help with carbons

[58WINTERS]

I would like to shorten my carbon arrows but I have read too many posts about the negatives of this.  So here is what I have that currently works.  Liberty English straight limbed longbow 50# @ my draw of 27". Full length (30-1/2 BOP) Gold Tip 35/55 with standard aluminum insert. 160 gr Grizzly with steel broad head adapter 232-235 grains. 5" parabolic left wing. Total arrow weight 534 gr. overall length  33-3/4".  I would like to have 28" BOP which would mean cutting 2-1/2" off these shafts.  Is this attainable by increasing point weight to offset the increase in spine and keep arrow weight to  around 600 gr. ?

[JimB]

Probably but I would experiment with one arrow and cut a little at a time.Some of my setups showed it took 17 to 25 grs of point weight to equal 1" off the shaft.That number may increase as you go down in length,I don't know.The only way to know exactly is cut and bare shaft.I believe you could stay in that 600 gr weight range though.

The amount of overhang you have now won't hurt anything but I know some just don't like it.

[xtrema312]

I don't think you will get there and keep weight under 600.  You can play with a bare shaft if you like, and have inserts and point weights to do it.  Have you thought about dripping down to GT1535?

[JRY309]

Are they flying good? Thats alot to trim off a carbon,they really stiffen up quickly.I bought used carbons that were 1" past my draw and they were showing alittle stiff.So I thought I could add more weight upfront to weaken the arrow.They got worse the more weight I added,they were in effect bouncing off the riser instead of flexing around it.They wouldn't tune no matter how much weight I added.This has been my experience with carbons on longbows not cut past center.With carbons I let my tuning determine their final length.There has been alot of used carbons for sale that were cut to a certain length and then they would not fly good.I never just cut a carbon without shooting and tuning it.If they are shooting good why do you want to shorten them?

[58WINTERS]

The shafts fly perfectly and group well full length just a little long for the back quiver. I just don't like the overhang. I may sacrifice a shaft just to see how much they will tolerate shortening. My Hill doesn't like them now probably bouncing off the sight window like JRY309 suggests. This is my second go around with carbons the first was with 500 Beman camo hunters which I cut first and tried to tune with weight. Gave them away. Mean while the 2016's and Surewood firs quietly wait ready for the late season.
Thanks for your thoughts.

[JRY309]

I shoot carbons out of my Hill,they came out about 3" longer then my draw but they fly great.Thats the  thing with carbons,they don't come in as many different spines as wood or aluminum.So you adjust the dynamic spine to your bow by shooting,triming or adding weight.But usally for bows cut off center like Hill's a longer carbon will shoot better in my experience.But alot of guys don't like the long overhang,but carbons react differently then aluminum or wood.I got over the long overhang with carbons,it doesn't bother me.

[Jeff Strubberg]

In my experience, carbons are more sensitive to changes in length than they are to changes in point weight.  It takes me a lot of point weight to overcome a 1/2" difference in arrow shaft length.

I don't think you will hit your goal without shifting to a lighter spined shaft.  Having said that, I encourage you to switch.  Those arrows are going to continue to bug you and be a distraction, both in your quiver and during the shot.

[PaddyMac]

I'm shooting 31 inch 3555s with 175 gr. in a 50#@30" recurve and I had to build up my strike plate by a hair less than 1/8th (two thicknesses of deer skin) to get that to bare shaft, but it bare shafts great.

200 grain heads nock left and 145s nock right. I'm going to try 31.5 and 200s next time I feel like experimenting. But they're flying great right there.

[Shawn Leonard]

Go to .600 spine cut to 28-28.5"s and keep the point weight the same! Shawn

[gonefishing600]

I have tune and shot a lot of carbon arrows. In my experience, for every 1 inch you shorten a carbon arrow and I'm talking .500 and up, you will need to add approximately 50 grains of point weight, it is hard to notice any difference with just 25 grains at a time. So if you shortened those arrows 2.5 inches, my guess is your going to have to ad 125 to 150 grains up front, on top of what you already have.

Best thing to do is to get your self some 250 and 300 grain tips, cut one arrow just behing the insert, get yourself some hot melt glue from Big Jim and let the tuning begin. I would try the first cut, and then cut in 1/2" Increments. Looking at the numbers you gave in your first post, you already have about 235 grains up front, you could probably take off another inch and move up to 300 grains up front, anymore may slow you down to much.


Only other option is to go to a lower spine. But I belive you will also have to go to a much lower point weight. If it where me, I would get used to the long arrows.

[58WINTERS]

Thanks for all the input. At this point they are still full length.  I think I will try a lighter spine first. I like arrows in the 550-575 gr range but 600  would be ok.
Shawn .600 spine arrow brand??  carbon express 90? can't seem to find 15/35 locally.