Wow, I've never considered myself a spine guru. :rolleyes:
RR, I'm glad those 400's are working out for you.
Tim, this bear was taken with my 58# @ 28.5 inch Super Shrew Samurai and 29.5 inch 400's with 200 grain points and the standard 16 grain aluminum insert.
Rays bear on Ron LaClair web page There was actually one Beeman MFX woodgrain in my quiver, but the Axis was always my go to arrow. I think the traditional finish on the Beeman MFX shafts spreads the shaft weight out over the length of the shaft and the FOC is not as high. I always got that lazer beam flight with the axis and not so with the Beemans, even though both were 400 shafts and same length. Tim Cosgrove at Kustom King was finding the same thing.
All that said, I think the 400's would work best for you with your 225 grains up front, even if they act 'stiffer' in the new wood grain finish, because I have a hunch that your two go to bows have more center shot than my Super Shrew Samurai that was a 1999 McCullough built bow, so they'll need a little stiffer shaft. There's certainly a lot of variables that can go into the selection, but Easton Axis are the best carbon shaft that I've shot out of this group: Beeman MFX, Arrow Dynamics Traditionals and Tradlites, Grizzly Sticks, Blackhawk Vapor Carbons and Blackhawk Vapor Carbonwoods.
Put some weight up front on the Axis arrows (15-20% FOC) and they penetrate like runaway freight trains. My setup's were around 550 grains with that Samurai and the flight was absolute perfection.
Good luck!