Moving from GT 3555 to 5575 - thoughts?

[SOS]

Although I'm hunting with cedars this year, I want to work up some heavy GoldTips for my longbow for Africa next summer.  I'm drawing about 29" and 50-ish pounds with my homemade R/D TD longbow cut just to center with a velcro side plate.  Full length (about 30 1/4") 3555's with 125 to 150 fly well from it.  Instead of weight tubes, I want to try 5575's with more weight up front to get up to around 600 grains.  I think the heavier arrows are 32 inches, so maybe start with 250 grains up front and start trimming length to get good flight.  Any suggestions?

[Shaun]

Use a standard insert and 100 grn stell BH adapter instead of the complicated weights. I bet you'll like how heavy up front flies.

[Shawn Leonard]

I would bet ya need more like 325 up front, shoot a 100 grain brass insert and do like Shaun said and use 100 grain steel adapter and 125 grain BH and ya got 325 up front, if it a tad weak just trim a bit until ya get good flight. Shawn

[Labs4me]

SOS,

I shoot a 51# @ 28", 64" Widow longbow. I draw 28 1/2" (therefore, about 52.5 #s at my draw) and I cut my 5575 GTs to 29 1/2". With 80 grains of added weight to the front end and using 125 grain Wensel Woodsmans glued to 75 grain screw-in adaptors, I get PERFECT bareshaft and broadhead flight out of my 630 grain GTs.

These GTs are easily as durable as 2216 or 2219 XX78s.

Good luck,

Labs

[slayer1]

I agree with the comments above. You are going to have to add a lot of weight to the front to get them to fly. Just a word of advice. Donut cut them but just a little bit at a time. You are going to need the length and the extra weight up front. Let us know how it works out!

[bm22]

i would decide what broadhead i wanted to shoot and go from there, if you are going to africa i would look at the grizzly broadheads, get an el grande grizzly at 150 or other 150 grain head then put a 500 grain brass insert and a steel insert to get 250-300 up front, you have 3 inches to trim the arrows to get them stiff enough if they aren't already at full length.

i shoot 58 @ 29, i shoot a 30 in. goldtip 3555 with a 125 grain head then i went to 5575 and 225 up front and cut to 31.5-31

[Biathlonman]

I think 250 up front will be just about right...but think you are going to come up short of 600 grains...

[jacobsladder]

check out the 220 grain ss muzzy phantoms and 50 to 100 grain inserts...i would also look at the ce 250s heritage shaft.... 11 grains per inch and an outstanding shaft.

[SOS]

Thanks for the thoughts, sounds like I was thinking in the right direction.  I've got 200 and 250 grain field points to work with to begin tuning before I glue in some brass inserts which sound like the way to go.

bm22, I have some 150 gr Grizzly El Grandes on the bench right now working the edges to 25 degree bevels.  Hope to tune a couple up and try them on deer/hogs this season, will be on cedar shafts, though.

[MikeC]

SOS...Go ahead and glue the brass inserts in if they are what you plan to use anyway.  When tuning carbon arrows you cut from the nock end, well as long as they have removeable nocks like the Goldtips.

[jacobsladder]

SOS... just make sure you tune with those broadheads..... typically broadheads and fieldpoints arent the same length..so this can have a bit of play with arrow spine....if you get your broadheads to fly good..then your field point should have no problem finding the right spot... good luck with all and your trip!