Still searching the "perfect arrow"

[lignum]

Hello Everbody,

comming with a maybe nerving question. But I´m still searching and try to make the possible best arrow for my bow.
I have a 64" yew-selfbow with light recurves and horn nocks. He pulls 48lbs by my draw of 27,5"
I heard, that you should take 10grs per lb bow strenght for saving the bow limbs.
Did that with cedar shafts, round about 470 -480grs,38-40 spine. Arrows flow, but in my opinion the arrows were to slow and to heavy.
Actually I shoot with Sitka shafts 380 -390grs, 42 spine. These are fly much faster and straighter, but they are a littlebit nervous.

All my shafts are 28" long with 100grs arrowheads and 3 x  4 - 5" feathers, mainly indian style or traditianal parabol.

Has anybody an idea, what possibilities I can test to make "the perfect arrow"

Regards
lignum

[1/2primitive]

The arrows don't have to fly like darts to be effective. I have used 500 grain arrows through a 40 lb. bow, and within 15 yards it was fine.
I've got a lot of questions and comments......
    -Perhaps try making the arrows a bit longer.
    -By nervous do you mean they are kind of unstable?   If so, give it some more feather.
    -I would keep the arrows around 10 gpp.
    -Did you shoot any other bows before you started shooting selfbows?
       Sean

[lignum]

Dear Sean,

Thanks for answer.

Started with an Elb for a very short time, than shot a modern Longbow, glass backed for roughly 1/2 year and the came back to wooden bows in case of, let me say, their own magic.
I understand, that heavier arrows are more stabil than lighter ones. But I try to get arrows, if possible, were I can shoot straight round about 30 yards, which is the average distance on 3D tournaments.

Do you think longer feather and longer shaft can effect it positive.

With nervous, I mean, somtimes the arrows goes to far left or right. It´s ,maybe also my release, but that symptom was less by heavier arrows,  so is my feeling.

Regards
Roger

[Justin Snyder]

The 38-40 pound spine would probably be accurate, except you are using a lighter weight point. By going down to 100 grains (125 is the standard) you probably need to decrease the spine 5#.  Is the bow center shot?  Justin

[1/2primitive]

btw, I'm not saying I am by any means an expert, that's just what I think.
    Sean

[perry]

     I shoot a similar weight selfbow in 3d tournaments and have settled on sitka spruce arrows with a single taper that begins approx 15 inches from the self nock , spine arrived at buy bare shaft testing , 125 grain field points and 3 - 4 1/2 # fletches parabolic fletches cut as high as my chopper will adjust , average weight 450 grains . My point blank range is 27 yards . One factor in accurate arrows that most people dont pay enough attention too is Forward of Centre or balance point , for me about 20% works wonderfully . I adjust the forward of centre with the single taper from the nock end  , this is why the taper is a little longer than the standard . Try this I believe it will help you as it makes for a more forgiving arrow that recovers from paradox faster than a non tapered shaft . regards Perry

[Hillbilly]

One factor in accurate arrows that most people dont pay enough attention too is Forward of Centre or balance point , for me about 20% works wonderfully .

Is that meaning the balance point is 20% of the shaft length in front of center? Also would this be before or after adding point and fletching?

[perry]

     Yes Hillbilly that is how I measure FOC and the pointis is installed . Fletching does alter the FOC . My arrows are matched well enough that at 15 yards or so they will fly pretty well to the mark unfletched . I just shot arrows and adjusted the taper until I got the spine right , I wasn't paying attention at that time to the Foc measurement it just ended up that approx 20 % after I fletched the arrow gave me the results . I was speaking to Dr Ed Ashby soon after and he had just concluded a study in how FOC affects hunting arrow penetration and his study indicated 18 to 20 % was the minimum for good arrow flight and penatration and that 25% was better . I'm sure his study is somewhere on the net or published in magazines over there , much more detailed then I can go into here . Look at crossbow bolts for example massive FOC , cane arrows wth foreshafts , hardwood footings on fine timber target arrows ,all feature a larger FOC than the 8 % or so touted so often for modern bows . Primitive and middle ages folk where on to it regards Perry

[jamie]

feel pretty much what perry just said is true. one thing i do is shoot heavier than normal shafts. usually 75- 100 grains heavier than 10gr per lb. speed is something i dont strive for accuracy is. too light of an arra has a big affect on accuracy. probably because the bow is slamming home. some of my bows were real duds to most people but with an arrow set up as mentioned all have made meat out to 35 yards and one tom at 45. slower speed is something you will get used too. especially if your arras are hitting the mark.

another note on light arras is their effectiveness while hunting. light works with high poundage glass bows and wheels but self bows love to have heavy arras for hunting. the langers new video features the father hunting with my stone points and taking a deer. penetration was horrible. especially for the distance he took the shot at. the shaft was cedar and too light. this year im making him shafts and points for hunting to try again. theyll be heavy and will punch through.

[mullet]

  Jamie,Those osage footed ash arrows you made for me a few years ago are some hard hitting and deep penetrating arrows.I'm taking them on the hog hunt in Ga., with Chris Cade.I think they weigh close to 700 grn and I'm shooting them out of a 58#bow.