Help a female newbie with arrows! :)

[hntngrl]

Hi,
My name is Laura, I'm 23 years old and have been shooting and hunting with a compound for several years now. Just ordered my first ever longbow after shooting one at the local range. I'm hooked! Problem is, I know a lot about compounds and nothing about trad bows!

My bow is an  Omega , 40 at 28 (about 32lbs at my 25" draw length), it is 62" long and cut to center (at least I'm pretty sure it is). I believe it is a hybrid longbow.

It should be here early next week and I still haven't gotten my arrows. I have looked at several charts and it seems like they all say something different.... I have no real preference as to carbon or wood (probably not aluminum). I eventually would like to hunt with this bow if I can get good enough with it.

So what type of arrows would you recommend? I've asked trad guys at my archery club and they all disagree. One says to get GoldTip 3555's and leave them full length with a heavy point. Another says get 1535's and cut them as short as possible with light tips.

Help, I am paralyzed with indecision! Haha, my bow will be here soon and I will be dying to shoot it! I have already ordered a Limbsaver stringer for it.

I really like the looks of wood arrows (especially    these ones ,  but not sure if they are worth the hassle of having to straighten them? I only plan on shooting targets until I am good enough to hunt.

Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated!!!

[JamesKerr]

Hi Laura, as a new archer I would stick with either carbon or aluminum shafts while your learning how to shoot, tune your bow, proper form, etc. Wood arrows are great but they are not as consistant as the aforementioned shafts. First off let me ask you this before I even can try to recommend what spine arrow to try, is 25" your draw length with a traditional bow or with a compound?

[hntngrl]

25" is my draw length with a compound. I guess I didn't realize that it would be different with a longbow.

[pamike]

Honestly the best thing to do is shoot a couple different arrows and see what works best. I personally think that the 1535 would work perfectly with a little cutting BUT if you have an archery shop close to you go get one of each. I would also recommend easton axis 600's. I really like the skinny arrows from my bows. Most shops will sell singles and with your short draw length I bet they even have some they would either give you or sell real cheap.

If you don't have an archery shop close I would be willing to send you a handfull of used arrows to figure out which works best.

Mike

[hntngrl]

I live in Davenport, IA. In a huge city such as this, you'd think there would be tons of good archery shops...but there isn't!! Two of them sell takedown recurves...but they do not stock any arrows my size. I also do not have my own fletcher, and the shops won't fletch feathers....very strange. I thought about buying one of the "test kits" from 3 Rivers Archery. Maybe that would be the best route to go. I do have some GoldTip 3555 shafts laying around from my compound. They are bare shafts.

Thanks for the replies!! Much nicer than ArcheryTalk..

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Welcome Laura.  I am not going to try to confuse you more.  I think it would be best to find someone close and talk with them.  Your draw length may shorten with a trad bow but then again, it may not depending on your anchor.

Also, there are a lot of great arrow smiths on here that will get you very close.  I think its easier to keep an arrow full length and play with tip weight however thats not always an option and if you get a 32 inch arrow, you will have 7 +/- inches out front. Not necessarily a bad thing but some people dont like it. just something to consider.

wood isnt as finicky as you may think.

[JamesKerr]

I would think that if your draw length is 25" with a compound then it will probably be about 23.5" or 24" with your longbow. That is going to put your true draw weight somewhere close to 28#-29#. That is definately going to require a .600 spine carbon and possibly weaker with a short draw length like that. I would really recommend trying an 1816 or possibly 1716 alluminum shaft cut to about 29" with a 125 grain tip.

[shag08]

I'm sure alot of folks can give alot better advice on this subject than I can but here I go...My personal preference is carbon arrows. They come from the factory straight, finished, spine tested, tough as nails and ready to roll. All you gotta do is cut 'em to length and find the right point weight and they will last til you miss and hit a rock...miss and lose the arrow...etc. They are easy to maintain, re-fletch, change nocks, change point weights...you name it, they got it for my purposes.

As far as arrows go, its hard for me to say. I bought a Samick Sage thats #35 @ 28 for my wife. She only draws 23" so its very light weight. She has been shooting some GoldTip 3355's cut to 29" that I shoot through my long bow with 200 gr up front out of it. She likes it best with 125 gr up front. I know all of this goes against all common knowledge...and common sense for that matter...on that bow and set up. But it works for her and it hits where shes looking.

What I've been wanting her to try is GoldTip 1535's cut short with a heavier point weight...or full length with a light point weight. The shorter the shaft, the stiffer it will act so you can add more weight up front. The longer the shaft, the weaker it will act so you can shoot lighter weight up front.  Or you can luck up and find a happy medium. Tuning is a real pain to me.

I doubt that this helps much but thats all I know from my experiences. Good luck.

[Bjorn]

I never recommend wood to a beginning trad archer, and most 'pro'shops' cater to compound shooters and don't know a lot about longbows. 3 rivers should be able to guide you to the right carbons or aluminums. Keep us posted on your progress!  

[SKITCH]

Originally posted by hntngrl:
I live in Davenport, IA. In a huge city such as this, you'd think there would be tons of good archery shops...but there isn't!! Two of them sell takedown recurves...but they do not stock any arrows my size. I also do not have my own fletcher, and the shops won't fletch feathers....

Welcome to the wonderful world of traditional archery!!  It will be a little more work but you will love it!!  Welcome to Trad Gang!!  The folks here are the best and you will definitely find the answers you need and a little more!  Don't be afraid to ask....you never know who might jump in and help out.  
Good luck.

[Gator1]

Laura,

Welcome to Trad Gang.  Getting properly tuned arrows will make the transition a great deal of fun

I would contact one of the sponsers, and would serisouly consider Alumnium arrows.  Mike at the Nocking Point is a great resource... You need to call him as he doesn't really do email.  I would be fairly confident a 3555 would be too stiff of spine, and Possibly even a full length 1535.  There are some lighter spine arrows Braveheart Archery is a great source for carbon arrows and could get you started in the right direction.


 

[hntngrl]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and warm welcome. I will try to find a mentor at the archery club. The older guy who let me try shooting his longbow (it was 50lbs so a little heavy for me, I could only pull it back to about an inch in front of my nose) gave me his grandson's shooting glove that the boy had outgrown. So I think he would help me. I will make sure I post pictures of my new bow once I get it!

[shag08]

If you have some bare shaft 3555's layin' around, just buy the field point test weight package from 3rivers. It will tell you how the arrows are acting and give you a really good idea about what your bow likes best for your shooting style. You will need to bare shaft tune anyways for proper arrow flight.

[Gator1]

pamike:          

[swampdrummer]

Welcome to the gang Laura!
I'm going to go a bit against the grain here but if your just starting out, don't worry too much about getting perfectly tuned arrows. Just get out there and work on your form. Until your form is consistent and repeatable your not going to get a well tuned arrow even if you have the perfect weight and spine.
Just my .02....
Good luck!
Brad

If your draw is 25" in compound terms, they are most often measured from the inside of the grip, your draw may still be close to 25" in trad terms as we measure to the far side of the bow.

[xtrema312]

I don't think the 1535 will be too weak at all.  Probably too stiff for you.  Keep them long and throw some weight on the front to start if you go with them.  Maybe find a few used on the classified or get a half dozen blems from big jim.  Too many variables with not knowing much about the bow and your actual draw length to really get very close on what you will need.

The  best thing is to get some arrows and start shooting working on form and strength at close range and don't worry much about getting the arrows just right.  You will not know the difference in an in the ball park arrow and one that is just right until you get your form down some.  

I think the best option is probably an aluminum shaft or a carbon 800 maybe.  You may even be able to use some 5/16” youth wood arrows just to get something to shoot for now.    In addition to sponsors mentioned, you could also try Kustom King.

[katie]

Hey Laura, I am over by Des Moines.  If you are ever around here go to Bearfoot Traditions.  An all trad shop in DM.  They are open in the evening on weekdays.
I shoot 35-40#@23" and just got some Carbon Express Predator 2 in a 800 spine.  I shoot 200 grains up front and they rock!  Got them from Big Jim (add up top on the right).
Welcome to the gang!

[Jake Fr]

You might be better off just going to des moines for a saturday and gett some hands on help from the shop listed above they should be able to get you pretty darn close to whats working good for you pluss let you see how they figured it out so you can gain info for your own tinkering later on just a thought

[BrownA5]

Laura, welcome to Trad Gang!  Appreciate your earlier post to my question on Minox Binoculars.  As far as arrows I really can't to what the gang above has shared.  I am partial to carbons due to their straightness and strength, and since you have already been shooting carbons it seems like a logical place to start!