Saga of the Arrows
I write this post more as a journal to myself than anything else. I want to be able to look back and say "What little did I know," but feel free to comment, I need all the help I can get.
Saga of the Arrows: When Isaiah got me motivated last fall I did not know if I still had the strength to shoot a compound bow. I had an old 25# fiberglass bow so I got a new string for it and went to Sportsman for some arrows. They recommended some 500 spline (6.4 gpi) Fleetwood with feather vanes. I got pretty good with no sight or release. When I got my compound bow I had to re-fetched them. I also found some of the same arrows on-line with plastic vanes so I purchase another 6. The 500 spline were the correct spline at my starting pull weight of 40#. I really like the Fleetwood arrows.
As my draw weigh increased my shooting sort of deteriorated. I concluded that I needed a heavy spline arrow, a 400. As fate would do, I was watching a You Tube video on broad heads when the tester recommended Fleetwood arrows in cameo. I found some online cheap, exactly what I thought I needed, so I purchased 6, 400 spline.
When my new arrows came I was disheartened. They shot about 18 inches low. As you know I am not one to "practice missing." At that time, to me arrows were arrows and I had little understanding of "gpi." Investigation revealed that my 500 spline arrows had a gpi of 6.4 and my 400 spline had a gpi of 9.11 which means my new arrows were 82 grams heavier that my 500 spline arrows.
This revelations lead me to a search for lighter 400 spline arrows. On-line searching brought me to Easton Bloodline 6mm 400 spline with a gpi of 7.7. They were commercially available from Sportsman so off I went. Unfortunately, the bow tech at Sportsman pointed out that I really need the Bloodline 340 spline for my bow weight. So I purchased 6. Their gpi is 8.7 not much different from my Fleetwood 400s. I sighted my bow for the bloodline, so now I had 6 arrows for which my bow was sighted for and about 15 arrows (attrition) that would shoot high with that sight.
Not wanting to use my new arrows on the mtn range, I did a set with the Fleetwood 400 and they were not too bad with the new sight setting. I have been shooting 31 inch arrows but can shoot down to 29 inch. A little math led me to find that if I cut the shaft to 29 5/8 inches, the shaft weigh of the Bloodline and the Fleetwood are both 269.6 grams so that is what I did. So I will save the Bloodline for hunting and the known distance range and shoot the Fleetwood 400 on the mtn. I have also sighted the Fleetwood with cheap broad heads for turkey hunting.
The Fleetwood shoot a little higher than the Bloodline and I suspect that the inserts and nocks on the Bloodline are a bit heavier. When I get a chance I will weigh each but I am pretty sure that is why.
The System: From fastdraw, I have learned that you need a system or process to shoot well. Right now this is mine. First, you determine the range. I normally use a range finder to determine the range. I want to get in the habit of doing this. I notice on videos most hunter have pouches on their chest for glass and/or range finder. Any thoughts on this?
When I draw my sight is above the target. As I bring the string to my eye I make sure my eye is looking through the peep and that my anchor point is exactly as it should be. Next I center the bubble in my sight. I slowly bring the sight down onto the target. When the proper sight pin reaches the vital area I release the arrow.
Generally, I shoot better at 45 yards than at any of the other distances. I believe this is because the 45 yard pin is the first pin I come to as I bring the bow onto the target's vitals. The process is range, peep, bubble, pin, release. For 45 yards, many shots are fairly smooth and quick. When lowering to the other pins the process is longer and more chance that the bubble gets out of line. The longer the process is the more chance of error.
Anyway, so much or now. Happy Easter.
Saga of the Arrows: When Isaiah got me motivated last fall I did not know if I still had the strength to shoot a compound bow. I had an old 25# fiberglass bow so I got a new string for it and went to Sportsman for some arrows. They recommended some 500 spline (6.4 gpi) Fleetwood with feather vanes. I got pretty good with no sight or release. When I got my compound bow I had to re-fetched them. I also found some of the same arrows on-line with plastic vanes so I purchase another 6. The 500 spline were the correct spline at my starting pull weight of 40#. I really like the Fleetwood arrows.
As my draw weigh increased my shooting sort of deteriorated. I concluded that I needed a heavy spline arrow, a 400. As fate would do, I was watching a You Tube video on broad heads when the tester recommended Fleetwood arrows in cameo. I found some online cheap, exactly what I thought I needed, so I purchased 6, 400 spline.
When my new arrows came I was disheartened. They shot about 18 inches low. As you know I am not one to "practice missing." At that time, to me arrows were arrows and I had little understanding of "gpi." Investigation revealed that my 500 spline arrows had a gpi of 6.4 and my 400 spline had a gpi of 9.11 which means my new arrows were 82 grams heavier that my 500 spline arrows.
This revelations lead me to a search for lighter 400 spline arrows. On-line searching brought me to Easton Bloodline 6mm 400 spline with a gpi of 7.7. They were commercially available from Sportsman so off I went. Unfortunately, the bow tech at Sportsman pointed out that I really need the Bloodline 340 spline for my bow weight. So I purchased 6. Their gpi is 8.7 not much different from my Fleetwood 400s. I sighted my bow for the bloodline, so now I had 6 arrows for which my bow was sighted for and about 15 arrows (attrition) that would shoot high with that sight.
Not wanting to use my new arrows on the mtn range, I did a set with the Fleetwood 400 and they were not too bad with the new sight setting. I have been shooting 31 inch arrows but can shoot down to 29 inch. A little math led me to find that if I cut the shaft to 29 5/8 inches, the shaft weigh of the Bloodline and the Fleetwood are both 269.6 grams so that is what I did. So I will save the Bloodline for hunting and the known distance range and shoot the Fleetwood 400 on the mtn. I have also sighted the Fleetwood with cheap broad heads for turkey hunting.
The Fleetwood shoot a little higher than the Bloodline and I suspect that the inserts and nocks on the Bloodline are a bit heavier. When I get a chance I will weigh each but I am pretty sure that is why.
The System: From fastdraw, I have learned that you need a system or process to shoot well. Right now this is mine. First, you determine the range. I normally use a range finder to determine the range. I want to get in the habit of doing this. I notice on videos most hunter have pouches on their chest for glass and/or range finder. Any thoughts on this?
When I draw my sight is above the target. As I bring the string to my eye I make sure my eye is looking through the peep and that my anchor point is exactly as it should be. Next I center the bubble in my sight. I slowly bring the sight down onto the target. When the proper sight pin reaches the vital area I release the arrow.
Generally, I shoot better at 45 yards than at any of the other distances. I believe this is because the 45 yard pin is the first pin I come to as I bring the bow onto the target's vitals. The process is range, peep, bubble, pin, release. For 45 yards, many shots are fairly smooth and quick. When lowering to the other pins the process is longer and more chance that the bubble gets out of line. The longer the process is the more chance of error.
Anyway, so much or now. Happy Easter.
I'm running a "solo hntr" bino/range finder harness, I like it a lot, it has magnets at the top to keep it closed and a rain cover for the range finder. I think it was around $110, $90 for the harness and $20 for the range finder add on.
ReplyDeleteWho is this, Isaiah, Ben or Gip?
DeleteI used easton bloodlines 400 spine for years shooting from 60 to 55 lbs. still shoot them from time to time all the way down to 45 lbs. they shoot very well at all those draw weights, cut to 27.5 inches with 100 gr points.
ReplyDeleteI am now shooting easton axis 5mm arrows in 400 spine cut to 27.5 inches total arrow weight 430 gr with 125gr point at 48 lbs draw weight. my cronograph says they are traveling at 245 fps which gives a ke of 57 ft lbs. I know this set up will shoot completely through a whitetail buck and stick in the groung on the other side. I am very confident with this set up.
I should have ask for wisdom first. Thanks for comments. Really thinking about Gip's post sight. What do you think about post down. Range, set range, peep, bubble, settle post on vitals and release. Just a few yards seems to make big difference in elevation.
ReplyDeleteIt does especially when shooting lower poundage as we do. I will most likely use my multi pin sight head when hunting elk. my 1 pen head works well for whitetail where 30 yards would be a long shot, most between 10 qnd 20 yards. however where ranges could likely be out past 30 yards and no time to set the yardage would make the 1 pin sight a bit of a handicap in my opinion. but i watch videos where hunters are using them with great success. I guess just have to determine where your confidence lies.
ReplyDeleteOrdered a new sight. Trophy Ridge react 5h. Five pins. React technology should help a novice like me. But need arrow speed at 240 or better. My arrow saga continues.
DeleteJust looked up the trophy ridge react sight, interesting technology. seems like it would make sighting in a lot simpler. let me know how it works for you.
ReplyDeleteThx.
DeleteGot in on the bow and going to range today. Will see how easy it is to sight and shoot. My arrows may not be fast enough but if they are not I will just learn the distances for the pins for example, 20, 29, 38, 47 and 55.
That will work. Let me know.
ReplyDeleteSee next post.
Delete