New guy- My Set Up - Thoughts

[USN_Sam1385]

Hello all,

I am brand new to this forum, but have been over at D&DH for about 3 years. I have hunted with a compound bow for years but finally decided to get into trad. bow hunting. So...

I bought a throw away $59 rough and ready longbow with a 25-30 lb. draw weight on it. I got the low pound bow to learn proper form on. The book that I read recommended learning with less poundage bow. Once I felt comfortable that my form was correct, etc. etc. I got my 'real' bow.

I traded my Remington 700 .270 for a Thunderhorn Coup Stick made by Duane Jessop of MT, and some extras. The bow is absolutely stunning, and it is hard to keep it out of my hands. It has a cocobo and orangewood riser, elk antler inlaid in the riser, elk antler tips, beaver silencers, and fast flight string. It shoots like a dream with the half-dozen arrows that I was given with the bow.

The bow is 58" long and draws 55# @ 26". I am 6'1/185 and my draw length is more like 28", so I think it is drawing much closer to 60 than to 55. I have no trouble holding steady at my anchor point and shooting 30-40 shots in a session before tiring.

Anyhow, the guy gave me a half dozen Gold Tip 5575's. 3 have the 125 grain FP and the other 3 have the 175 grain FP. The bow seems to prefer the 175 grain tips. Is this common for a setup like this? I see that most guys are shooting the 125 grains. Somehow it just 'feels' better shooting the 175's.

So, here are the arrows that I am looking at gettting:

1 Dozen GT Traditional XT Hunter Arrows

Specs:
Outside Diameter....Shaft 5575....0.302 inches.....Spine....400....Shaft Weight......9.3 Gr/inch....Length....32"

Arrows will be cut to 29 1/2".

I am eye balling the Zwickey Delta 2 blade broadheads at 170 grains for hunting purposes.

As far as the fletching I am going to go with the following:

Right Hand Helical Fletching Style
4" Feathers
and use screw in FP and BH points.

What do you all think of these arrows with this particular config?? Let me have it. :-)

Thanks in advance. I have read and researched as much as I can about these addicting stickbows, but I have an infinite amount of knowledge left to learn.

[USN_Sam1385]

Oh yeah. I will be primarily using the bow for whitetails. I do not take my shots past about 40 yards with my compound bow, and prefer my shots to be between 15-30 yards.

With this new longbow I doubt I will take any shots past 25 yards. I know many guys shoot much further, but I am extremely picky with the bow shots that I am willing to take. Everything has to be perfect for me to loose an arrow, and that rarely happens for me past 30 yards.

[njloco]

If it is working for you then that is what you use to begin with, once you get your feet wet than if you have to, you can start tweeking things.

Good luck and welcome aboard.

[macksdad]

Congratulations on the switch,sounds like you have a good starting point and you are well on your way!

[onewhohasfun]

It is a good idea to bare fletch tune your set up. Cut your arrows only if they show weak.

[straitera]

Big Welcome Sam! Sounds good so far but I know nothing of your arrows. 2-blades razor sharp have been my favorite for 30+ years w/o problems. Zwicks are awesome. Your setup may exceed 60# which is also perfect IMO. Get some judos & pass some good time stumpin!! You're in the right spot so have fun & ask questions. BTW, study "bareshafting" in the archives.

[USN_Sam1385]

Strait. What are Judos?? I know that stumping is good real-time practice. Do you use flu-flu arrows when you go stumping, so as to lose less arrows?? Thanks

[Mudd]

Welcome to the Tradgang family.

I sometimes use flu-flu's for stumping but most of the time not.

God bless,Mudd

[Stumpkiller]

I stump with the same arrows I hunt with.  Cheaper than a broadhead target.  But 99% of the time I use a blunt or GameNabber tip.

[DannyBows]

Judo's are a type of field point with spring arms that keep the arrow from burying itself. Check out 3Rivers, they should have pics.
Welcome to the 'gang!

[Frenchymanny]

I for myself love ace hex heads for stumping.

The 175grs glue on on a 125grs adaptor fly like my BigJims broadhead

F-Manny

Sam,  Welcome!

Looks like you're off to a flyin' start...stick with it and let us know of your success!

Interesting you would mention your old .270.  I dumped my Ruger .270 M77 just before getting back into trad...replaced it with a Bighorn recurve.  That was nearly 20 years ago...have never looked back!!

[mudfish]

man, you are doing it right.  nice to see that you are doing your research before you pay for a bunch of gear you end up not using.  not surprised that your arrows fly better with 175 grain, carbon arrows like heavy points, keep with it.

[mudfish]

P.S. - you can take a 135 grain glue-on judo and mount it on a 42 grain broadhead adaptor and end up with a stump shooter with nearly the same dynamics as your 175 grain broadhead.

[COLongbow]

You're in the right place for good info!

I thank my lucky stars for having discovered TG.

That search function is a gem!

[straitera]

USN_S, judos are the springy ended tips available at the archery supply stores such as 3-Rivers. The stiff springs catch the ground especially grass preventing them from burying underneath. One of the top 5 greatest inventions in archery history. Shoot regular fletched arrows. For more fun, see homemade judos in the archives. These are truly awesome & work equally as well. You can make them any weight you want. PM for more. Have fun.

[tradshooter]

Sam, Welcome on board and from your Trad Gang name I see you were in the Navy. I want to thank you for your service to this great Country. You are getting a great start and lots of folks here have a lot of knowledge. Keep asking questions because folks will help you out. A lot of good reads here also. You have a good set-up. I would stay as close the the same weight in field points as what you will use for your hunting broadheads. Get out and shoot year round if you can and don't overlook small game like rabbits and squirrels to keep you sharp...well make you sharp. Do your stump shooting on uneven and varied terrain to get the real world feel. Through your local archery shop or your friend give the 3D shoots a try. Everything you did with your compound bow is going to get a lot more exciting and fun and the work is rewarding and shooting Trad. is addicting. Best of luck to you!