Hunting Arrow Development

dlee56

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I am shooting long 50# Uukha Saiga limbs on a 19" Satori riser at a 28.75" DL.

I'm looking to start developing my hunting arrow for this fall, any recommendations on where I should start as far as spine, overall weight, point weight, etc? Obviously going to fine tune the arrow to my bow (bare shaft/paper tuning), I just need somewhere to start.
 

GLB

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For hunting arrows I like my total weight to be between 550-600 grains. I like to use 250-300 total up front. I then find the arrow with the grains per inch that will get me there in the spine I need.

you are probably in between 500 and 400 spine. I would try 400 spine but it would depend on what you want up front total weight.

That‘s based off that you are pulling 50# at your DL. Check that first.
 
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Beendare

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I use an arrow like GLBs too at 50#:
30” DL, Centershot 340’s, 31.5” arrow with 225gr up front

I wouldnt Hesitate to use 400s with less tip weight and less overall arrow weight, but it will make your bow just a little bit louder.

I think a guy is fine anywhere from 450gr -700gr as those 2 blade heads are so efficient, they turn a fairly light arrow into a killing machine .

It really depending on How you prioritize trajectory over arrow performance.

edit: I just got back from the range shooting both a light arrow in a 40 pound bow and a heavier Arrow in my 50# hunting bow.

That 360 gr arrow Is too noisy to hunt with. Plus, the wind drift on that arrow was considerable. I knew it would be bad but didn’t think that it would be 10 inches at 40 yards in a 10 to 15 mile an hour crosswind. My 585gr arrows drifted half as much as the light arrows with identical 4” feathers.

Personally, i wouldnt go below about 480gr with my 50# recurve. As a sidenote I wouldn’t have thought that my Covid shot 2 days ago would affect my bow arm as much as it did.

 
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TaterTot

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I'm running very similar to the above posters. I bumped up my draw weight this year to somewhere in the 60 to 63lb area so I will be building a new arrow that puts me in the 700gr area.
 

Felix40

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I would start with a heavy 400 spine and some 150 and 200 grain points. Bare shaft tune and see which point weight gives you a more appropriate finished arrow length. I’m betting the 200s will work out better. With an arrow thats 9gpi that should give you a finished arrow weight around 500 grains. I think that’s a good starting point but heavier wouldn’t be bad either
 

NoRush24

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With all my 50# bows I’ve started with a full length 350 spine and about 250-300 upfront depending on the bow and just cut back till they’re flying perfect.
 
OP
dlee56

dlee56

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With all my 50# bows I’ve started with a full length 350 spine and about 250-300 upfront depending on the bow and just cut back till they’re flying perfect.
Do you start off with a 350 shaft you like and then test it with 250-300 up front to get it close before cutting it back? or is the 350 stiff enough that you can chose your shaft and point weight and then fully tune it by cutting it down?
 

NoRush24

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In my experience 350 has been stiff enough that I don’t worry too much. I do also generally got melt everything especially starting a new tune if I’m not sure. But mostly for me Easton axis and black eagle rampages 350 have all worked well. Rampages seem to spine a little weaker. Just my experience.
 

Kgentry

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I’m still very new to the game but I just tuned and arrow for my bow this weekend. I’m shooting about 52# with a 400spine and 200gr upfront on a full length arrow. When I do my part they fly great. Not the heaviest arrow but once I’m fletched I should be in the 550gr ballpark.
 
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Being self-taught, my way probably isn't the best but I've never had issues with getting my arrows to fly. I start with what I want my end arrow weight to be, and reverse engineer the arrow from there.
 
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This last year I was using 400's with 255 point weight on a 29.5'' arrow out of a 55# Wapiti drawing 28''. They seem to tune better with 275 up front. I had 4x3'' feathers on the back. I was thinking about going 340's with full length arrows out of my custom, but I think that might be too stiff.
 

TaterTot

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Being self-taught, my way probably isn't the best but I've never had issues with getting my arrows to fly. I start with what I want my end arrow weight to be, and reverse engineer the arrow from there.
What does reverse engineer mean in this context? I see no way to select a weight and then change the arrow in anyway while keeping the same weight.
 

Wrench

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He could start with a weak shaft and cut it till it tunes.....me, I just figure about 50grs to the inch and trim into it easily till I am there.
 

Btaylor

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What does reverse engineer mean in this context? I see no way to select a weight and then change the arrow in anyway while keeping the same weight.
If you decide you want to shoot say a 500 grain arrow cause you are shooting a 50# bow, you know what your nock weight, vanes or feather weight and point weight are. Then you can play with various combos of shaft and insert weights to hit the combo you want. Slightly different approach than folks that decide on a shaft then build around it often playing with multiple heads to get the build right. I typically build around the head too since that is the killing part.
 
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If you decide you want to shoot say a 500 grain arrow cause you are shooting a 50# bow, you know what your nock weight, vanes or feather weight and point weight are. Then you can play with various combos of shaft and insert weights to hit the combo you want. Slightly different approach than folks that decide on a shaft then build around it often playing with multiple heads to get the build right. I typically build around the head too since that is the killing part.
This. I've never had any issues getting my arrows to fly straight building like this. A start with the end in mind approach; just how I personally build.
 

TaterTot

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If you decide you want to shoot say a 500 grain arrow cause you are shooting a 50# bow, you know what your nock weight, vanes or feather weight and point weight are. Then you can play with various combos of shaft and insert weights to hit the combo you want. Slightly different approach than folks that decide on a shaft then build around it often playing with multiple heads to get the build right. I typically build around the head too since that is the killing part.

Sounds like an expensive way to do things. So you aren't actually picking a weight you're picking a weight range you'll be happy with and trying to stay within it. Why not just use a calculator to get you close, pick your shaft and have a field point test kit? Way cheaper.
 

Wrench

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I am in awe of you who can shoot 340's or stiffer. I have footed 400's with a 100 insert and 200 heads at 29". I also shoot footed 500's with 200 up front.

What's a 340 @ 50# have on the nose of it?

My bud showed up with 340's and I handed him my arrows and they flew like darts for him too.

I'm shooting a longbow so maybe it's a plunger thing that I don't know about.
 

TaterTot

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I am in awe of you who can shoot 340's or stiffer. I have footed 400's with a 100 insert and 200 heads at 29". I also shoot footed 500's with 200 up front.

What's a 340 @ 50# have on the nose of it?

My bud showed up with 340's and I handed him my arrows and they flew like darts for him too.

I'm shooting a longbow so maybe it's a plunger thing that I don't know about.
I sold my 45lb super kodiak, but the arrows I had for that were footed 400's. 185 gr insert, 175gr head. Cut to 30" with my 29.75" draw. Impacted at the same spot out to 40. 596gr total weight.
 

Btaylor

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Sounds like an expensive way to do things. So you aren't actually picking a weight you're picking a weight range you'll be happy with and trying to stay within it. Why not just use a calculator to get you close, pick your shaft and have a field point test kit? Way cheaper.
Not sure I am following? If I know the front weight and rear weight that will be added to the arrow and the total weight I want to hit, it is easy to determine the shaft to pair with it. My current compound setup was aiming for a 500 grain arrow with a 100 grain head and it came out 496. I cant shoot 4 grains difference. I bought exactly one shaft to setup to confirm and once checked built a dozen. Not sure how that could be seen as a more expensive way to do things.
 
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