longer more accurate?

[JW_Halverson]

I've been shooting some sitka spruce target arrows for two years.  27" from botom of nock to base of firld point, 405 grains total weight.  Shooting these outa my 50# sinew backed osage flatbow was a bit of a "jarring" experience, but I really like the way they smoke right along. 

Yesterday I finished up some ash arrows, 31" from bottom of nock to base of field point, 625 grains.  Coming off the same bow, they are slower, but not exactly cold blooded.  I'm hitting about 3 inches lower than normal at 20 yds, but a little practice will compensate for that in no time at all. 

The big difference I noticed right off the bat is that I group significanltly tighter.  All things considered, I think I like these 12 1/2 grains per pound of draw arrows.  But why are they more accurate?

[Pat B]

I shoot 29" arrows for my 26" draw. I think they get around the bow better and I like the extra weight too. Most of my hunting arrows are 600gr to 700gr for a 55# bow. Even when I shot cedars I likes a longer arrow(also 29"). Most of my arrows now are either sourwood shoots or hill cane arrows. I do have a set of fully tapered ash arrows that are also cut to 29" and weigh about 650gr that shoot very well out of the same (actually, most of my bows) bow.

[mullet]

 I shoot 31,32" arrows. Shooting longer arrows is more forgiving. I know I can shoot my same arrows out of a 45# or 55# bow. Like Pat said, I think they straighten up quicker with more wood.

[JW_Halverson]

Another few days of shooting bales with field points and I am going to mount broadheads and see how they travel.  I have two mulie bucks hanging around that can be culled, neither has the genetics for good antlers.  I do have "The Big Guy" back again after not seeing him last year.  He has the typical 4x4 rack, plus brow tines on each side, and matches stickers on each side for a total of 6x6.  His face is nearly white and his rack is significantly smaller this year.  His body is so thick and deep that he looks like his legs are sawed off!!!

He's working the does nicely again this year, so I hope to see his sons for years to come!

[aero86]

maybe that would help my shooting some too..  i generally shoot a shorter arrow.  my draw is about 27.5, and i shoot a 29 usually.  maybe ill make up a few 31's and see how i shoot then.  or maybe im just a bad shooter!  lol

[Kegan]

You've got two things working for you there: first, heavier arrows absorb more energy from a bow so there's less movement in your hand (obviously ), so heaver arrows are more forgiving. Also, longer arrows shorten your point on distance so your peripheral vision can see them better for aiming. It all works out towards making things easier on you

[JW_Halverson]

Anyone know where I can get 72" shafts spined for about 50-55#??? I might make a good shooter, yet!

[markinengland]

JW,

I can't quite do 72 inch shafts but could do 51 inches!

Try longer, it's fun.

I got interested in long arrows after trying a friends Amazonian bows and arrows. They were really long but great fun to shoot. I made up a set of four arrows with Ipe foreshafts and twin fletched and tried them out round our field archery course. I scored better with them first time out than I did with the 30 inch shafts I normally used!

I'm not sure why but really long and therefore heavy and slow arrows do seem forgiving and to help me hit better when all the "normal" people are using shorter lighter faster arrows with flatter trajectories.

The only downside is that my arrow flight is sometimes interupted by overhanging trees and low flying aircraft!

[recurve shooter]

i draw 28 but leave everything full length. they just seem to stabalize quicker and hit harder. 

[Badger]

Jack, a 72" arrow would need to be spined for about 250# or so, add 5# spine for every inch over 26".  I made up some 48" arrows once and they seemed to shoot very well. Slow but they were very heavy. Steve

[Mechslasher]

i also shoot arrows between 30-34" long for my 28" draw.  if i remeber the physics right, the longer the arrow, the more of the arrow is pointed at the target so the rest of the arrow doesn't have to work as hard to get on target.  this translates into better accuracy.  i also think longer arrows, matched correctly to the bow, correct paradox faster than shorter arrows.  as to weight, a heavier arrow will stay on the string longer.  this causes the arrow to absorb more energy and reduces the vibration after the shot that the bow transfers to the shooter.   there comes a point of deminishing returns.  you just need to experiment with your bow to see what that weight is in arrows.  i like around 12-15 grains per pound and 18-20% foc.

[markinengland]

Badger,

I don't want to be argumentative, but I'm not sure I totally agree with you. I agree that the longer the draw length the stiffer the arrows needs to be

From what I have seen spine is largely about the need for the part of the arrow that is behind the bow to flex around the bow on the shot. As the arrow get longer a larger part of the arrow is in front of the bow and simply acts as a heavy point. After a while that doesn't seem to matter much.

The south american indians use very very long arrows, but they are not mega stiff. In fact they are weak enough when using long fishing arrows to droop quite a bit! Even without feltchings they still work.

To take this to an extreme look at using an arrow that is infinately long. The part of the arrow that is behind the bow even at a 30 inch draw is now so insigificant it doesn't matter and mathmatically doesn't exist, non of the arrow has to bend around the bow, all the arrow is pointing at the target and spine is irrellevant! Perhaps the longer the arrow length in front of the bow at full draw the less you need to compensate in spine?

I have found that arrows between 48 and 60 inches long are quite forgiving of spine and various bow weights. They seem to go better from bows that give a long hard push rather than a sudden fast one. It would be interesting to see some slow motion video of long arrows being shot. There is a point at which you can see that the "spine" of the shaft is not right for a fast more powerfull bow, bit it seems to me that something other than and maybe more complex that normal spine issues is involved. I've had the feeling that if the same stiffnes shafts had been longer they would have worked better rather than wagging around as if they were too stiff!

[Stingray45]

Sorry to hi-jack the thread a bit but I think I have a relevant question to this arrow length business. I have some 32" POC shafts that are spined for 60#-65# @28". I just got a new longbow that is marked 47#@28" but is really pulling a little heavier, closer to 50# on the nose. All that being said, how much spine to be gained or lost by leaving the arrows longer. For example, if I want those arrows that are 60#-65#@28" what length do I want them to be spined for the 50#? I thought I heard 3# per inch somewhere and 5# per inch somewhere else. Since they are 32" long, from back of point at best I'm going to be able to get 31", should that work well or would 30" back of point be better?

[JW_Halverson]

There are literally an infinite number of variables at work here.  You are going to be pretty close by leaving them full length.  Try shooting them without fletching, if they come off the string and the nock end kicks to the left, try adding heavier points.  (this applies if you are shooting right handed, if left handed just switch left for right)

You can get field points in quite a few different weights, and the heavier the points you use the more "forward of center" (FOC) the arrow becomes as well as making the arrow act like a lighter spine.

[George Tsoukalas]

I cut my arrows 29 in bop. I draw 26 in. I do it so I can have more weight. I really don't feel it allows me to shoot more spine ranges though.  Jawge