In a few months I will be getting my first longbow, and first traditional bow. It will be a Dwyer around 50# at 28". My draw should be around that range. I want to do wood arrows, figure if Im going to do traditional I may as well do the whole shebang. Based on what I can find and read I should be looking at the 45-50 spine arrows. However, I have read that it is a good idea to get a test kit to see which work best. I was thinking the 3 Rivers kit B. I have a few questions however. Please feel free to add any other advice as well. 1. Since I will be shooting at very close ranges to develop my form and instinctive shooting skills for some time, will I notice any discernible difference in the arrows at such close range? 2. Will I be looking for the same thing as in a compound? I.E. fishtailing, wobbling, angle at impact, etc… 3. To begin with should I shoot at a further distance simply to confirm which arrow flies best first, then start working on my instinctive shooting skills? Because in the beginning Im sure I will not be accurate enough to definitively know which arrow is more accurate over the others because I will be all over the place. 4. Also what field tip/broadhead weight would you guys recommend for that bow/arrow setup? Thanks!
I don't play with my recurve and long bow near as much any more but let me see if I can answer a few.. 1) That depends, my guess is that for the most part no...your going have have a glaring issue to pick it up at that distance. So the best thing to do is vary the distance and specifically look for issues ...ie fishtailing wobble and angle of impact. 2) Yes and it will be fairly easy to spot at lower speeds. 3) yes ...but with an exception. Get the very basics of form and stance down then tune your bow/ arrow combination. Then after your set start evolving into a practice routine. He is why I say that. Part of instinctive shooting revolves around the shooter molding him self to the bow as well...so if your tune has flaws then a good shoot instinctively compensates. Prevent that till you have the basics down and you won't have to correct bad habits later. 4) most likely in the 125 to 175 range... Use the weight to help adjust your spine if you need to tweak up or down. Hope this helps a little Happy new year.
The first thing you need to do is shoot carbon or aluminum to learn your form. But if you're die hard on wooden arrows, Call the guys at rmsgear.com. They should be able to point you in the right direction.
You're going to be looking for perfect arrow flight. Some will be the same as a compound but the cure isn't always the same. Example.. shooting off a shelf tends to like a much higher nocking point than normal. Having a bow that really fits you is very important. Tip weight.. maybe in the 125-145 grain to begin with. Starting out I would lean more toward 50-55# spine, start with one arrow full length and shorten a little at a time watching for the best arrow flight. Masters of the bare bow video #3 is very informative and I would recommend it.
Well the issue I would think that would come from learning with carbon or aluminum is that they may fly different. I suppose if they are the same weight it would be splitting hairs. Im not sure of the subtle differences between the three. Is the spine the same between the three? I know they are classified much differently, but are the characteristics the same in all three with the "same" spine? However, in any case I would think I would need to learn using the weight of arrow I intend to use correct? I have a plan I intend to use to learn. I read the book Beginners Guide to Traditional Archery, and it had a good plan in there. I just figured I would want a tuned set of bow and arrow first.
They will all work once you find the correct spine, carbons are a bit different in the way they are spined. You had mentioned that you wanted to go with wood. There is nothing wrong with a well made wood arrow, I shoot them most of the time.
I do want to shoot wood arrows. For me I feel like if I was shooting carbon or aluminum then I would not be all in, kinda half in and half out. No offense to those that do shoot carbon or aluminum. I realize the benefits of such. I myself also shoot a modern compound bow and carbons also. However, I want the challenge of making wood arrows, and making them work. I think it would be very challenging and satisfying to take game with all traditional tackle. Thanks for all your input guys.
When selecting spine for wood shafts, there's a few things to consider. Is the bow cut to center, before center, or past center? Does it shoot a FF string or B 50(dacron)? Draw length 28" or more or under 28". And the point weight you want to use.
Jim, Im not doubting you just curious, but what does the rest, string and draw length have to do with arrow spine?
If the shelf is cut before center, you'll need a weaker spine so that it flexes around the riser. Center or past center, you can use a stiffer spine as it doesn't have to bend as much around the riser. FF strings give better performance than dacron. I usually go 10-15lbs in spine over the bow weight for bows that are FF compatible and cut to center. A 50# Hill-style bow with a dacron will shoot a lower spine arrow than a 50# hybrid longbow that's cut to center shooting FF
Thanks for clarifying that Jim. I was thinking the same thing regarding the riser, but I wanted to make sure you didn't have another point. The bow I am getting has a center cut, and I believe they use FF Flemish strings. Thats what they sell on their site anyway. Man, after reading your post Im thinking I should really just get the test set of arrows. What set would you recommend from the 3Rivers site? The bow will be in the 50# area at 28". The original Longbow model offered by Dwyer Longbows 3Rivers Hunters Arrows Test Kit - 3Rivers Archery Equipment, Traditional Youth Archery Bows and Arrows, and Long Bow Hunting
The test set is a good idea...then you know what you need. For my bows, I use 10# heavier spine than the bow weight using a 125gr point. So for my 50lb longbows, I would get 55-60# cut to 29" back of taper. Get in contact with a reliable arrowsmith and tell them what you have and they'll hook you up properly
