Embarrassed: Wood Spine Question.... Too Stiff show Weak??

[RidinMyK2PastU]

Sorry to ask another spine question on this forum, but this has been driving me crazy.

My bow is a 45# @ 28" Zipper recurve with D97 string, Cut to center, or past center. My arrows are currently 30" allowing about 1.25" to extend in front of the riser to the back of the point. (I don't know what this leads my true draw length to be, but on the scale pulling the bow to this length, it says the poundage is 46-47#.)

I have been shooting 65-69# arrows with 125 grain points, and 4 fletchings. I do get outside shelf wear, and more times than not arrow kick, down range (could be me). When paper tuning, when I change to 145 grain points, tune better, but not bullet holes (error is always weak shaft). 160 grains show a kick. Seems to always be nock high on paper and bareshafting, but I have moved the nock point up and down to the extremes, and in between. Bareshafting always show nock left kick, and impact.

I got the opportunity to shoot some 55-60 shafts cut to 31" with 125 grain points and 3 fletch. At 10 yard (which is the length the range was) the arrows seemed to be like darts, until I would pluck or move my form (duh).

Does this make sense, because to me and the charts I have looked at indicate that the 65-69 shafts are a better fit for my bow??? These are 10# lighter and 1" longer shafts, but seemed to fly better, at least at the given distance. Maybe it was just an accident at the given time.

Would too stiff of shafts show weak?

I want the bow to shoot the best it can. Opinions and suggestions are welcome.

[Bill Carlsen]

I think that the 65-69 shafts you are using are possibly on the stiff side. If you pick up a couple of arrows spined 55-60 and they shoot well it sounds like you found what you need. The only thing I would suggest is getting the bow weighed, double check your actual draw length (when I was making arrows I found more guys had shorter draw lengths than they would care to admit) and then find a spine machine and spine each arrow. After all is said and done shoot your arrows with some of the bhs you will be using this year. If your arrows are borderline shooting a bh will tell  you a lot. Actually you are better off testing wood arrows with bhs. Once you find the arrow spine that shoots your bhs like darts then field points are a no brainer.

[George D. Stout]

Bareshafting wood can be troublesome, since they are not hollow tubes, precision made.  They have different character from shaft to shaft, even when in perfect harmony spine and weight wise.

Those arrows are no way too limber...if anything they are too stiff.  I agree with Bill. Guys always think they need longer shafts 8^).

[aromakr]

I would also re-check your shelf cut, I suspect it less than center, better yet call Zipper and ask them how they cut them.
Bob

[HATCHCHASER]

An arrow too stiff will bounce off of the riser.  This will cause a left kick of the nock to a right handed shooter.