Arrow selection

[danwattsmessick]

I'll be honest, I'm mostly being lazy and not using the search function, so I apologize in advance.

I'm trying my hand at traditional shooting again and keep going back and forth on arrows.

Aside from durability, is there any reason I shouldn't just order a dozen XX75s to shoot? I shot them growing up, switched to carbon when I started shooting compounds, and can't decide what to do now. Am I missing something crucial or are XX7s still a good option?

Thanks!

 

[Boxerboxer]

Shouldn't be a problem unless you're shooting such high draw weight and heavy arrows that you run out of spine options. Aluminum is super cheap if you fletch your own.

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[Dvidos]

Shouldn't be a problem unless you're shooting such high draw weight and heavy arrows that you run out of spine options. Aluminum is super cheap if you fletch your own.

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+1

 

[danwattsmessick]

That's where I'm at with it right now.

Only shooting 43@28 (roughly.) I've fletched my own arrows for years, I just can't justify the price for a dozen carbon when I can buy a dozen XX75s for half the cost.

Thanks guys!

 

[oldgoat]

For low draw weight like that, there are some real good carbon arrows for what aluminum cost and they don't bend and stay bent. I would be more inclined to use an aluminum to hunt with than target shoot. I love to shoot long shots and watch the arrow arc, and thus inadvertantly hit a lot of hard stuff, wouldn't want to do that with aluminum, I think you will lose the cost effectiveness of the aluminum with the bending and breaking

 

[sneaky]

That's where I'm at with it right now.

Only shooting 43@28 (roughly.) I've fletched my own arrows for years, I just can't justify the price for a dozen carbon when I can buy a dozen XX75s for half the cost.

Thanks guys!

Big Jim Dark Timber wood grain carbons are $60/dz. He also sells them in 6/pks. Not many aluminums are half that price and as easy to tune. I don't have anything against XX75s but they are more finicky than carbons to set up and keep straight.

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[ledflight]

You can get a lot stiffer and lighter with carbon so if that matters for you then go carbon.
I shot aluminums for my first couple seasons. 2117 and 2219 - I liked em heavy. 2219 is a tough shaft but it can still bend. I had a couple minor bends that were driving me crazy with my practice until I found the kink.

 

[danwattsmessick]

Big Jim Dark Timber wood grain carbons are $60/dz. He also sells them in 6/pks. Not many aluminums are half that price and as easy to tune. I don't have anything against XX75s but they are more finicky than carbons to set up and keep straight.

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I actually ordered a half dozen of these and tried them. Couldn't get them to shoot worth a darn to be honest. Went to strip the fletching to try something different and the finish came right off with the rest.

 

[FLS]

I’ve always felt aluminums were much easier to tune that carbon, their only drawback is durability. A 2016 is a 2016, whereas .400 spine will vary ALOT from arrow to arrow. A well tuned skinny carbon is a very lethal arrow, but it seems to take a lot more work to get there IMO.

 

[sneaky]

My experience has been just the opposite. Aluminums have been harder to tune out of my rigs, and I've tried them out of several. Carbons are stupid easy to tune, components are easier to find, and durability is light years ahead of aluminum. If you don't know how to nock tune carbons it can seem they won't fly right. Small adjustments to nock rotation , cut them in very small increments when bare shafting because a small change in length makes a big difference. Don't just start cutting 1/2" at a time off. Much easier to get a decent FOC with carbons compared to heavy GPI aluminums too. Trying one carbon shaft and then writing off all carbons isn't the best play either. Aluminums that spine right for my setups are either large diameter, or ridiculously heavy. I shot my fair share of XX75s over the years, nostalgia has me try them from time to time, but certainly not performance.

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[danwattsmessick]

So out of this particular bow I've shot the following;

Easton Axis Traditionals 600
Goldtip Traditional Blems 500
Big Jim Dark Timbers 600

I have five of the Axis which were loaned to me to try with this bow. They fly well, but the fletching is beat up and I haven't felt comfortable stripping the fletching off the traditional print because I can never not remove the faux wood layer.

The GT arrows were older and I shot them out of a higher poundage bow that I know I wasn't coming completely to full draw. They're cut pretty short as a result and don't allow me to draw fully with this bow. They shoot ok however.

The Dark Timbers just seem like a different animal entirely. Their 600 spine seems a lot weaker than the Axis 600 spine. Could be that the Axis is just a thicker wall since its a smaller diameter arrow, but I don't know. Fletched one up and shot it and it was wild. Nowhere near where I would aim. Tried stripping the fletching to try something else and stripped the wood finish with it. Not impressed so far.

I am just curious if I might have better luck with the XX75s because they're inexpensive. If I don't like the fletching I can strip it without worrying about ruining the shaft.

 

[oldgoat]

K, small diameter tend to shoot a little stiffer in my experience, not because of wall thickness, but because of diameter, it puts them closer to center. use arrow wraps on carbons, that way the glue is on the wrap and not on the arrow, that way you won't mess up the arrow when refletching. You want to do this whether it has wood grain or camo over the carbon or even no overwrap pattern, plain carbon can get thinned out scraping feathers off. If you stick with this, keep every arrow you can from now on, so you have a selection of test arrows for new bows

 

[sneaky]

If you're just testing with feathers, use fletching tape instead of glue. Much easier to remove fletching with. I'll use it and lock the ends down with super glue if I want them on permanently.

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[Kgentry]

So out of this particular bow I've shot the following;

Easton Axis Traditionals 600
Goldtip Traditional Blems 500
Big Jim Dark Timbers 600

I have five of the Axis which were loaned to me to try with this bow. They fly well, but the fletching is beat up and I haven't felt comfortable stripping the fletching off the traditional print because I can never not remove the faux wood layer.

The GT arrows were older and I shot them out of a higher poundage bow that I know I wasn't coming completely to full draw. They're cut pretty short as a result and don't allow me to draw fully with this bow. They shoot ok however.

The Dark Timbers just seem like a different animal entirely. Their 600 spine seems a lot weaker than the Axis 600 spine. Could be that the Axis is just a thicker wall since its a smaller diameter arrow, but I don't know. Fletched one up and shot it and it was wild. Nowhere near where I would aim. Tried stripping the fletching to try something else and stripped the wood finish with it. Not impressed so far.

I am just curious if I might have better luck with the XX75s because they're inexpensive. If I don't like the fletching I can strip it without worrying about ruining the shaft.

Im still very new to the traditional world but I’m getting the Dark Timber 340s to fly well out of my bow when I do my part. As far as the finish coming off I did also struggle with that myself but since I started wrapping my arrows I’ve eliminated that issue. Just something the think about.

 

[PatrickW]

I think you’ll find that in the long run the carbons are the better value. They don’t break and they don’t bend. That’s is as long as you don’t lose them. I still have some carbons that I bought in 2000 (CE 250’s) for my BW. All but one of those I’ve broken were broken in animals. The cost over time is way less than what I would have spent on XX75’s.

Don’t get me wrong, XX75’s are good arrows, but I think we can all agree that they don’t last as long as carbons. As long as you don’t lose them, that is.

You get what you pay for, and it’s always better to buy once cry once.

 

[PatrickW]

I posted this same thing on saddlehunter.com.

If you want to know what size and length of any given arrow for your bow, check out 3Rivers Archery web page. They have a spine calculator that should help you pick the right spine and point weight for the length of arrow you want.
Just choose the make and size (600,500, 2016, etc.) and enter your bow info and it’ll get you real close.

Cut your shaft an inch or 2 long and bare shaft till you get it flying perfect.

With all my bows they are almost right on with what bareshaft tunes for them.

3Rivers Archery Supply

Find the perfect arrow to maximize your shooting! Match the dynamic spine of both bow and arrow for optimal arrow performance.

www.3riversarchery.com