Probably the norm for you guys...lol. I went to the shop to pick up 3 Arrows, these are the arrows that I shoot just a few times to make sure they are on, and then they go into the quiver for live game. I shoot GT XT hunters, .003 straightness... They were out so I had a few options... I could wait until more came in next week(when the season opens in a week) Or I could go with the Pro Hunter .001 straightness or the Expedition Hunter .006 straightness.... The Pros were about $3more and the Exp. were a little more than $2 dollars less... I went with the Pro's and paid the few dollars extra... but Really, what kind of difference is .006 gonna make over .001 when shooting at a deer? This ain't a game of X's. I spent close to $9 dollars more, when I could have saved $6 and never seen a change in my success... just sayin'
If you tied an axe to one you would need that extra staraightness :D I have seen the wounds from said axe throws :D
My Expeditions are fine. I used to shoot XT's but I decided to switch to Expeditions. I buy them spine tested, cut, wrapped (onestringer wraps), fletched, inserts installed, and shipped to my door for less than 50 bucks per 1/2 dozen.
I have shot the Beman 400 ICS camo hunters(.003 straightness) the past 3 seasons. I bought 6 Beman ICS hunter 340's (.006 straightness) and I swear they fly better out of my bow. Plus, they are cheaper.
I can honestly say that when I shot GoldTips I noticed a pretty big differance between the XT Hunters and the Pro Hunters. For hunting, the XT's would be fine, even the Expeditions would, but when you want arrows that are consistant between the dozen, the Pro Hunters are the way to go.
I just went out before dark and test fired them, shot great! But probably not any better than the expedition hunters would have, but hey, at least I know in my mind I got the best of the 3.lol If I can physically notice a difference, I might use them more... funds provided...
I really noticed the differance when shooting 5-spot at the local bow shop. The GoldTip Pro Hunters out-performed the other arrows I had tried (Gold Tip XT Hunters, Easton Axis, Easton Lightspeed, Beman ICS Hunter, Easton Epic, ect..) My pin-point accuracy (more the consistantcy of pin-point accuracy) went up and I believe there are still several of my robinhooded Pro Hunters hanging on the wall of the shops range!
I would be willing to bet you are getting a better spine consistancy with those arrows and, IMO, that is much better and more desirable than straightness consistancy. inconsistant spine will throw your shot off more than a slight lack of straightness. It will also adversly affect BH flight.
I used to shoot the XT's too and then switched to the Expeditions also and now I shoot the Goldtip Vapor Hunters, which used to be own by Blackhawk company and these are also .006 straightness tolerance and I pay 50.00/doz fletched and crested by myself...I just buy raw shafts tho , and I dont know for sure, but I believe these tolerances are between a whole dozen and not just one arrow and if it is just one arrow and it's throughout the length of a blank shaft....thats pretty damn straight considering a human hair is .003 thick just to give you some idea of these #'S and what they mean! Ultimately if you you can take a dial indicator and run it up and down the whole length and it only moves .006 from end to end..that is good! Here's something somebody told me one time when were shooting...he said(why pay good money for something your planning on wrecking anyway??? I thought good point...I DON'T buy arrows for punching holes in X's :D
