wood shafts for Black Widow MA X

[Ricoh]

I have decided to go back to shooting wood. I shoot a 64" Black Widow PMA X 53*@28". My draw length is 28" and I plan on using Aboyer 175 gr brown bear heads. I have contacted Hildebrand shafts and Hexshaft but would like some opinions on other raw shaft suppliers. I want to shoot 11/32 parallel withthree 5" feathers. Was thinking 65-70 lb shafts. Do I need to go stiffer?

thanks

Rick

[Grey Taylor]

I feel that Hildebrand and Surewood are two of the best "natural" wood shafts. For a laminated shaft the Hexshafts are top notch.
You'd be styling pretty well with any of those.

Guy

[lpcjon2]

I just stained up 2 dozen Surewoods and they are gorgeous looking(ya I went there) Best looken grain I have seen yet.

[Bjorn]

Ricoh I think you will need more spine, (consider string type and center cut) get a test kit; 65/70, 70/75 and 75/80. A 200 gn field point shoots the same as a 175 Brown Bear, that is what I use for what it is worth.

[SlowBowinMO]

Rick, I'd be leaning more towards 75/80's for that Widow especially if you're planning to use those 175 gr points.  Widows typically like a lot of spine.

If you edit the title of your thread to include Black Widow, you should get some real good input from actual Widow shooters.    

We also carry the Surewood shafts which are about as good as it gets in wood shafting IMO.

  Surewood Shafts at Braveheart Archery

[Ricoh]

Braveheart

Do you ship to Canada? Do you ship USPS as I get killed with broker fees any other way. I was thinking 70-75 but you guys are the experts.

Rick

[Fletcher]

Rick, I ran the numbers a couple of ways and came up the same: 85-89 lb spine for a 29" arrow and the 175 gr points.  With a PMA, BW says draw weight times 1.4 for a 28" arrow and 125 point. That is 74 lb.  Add 10 lb for the inch of arrow and heavy point and you have 84 lb.  You might do fine with  80-84, but with a deep cut bow the extra won't hurt a thing.

[LBR]

A test kit is the way to go.  A lot will depend on your release.  Nock fit, the thickness of the strike plate, string type, etc. will also matter.

Chad

[Orion]

I suggest the test kit as well.  I think 70-75 or 75-80 will work just fine.  A bow cut to center or past center can handle a lot of spine,so you could go the heavier route heavier, but the problem in this case is getting a heavy enough spine in the diameter shaft you want.  It will be real hard to find 80# plus shafts in cedar or sitka spruce in 11/32, even 75-80# is fairly rare in those woods in 11/32.  May be available in Doug Fir though, and Surewood makes excellent shafts.  Good luck.

[frassettor]

Out of my widows, I shoot 90-95# spine Surewoods with a 200gr Grizzly up front. Tim at Braveheart is absolutly right, Widows love a heavy spine

[TOEJAMMER]

I have a MA II that I have had new since 1991, 60 inch and 60 lbs at 28".  My draw length is 27 and I have been shooting POC shafts cut to 28.5 inches with 3 5" left helical feathers, 160 grain field tips and spined 67 to 70 lbs.  Widow and many other people tell me that they are under spined but they have been flying perfectly for almost 20 years.  A have another MA II with all the same stats other than being  made in 1996 that I have had new since then.  I have two sets of limbs, one 61 at 28" and the other set 64 at 28".  Guess what?  The same arrows fly perfectly out of that bow with either set of limbs mounted.  The release, grip on the bow etc. all have  a lot to do with it.

[SlowBowinMO]

Ricoh, we do ship to Canada and we use USPS exclusively, unfortunately shafting has to go Priority so it typically runs about $25 to Canada.    

Thanks for checking with us.

[LookMomNoSights]

75/80's and get them from Surewood.  Last batch I received,  there was only 1 that was even close to being not perfectly straight! Ive been super please with those shafts and great guys to talk to!

[highcountry]

Ali says Greatbasin footed shafts. Kye makes them with Surewood shafts also.  Heavy weight forward so helps with the spine issue. Very tough hard wood, takes a licking and keeps ticking! More $$ but they last long time. Oh yeah, just perdy too!
 
   

[hunterbob]

I shoot Wapiti archery stump shooters they are tapered 23/64 and 5/16th at the nock end 80to85 spine out of my 63#@28" LAG and my PLGA 62#@28" and have for years and they fly great.

[elkken]

I shoot a 55# MA II and 70-75's fly great with 160 grn stos heads. I'm shooting 11/32 tapered fir 29 1/2 shafts. I have had several BW bows and have never found that you need as stiff a shaft as some folks seem to think for BW bows.

[Don Stokes]

You're better off overspined than underspined.

[Steve Clandinin]

I shoot 70# Cedars from my SA111,58#@28" with 170-190 gr.heads ,they fly great.I'm hoping Santa brings some 70-75# Surewoods as I've heard nothing but good!LOL

[Ricoh]

Thanks for all the replies fellas. Looks like 75-80 or 80-85 would do it . Surewoods seem to be the shaft of choice by what I am reading. I am leaning to the 75-80 I think. Again , thanks for the input.

Rick