New Arrows

[MILLERTIME10]

Well...it has been a while since I have been on here and posted, but here I am.

I went to the bow shop today and got some new arrows. I have mixed emotions. I have a 50# @ 28'' Martin Dreamcatcher recurve and have been shooting it for 4-5 years. I have always shot the XX75 2016's that I received with the bow. I never really could get them to shoot like I wanted them too.

When I went to the bow shop I told them that I wanted a good carbon arrow and I wanted it tuned to my bow. He looked at my draw length (27 1/4'') and asked my bow poundage. he looked at the chart and picked out the Beman Classic 400's at 10.4 gpi. they were already fletched with 4'' low profile feathers. He cut them at 29 1/2'' and put 75 gr. inserts with 125 gr. field points (525 gr. total weght). He handed me the arrow and told me to go shoot it. I went to the range and the arrow was kicking up and flying very badly. I went up to him and said that I think my nock is low because of my arrow flight. he checked it with a bow square and said it was fine. He then gave me 100 grain tips to try. Yet again, same result. I took it back to him and he increased my brace height. Again, didn't fix my problems. This went on for 30-45 mins changing my point weight or brace height, not once did he come watch me shoot. I finally came to the conclusion that this guy did not have a lot of knowledge in the trad archery department.

Luckily, a customer came in with his Black Widow and I could tell this guy was well versed in trad shooting. I began asking him questions, he soon had my nock point moved up, a new felt on my rest, brace height at 7 3/4'' and 125 gr. tips. Now, my bow is shooting better than it has since I have had it.

I am still not 100% confident with my arrows. I have yet to shoot it with broadheads to see how well it flys with them. I hope it does well. I just wish I would have been given the opportunity to bare shaft tune my arrows so I know I have the right arrows for my bow.

Although my arrows were flying good, I shot a few arrows of the guy that helped me, his arrows just seemed to fly like darts out of my bow. I don't recall what arrows he had, I believe it was something 90???

Every once in a while I will still get a flyer with the arrows I bought.
What do you guys think about the arrows that I got today??

Sorry for the long post for such a short question. I just hope my $130 was well spent today.

[Night Wing]

In my opinion, your 400 series carbon arrows are way too stiff for your bow because at your draw length of 27 1/4", you're only shooting around 48#.

Tuning a bow isn't going in and looking at a chart from some guy who works at the archery shop who deals with compound bows everyday.

To tune a bow, there are parameters that have to be correct or your arrow won't fly well....as you have found out.

These parameters are:

1) Nock Set Height ( Mine is set a 5/8")
2) Bowstring Material (Dacron or Fastflight)
3) Number of Strands making up the bowstring
4) Brace Height (Recommended Dream Catcher is 7 1/4"-8")
5) Poundage at 28"
6) Poundage at 27 1/4"
7) Overall Length of Arrow you want to use
8) Point Weight you're considering of using
9) Center Cut/Strike Plate Position
10) Insert Weight
11) Nock End Weight
12) Feather Configuration ( 3, 5") (3, 4") etc.

As you can see, it gets complicated. However, there is a free program that works very well to give you a "tunable" arrow. It's Stu Miller's Dynamic Spine Calculator which is a virtual "what if" program when you can insert data and see if the arrow will work without you having to buy any arrows. The direct clickable link to it is below.

http://heilakka.com/stumiller/

I use this free downloadable program, but there is one very important caveat. The data inputted into the 14 boxes has to be absolutely correct or it won't work giving you the "wrong" tunable arrow. If you don't know the correct parameters, you "can't guess". The most critical of all the boxes is the Center Cut/Strike Plate Position.

As an example. My bow's shelf is cut 3/16" past center. So on Stu's calculator, that is (-3/16). My velcro strike plate is 1/8" thick (+2/16). I have to subtract my strike plate's thickness to get the correct Center Cut/Strike Plate Position number. So, (-3/16) minus (+2/16) gives me the correct number of (-1/16) and this is the number I put into that box.


I hope the above info helps you.

[LBR]

Excellent info. from Night Wing. Another good place to check is www.bowmaker.net --great tuning advice there.

Just going on what you said, I suspect the guy at the store sold you some arrows he needed to get rid of--arrows already fletched with feathers, plus he didn't bother even watching you shoot to see if it could be a form problem rather than an arrow problem.

You might try heavier points, but I'd see what the calculator says first.

Chad

[the_trapperDave]

the dude screwed ya. He has no clue. The max spine you should be shooting is 500...and left full length and cut a 1/4" at a time to tune them. Might even find a 600 spine more to that bows likeing.

[Mr. Longbeard]

I guess I got lucky with my Blackwidow... The guy there recommended that I shoot 2117 and they flew like darts in my Demo bow... I know I have a lot to learn about this...

[LBR]

BW's are cut past center (will allow for a heavier than normal spine), and some of them just seem to "like" a stiffer than normal spine.

My apologies also--I forgot to tell you "Welcome Back" earlier!

Chad

[MILLERTIME10]

Originally Posted by the_trapperDave

the dude screwed ya. He has no clue. The max spine you should be shooting is 500...and left full length and cut a 1/4" at a time to tune them. Might even find a 600 spine more to that bows likeing.

Ya, I agree with you, I sure didn't get my money's worth.

On another note, I have found that they will fly straight as long as I have good form. If I waiver just a little on form, I will get a flyer. This holds true even more so with a broadhead. I can make it work, but I really have to watch my form. It may make me better in the long run.

[burniegoeasily]

I agree. 400s, cut off with you drawing about 46-48lbs, is way to stiff. You would need some serious foc to get the arrow off your shelf.