My recent experience

[lbman77]

#5360

Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything, but I thought I’d share my recent experience of using Dr. Ashby’s arrow building research.

I’ll start with a brief (I hope) history. After a hiatus of about 13 years from archery, I’ve begun again with a vengeance. I have a reworked Martin longbow that is now 66″ and pulls 63# @ 28″. I have a 28 1/2″ draw, so I figure it’s closer to 65#. I give the estimation of draw weight because I haven’t actually checked it, and in the end, arrow flight is the most important factor. I also know that I was initially over bowed. However, due to current financial circumstances, I’m in a “run what you brung” situation. That, and I was shooting it with no problems before my forced hiatus (again, life circumstances, not injury).

Before shooting it, I rebuilt my strength back by drawing it as often as I could for a few weeks. I then began shooting my original set of tapered Douglas fir shafts tipped with 125 gr Zwickey broadheads. At this point, I was still learning about bow/arrow tuning, thanks to this forum. I had minute-of-barn door accuracy, but I was mainly working on form and continuing to strengthen myself.

At this point, I needed more arrows for practice, so I began the search. I’m a big wooden shaft guy, but the more research I did, the more I leaned toward carbon, even though it was distasteful to the traditionalist in me. I went to the local sporting goods store and picked up 2 different Carbon Express shafts, the Sabre Hunter and the Pass Thru Extreme Small Diameter. Both were 350 spine, 60-75 lb. shafts, since I planned on using a minimum of 300 gr. up front. I got the Pass Thru Extreme to test what Dr. Ashby had written about heavy heads and thin, stiff shafts.

I hit up 3 Rivers for the necessary supplies (fletching, more broadheads, steel b/h adapters, extra weight for the back side of the inserts, and a heavy weight field point test kit ranging from 200-300 gr.). With said supplies in hand, I began testing the shafts.

What I came up with was a 650 gr. (approximate) total weight arrow. All of the following weights are approximate, due to the variances in individual component weights. I’m using 125 gr.steel b/h adapters, 125 gr. Zwickey Eskimos (or a 250 gr. fiels point), 20 additional gr. behind the original Pass Thru Extreme 40 gr. steel half-in, half-out adapter (the box says 44 gr. but they weigh in at 40 gr.) for a total up front weight of approximately 310 gr. on 29 1/2″ shafts with 4″ shield cut fletching. The approximate FOC is 23%.

What I have found with carbon shafting is how forgiving it is. If my form isn’t perfect, I can still usually put it fairly close to where I’m hitting without it bucking too wildly. Speaking of form, even though it’s not exactly something of legend, it has greatly improved and my arrows now fly perfectly about 90% of the time. When they do, I can bury the arrows to the fletching from 20 yds. And the grouping is regularly dessert plate sized or smaller now from 20 yds. I’ve moved out to 30 yds., and with a heavy point on this new setup, a 10 yrd. change makes a big difference in point of aim. My strength is now up to par, but I’m still tweaking my form.

One last thought about carbon’s forgiving nature. I can put a 300 gr. field point on any given shaft

(which equals a 50 gr. difference from the setup I’m using currently) and they still fly true. And yes, I’m gearing up to use an even heavier b/h setup based on that. I’m sold on carbon!

I’ll update as I continue my journey….and what an enjoyable journey it is! As a side note, I went hunting for the first time in almost 14 years. I learned a ton in 3 days, but that’s a different thread.

[David Petersen]

#42218

Experimenting with arrow setups is always fun. But I see one potential weak spot in what you describe. For hunting, rather than using a light broadhead and beefing up the tip weight with hardware, you’d do better to invest as much of the front weight as possible in the broadhead. The specific reason is that the heavier the head (assuming a more or less standard sized two-blades), the thicker the steel. Thus less likelihood of bending or breaking on impact. Putting a light thin broadhead in front of 650 grains of arrow is asking a lot of that head when it hits heavy bone. I have had good luck where it counts–good penetration on big animals, generally pass-throughs even with bone hits–by starting with heavy, very sturdy broadhead and building the arrow to match the head, rather than building a strong arrow and fronting it with a light head. I agree with your take on carbon vs. wood for EFOC setups, and I share your reluctance. But using an arrow system that won’t self-destruct on impact with bone is our basic duty to the animals we hunt. And it also leads to much higher kill and recovery rates. Best luck.

[lbman77]

#42493

Thanks for the input, Dave. As I re-read yesterday what I wrote, the thought of using heavier heads occurred to me, so we’re on the same page. I also did more testing today with my current broadhead setup (250 gr. total point weight), and 250 and 300 gr. field points. I re-measured my arrows and they come out at 29 3/8″, and I re-calculated the FOC with a 300 gr. field point (my initial calculation was with the 250 gr. b/h setup and came out to just over 23%). With a 300gr point, 40 gr insert, and a total of 20 additional gr of weights behind the insert, I’m at just over 29% FOC, and the arrows fly flawlessly.

Needless to say, Dave, I’ll be taking your advice and procuring some heavier broad heads, probably either Tuff Heads or Grizzlies. I’m just glad I can do the testing to find out what setup works for me. It’s getting a bit costly, but now I know what direction to go.

Thanks again for the input, Dave.

[lbman77]

#49484

Ok,I have an update. I ordered some 235 gr. Kodiacs, rt. wing bevel, and some 75 gr. adapters. I have to say, those things are HUGE! And, quite the wicked looking head.

I got them yesterday and glued heads to adapters. Today, I shot them and they fly very well.

Thanks again for advice, Dave. I’ll update after my hunt in Dec…..if I actually get something.

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