experimenting with micro diameter and high for arrows

[scot52075]

Decided post hunting season to try and tune micro diameter x impact arrows to my acadian carbon tree stick.
Bow is 52#@27'' Im pulling the bow with a clicker at 51.5#

Tried 3 arrow setups

1. x-impact 350 spine 29'' with 22 g valkyrie outsert and 300g head
2. x-impact 400 spine 29'' with 22g valkyrie outsert and 300g head
3. x-impact 500 spine arrow with 22g valkyrie outsert and 300g head

note: I tried 200g heads and 250g heads and got different combos to fly good but only have 300g broadheads

the 350's fly very well bareshft but in plane tuning were stiff
the 400's fly slightly weak bare shaft but in plane tuning and were stiff
the 500's fly very weak bare shaft but plane tune perfectly

My idea of plane tuning is to aim at spot with a center line and group tune field points and broadheads.  just wanted to post this because I would have bet anyone that I would have had my best results with 400 spine arrows and possibly 350 spine.  Never would have thought I would shoot 500 spine, guessing my short draw is the reason that I ended up where I did.  Would love to hear more experienced views of what I found so maybe I can understand tuning this kind of setup more. 

[MGH]

Just an FYI - The BEA X-Impacts are thin walled.  I had one blow-up on me and it shredded the top limb tip of my longbow.  I have since switched to thicker-walled carbons. 

[MGH]

[McDave]

I'm not familiar with the x-impact shafts, but the same thing has happened to me occasionally with Gold Tip or Victory VAP shafts when they have had a side impact with something solid, like a target shed.  While delamination of a bow is heart-breaking, worse would be a broken shaft sticking through your hand.  Sometimes, I have just touched a fractured shaft and have come away with micro fibers in my finger, similar to microspines from prickly pear cactus.  Imagine how it would be to have them throughout a hole through your hand.  Usually the side impact doesn't result in an immediate shaft break, but the shaft is damaged and will snap in two if flexed.  So, like it says on the side of the shafts “flex it first” regardless of what brand of carbons you're shooting.

[McDave]

Not sure what you mean by “the 350's fly very well bareshft but in plane tuning were stiff.”  Do you mean that the fletched shafts were impacting to the left of the bareshafts?

[MGH]

I'm not familiar with the x-impact shafts, but the same thing has happened to me occasionally with Gold Tip or Victory VAP shafts when they have had a side impact with something solid, like a target shed.  While delamination of a bow is heart-breaking, worse would be a broken shaft sticking through your hand.  Sometimes, I have just touched a fractured shaft and have come away with micro fibers in my finger, similar to microspines from prickly pear cactus.  Imagine how it would be to have them throughout a hole through your hand.  Usually the side impact doesn't result in an immediate shaft break, but the shaft is damaged and will snap in two if flexed.  So, like it says on the side of the shafts “flex it first” regardless of what brand of carbons you're shooting.

All great stuff!!  It may have helped for me to add that I used to shoot competitively before I went traditional.  I shot literally millions of arrows each year and never had a blow-up upon release.  Perhaps my number was up and I was simply "due".  I had many, many arrows snap when I flexed them after some contact at the target, since I shot mostly 3D events.  I think you would be hard pressed to get an arrow to flex in the last few inches on either end where my failure occurred.  Having said all of that, the very first thing I did was to look at my bow had and forearm and I was VERY thankful to not have been injured!! 

I just wanted to share my experiences with those shafts.  Mark

[scot52075]

Not sure what you mean by “the 350's fly very well bareshft but in plane tuning were stiff.”  Do you mean that the fletched shafts were impacting to the left of the bareshafts?

Bareshaft flew perfect but once  arrows were fletched they impacted left of center line.  field points 3''-5'' left broadheads 6''-12'' left at 30 yards.

[Kevin Dill]

Not sure what you mean by “the 350's fly very well bareshft but in plane tuning were stiff.”  Do you mean that the fletched shafts were impacting to the left of the bareshafts?

Bareshaft flew perfect but once  arrows were fletched they impacted left of center line.  field points 3''-5'' left broadheads 6''-12'' left at 30 yards.

Two theories:

1. Adding weight (in fletch) to the rear of the arrow effectively counteracts some of the foc up front. It may not be much, but just enough to produce those results.

2. You might be getting some of what I'll call 'fletch steering' early in the arrow's flight. Bare shaft can't do that, but a fletched arrow will be trying to stabilize early and fly where the fletch helps steer it.

And of course it could be a combination of both factors. Things like this are why I pay very little attention to bare shaft work. I only shoot fletched arrows when I hunt, and I've never seen bare shafting help me get to better arrow flight. I test only with fletching now.

[TexasKing]

That’s surprising, because I have always found XImpacts to shoot light spined, and bump up one spine group. I shoot#57-#60 with 250 gr heads and I shoot a 300  x impact

They fly fantastic,  personally find them too brittle to have confidence in. I highly recommend Widowmaker shafts, they are the best of both worlds.