Full length arrows +/-

[katman]

Trad Gangers, what are the advantages and disadvantages of using full length arrows (32").

[Mic']

Full length arrows fly well for me and give me the added weight for good penetration...
Back when my arm was held together with pins n bone grafts ... I used long arrows/bolts on my crossbow... to attain better flight/groups.
( I SOLD THE CROSSBOW )
Shorter will stiffen spine... shorter will fly faster but not with more "impact energy"
 and    when you pay for an arrow   use all of it !

[SCATTERSHOT]

I've been playing with some long arrows. I have a 26" draw, and have some 70# arrows at 30" that fly very well from my 50-55# bows. The advantages, to me anyway, are that the longer shaft seems more forgiving, is heavier, and there is more shaft to play with for tuning purposes. If you want to experiment with a heavier point, shorten the shaft a little and go for it. Also, if the arrow breaks behind the point, as they sometimes do, just stick on a new point and commence firing.

I really don't see a downside, except that some self appointed experts think they look funny.

[Scott Caldwell]

What if any diffrence do you notice when aiming IE. gapstinctive? In other words, does point of aim move up closer or farther?

[SCATTERSHOT]

I'm not conscious of the arrow when I shoot. (Maybe that's why I shoot so poorly, LOL!) I would imagine that if you do use the gap method, you could get used to the extra length in short order, though.

[katman]

Earlier experiments showed me that the full length arrow will hit lower than the shorter arrow at 20 yds.

The full length seems very stable in flight, I have heard before longer arrows are more stable, more accurate, more forgiving, more mass.

Only down side I see is the extra 3-4" hanging out at rest could cause more interference with brush and limbs, longer arrow will take more energy and time to pass thru an animal.

Hence the question to see what others experiences were. Keep the responses comming.

[Montana Slim]

The only problem I have with a 32" arrow is that it would fall off the back of the shelf when I hit full draw...
It is just a heavier projectile you're shooting, so it will drop more than a shorter shaft, but I don't think it would make that big of a difference once you tune them?

[Bjorn]

A 29-30" arrow flies best for me and my 27" draw.

[RT]

yes, i use to shooot arrows cut at 28", now I am using full length, yes, I feel they are more forgiving, but tend to fall faster beyong 18 yards shot. My draw is 25"

[katman]

Yes the more mass will account for drop, although 30-40 grains does not usually show very much for me at 20 yards.

I was refereing to the point of aim method were you change the position of the point, ie it is further from the riser at full draw, on the full length arrow, so it changs the point of impact, kind of like moving the front site on a rifle.

MS  Have not had any problem with the arrow falling off the back of the shelf, since I am using 350 grains up front that may help counter balance the shaft weight.

RT  Encountered any problems hunting with that much shaft extending past the riser?

[aYak]

Hey you guys shooting full length arrows, are you finding you have to shoot relatively lighter points/broadheads in order to keep the arrow from being too weak?  

Personally, I shoot full length out of necessity but without building out the side-plate, I have to go down to:

100g tips (with Beman MFX 340's 58#@32")

or

125g (with Easton Axis 300's 63#@31.5").

Andy

[Scott Caldwell]

I bareshafted my 33in CE Heritage 250 yesterday with 100gr inserts and 145 gr point out of my Bob Lee Stick 54@28 and they were weak. went down to 125gr points, still weak but better. Now I have to go buy a cut off saw. Gonna take them down 1/2 in at a time with the 145gr points until they get right. This is the 1st time in my life I have had a spine weak problem.

[LCB]

I've been know to leave an arrow a bit long to gain weight and proper spine. So typically I'm shooting the wrong arrow, but it works.

[SCATTERSHOT]

aYak, I use a heavier spined shaft to begin with, and use 160 grain points.

[katman]

Scott, recomend you take 1/4 inch off at a time, easy to go to short/stiff to quickly.

aYak, The Axis 340's I sarted with had to be kept full length for my 55# Morrison recurve, and I have 300 point weight,

The CX Heritage 250 shortened to 30" with 350 up front, same bow

[aYak]

katman/Scattershot,

Thanks for your replies, you guys ever shoot thru paper at 15' or bareshaft test?

If I tried what katman did with 340's, I'd have a pretty good fletch-left, point-right, thru the paper to have to deal with.

Andy

[Scott Caldwell]

Katman, thanks for the 1/4 in tip. The 1/2 in I took off did make a significant diffrence. For some reason I can't shoot well enough today to figure anything out so I'll give it a rest. BTW I got one of those Harbour Frieght cutoff saws for $23, work ok on carbons but weak on wood.

[Gordon martiniuk]

I have a 27.5 draw and shoot 3o"arrows they fly good leave your arrows long then cut .5" at a time till they group well the only way to go  

[katman]

aYak, I use OL Adcock's method for tuning,  http://www.bowmaker.net/index2.htm

Difficult for an average shooter like me to shoot consistently enough to use the paper method, I struggled with that method for a while before I came across OL's. Much easier.

Your 340 sounds weak shafted, start shortening 1/4 inch at a time, you will need to take it off the rear of the arrow. Or lower point weight.

Katman