Arrow Setup

[RedRidge]

Looking for opinions on which spine arrow for my setup. I am shooting a 50lb@28 Bear Montana with 28in draw. I am wanting to try the Easton Trads and have been playing around with spine calculators and can make both 400s and 500s work with various lengths, weights, but wanted to get some opinions of the more experienced guys. These will be for elk and whitetail hunting. Looking at broad heads in the 150-200 range if that helps. I just don't want to short change myself by getting the wrong spine and not having the ability to tune the arrow as needed. What say you?

[Doug_K]

The heavier spine will allow you more room for FOC weight, as well as overall weight.

Also, I don't know what your using for a string right now, but as I recently found out, if you move to a more efficient skinny string down the line, it will like a stiffer arrow.

If you can get a 29-30" 400 tuned with 200-250 in front, that's how i'd go.
My 2 cents

[9 Shocks]

The shelf on those montanas is cut fairly shallow.  So you dont have as much to work with in terms on building out the side plate to fine tune etc. if your arrow is slightly weak.  I think the .500 would work better but a .400 could work.  Id try a 30" FMJ with about 250 up front.

[Westkyhunter]

I've never used the Easton trads but I am shooting a 50lb bear Montana as well. I'm drawing 28-28 1/4. I wanted to go fairly heavy up front too but not over board. I started with a full length gold tip trad 35/55 and 200gr points which is what I wanted to shoot broadhead wise. I ended up at 29 3/4" carbon to carbon or 30 3/16" throat of nock to back of insert length wise. They shot great bare shaft and fletched. I have room to go a little heavier on point weight with the 35/55 or could step up to 55/75 and shoot them longer I'm thinking or really load them up. I didn't want to go to heavy though since the largest game I'll Persue is whitetail. I'd think you should be fairly close considering you settle on a 500 spine arrow. My GT shafts are just shy of 500 gr. I shoot three under and am using a b55 12 strand Flemish string with a 5/8 nock point. Very smooth and quiet. Not saying your bow and shooting style will be the same and give you exact results but might give you a starting point.

[RedRidge]

Appreciate the feedback. I am worried if I go with the 500s I will not be heavy enough. For instance if I run a 29inch arrow with 200 up front that is still putting me in the 450 range for total weight vs the 400s 29.5inch arrow with 250 grains up front that equals in the 530s. Am I thinking in the right direction or does anyone's experience rule out my beer math? I am leaning towards the 400s purely because of overall weight.

If you go with the .400's, you will more than likely have to go longer than 29.5". I shoot 50# and have to go full length with FMJ's, and they are still just a tad stiff.

If it were me, I would opt for the extra weight of the .400's.

Bisch

[AZ_Longbow]

pick the shafts you want then get a point weight test kit, and work from there. I have 2 kits that run from 75gr up to 300gr. it made my tunes so much easier to work with. Ended up with Easton axis 260s at 30.5" 300gr tips 100gr inserts and there coming in 760gr total. I chases a perfect tune for a while with spine changes till I saw test kits existed.

[RedRidge]

Thanks Bisch and AZ. I have the point weight test kit already so I will probably get the 400s and start from there. Best of luck to everyone this season.

[groyce]

agreed. I have trouble getting 400's heavy enough to not be stiff. 500's give u a little more to play with. I put 100gr adapter and a 175 wolverine on a 35/55 goldtip and they fly great full length. I'm shooting 55@27