THE Perfect hunting arrow

[Tartan]

This was good advice. Thanks! Moving out to 20 yards showed a stiff kick that I wasn’t getting at 15. I have now messed with my center shot and ended up with 175 grain field tips (plus the half-outs, which are actually 25 grains). So I’m at 200 total up front vs. 125. I’m going to keep tweaking until I know it’s perfect, but I’m genuinely surprised I was that far off. I thought I had it really dialed in at 15.

So now I have to ask, should I stop at 20 or should I move out to 25 or 30? How far do you need to bareshaft to make sure you have it right?

I like to bareshaft out to 30. I have seen the arrow plane at 30 that I won’t at 20. Groups inside my average at 20 but bareshafts 6” outside the group at 30.

dependent on the shooters ability of course. Little form inconsistencies will be amplified the farther you walk back. Shoot a bunch and take the average.

I don’t think this level of detailed tuning is required for most people but I’m a little ocd about things. There are times I just need to put the bareshafts away and shoot or I’ll walk myself in circles trying to get it perfect.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I don’t think this level of detailed tuning is required for most people but I’m a little ocd about things. There are times I just need to put the bareshafts away and shoot or I’ll walk myself in circles trying to get it perfect.

I'm a big fan of jumping to broadheads as fast as possible. I get stressed out bareshaft tuning, so I get it close enough to swap to my hunting setup, then I just shoot a lot to make sure I'm confident in the broadhead tipped arrow.

This may not apply to an ILF bow with a springy rest, but I've found trad vanes and broadheads will be more critical of tune than fletching and broadheads. So my final test is the tradvane with broadhead. If that flies right, I'm good to go.

 

[Btaylor]

Good commentary Tartan.

My take on the whole arrow weight thing can be summed up by saying: Step away from the Social media sensations trying to reinvent the wheel.

A 2 blade head is a penetrating monster! A faster flatter arrow- within reason (in that 9-10 gpp range) with a 2 blade head penetrates effortlessly and doesn't give up anything penetration wise to the very heavy- and SLOW- arrows.

FWIW I was shooting a 3 D tourney years ago with the Montana state Trad Champ. He said he laughs at the ultra heavy arrow guys- no need. He blows through elk, bears and mule deer with a 45# ILF/ Border limbs and uses a 400-ish gr arrow, 2 blade heads.

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In the past most of my arrow setups have been in the 9-9.5 gpp range. Switching to wood arrows this year and a little heavier draw weight bow, what I am shooting now is 10gpp. I tried some heavier stuff years ago and while they shot fine, they didnt work well for my eye. Really struggled to find any sort of accuracy. 9.5-10.5 gpp seems to yield arrow flight that fits my eye.

As for the whole perfect arrow setup, for me, that is the setup that allows me to consistently blow the biggest hole in critters with near 100% exit hole consistency that I can. I prefer 3 blades for that reason or big 2 blades.

 

[Gold54bs]

10 gpp seems to work well for me


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[bjfoxhoven]

“This may not apply to an ILF bow with a springy rest, but I've found trad vanes and broadheads will be more critical of tune than fletching and broadheads.

I would agree with this too. Feathers create so much drag (noisier), so they correct an arrow much better. I shoot trad vanes because they are so quiet, but they also show me when I have a bad release or have an incorrect grip and differing finger pressure. I’ve always had more consistent good arrow flight with feathers, I’ve even contemplated switching back for that reason.

 

[Beendare]

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[Kentucky]

The arrows I know of off the top of my head that are 32.5+" (I should note I prefer .204 shafts if at all possible):

-- Easton Axis Trads (good arrows)
-- Easton Axis 5mm .260 spine (love these in .260) and .300 spine
-- Black Eagle Renegade (my current arrows, cheaper than axis trad, and still .204 diameter)
-- Black Eagle Instinct
-- Black Eagle Vintage
-- Traditional Only Barebow

I've played with lots of spines and point weights over the years as I've shot heavy bows in the past, and now I'm shooting 43@32". As someone mentioned above, a .340 spine with 100 grain tip sounds very stiff unless you're shooting 65-70 lbs.

Current arrow is a full length BE Renegade 400, Axis HIT brass insert(50 grains), 125 grain tips, gold tip bushing, and an Easton G nock (gains me between 1/8" and 3/16" of arrow length over standard nock.

I currently shooting 30.5” 400 Beman Centershots 200g heads, 22g insert, tradvanes, comes to about 540g. 52#@28” JK Kanati longbow, cut to center, DL 28..

I recently acquired a good deal on some 250 cutthroats. I was wanting to switch to the BE Renegades, I also like to longer arrow to help with point on distance, I’m not familiar with these arrows and I feel like I could be on the edge of a 340 shaft?? Or would the 400 be better place to start. I have to have a 29.5-30 arrow, I’ve been known to get excited and overdraw, letting broadhead hit shelf and pull arrow off string..

I know their SS half out is 51 grains.. so that would be 300g total up front.. which is heaviest I’ve ever tried. I think I’d rather use the HIT insert and foot the shafts.

 

[Beendare]

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[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I currently shooting 30.5” 400 Beman Centershots 200g heads, 22g insert, tradvanes, comes to about 540g. 52#@28” JK Kanati longbow, cut to center, DL 28..

I recently acquired a good deal on some 250 cutthroats. I was wanting to switch to the BE Renegades, I also like to longer arrow to help with point on distance, I’m not familiar with these arrows and I feel like I could be on the edge of a 340 shaft?? Or would the 400 be better place to start. I have to have a 29.5-30 arrow, I’ve been known to get excited and overdraw, letting broadhead hit shelf and pull arrow off string..

I know their SS half out is 51 grains.. so that would be 300g total up front.. which is heaviest I’ve ever tried. I think I’d rather use the HIT insert and foot the shafts.

I'm not sure which spine to use. You may be able to buy them in singles from Lancaster archery, so you could get two of each spine and see for yourself! If you do HIT inserts I'd strongly recommend brass or steel, vs the stock aluminum. The aluminum tends to get cross threaded on hard impacts and the point sticks.

 

[Beendare]

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[Kentucky]

I'm not sure which spine to use. You may be able to buy them in singles from Lancaster archery, so you could get two of each spine and see for yourself! If you do HIT inserts I'd strongly recommend brass or steel, vs the stock aluminum. The aluminum tends to get cross threaded on hard impacts and the point sticks.

That was the plan, loaded a cart with a couple in the other day but didn’t pull the trigger.. it that’s what I’ll have to do for sure

 

[TaterTot]

I wouldnt buy one I'd buy two. And a point weight test kit.

Then when I go to start cutting arrows I only cut one of the two. That way if you screw up and cut off to much you can go back and try again.

 

[Beendare]

I wouldnt buy one I'd buy two. And a point weight test kit.

Then when I go to start cutting arrows I only cut one of the two. That way if you screw up and cut off to much you can go back and try again.

Delete

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[North Idaho Stickbow]

Holy crap what a pain in the rear bare shafting wood arrows. So much gluing and un-gluing...

 

[Btaylor]

Holy crap what a pain in the rear bare shafting wood arrows. So much gluing and un-gluing...

It sounds way worse than it is. I actually think it is quite a bit easier than messing with carbon or aluminum.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

It sounds way worse than it is. I actually think it is quite a bit easier than messing with carbon or aluminum.

Good to know, because I’m in the process of doing my first ever woodies.

 

[TaterTot]

Good to know, because I’m in the process of doing my first ever woodies.

Me too. Just waiting on my taper tool. I figure if I got 300 cedar shafts I better go all in haha.

 

[GLB]

Most of my bowhunting time has been shooting wood arrows. The last 3 years or so I have been using carbon. When tuning wood arrows I would go straight to the broadhead once I got field points flying good. I never had good results bare shafting wood arrows.

They don’t act the same as carbon and generally take longer to recover from paradox. Also different wood types would recover faster than others. For example, cedar would recover faster than Douglass fir and the harder and heavier the wood the more it wanted to noodle to the target longer.

I know some has had good results bare shafting them and might be worth a try. All the years of building woodies I would almost always have something already built that would shoot well in a new bow

 

[TaterTot]

Agreed^ that cheap test kit with FP's from 75gr to 300gr is awesome.


By adding or subtracting tip weight with your FP's you can dial in arrow length/point weight to your best advantage. Its a time saver in the whole trial and error process.

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Oh amd since they are test arrows. Save yourself the time and cut from the back. No way I could be arsed to remove and reglue my insert every time.

 

[TaterTot]

Most of my bowhunting time has been shooting wood arrows. The last 3 years or so I have been using carbon. When tuning wood arrows I would go straight to the broadhead once I got field points flying good. I never had good results bare shafting wood arrows.

They don’t act the same as carbon and generally take longer to recover from paradox. Also different wood types would recover faster than others. For example, cedar would recover faster than Douglass fir and the harder and heavier the wood the more it wanted to noodle to the target longer.

I know some has had good results bare shafting them and might be worth a try. All the years of building woodies I would almost always have something already built that would shoot well in a new bow

Good to know. I'm going to do my best to bareshaft but if I can't get it to work I'll just make sure broadheads and fieldpoints impact the same at 40 and call it good.