Minimum arrow weight

[Pawtrap]

Hey yall, wondering minimal total arrow weight  for 70# tomahawk longbow,  on my 2nd bow, 1st one came apart at fade out, was shooting 580 total arrow weight,  but I shoot 400 a week.  2nd bow shoot 675 total arrow weight,  but can't get 340 easton traditional to be stiff enough with 200gr head, I want a carbon arrow with woodgrain,  would go back to wooden arrows but can't get the weight or good nuff spine, and my bow destroys woods. I know 70#!!!! Been shooting high flat shooting poundage since my first 30# fiberglass bow at age six, so it what I'm used to, I'm 64 now and ain't going to change, lol, yalls thoughts and help, ps weight tubes kinda sux ,have em and collars, just want a tuff arrow That won't fail

[Orion]

Doesn't Easton make a 300 spine?  Probably not in wood grain finish though.  Might be hard to find that stiff a shaft in wood grain.

[1Canvas]

I know you’re not wanting to hear it but 70# is too much. One thing about shoulder and rotator cuff muscles is they differ from others in that when they go there is usually no warning, they just all of a sudden go. After listening to so many stories over the years about so many of these injuries ending archers shooting, some permanently, I started reducing poundage at age 55. I love archery and at 60 years old I took on the rule of not shooting anymore poundage than needed. Now at 68 if I blow out my rotator cuff I’m done permanently.
Again, you are probably not wanting to hear that and you probably get that often when you post your poundage, but I have looked people in the eye as I hear their story about how much they use to love archery and how they really miss it. One statement that is common among all of them is they wish they would have settled for lower poundage’s. Just saying 👋.

[Michpatriot]

At some point arrow weight is just a number.. 70# qualifies as that point.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I shoot around 70# and use 65-70# spine Douglas fir shafts. I leave them full length and they come out around 650-700gr and shoot well with no issues. The heaviest I’ve shot them from was about 80#. They’re a bit soft spine for those bows but they function as they should.

Kyle

[Michpatriot]

Cooncatcher-- That amazes me! I shoot 65-70 with 11\32" with 10" rear tapered to 5\16"Cedar on a "48# 48" AMO Supermag ..I'm drawing around 29-1\2 though so..I'm probably near mid fiftties.. Crazy that your arrow handles 70#..

[McDave]

8.3 gpp is too low, in my opinion, for a 70# wood longbow.  8 gpp is okay for a 40# target bow, maybe even less if it is a metal riser with graphite limbs made to stand that kind of stress.  But the higher the weight, the more the stress on the bow, and I would advise you to stay north of 9 gpp for your bow.

[Wudstix]

Try Forrester Red Balau shafts.  I have 29 1/2" tapered bare shafts with nothing else that are 660 grains.  Fletch, stain and point will put that over 900 grains.  I shoot 66#.
 

[Pawtrap]

Cool, I'll check it out  thanks

[Pawtrap]

8.3 gpp is too low, in my opinion, for a 70# wood longbow.  8 gpp is okay for a 40# target bow, maybe even less if it is a metal riser with graphite limbs made to stand that kind of stress.  But the higher the weight, the more the stress on the bow, and I would advise you to stay north of 9 gpp for your bow.

I totally agree

[Mo_coon-catcher]

My bows are shot off the knuckle and about 1” wide at the handle is a big reason. So they need to be a bit on the soft side to flex around that handle wide.

Kyle

[Possum Head]

Big Jim would be able to tell you how to set up his 340 Dark Timbers at 70lb I believe. Good luck!

[Wudstix]

For carbons 340 or CX Heritage 350 would work and be over 600 grains without point.
 

[Terry Green]

You will not have shoulder problems if you know how to draw and shoot a bow. The shoulder is not involved. It's bone on bone and back tension.

I killed many animals with arrow dynamic tradlights. And if you want to get the weight up , you can put aquarium tubing inside , just make sure you purchase the mini aquarium tubbing.  And, if you want it heavier put weed eater line inside the tubbing.

And if you would like to learn how to shoot a bow correctly without  injury, you can go to the shooters form forum and click on the form clock thread , or you can click on the form clock banner above and go directly to it.

I have shot 58 to 80 pound bows for years and years. I was also taught how to shoot when I was 8 years old by a guy that was ranked third in the nation at that time.. And i'm now 59 and have never had a shoulder issue whatsoever.

[Friend]

It seems quite possible that the arrow is actually too stiff and giving you a false reading, I would suggest running the same arrow length with a 250 gn head and re-evaluate.

[pdk25]

I know you’re not wanting to hear it but 70# is too much. One thing about shoulder and rotator cuff muscles is they differ from others in that when they go there is usually no warning, they just all of a sudden go. After listening to so many stories over the years about so many of these injuries ending archers shooting, some permanently, I started reducing poundage at age 55. I love archery and at 60 years old I took on the rule of not shooting anymore poundage than needed. Now at 68 if I blow out my rotator cuff I’m done permanently.
Again, you are probably not wanting to hear that and you probably get that often when you post your poundage, but I have looked people in the eye as I hear their story about how much they use to love archery and how they really miss it. One statement that is common among all of them is they wish they would have settled for lower poundage’s. Just saying 👋.

Really didn't address his question at all.  Please don't put your limitations on others.

[1Canvas]

My post comes from good will after seeing the permanent damage rotor cuff injuries cause from that one draw that was like the ten thousand before, only this time something gives.

[artifaker1]

So just a quick reference ..... I have a fair few 100lb+ shafts for my heavier bows .... I've been using the weight forward approach and have had to go up in shaft size to compensate. Right now I have a 48# PLX and it is shooting a full length (32 1/4) 300 with a 100 gr brass insert and either 200 or 225 grain tips. Bare shaft outdoors up to 65 yards. I also have several bows that seem to like that same arrow. A very recent acquisition (Morrison 17" riser with 50# long Border static recurve limbs) likes those 32 1/4 300s as well. It also will shoot a slightly shorter 300 with 250 grains up front.
For big game I have a BW 60# PL graybark and it likes the full length 100lb+ which has a 280 spine, 100gr brass inserts and around a 250 grain point.
to recap I have all heavier arrow spines in different brands and such. Usually a full length version and a cut down to 31 1/4 and then fine tune with the tip weight. But the broadheads have less options for weight so that has to be considered. It's kind of similar to Ken Becks system although I don't like to use arrows shorter than 31 or so. I find the spine goes up exponentially as the arrow gets shorter ... hope that helps with the tuning ...