

I’m interested in this fine tuning, buuuuut, I think I’d best wait til after Bow Season to start tinkering. Bare shaft tuning I guess best be my first step. I have to confess I haven’t done it being satisfied that my miss’ were totally my fault (and they really are), but if I can shrink a group by even 10% and gain the confidence that I’m sure you get from being properly set up, sign me up.

Good luck with your new stand location Ernie. See ya next week.

Lee

[Doc Nock]

#58576

Waiting sounds smart…

I used to see an occasional flyer, but nobody could see the spiral I thought I saw…

Then I learned about bare shafting. OMG! ALL my shafts (I was an arrow ho w/ many mixed types, alum, wood, carbon, fiberglass) were WEAK!

Fixed that and never saw another kick. Kinda neat stuff when you get into it… Then once all is super tuned you KNOW it’s all you! 🙂

[mgerard]

#58676

I like the Arrow Dynamics carbon shafts. Black Light. Made in U.S.A. and have a tapered design that helps build in FOC. Good luck.

[mgerard]

#58677

I like the Arrow Dynamics carbon shafts. Black Light. Made in U.S.A. and have a tapered design that helps build in FOC. Good luck.

[Author]

Posts