New recurve owner/shooter

[Stringpuller#1]

I recently bought a used Martin Hatfield takedown recurve with the 60# limbs. I'm shooting off the shelf with my compound bow arrows, just messing around and I love it. I'd like some advice on the proper carbon arrow and broadhead weight to use it for deer hunting next year( lost of practice first). I'd like a good balance of speed and impact cutting power in my arrows. Any advice is welcome. Thanks

[Stringpuller#1]

Oh also what is a proper length ? My draw is 28 1/2 or so

[Jim Wright]

If you are drawing 28 1/2" your bow is 61/62 lbs. That is an awful lot to begin with, unless you are naturally very strong it can easily lead to  shooting form problems that will be tough to undo.

[Frank V]

I'm a woodie shooter, but congratulations on your new Martin they are very good bows.
Frank

[Stringpuller#1]

I know 60lbs is a lot on paper for a new recurver but I'm a weightlifter so it goes back easy on the draw but not too easy. I just ordered some Goldtip 55/75 traditional looking carbon arrows. What weight broadhead should I tip them with to maximize tune and harmony with my set up ?

[Possum Head]

I'm shooting 55-75 G/T Traditionals out of my 60 lb long bow. Full length with 100 gr. brass insert and 175 gr tip flys great. Just a guess 25 more grains would let you shoot them with them cut down to 29.5" with the same results. I've tried the same weight cut to 29" and I prefer the flight of the full length. Best wishes.

[Stringpuller#1]

Thanks.  I'd like to have an accurate and versatile bow/arrow combo that I can small game hunt with now and be good enough come next season to shoot a whitetail with confidently.

[njloco]

I would try GT3555's also, don't forget, the ratings are for compound bows, I shoot 1535's out of all of my bows from 38# to 54#, fly great with filed tips and broad heads.

[solobowhunter]

Originally posted by njloco:
I would try GT3555's also, don't forget, the ratings are for compound bows, I shoot 1535's out of all of my bows from 38# to 54#, fly great with filed tips and broad heads.

I never considered that.  Thanks for the tip!

[kadbow]

You want your arrows to weigh about 9-10 gr per pound of draw weight so you will likely need some brass inserts and a 145-175 gr broadhead to get you to a 550-600 gr arrow.  This is what is generally recommended for a hunting wt arrow.  Too light of an arrow can be hard on a trad bow.

[Archie]

My first trad bow had both 49# and 61# limbs.  I didn't have much trouble working up to the heavy limbs, being fit and strong, and doing 3 sets of 10 reps each day, drawing both left and right-handed for muscle balance.  I also hold for 2-3 seconds at each draw.

As for the arrows...

Figure what weight broadheads you want to shoot, and the total arrow weight you want.  These figures will shift around a bit as you zero in.  Use some shaft charts to figure out what shafts will be close to fitting you.  I'd recommend that you learn to tune by the 'bareshafting' method, and then work out what you need.  You can probably really cut some corners by finding out what other guys are shooting with setups similar to yours, but you need to nail it down for your personal style by bareshafting (or paper tuning).  

Since your form is probably not perfect yet, don't forget that as your muscles harden, as your draw length stabilizes, and your releases become more consistent, your arrows could start flying differently.  You'll then want to refine your tuning setup again.

[wapitirod]

I'm shooting the 55/75's out of a 66# @ 28" with a 30" draw and I have the arrows cut to 31" with factory inserts and I'm shooting 145gr Bear Razorheads but I just bought some 190gr Tree Sharks to play with and other than the trajector not being quite as flat past 25yds they shoot great.  No sign of a weak or stiff spine with either.  I was skeptical when everyone talked about how a broadhead that large shot so well.  I was expecting planing problems but they shoot sweet and that 2" wide blade leaves devastating wounds from the pics on another post on here.

[dhermon85]

I shoot 3555 gt through 50# bear. 175s needed, but fly grat, tough as nails!

[dhermon85]

I shoot 3555 gt carbons with 175 up front. Fly great, one tough arrow.

[chanumpa]

My go to bow is a 50# Hatfield ,and I also have a Gail Martin 50th anniv.that is 50#@28 as well.Have several other bows that are 55#,57# and 60#[email protected] pull them all a full 29" and can shoot the same Gt Trad 55/75 with 250 gr.up front.I get great flight with the same arrow through all these bows,and have done alott of experimentation to achieve this.The 35/55s would probably work too.Good choice on the Hatfield,they are hard to beat.