Straightarrow

Nothing wrong with doing that, but just so the general viewer knows, weight differences are probably the least important aspect of arrow tolerances. As long as it doesn't affect spine or straightness, I doubt most could tell the difference with a 10 grain variance shot at hunting distances. In addition, I find the biggest variances in weight to come from inconsistant tips and broadheads, not arrows. Sometimes the best method of assembly is to put the heaviest tips on the lightest shafts in the bunch - if weight consistancy is your goal. However, I don't recommend it. I would put the heaviest tips on the arrows with the stiffest spine. This is likely to end up making an even heavier combination, but I find that keeping dynamic spine consistant is far more important than weight matching.

AllenRead

I also don't see any hostility in bigbulls response. Perhaps a little frustration, but not hostility.

Most manufacturers build to price points. Their research or experience has told them that they will sell a certain number of arrows at one price and more at a lower price. To reach the lower price they have to make compromises in order to maintain profit margins. They also know that if they reduce the price and the quality too much, they get a bad reputation for quality. Since the purpose of a business is to make money, they strive to find a balance between price & quality. There is room for very few in any industry for a company that makes the best product possible without regard for cost.

Why doesn't Gold Tip make 40" arrows and cut 3" off of each end at the factory? The answer is cost. They have probably already run this cost / benefit analysis and decided that most arrow buyers won't pay for this. In fact most arrow buyers wouldn't know or understand the difference. All they would see is that Gold Tip's cost more and think that they are trying to gouge them. The same goes for other arrow manufacturers. I don't mean to pick on GT.

Until more archers understand the value of straighter arrows and consistent spine, the manufacturers are going to keep on meeting those price points.

Is there a solution? Maybe. Contacting the manufacturer every time you find arrows out of specification may do it, but I doubt it.Many will simply make it more difficult to contact them. The only solution that I know is to buy arrowswith a reputation foractually meet the specifications in the first place. How do we do this? One way is to buy from shops, like Len who check the arrows.

Right now the manufacturer who seems to have the best quality is Carbon Tech. That, unfortunately,is subject to change with the nextshipment of arrows.

Maybe someone else has a better solution.

Len in Maryland

Straightarrow:

Quote:

....weight differences are probably the least important aspect of arrow tolerances. As long as it doesn't affect spine or straightness, I doubt most could tell the difference with a 10 grain variance shot at hunting distances.

You can't imagine how many times I tell my customers this. Also, so many of them get caught up in the FOC issue. There as well, "As long as it doesn't affect spine..." too much, standard east coast hunting distances can be flexible.

Of course, if you're going to use heavy vanes, wrapsand lighted nocks on the back of your arrows, using a light tip might not be agood choice.[:-]

One more thing about cutting of arrows at the nock end - WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO DO IT?? Why can't all the manufacturers make straight arrows from one end to the other? They already make them shorter than their aluminum counterparts.What happens to those who need longer arrows and can't afford to cut from both ends??

I've actually already run into this problem with a few longer DL customers.[:@]

Black Frog

I don't paper test for spine. I'm fortunate enough to have my spine tester to check for consistency and individual shaft integrity, and also have a Hooter Shooter to play with. Only paper testing I do is a rough shot through paper when initially setting up a rest for the first time.

davepjr71

I agree with the statement about the arrows weights.

I shoot arrows that weigh 391 from CX along with 430 grfrom GT and there is no noticable difference between how the 2 arrows perform out to 40 yds. Both are spined for the bow and fly true and I've spun all of them on my pine ridge. IfI shoot true the arrows hit the center. If that's the case how can10 grains, or even 2,mean anything.

I'm sure at greater ranges this difference would matter. But not at the rangesI intend to shoot at a deer.

Len,

My thought on why they do not cut the ends before shipping.I think they do not do it incase of any damage that may occure either at the warehouse or at the shop. The thing that surpised me the most though is that GT recommends cutting equal ends off of the shafts when cutting.I wonder if they do that on the ones they ship already fletched?

brucelanthier

Agreed. You can also rotate the nock to the in-between fletch position so in essence you could have 12 positions. The 3 position rotation works well for me so far and if you start with a high quality shaft I don't really think much more than that would be needed.

Dave,
I paper tune with the fletching on. Certainly bareshafting would work but I change the distances (right off the paper, 6', 12') and get a pretty good readout on what the arrow is doing. I like the paper tuning because it gives me instant feedback on the arrow but I also group tune and have done the french tuning that you like.

bigbulls

What exactly about my response seems hostile? I simply answered your question. That's pretty much why it doesn't happen in my experience. It is what it is.

See my "better question comment". It is the manufacturers responsibility to produce what they say they do.

If the pro shop should some how be responsible for what the manufacturer produces and we quit carrying their arrows then everyone needing arrowswould be paying $150+ for a dozen arrows cause we would just quit selling arrows and offer you one premium choice and that's it. Not every one is willing to spend the money for ACC's or better every time they need arrows. How many arrows do you think would get sold?

Then if the manufacturers quit producing out of spec arrows and produced them all to within spec how much do you think those "cheap" arrows would end up costing the end consumer? Add up 4 inches per shaft and multiply that by the millions of shafts produced annually and add up the cost. Are you willing to eat that cost cause they manufacturers aren't going to.

The pro shop isn't in the business of manufacturing arrows. The arrow companies are. If their quality control is not as good as it should be how do you make the connection that the pro shop is responsible?

davepjr71

Maybe I should step back a second and ask my question differently. You said that you rotate the arrow during testing to see how that affects the arrow. Wouldn't there be an issue with vane contact on the rest? Or, am I missing something in translation? That's whyI asked about the bare shaft.

brucelanthier

Sorry, I use a drop away rest so there is no vane contact regardless of how the arrow is rotated. You could still rotate the arrow with a non-dropaway but you would have to be cognizant of how you rotated it. Such as always keeping a vane up in the whisker biscuit. Just rotate to a different vane up each time.

The Rev

One reason I stay out of pro shops. Most are arrogant, obnoxious, and couldn't hit the side of a barn. I don't have a need for them.. There are some exceptions, however far and few in between.