Arrow selection for newbie

[yankytrash]

Oh man did I mess up. You'll see another thread kickin around here on my decision to buy new arrows. Here's the skinny:

I'm a lefty, shootin old large compound bow, 60lb. I'm tall with monkey-length arms, can't remember my draw length off hand, but my arrow shaft measurement from the tip of the insert to the inside of the nock is 33", if that tells you anything. Even at that length, I need to be careful not to lop a finger off with a broadhead on the draw.

The bow I bought (used) came with a half dozen arrows. They're most all damaged now in some way or another, so I bought a half a dozen from my dealer today. He threw the inserts in for me, glued the nocks on the way I wanted them.

Well, just got back from a miserable shootin session in the front yard. I was accurate to 2" at 10-40yd. With these new arrows, same size/weight (2117 aluminum shaft, 125gr heads), I can barely hit 6-8" at 25yd.

I notice these new fletchings are shorter, so I do a little search for "fletchings" on the net. I find a contraption for gluing your own fletchings on - a right and left model!!

Sure enough, I look at the new arows I bought and the fletchings are twisted the opposite of my old ones. DOH!! Now they're used to boot, so I don't think I'll try giving them back to my dealer. Luckily for me, I'm a cheap bastard and bought the cheapest ones he had at $3.99 a piece. Because of all the gun stuff I buy from him, he knocked a few bucks off that price.

So, finally, question(s) is:
What effect do different lengths/twists of fletchings have on flight path?
What are some good brands, some middle-of-the-road brands, and some brands to stay away from in arrows? I'm currently downloading the painfully large Easton catalog right now.
Tell me about ideal setups for arrows weights, I mean the numbers like 2117, 2116, 2410, etc. I know what the numbers mean, but I have no idea where to experiment past the basic 2117. I'm a hunter, not a target shooter.
Is it too hard to fletch the arrows myself if I buy the jig?


That's all for now, until I start answering your answers with more questions...

 

[Bruz]

It is easy to fletch your own arrows, can even be fun! I bought the Cabella fletcher, even started using feathers.

Shooting an arrow is not like throwing a ball so the left right offset should not be what is throwing it off...not sure why they give the choice. I think in your other post you mentioned that your new arrows are longer, that will throw them off. The shorter fletches should not make a big difference unless you are using broadheads, longer fletching makes the flight more stable.

Have you ever heard of paper tuning your bow and arrows? That is the best way to figure out what type of arrows to get.

Rotsa ruck...

 

[yankytrash]

Can't say as I've ever heard of "paper tuning". Whatzit?

I got thinking about the dilemna, and I wonder if my arrow rest has anything to do with the right-twist arrows not flying right. I'm using one of those basic rubber arrow rests that just peel-and-sticks to the riser. I'm thinking that maybe the right-twist arrow fletchings are hitting the riser, whereas maybe the left-twist fletchings ride the riser flat. Dunno, still scratchin my head on that one...

Tried a mechanical rest last year, but that didn't work. Been thinking of goin "Whisker biscuit" anyway, so maybe I should give that a try before I write these arrows off?


EDIT: Found "paper tuning": http://www.onlinearchery.org.uk/advicecen/tune/advice_patune2.html

Sounds like what I need to do.

 

[Bruz]

Here's another link for paper tuning. http://www.bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/articles/tuning/papertuning/indexpt.cfm Basically the longer the shaft the thicker the arrows should be, the higher the weight of the bow the thicker the arrow needs to be, also variables will be the weight of the head, size of fletching, etc.

Never heard of a peel and stick rest...the biscuit may work but the fletching has to hit the sides of the biscuit, seems to me that would throw it off. I would definantly shoot natural feathers if I had a biscuit. This is the type of rest I have http://www.eders.com/catalog/showdetl.cfm?&DID=9&Product_ID=19490&CATID=15301 works good for me with all types of fletching.

 

[zahc]

If you are shooting a simple stick on rest I sure hope you are shooting feathers! Vanes very rarely work if they touch the bow at all. FEATHERS RULE! it's not hard to fletch I do it. 2117 sounds really soft for that long of an arrow. Do you shoot fingers?

your nocks may be rotated differently
The different twist may be causing different fletch contact


I reccomend 5" feathers, as much twist as it'll take.
I recommend carbon arrows these days. unbendable!


your bow definately changed tune, so see what is different aout these new arrows

I shoot release, shoot through rest, carbon arrows and 4" feathers. did I say feathers rule? this setupo is easy to tune. I don't know much about tuning those simple rests. With simple rests and fingers tuning moves a bit away from science and a bit toward art.

 

[yankytrash]

Yep, I'm runnin fingers. I'm told I have a good release, whatever that means. I'd like to stay from trigger release as long as possible. Wanna "keep it real" as long as I can stand it.

You think I should be runnin a little heavier/stiffer arrow? How's about 2317's with my 125gr heads, then go from there? Or am I thinking wrong, maybe go for 2118/19's?

Ya'll've certainly talked me into feathers. Can't wait to get a fletcher now.

What do you think of the adjustable fletchers? I was thinkin that if I need to stabilize a long arrow, maybe it'd be worth experimenting with 4- fletch arrows and/r a little more twist.

 

[zahc]

I can't say about your arrows. Easton (and beman) has an arrow selection thing on their website. Your particular arrow has to be matched to your release, draw weight draw length, arrow length, point weight.

I think you would benefit from a better bowshop, most take care of these things for you. At my shop if you walked in to buy arrows he'd look at your bow, take your draw length and weight, discuss other things, look you up on the chart, and then probably have you test a few different ones. fingershot bows are picky about arrow spine so you'd be good with aluminum.


I have a jo-jan mono fletcher and it works great. Bohning fletching tape is supposed to be the ticket for feathers but I've only used Fastset gel and fletch tite. Four fletch might be good--you can never have too much steereage. Most people compromise because of noise, velocity loss and such.

 

[Bruz]

Wanna "keep it real" as long as I can stand it

You stopped being "real" when you put down the recurve and picked up the compound! Thats when I switched to a release and it cut my groups in half...perhaps not that important in recreational target practice, but very important to me when making sure to get a clean kill on an animal.


How's about 2317's with my 125gr heads

The longer the arrow, the bigger the head, the higher the poundage of the bow, the thicker the arrow needs to be.


What do you think of the adjustable fletchers

Might as well, always better to keep your options open.

 

[zahc]

try edersbow.com forums! they're good guys

 

[stevelyn]

From the looks of it you have been pointed in the right direction and was able to paper tune your bow or at least learn how. You really should find an archery pro shop in your area and pay them a visit. A pro shop can consult the Easton arrow selection chart based on your draw length, arrowhead weight, and the weight of your bow and whether your bow has wheels or cams. Cams dump energy much faster than wheels and require stiffer arrows. A pro shop will also be able to measure your proper draw length.
Lose the rubber stick-on rest and get a mechanical rest that works for you. Part of the tuning requires you add or decrease pressure on the side of your arrow.
As for fletching anything over 4" invites clearance problems, increases drag, and you gain nothing in arrow stability.
I use Marco vanes. They seem to be the softest and most forgiving other than feathers. You want either a left or right helical twist on your fletching to over power the planing effects inherent of broadheads. Some folks say if you shoot right handed you want your helical twist to be RH and vice versa. I haven't found there to be a difference just as long as there is a twist. I do fletch my own arrows and have found the Arizona E-Z Fletch to be the simplest to use. The nock receiver is easily adjusted by positive clicks by twisting left or right to properly orient the cock feather. You will have to fletch shoot and maybe re-fletch to fine tune your nock receiver adjustment and gain proper clearance.
If you are using your bow for hunting you may have to shoot several types of BHs to see which fly accurately for you. My advice is to use BHs w/ blades no wider than 1 1/8 " to minimize wind planing and make sure your BH's and field/practice points are the same weight. A well tuned bow and arrow combination will shoot through most deer.
I'm a finger shooter and my bow has a 44" axle-to-axle length. By the way when I go to replace this one there is only one company I'm aware of that makes bows longer than 38" a-to-a.

 

[zahc]

I recommend Muzzy broadheads..

 

[stevelyn]

125 gr Gold-Tip Gladiators fly just like my field points.

 

[Harold Mayo]

So...

Are .45" diameter shafts more effective than 9mm diameter shafts?