Weight up front

[ATXorion]

Question about how much weight to have up front with a 28.5" @ 47# recurve with a 12 strand D97.

I am going to be shooting a 125gr broadhead and can't decide between 50gr or 100 gr brass inserts. Bascically should i shoot 175gr or 225?

My other question, is 225gr too heavey for a 47# bow, will i lose too much FPS compared to 175gr.

Let me know what you guys are shooting and what you think. I am trying to maximize my chritmas gifts and the brass inserts from 3 rivers would be nice.

[Fischman]

What arrows are you shooting ATX? That makes a big difference as to what insert to use because it affects the spine of your arrow so much.

[chanumpa]

I am shooting a 50#@28 that I pull a full29"w/225 up front with great results.I dont think it would hurt you at all to have 225 up front.I always want mine loaded up like a lead glove.I could send you a 100 grain brass insert so you could be the judge if you want.Thats always the best way.I dont have any 50s laying around.Maybe somebody else does and you could test them before you order.Really think either will be fine you just will want to stick with what you choose after you have determined that the spine of arrow you are shooting is correct.So that is the part of this equation that you left out of your question.Sometimes if the arrow is bordering on the light side of being maxed out,and you put alott of weight upfront then you can get some funny things going on.So spine is important.Some carbon shafts give you way more fluctuation in the veriance.Example:I can shoot the same GoldTip55/75 Trad.out of 3 recurves that are 50 ,60,and65#s and my longbow that is 55#.They are 550 grain after using 100grain brass inserts and then I can use what ever heads I want.My wood arrows tend to be heavier so if im going to hunt with the woods then better shoot the woods only for a while before the hunt and during.Hope this helps.It works for me .There are alott of guys on here that know alott more about arrow tuning etc than I.Let me know if you need a 100grainer to experiment with.

[Terry Green]

If it were me....I'd but the extra weight in the head, not the insert.  I'd rather the head have more hardware than the insert.

I'd shoot the weight that gave me the best flight and trajectory I wanted.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

How much weight you need up front on those arrows is entirely dependent on what tunes best.

[AKCrazyhorse]

I'm also pulling 50-52 lbs at my draw and I'm front loaded with a 300 grain broadhead and a 100 grain brass insert.  Sort of depends on what you're hunting and how much FOC and momentum you think you're gonna need.  For most guys EFOC and UEFOC set ups with heavy arrows are considered a bit much (and that might be true) for bigger brawnier critters, like moose, mt. goat, Brown bear and African stuff, I like heavy arrows 650+ grains and as much FOC as the set up will stomach 30% if I can get it.  Stu's calculator has been a valuable tool in getting close with my setups and has probably saved me a bit of cash in experimenting with different set ups.  Google Stu Millers calculator and you'll find the download link.

[ATXorion]

I guess i should have mentioned i have not picked out an arrow yet. I am going to match the spine to what ever i decide to shoot up front.

Right not i am looking at the ICS Hunter 400s or the CE Heritage 150s. Both seem like they would be spined for either 175 or the 225 option.

I am using Stu Millers calculator as a reference, but rather new to trad shooting and was not sure how much was 'too much' up front for a 45# recuve. Sounds like 225 would be fine if i get solid arrow.

[ATXorion]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

[Friend]

My current set-up is as follows:

51#@ 28  (SHELF CUT 1/8” passed center)
Arrow – 28.5” Victory HV350 (6.7 gpi) w/100 gn insert and 300 gn tip. Total arrow wt is 608 grains and has 32+% Ultra-EFOC. Both Bare shaft and Fletched arrows w/Big 3 BH's flight is visibly the best I have ever experienced.

***Please take note that I am merely an amateur in respect to others here that have provided information.***


Estimates with your set-up, assuming your shelf cut-out and bow performances are similar, are as follows:

Using the Victory HV350(6.7 gpi) w/400 up front at 29.25”
Total arrow wt is 613 grains and has 31.4% Ultra-EFOC


Using the Victory HV400(6.2 gpi) w/350 up front at 29.0”
Total arrow wt is 547 grains and has 30.6% Ultra-EFOC


Using the Victory HV400(6.2 gpi) w/300 up front at 30.25”
Total arrow wt is 504 grains and has 28.2% EFOC


Note: Stu's Calculator has not come close for me in specking out an arrow when delving into the upper EFOC and Ultra-EFOC ranges. I still use the tool for other valuable data.

Best of luck!

[Zradix]

I have a 43# @ 26.5" martin Savannah.
I'm shooting a 30" tapered spruce arrow at 57-59 spine with 190 grain tip.
My speed is about 145fps. Total arrow is about 550 grains.

[Bowshot]

I am shooting 160 Magnus on the 235 steel broadhead adapters inside beman 340's cut at 29.5 inches. draw weight is 57lbs @28". It broke the close front leg, blew through his chest and broke the far front leg, arrow landed in the snow about 15 yards behind the deer about the same time he landed on his chin. Shot from a ground blind at 25 yards, uphill. I find it hard to think that you can overweight the front end.
Terry

[TDHunter]

I've done a tone of hunting and killing with a 49lb bow and I had 275gr up front, and 335gr up front. Worked great........More important, which get the best flight

[Andy Cooper]

Originally posted by AKCrazyhorse:
I'm also pulling 50-52 lbs at my draw and I'm front loaded with a 300 grain broadhead and a 100 grain brass insert.

I bet that hits like a ton o' bricks!!   :eek:    I chronied some Arrow Dynamics arrows set up like that outta a couple of 50# bows, and they were a little slow, but the sound they made hitting the target was loud and solid. I think they'd penetrate mild steel.

[greyghost]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
If it were me....I'd but the extra weight in the head, not the insert.  I'd rather the head have more hardware than the insert.

I'd shoot the weight that gave me the best flight and trajectory I wanted.

Yes, what Terry said.

[ATXorion]

Thanks for all the feedback. Some real solid advice for a new trad hunter. I ended up ordering the 100gr inserts.

Going to shoot the ICS Hunter 400s and see how they  fly with the 225grs. Hopefully they work out because i have a bunch laying around.

[Rob DiStefano]

what terry said.  

whether yer insert is 40 grains of aluminum or 100 grains of brass, it's easy to really up the point weight by using a 125 grain steel adapter and whatever point (broadhead or field point) you like.  

as to a need to "retune" the arrow, that may very well not be an issue, particularly if there's a lot of front end weight ... and even then, the issue would be a weaker spine that's typically easy to fix by using a thicker arrow strike plate.

[Andy Cooper]

Originally posted by ATXorion:
Thanks for all the feedback. Some real solid advice for a new trad hunter. I ended up ordering the 100gr inserts.

Going to shoot the ICS Hunter 400s and see how they  fly with the 225grs. Hopefully they work out because i have a bunch laying around.

Hey, if they don't work out, then you have a good and solid reason to get another bow!!