GT arrow selection help

[Cavscout9753]

Looking to get some new carbons. Had a pain last time I tried this. My set up is pretty common so someone feel free to chime in with what spine you think is a good start.
Bow: Samick Red Stag
Fast flight string
Cut to center
50# @ 28" (when i do it right thats right about what I pull)

Arrow: looking for GT Traditional Hunters
Would like to have 125 up front not counting insert
5" feather, shield

Would 3355 be a start? I am not a huge fan of full length arrows. 30" would be about the max, 29" or so would be an ideal world.

Additionally, i'd like to just order a dozen set up, minus the cutting since id fine tune them. Any good suggested arrow makers who don't take a month? Thanks any and all.

[bigiron]

I would try the 15-35s

[BWallace10327]

Try the Three Rivers Archery spine calculator.  I checked the arrows that I had already tuned for my bow a few years back and the numbers it came up with coincided with my tuning.  Since first using it, I've bought arrows and had them cut to the measurements that I found from the calculator and they fly as good as if I bare shafted them.

[johnnyk71]

i'll go ahead and tell you that most of the people on here are going to tell you to get the lightest spine possible.

i'll also tell you that with my 53#@ 28" RER Retro, i shoot the XT Hunters, 75/95's cut to 31", with 250 grains up front, and they are heavy and fly great.

that said, just keep in mind that the GT Trads are stiffer than the Hunters (the black ones).

if you cut them short, they will of course stiffen up quickly. if you keep them full length, 35/55's would probably be good. if you cut them to 30" or 29", you really might need to step down a bit in stiffness. there's pretty much two ways to go. if you want to stay at 125 grains, you gotta play with length. i have had much more success by varying point weight and adjusting the thickness of my side plate if needed. to each his own, i guess, but either will work.

[talkingcabbage]

Im using a similar setup and have found a full length 5575 with 125 grain tips bareshaft fairly well if you add 100 grain inserts.  This gets you up around 500-ish grains or about 10 gpp which is pretty decent for just about anything. I should mention I'm using the gt expedition hunter blacks not the trads.

[Cavscout9753]

Whew! Thanks for the help guys. I remember now why I love woodies so much. Carbons are so fickle. Might be indestructible but you'll get an ulcer getting the right set up. Haha

[BigJim]

It is so easy getting set up with carbons! Just don't lock up mentally. You are also asking the majority what works for them when many really don't know but they think they do.
When people tell me what they are shooting and say they fly pretty good, very few have ever tried them with broadheads and none of them are you.
You need 3555's period! use 125 g pts and at least a 50 g insert or a 100g insert.
( 30" 3555 will weigh about 500g +- with a 100 g insert and 125g pt).
I can only guess what length as you can only guess when you will or how often you will come to full draw.
There are no quick fix arrows. Once you become consistent and determine what shoots well, then you can repeat with out all the testing...until you change something.
We can build you a dozen and get them shipped in 2-3 days typically and we have some blems in stock.
good luck, BigJim

[M60gunner]

35/55 like Big Jim said. I tried the heavy spine, ultra heavy tip weight arrows. Dropped like rocks after 20yards.

[Stephengiles]

3555 will work. You will have to get inserts though. You may also have to fudge with point weight too, my red stag was 4# less than marked. I shoot 53@ 27.

[Cavscout9753]

Think I'm going to start with 31" 3555's with 125, id probably change tip weight before I meased with inserts. See where the tunning road takes me. Thanks everyone!

[kennym]

I'm shooting Big Jim's 3555s with 250 points from a D/R 64" 51@28" longbow.

They are 29.5"from bop to von . The bow is cut just to center so with the side plate material makes it  lack a bit of being to center.

They will bare shaft to 35 yards with the fletched arrows.

Brother shoots same arrows with 140 up front front . His bow is cut more to center and also 50# but at 27"..


Many variables come into play, but I bet the 3555s will work for you.

[Orion]

Here's at the thing about tuning, there are so many insert, adaptor and point weights now that you don't have to mess with cutting arrows 1/4-inch or whatever at a time.  First, get there appropriate spine weight for your bow, and I agree with Big Jim that it's 35/55s. Cut them to the length you want, then vary the various point weight factors to get the arrow flight you want, and/or play with the side plate a little.

Try it with one when you get your shafts.  Cut it to 29 inches, put in the 50-grain insert and 125 grain point, and I think you'll find you have a perfectly flying arrow.  Good luck.

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by BigJim:
It is so easy getting set up with carbons! Just don't lock up mentally. You are also asking the majority what works for them when many really don't know but they think they do.
When people tell me what they are shooting and say they fly pretty good, very few have ever tried them with broadheads and none of them are you.
You need 3555's period! use 125 g pts and at least a 50 g insert or a 100g insert.
( 30" 3555 will weigh about 500g +- with a 100 g insert and 125g pt).
I can only guess what length as you can only guess when you will or how often you will come to full draw.
There are no quick fix arrows. Once you become consistent and determine what shoots well, then you can repeat with out all the testing...until you change something.
We can build you a dozen and get them shipped in 2-3 days typically and we have some blems in stock.
good luck, BigJim

Big Jim is spot on. I got my GT arrows from him in record time, fletched and all.

The 35/55 arrows I bought are 30", uncut. My setup is fairly close to yours and I use 100 grain inserts with 125 grain points and full length 35/55s.

I don't mind my arrows sticking out past my bow so I usually leave new arrows full length. It doesn't hurt anything to shoot arrows that appear too long, as long as they fly great.

I bare shaft tune mine and they group well, bare shafts with fletched arrows all in the same group at 20 yds. Read my signature below for specs.....

[Stone Knife]

I shoot 3555's out of my 46# at my draw bow cut to 29.5 with a 50 gr brass insert and 145 gr point and same weight broadhead and they fly perfect.

[VictoryHunter]

I have had a nearly identical set up and think you would be right on with the 35/55's around 29"

[johnnyk71]

something else to add: GT trads are .300 spine in 75/95, and .340 spine in the plain black 75/95s (Expedition Hunters).

that variation in spine makes a decent amount of difference.

[BD]

I shoot 48@29 with GT3555. 150 grain woodsmans and 75 grain insert (GT weight system). The arrow is 490 grains.

[Josh Perdue]

I think arrow spine varies person to person. I wish I could shoot GT 3555's out of my 47lb RER XR but I can't get them to tune. Lord knows I have a pile of them, they are just too weak. I shoot black GT 5575 cut to 29 1/4" with a 50gr brass insert and 175gr points and get perfect tears through paper and great bareshaft results. My broadheads fly perfect and that's what counts. I also shoot off a bear weather rest so that may make a difference. I also think how clean you get off the string makes a difference as well.
The best advice I can give you is to buy an arrow saw if that's in your budget. It's the best money I've spent on archery in the last year. An arrow saw takes all the guess work out of the equation and will pay for its self in the end.

[Cavscout9753]

Oh I agree whole-heartedly. There's a lot of variables that go into tunning. Some times though understanding what people got work serves as a waypoint along the way though.

I've got some 3555's coming to play with, Big Jim says I should get them going great, and I trust his judgement, that's how he makes his living. My only fear is going to be total weight, and that's only coming from a calculator's numbers, not trial. A 3555 out of a center cut, FF stringed, 50# bow is only going to tolerate so much point weight without building the strike plate out some, (an option, but not prefered yet). Now, with 200 up front, and cut to 29" (about as low as I can go) I have to build the strike out .2", and that'll give me 481 overall in weight. Not bad at all, and I hope I can do it. Like I said, if Big Jim says it'll work, its certainly worth my effort to try. Additionally, I have 5575's cut to 29", (I know, I know, way to much spine) that show slightly stiff with 200. Going to the calculator again, it says with 250 up front that's a perfect match weighing in at 552 total. About 12 fps less speed, but that's not worth crying over.

The caveat in the 3555's will be how fast the carbon spine recovers. The calculator says it'll be weak, but that may not be noticable if it recovers as fast as people say it does. Who knows? All of this is theoretical until tested, I just like hearing seasoned shooters tell me what they've seen. I like a healthy weighted arrow for penetration, sound, and bow performance. Pigs aren't indestructable but if arrow A and B both shoot great, I'll choose whichever one has a little more weight. Thanks for all of your responses, you're all very helpful.

[ishoot4thrills]

Don't be afraid to play with the strike/side plate when tuning. That's why I like my arrows on the weak side because I can build out the strike plate and make them act stiffer. I do this also so that I can oftentimes use the same arrows when I switch bows. Works great for me.