Cabela's arrow shafts.

[Troy Edwards]

Im still newer to traditional archery. And am looking to start build my own arrows. I have a 30 1/2" draw and draw 58#. I'm still shooting the first dozen that I bought at the time I bought my bow. I was hoping to get some shafts at around 12 grains per inch so that I could avoid brass inserts with my 160 grain heads, but haven't found many shafts in that weight range. I see Cabela's has their line of shafts on sale for 50.00 the reviews are great and I like that there is no wrap on these shafts, but the 55/70 are only 8.4 grains per inch. My question is will these arrows be to light even with brass inserts,  would I need so much weight up front as to make them underspined? What are some of you guys shooting? I'm looking for a good quality arrow with out any wraps that I will be able to tune to my setup.

[lpcjon2]

Troy I have Cabelas carbon 65-80# and at 30 1/8 (insert to knock end) length they are 10 GPI.I used them with my wheelies hope this helps.

[Predator Man]

I shoot my target bow at 6grains per pound but most people will tell you that you need 7 or 8 grains per pound to be safe.  Deer is the biggest game I hunt regularly so my hunting arrows are less than 9gpp always.  12 grains per inch is really high.  58X9 = 522 grain.  I would consider this a HEAVY arrow but others will consider it middle of the road.  My goldtip 5575's full length with all the trimmings and 125 grain head weigh 425 so with your broadhead weight that would be a 460 grain arrow. 460/58 =7.93 gpp.  Personally I would stop there unless your hunting elk, moose, bison or bear.

Option 2.  Go to a 7595 shaft gold tip which is .7 gpp heavier and throw in a 50 grain brass insert from 3 rivers and you have a  506 grain arrow. For me that would spine out but if your shooting a less aggressive bow than add the 100 grain brass insert for a 556 grain arrow.

506/58 = 8.72gpp

556/58 = 9.58gpp

assuming you figure full length is 30.5" which is full length for a 3555. I think 5575's come 31.5 but I like all my arrows same length so I cut the ladder 1 inch. Gold tips web site says 30" and 32" but they lie cause I measured several different untouched bundles of shafts that I purchased at different times.  Also these are weights for the black expedition hunter shafts... go camo and get more weight.  

Another personal opinion is to buy goldtip's and forget the cabelas shafts.  Goldtips can be found in shafts for 48-52 a dozen plus shipping online. 64 a dozen plus shipping can get you some pre-made.

[Troy Edwards]

I've noticed that a lot of guys on here are shooting about 10 grains per pound draw weight. So when I get some new shafts Id like to go up in weight.

[Predator Man]

As long as you are familar with your setup and practice you will be fine.... Just dont bring that 10gpp to a 3d shoot and think your going to show off your skills. I think you will find accuracy is far more important and judging yardage somewhere other than your back yard is very humbling.  Thats why I shoot a lighter arrow.  I would rather have a lighter arrow hit exactly where I want than try to lob one in there on a deer that I only have a 6-8" window to make a good hit. However im sure that there are plenty of archers that can beat me on a 3d course with 10gpp.... they just dont come to any 3d course I go to....lol

Its all about shot placement.  Thats why you see stories about women getting passthrough's on deer with 35-40 pound bows and then the next thread is about a guy who didnt get 3" with a 60 pound bow. (I have been that guy)

good luck and above all just have fun cause thats what its all about.

[Chris Shelton]

Predator man I have to disagree, if Doc has taught me anything it is not always about shot placement.  You can be the best shooter in the world and have a crappy arrow system and not be able to kill anything.  

Dont missunderstand my statment, I am not saying that your system is not good.  I shoot 8.4 gpi, and have for a while, I am going to increase it though, but the weight will go up front.  

Also I shoot with my hunting arrows on the 3D course, the only reason I shoot 3d is to practice realistic hunting situations.  And the only way I could better do that on the 3d course is to use my broadheads(which is against the rules).  

My main point is that I would walk onto any 3d course with Beeman MFX classics, and they are 10 gpi, too bad I cant afford them, lol.

[George D. Stout]

I shot field rounds with ten grains per pound in the Bowhunter Division, and shot very well...yardages from 20 feet to 80 yards....not 3D at 30 yards and under.  My ten grains per pound arrows will have a point-on of just about 55 yards.   Arrow placement is everything....along with perfect arrow flight, and those two will trump anything else.

[George D. Stout]

By the way....we have lots of good sponsors here with great products....I wouldn't buy arrow shafts from Cabelas.  Just me.

[knd2970]

Cabelas brand shafts are made by Easton archery. They are a good arrow for the price. My 2 cents

[Troy Edwards]

Thank for all the advice.

G.D. Stout. What kind of arrows do you shoot and why? How much weight can I put up front without making the shaft underspined? In other words roughly how much weight per inch do I need to balance an arrow, so that it is not too front heavy? Im assuming if I have an extremely light arrow with all the weight up front and with my longer draw length that I'll have flight problems, is that correct?  Thats why I was shooting for at least 10gpi but really have nothing to base that on. Only that if I shoot lighter arrows I would seem that Im going to need an awful lot of weight upfront.

[George D. Stout]

Light and heavy are two words that don't go well with spine.  Spine is the ability to bend, not a weight, per se.  I shoot aluminum arrows and I don't play with them to get EFOC, UEFOC, or other acronym of ambiguous nature.        I use bows in the 45 to 50 pound range, and my arrows are in the 470 to 520 grain range.  With my 2016, I already have 10.6 grains per inch of shaft weight to work with.  Personally, I'm shooting 28.5" arrow...303 grains tubing weight.  Add 125 for point weight, about 25 for insert weight and about 20 grains for feathers and nock, and you end up with 473 grains on my 47 pound recurve.

Now, this setup, has taken a bunch of whitetails, squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, groundhogs, etc., and also shot an average of about 400 to 425 on the field course....many years ago 8^).  I'm not the guy to talk to about carbon arrows and extreme fronts-of-center.  I can tell you what has worked for me, and very admirably by the way, for the past five decades...60's through today.  I can go as high as 145 to 150 grains up front without compromising spine and arrow flight.  

I can tell you that 10 grains per pound of arrow weight won't hold you back in any competition, unless your form, or lack thereof, is preventing it.  Lighter isn't always better...there is a happy medium that will work best for both hunting and competition.

There are guys here who use nothing but carbons and can expound on whatever they use, and the resultant configurations of point weights versus shaft weight, et al.  I've not found any reason to change from what has worked for me personally.