Arrow Experience

[spiner78]

Hello all,  Hope I'm in the right pew here.  I have on order a HH Big Five.  45# (I'm old), 70",   I have a 28" draw.  Trying to figure out the right spine arrow to use for target and hunting along with the right weight target/broadhead. Would most likely go with carbon or aluminum.  Has anyone had some experience with this or similar bow.  I've shot instinctive since I was a kid but my last bow was a compound with sights etc. but wanted a HH bow for many years.  Arrow choice was pretty simple with the compound using a drop away rest etc. but the longbow has me trying to figure things out when it comes to the best arrow.  Thanks

[McDave]

Hi Spiner, welcome to TradGang!  For the future, equipment related questions are best answered in Powwow.  A moderator might move your post over there, so you know where to look if it disappears from here.

Howard Hill longbows are not cut past center, so they require a weaker spined arrow than a bow that is cut past center, so that the arrow can bend sufficiently in paradox.  For an aluminum arrow, a 1916 would be a good place to start.  You might want to leave it full length for a while, unless you get some indication later that it is too weak with whatever point weight you decide to use.  Glue in your inserts with hot melt, so they will be easy to remove later if you decide you want to cut the arrow shorter.  Try them out with 145 grain points or 150 grain broadheads. 

With carbon arrows, a .500 spine would be a good place to start, full length with a similar point.  You can also remove the insert from a carbon arrow later on if you want to cut it down, but you have to be careful to only heat the point, and not more than necessary to loosen the glue.

The Howard Hill longbows like a heavy arrow, so I would recommend no less than 10 grains per pound, which would be an arrow weight of 450 grains or more for your setup.

[spiner78]

Many thanks McDave.  Exactly what I was looking for.  I see now I'm not in the right spot for the question.  Regardless, I've got a good starting point which is close to what I was thinking.  Thanks again.

[mahantango]

Wouldn't be surprised if a .600 would work too. That's what I shoot for anything from 40-50#. Bareshaft tuning is your friend, and don't let anyone tell you that it's not right to shoot carbon out of a Hill bow.

[Roy from Pa]

Welcome to trad gang, Spiner...

[Sam Spade]

Same spine for target or hunting... spine goes with the bow no matter if you are chasing foam or fur.

Welcome 

[Michael Guran]

I agree with the other guys on the 1916.  I have 43 and 45 lb Northern Mists ASLs, and they both shoot 29” 1916s really well.  I can use points from 125-150 and get great flight when I do my part...

[Deno]

Welcome Spiner.  Enjoy that HH Big 5

Deno

[Orion]

Agree that a 1916 would probably work, particularly with a slightly heavier (145 grain) head.  That equates to 53-55#@28 according to the spine charts I have.  I think a .500n in carbon would be too heavy though. That equals about 63# in spine.  I think a 600 (52-53#) would be better in carbon, particularly if you want to shoot a 125 grain head, which might be a good idea for target shooting because the trajectory will be a little flatter.  The slightly less shaft weight of a 600 vs a 500 will also contribute to increased speed, flatter trajectory. 

That being said, I do shoot 500s out of my 45# ASLs, but with 250 grains of weight up front. I want the additional weight for hunting penetration.  If I were just shooting targets, I'd opt for the 600s and a 125 grain point.  Aluminum insert is another 15-20 grains.

Good luck.  Hills are a lot of fun to shoot. 

[spiner78]

Many thanks to all for sharing your knowledge.  Greatly appreciate it.  Haven't gotten the bow yet but will let you know how it works out.  Hopefully I haven't lost the ability to shoot w/o sights.

[BrownA5]

Welcome to Tradgang!  I see you are getting lots of help.  Good group of folks here.....

[spiner78]

A surprise today.  Bow showed up unexpectedly.  It was well packed and took a while to carefully get the end caps off the tube but all is well.  I haven't strung it yet just admiring the woodwork.  I can't find a flaw/scratch etc..  Having some background in carpentry and boat building I'm impressed.  Well, next we'll see how it/I shoot but first need to draw it and see where the right length falls and get some proper arrows.  I must have around a hundred miscl. arrows, some good, mostly bad.  Any of those I can't be sure exactly what weight or spine.  Regardless, happy with the bow so far and I agree with Brown, a good group here!

[Rob DiStefano]

Hi Spiner, welcome to TradGang!  For the future, equipment related questions are best answered in Powwow.  A moderator might move your post over there, so you know where to look if it disappears from here.

Howard Hill longbows are not cut past center, so they require a weaker spined arrow than a bow that is cut past center, so that the arrow can bend sufficiently in paradox.  For an aluminum arrow, a 1916 would be a good place to start.  You might want to leave it full length for a while, unless you get some indication later that it is too weak with whatever point weight you decide to use.  Glue in your inserts with hot melt, so they will be easy to remove later if you decide you want to cut the arrow shorter.  Try them out with 145 grain points or 150 grain broadheads. 

With carbon arrows, a .500 spine would be a good place to start, full length with a similar point.  You can also remove the insert from a carbon arrow later on if you want to cut it down, but you have to be careful to only heat the point, and not more than necessary to loosen the glue.

The Howard Hill longbows like a heavy arrow, so I would recommend no less than 10 grains per pound, which would be an arrow weight of 450 grains or more for your setup.

Welcome     

McDave's post is great advice and where to start yer arrow quest.

Everything about arrow choice is about where the arrow plate is located with respects to the centerline of the bow.  The more proud of that center will mean more concerns over arrow spine, the more negative of the center means arrow spine is of far less concern. 

My personal recommendation will always be "go carbon" and a 500 will be just fine.  I had a Hill Big 5 @ 47lbs and skinny carbons were easiest to setup and get great arrow flight, as expected.  Woodies are a whole diff'rent story - tackle them after working out with carbons first.  Alums will be cheaper and are more durable that most woodies, but not a tough as most carbons, even the cheap pultruded carbons.  Arrow length will be another consideration, and that may change on you, too.  It may be wise to first setup 3 arrows at the length you think will be best and test them out a bunch.  Go carbon 500, use generous helical feather fletching, get a range of screw in point weights, begin your journey.