Aluminum Arrow Shooters: Wall Thickness

[Night Wing]

I was shooting a 535 grain 2114 out of my 37# bow last year giving me a 14.45 GPP (grain per pound) arrow. It was a little heavy, trajectory wise for my 37# bow. A 2114 weighs 9.9 GPI (grains per inch). It's spine is (.510).

I decided to go lighter this year. Keep in mind I shoot a 32" BOP arrow so I need 32" full length shafts. I also shoot two 66" Blacktail TD recurves.

The only arrow closest in spine to a 2114 is a 2212 target arrow (Eclipse X7) with a spine of (.505). A 2212 weighs 8.8 GPI (grains per inch). This caught my eye. Shooting a 421 grain 2212 out of my 37# bow gives me a 11.37 GPP (grains per pound) arrow.

With a little experimentation, I found I could also shoot the same 421 grain 2212 arrow out of my 42# bow as well giving me a 10.02 GPP (grains per pound) arrow. But, the brace height for each bow is different. I just put two new bowstrings on each bow. Right now, my 42# bow has a 7 13/16" brace height and my 37# bow has a 8 3/16" brace height. The strings might stretch a little more which will change the brace height for each bow, but it should be minimal and I can re-adjust the brace height for each bow accordingly.

I don't worry about the durability issue because with a .012 wall thickness, I don't go stump shooting. I go roving where I shoot at pine cones and large leaves. I've been shooting the 2112 out of both bows since January and I've probably shot the same arrow 2,000 times. The 2112 has been re-fletched twice and it's still straight. I really like this 2212 arrow.

[Rick McGowan]

Originally posted by hvyhitter:
I picked up 6 of the 2440s on blahbay about a year ago. Listed as Dangerous game experimental(Easton Experimental marked on shaft) the point end is swaged and ground for a point, Back end open for a uni-nock(2117 may fit). It will make a 31" bop arrow and the shafts weigh about 890 gr. Dont know what the deflection is but it will probably take a 100# bow even with a 250gr VPA up front.

I have to think those are collectors items now, I called Easton several times in the late 90's trying to find shafts for water buffalo arrows, I even talked to at least one of their engineers and they said they weren't going to make anymore of those extra heavy shafts. Too bad, it would have saved me a lot of work! I have a big pile of "experimental dangerous game shafts" myself.

[oldbohntr]

Yes, they did make a 1920, and they're real hard to find.  I do have a few dozen extra in Easton Swift shaft, and a dozen or two Gamegetters.  The only inserts I can let go are glue ons, however.  

Heck, the all time thick wall aluminum seems to be the 2440.  I picked up about a dozen several years ago.  Labelled Easton XX75, Golden Futura Big Game. Black Forest Camo.  The 34" bare shaft alone weighs 1025 grains, and the wall looks about as thick as one of those Alaska Bowhunting Supply carbons!

[oldbohntr]

[Rick McGowan]

Those super heavy walled shafts, 2040,2240 and 2440 are actually all duplex shafts or double walled, they took one shaft inside the other and drew them down at the same time.

[oldbohntr]

I didn't read your earlier post regarding 2440s before placing mine, Rick. Must have been some kind of time warp!  (Or, maybe advancing age on my part!)
 
I can't see a seam or indication of double walls. Interesting.

[Rick McGowan]

oldbohntr, lets just pretend that there is no such thing as senior moments!
I think it was the engineer at Easton who told me that is the way they did it. Since it was "experimental", it wasn't worth the cost of making specialized tooling. I myself worked in R&D at a tubing company for years and worked on a similar project making heavy wall tubing out of three thinwalls of different diameters, sliding them inside each other and then drawing them all through a die to final diameter at the same time. Likely to see the seam, you would have to highly polish the end, etch it and look at it under a high power microscope, the seams show up real well at 500 power!

[Hud]

IMO 2216 is the thinnest wall, I would use. 2219 is my favorite. .017, .018, and .020 are others. Although, I do not care for camo colors, I like the durability of the stronger super-slam.

[cacciatore]

I love the Super Slam because they are  thougher.

[Rick McGowan]

I got a bunch of the 2219 "classics" for a buck each, if they had been 2220's or 2222's they would be PERFECT!

[Roddo]

I still have 6 2220s that I've had for years. they are xx76 shafts black Forest camo.

[Roddo]

Sorry, that is xx75.