Arrows for Kid's bows

[matts2]

I am putting together some longbows for my kids so they can get going on real shooting.  They are 6 and 9 and the bows will be set up as 48" ntn and 20# @ 20".  My question is with bows like this, how important are the arrows they are shooting.  Do I really need to set up each kid with their own arrows fit to them or can I just throw some feathers on pretty much anything a let them loose?  I have tons of random arrows I have gathered over the years with compound shooting with all kinds of different sizes.  They shoot them all now with the generic bows they have.  Just don't know how important a fitted arrow is to these light weight short draw bows..

[Mike Vines]

How good do you think you would shoot with a bunch of mix matched arrows?  If you get them something that matches, not onlydoes their accuracy do well, so does their confidence and enjoyment of the sport.  Now this is just my opinion, and you probably get differing ones on here.  Only you know the answer that best suits your kids.

[matts2]

Obviously I want them to shoot well and consistant.  I totally understand your point.  The farthest they will shoot may be ten yards and even that is pushing it.  When they start to want to shoot father, then I will upgrade them all I can.  

As far as random arrows, I will pick up a set of arrows for each one so they are shooting the same arrow each shot.  But is it really important having finely tuned arrow or will a basic light weight arrow cut and fletched for their draw work?

[Eugene Slagle]

What I do for teaching kids is pic 3 arrow sizes & make each a different length & different feather combinations  this way they are easy to identify & use for the kids according to size.

If you have 6 arrows of one type like say 1820's & then some 2114's but have them at different lengths & feathers it'll at least keep them consistent.

Unless they have been shooting for some time & the bows are over 20# it'll be hard to get arrows to match exactly for each shooter, it's mostly form training & fun for them till they learn to ropes.

[matts2]

The main problem I have with what they have now are the bows they have are those cheap fiberglass things and they are shooting off the shelf with plastic fletching.  That in itself is throwing arrows all over the place.  We all shoot together just about every night in the shop and when they get an arrow in the middle of the target it is major excitement and really gets me excited to see it.  But the arrows I have feathers on generally fly ok.  

I have been playing with Stu's Calculator and found some cheap arrows that will fit a 20#/20" bow great.  Looking at these arrows online, they are a lot cheaper than I thought.  I may just pick up a dozen for now and fletch up six for each and see what happens.

[BobCo 1965]

I'd go with a 1713 Easton Jazz although they stil maybe a little stiff. (I believe they are the smallest diameter that will accept inserts though). I have also used much smaller, but you will have to use a glue in point specific to the shaft and will not have much flexibility with the point weight.

My son uses 1716s with a 30# recurve, 125 grain points and they fly great.

Personally, I would not set them up with different arrows at this point.

[Tox]

I started my kids with old arrows, diffent lengths, weights, spines, everything but what worked for their bows. Had some 1/4 in. ramin shafts made up for them, low and behold they could shoot accurately. At the time, I think ramin shafts were $20 for 100. They may be about $35 now. Affordable and they got to learn to make their own arrows.

[Grey Taylor]

I think the 1/4" ramin shafts are the best for kid's arrows.
I see a lot of kids get Dad's old hand-me-down arrows and they're too heavy to even get out of the bow very well. When a kid manages to make a good shot with one of those only to see it bounce off the target because the bow doesn't have enough oomph to throw it well, the kid is discouraged.
Discouraged kids don't enjoy archery and a kid that doesn't enjoy archery is going to want to do something else with his time.
Besides, as Tox mentioned, the kids get to help make their own arrows.

Guy

[far rider]

Ramin shafts for sure. Very durable. 1/4", that's what I started my boy out on. Held up very well.

[tecum-tha]

Spine those shafts if you can. There is no federal tax on kids arrows. Differences in deflection are much higher in lower spine groups. The tighter the spine, the better the arrows and your kids ability to memorize trajectory. Weight matching is not so important at those distances. Try to get sets within 3#, for example 20#,21#,22#. Leave arrows longer to let them grow into, get pinpoint matching with the point weight. A 2-3 BBs pressed into the ferule will do the trick.
Don't let them shoot to0 far. With those draw weights arrow breakage is no issue, but arrow loss is. Train them right and they will become killer archers...
I would go with those birch shafts:
 http://www.kustomkingarchery.com/1_4-Inch-Birch-Shafting/productinfo/8210/
Buy 200 and spine matching dozens.
Your 6 year old will have to work a little longer to get results, your 9 year old should make ultra fast progress...

[matts2]

Great info guys and thanks for the link.  I have been searching for ramin shafts and wasnt having much luck.  I will have to get a hundred of those birch shafts and give them a try.  I will spine them in groups.  Can let the kids design their own arrows.

BTW, the 6 year old is stronger than the 9 year old.  The boy is 6 and girl is 9.  The both love guns and bows.  They will enjoy this.  Thanks everyone.

[Flinttim]

I just made a batch for my grandson. He's shooting an old glass Indian kid's bow. About 17# at his draw. I made these from 1/4 oak dowels from HD. They spine well for that bow and fly very well.

[reddogge]

I made a dozen 1/4"x24" cedar shafts for my two youngest grandsons and one granddaughter.  They have been working well for 2 years now. I moved the older one up to 5/16" x28" cedars for his 30# bow. Now I just bought a dozen 1616s to make up so they can 3-D shoot at a club that doesn't allow wood.

[bigugly1]

For kids that age the only thing that matters to them is that the arrow hits the target and that it sticks in. I went to the trouble of cutting a bunch of arrows to match my 7 year olds spine requirement. It came out to 22" arrows and yes they flew great but wouldn't stay in target, he could care less they were hitting in the "spot" but daddy they don't stick. Cut down some laying around arrows to 19" fletched them up and he had at er. I like these arrows daddy, they stick, yes son but your groups pretty big, I don't care Daddy. Remember it's all different at 7 than 40. Oh for his 15# bow I found the 2030 CE Predators worked well but stiffer stuck better...lol

[Lone archer]

Matt,

I bought my three boys Black Rhino bows along with  (1/4" arrows) arrows that they sell. It is a world of difference for the kids when they shoot the proper arrows! However the 1/4 arrows do not last long. I just recently bought my 11 year old a dozen 5/16 arrows from Three rivers for his 35# Bear kodiak magnum. I have plenty of 40-45# 11/32 cedar arrows of mine that they could shoot but the performance and the fun they have goes way down. They want to shoot like Dad! Check out those Black Rhino bows and arrows, they are great!

Rob

[Tav]

My daughter(9) has two very different bows and shoots the same arrow out of both just fine.  she even shoots my personal arrows fine with both bows.  I don't know much but I would say fletch up some arrows and let them shoot.  It will all sort itself out later.  Form and release seem to be more of an issue for my daughter than her arrows.  fyi...she shoots a GT Lightning with 3" feathers, and they are probably full length.

[Brian Gillispie]

I have had great luck with Bill Stroups youth arrows.  My boy Griffin has worked through about 4 doz in the last few years.  They fly straight and stick the target well.  They have allowed him to adopt great form and improve as a traditional archer.  Heck,  The little booger shoots better than me some days.  He will be 11 in april.

Bill is a sponser here.  His arrows are also very reasonable.

Brian

[Green]

I've built plenty of youth arrows of late for the local kids I've been letting shoot.  Closely weighted arrows are probably the most important thing so they can get a consistent eye on trajectory.  With spine weights under 30# there's not going to be much difference in vertical impact.  I try to build them sets of six cool looking arrows that are within 5gr.of each other in weight.

[matts2]

Thanks again for everyone's help.  This has been great and very educational.  I was looking at the bare shafts last night and all though a hundred shafts are cheap, by the time I added in points, nocks and feathers, the price really got up there.  And that was only enough points and feathers to make a couple dozen arrows and even using full length feathers.

[Pete W]

If you want the kids to enjoy shooting make up some 1/4" wood shafts. The 60 gr glue on points are better and stick in better than the crimp on points.
 If you want to know what it is like for them to shoot your old arrows , fletch a broom handle and shoot it.
Pete