For the last couple years I've been shooting 2018s from 50ish lb bows with reasonable success. My arrows weigh about 630 grains. My only complaint is they are almost too heavy for my liking and I get a lot of drop past 20 yards. I've considered trying a 2213 or possibly a 2114 instead. Back when I shot heavy bows I used 2219 and loved them but I don't plan on going back to the heavy weights anytime soon.
Was wondering what shafts everyone preferred for 50-55lb bows. I shoot 200 grain snuffers up front.
Try the 2016. Its a little lighter but still plenty of weight to hunt with.
I'm an oddball, I have always preferred 22xx arrows to 20xx. 2213 is a great arrow for 50-55lb recurves. I killed several deer and a black bear with 2213s. They do bend easier due to the thin wall, but for hunting who cares? I always ended up with a 530-530 grain arrow with 2213s and Snuffers.
R
Another vote for the 2213. I have some shafts, but not tried yet...My 2016's are too weak with my 40# recurve and 45# longbow. If I get below 200 total point/insert I move up. My vintage 80's Darton compound that I shoot fingers with a Berger/stick on rest absolutely love the 2016's; goes to show how much more efficient a good trad bow is.
Quote from: BAbassangler on December 27, 2025, 06:08:29 PMAnother vote for the 2213. I have some shafts, but not tried yet...My 2016's are too weak with my 40# recurve and 45# longbow. If I get below 200 total point/insert I move up. My vintage 80's Darton compound that I shoot fingers with a Berger/stick on rest absolutely love the 2016's; goes to show how much more efficient a good trad bow is.
I'm using a 2016 with a 200 gr point out of my 45# longbows with great success.
My favorite aluminum shaft is made with carbon fiber. :dunno: :saywhat: :laughing:
Quote from: Rob DiStefano on December 28, 2025, 06:14:38 AMMy favorite aluminum shaft is made with carbon fiber. :dunno: :saywhat: :laughing:
Me too Rob. With my Shrew I shoot Easton FMJ Autumn Orange. ;)
With my ASL's it's Acme Premium cedars :laugh:
To each their own. Never had issues with aluminum other than the occasional bend, but they're so cheap you just pitch it and move on or straighten it and put it in the stump arrow pile.
I had more issues with fmj than any other arrow, if bent even slightly the carbon inside was toast and they seemed way finicky when tuning. Maybe it was just me.
If I were to shoot carbon I'd shoot the axis shafts they seem darn near indestructible.
And my most favorite carbon shaft is made with Douglas Fir. :o :banghead: :help: :wavey:
Aaaa, it's all good, they all will get the job at hand done one way or t'other!
:campfire:
Quote from: Rob DiStefano on December 28, 2025, 08:05:41 AMAnd my most favorite carbon shaft is made with Douglas Fir. :o :banghead: :help: :wavey:
Aaaa, it's all good, they all will get the job at hand done one way or t'other!
:campfire:
Rob, I've been wanting to give wood another try. But I have ptsd from breaking about 6 shafts all at once when a 3D target tipped over on them :biglaugh:
Quote from: buckeyebowhunter on December 28, 2025, 08:50:50 AMQuote from: Rob DiStefano on December 28, 2025, 08:05:41 AMAnd my most favorite carbon shaft is made with Douglas Fir. :o :banghead: :help: :wavey:
Aaaa, it's all good, they all will get the job at hand done one way or t'other!
:campfire:
Rob, I've been wanting to give wood another try. But I have ptsd from breaking about 6 shafts all at once when a 3D target tipped over on them :biglaugh:
:laughing: :nono: :dunno: :campfire:
Quote from: buckeyebowhunter on December 27, 2025, 02:39:51 PMFor the last couple years I've been shooting 2018s from 50ish lb bows with reasonable success. My arrows weigh about 630 grains.
Was wondering what shafts everyone preferred for 50-55lb bows. I shoot 200 grain snuffers up front.
I'm shooting 2018's out of a 47# @ 27" draw bow. They perfectly bareshaft with 135 grain head weight giving me a 528 grain arrow. I've killed four animals this year with it and I have been pleased.
Just curious, you shoot a heavier bow than I do, but are using a much heavier head weight. Is that what your bareshaft tuning lead you to?
Quote from: Stringwacker on December 28, 2025, 11:18:16 AMQuote from: buckeyebowhunter on December 27, 2025, 02:39:51 PMFor the last couple years I've been shooting 2018s from 50ish lb bows with reasonable success. My arrows weigh about 630 grains.
Was wondering what shafts everyone preferred for 50-55lb bows. I shoot 200 grain snuffers up front.
I'm shooting 2018's out of a 47# @ 27" draw bow. They perfectly bareshaft with 135 grain head weight giving me a 528 grain arrow. I've killed four animals this year with it and I have been pleased.
Just curious, you shoot a heavier bow than I do, but are using a much heavier head weight. Is that what your bareshaft tuning lead you to?
Yes, they bareshaft okay from it. I have them cut pretty short about 29" and shoot 4 fletch with big feathers. Over the years I've put less stock into bare shaft tuning and focus more on tuning with a broadhead and feathers.
2016 and 2018 depending on which bow I'm shooting.
I found 2114 to be my favorite for the 50#-55# bows I have. I do have 2213's as well but for a bow of 53#'s cut well past center.
Take a good look at a 2115. Just about the same spine as the 2018 but lighter.
Shick
I'm agreeing with Ryan I really like 2215 for my lighter bows and 2219 for my Mid to upper 60's bows.
:campfire: :coffee: :archer2: :campfire:
2018 out of a 56# recurve. 2216 if I'm hunting with my 61# recurve.
I realize that I never answered the question that the OP ask.
Though I'm lead to believe that a 2018 with 200 grains up front in a 29" arrow should be severly weak in spine when shot in 50+ weight bows, the OP says it tunes well out of his bow. In that case a 2213 is just about the same spine as a 2018... but weighs 72.5 grains less than the 2018 with a 29" arrow.
I was hoping the OP could just use a lessor weight connection adapter for his snuffers, reducing the overall weight of his total arrow setup, and improve his arrow flight....and not have to buy new arrows.
My favorite arrow is the 2018, I love the durable thicker walls and the 5/16" shaft. I just have never been able to shoot them out of a bow over 47# with my 28" arrow and 27" draw....proving the archery world is different for everyone!
Quote from: Stringwacker on December 29, 2025, 07:29:23 AMI realize that I never answered the question that the OP ask.
Though I'm lead to believe that a 2018 with 200 grains up front in a 29" arrow should be severly weak in spine when shot in 50+ weight bows, the OP says it tunes well out of his bow. In that case a 2213 is just about the same spine as a 2018... but weighs 72.5 grains less than the 2018 with a 29" arrow.
I was hoping the OP could just use a lessor weight connection adapter for his snuffers, reducing the overall weight of his total arrow setup, and improve his arrow flight....and not have to buy new arrows.
My favorite arrow is the 2018, I love the durable thicker walls and the 5/16" shaft. I just have never been able to shoot them out of a bow over 47# with my 28" arrow and 27" draw....proving the archery world is different for everyone!
Since I'm using snuffers with screw in adapter my only other option would be to glue them into a swage end. Which I do not have access to a swage tool.
The shafts could be underspined. But if I were going to try to go up in spine my only options I'm thinking are a 2117(another heavy shaft) or a 2215.
Ryan, when you were shooting 2213 were you using screw in snuffer or swage with glue on?
You could also use the double glue in adapters that glue in both the tube and the broadhead. I don't think no one makes them these days; but you can still purchase them on eBay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/167894562336?_skw=glue+in+2018+broadhead+adapters&itmmeta=01KDN7QE2MX9XTVNN89DZ27J39&hash=item27174bb620:g:HSEAAOSw1FNniD4Y&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABAFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cBukHOJEsJ9A9w3szRDBedZvqgfux6fpprj4Fyi5RXg4r%2FaMAbST--c3qE%2BoHJDuH4iCtR3B2tWHIWH%2FPg4SDkkIocXpJ2MAwdmxI%2BSkvR3XuQl8q5wlM6RoMOkH18w9%2FBco57MKlGz9BQeOU0ABnE2FLXM02o0Q2%2BsrQiBpWAfkVCkS6uJPrWYQdWeA323YQtloZCoVD1TI7oKQyx03v7PndWRS9hbZnrdLo81gwr34Y2tMtqB%2BNZz3FxuvFm7VKJu%2FW8fQ7AeYOecfyQrIIiXykB8QQhfyFsiZCwWkff0FA95cAeqxOT0m0oUwU1G%2FE%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9Dh3aftZg
The weights of these adaptors vary greatly. I have some that way just 20 grains and other types that weight close to 40 grains. Given a 2018 normal insert weighs just under 20 grains and an aluminum screw in insert is usually about 45 grains (65 grains total)...a single piece glue in broadhead adaptor could save 25 to 45 grains depending on which broadhead glue in adapter you find/use.
The 2117 would be a great shaft for you to try; but the weight of a 2117 is just about the same as a 2018. 12 gpi vs 12.3 gpi. Would save you less than 10 grains of weight in a 29" arrow.
Maybe a 2117 with the double glue in adapters?
2213 with screw in aluminum adaptor Snuffers out of a black widow 53@28. Also shoot 2213s when I get my wing presentation 2 out to play around with. It's 54@28, but I draw 29 nowadays. The P2 is cut at center, not past. I've never bothered with bare shaft "tuning". I can tell when an arrow shoots well enough or not.
R
I've done a lot of shooting with 2213s especially the X7 eclipses (same shafts as the old super slams just black instead of camo). They aren't cheap but they still come long enough for me to use them (having a draw length just under 33 inches is a blessing and a curse)
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Rob, I've been wanting to give wood another try. But I have ptsd from breaking about 6 shafts all at once when a 3D target tipped over on them :biglaugh:
[/quote]
Oh No that happened to me with a set of brand new elite arrows,,, shot 6 right after they were delivered and the fricken big waterlogged Mckenzie falls over on them and breaks 3!!!! Boy i still hate McKenzie targets..,
2018's.
Rob, I've been wanting to give wood another try. But I have ptsd from breaking about 6 shafts all at once when a 3D target tipped over on them :biglaugh:
[/quote]
Oh No that happened to me with a set of brand new elite arrows,,, shot 6 right after they were delivered and the fricken big waterlogged Mckenzie falls over on them and breaks 3!!!! Boy i still hate McKenzie targets..,
[/quote]
I remember it to this day, cold windy day shortly after Christmas, ground soft. Out in the yard shooting my Shiney new cedars I just got for Christmas when dad's MacKenzie deer falls right on em haha
Never have shot aluminum, I've got a couple dozen Easton Axis that will last me quite a while thankfully. I do like the price point of aluminums however!
I like the discontinued 1918 autumn orange from my 51# Big River longbow. Shot many bucks and a bear with these and they usually bend. Down to less than a dozen now.
2018 and 2117
Rob, I've been wanting to give wood another try. But I have ptsd from breaking about 6 shafts all at once when a 3D target tipped over on them :biglaugh:
[/quote]
Oh No that happened to me with a set of brand new elite arrows,,, shot 6 right after they were delivered and the fricken big waterlogged Mckenzie falls over on them and breaks 3!!!! Boy i still hate McKenzie targets..,
[/quote]
Break'em make more that's what I do it's fun :o
I've been shooting wood for many years now almost exclusively. I enjoy making a good matched set.
But before I always shot 2018 and still have some. But I also have some 2016 I made for my now lighter bow. I
never understood the complaint about bending them. Yes I did but not often and I learned how to straighten them properly 40 years ago. The hits I took that would bend my aluminums would have destroyed a carbon arrow.
I've never owned a carbon arrow and don't plan to as long as I have my woodies.
In the past I have shot 2219 from 65# bows but now that I use 55# I am satisfied by the EASTON FMJ400,with my prefered point I am at 600 grains.
Although my favorite shaft is usually an Easton FMJ......I have tons of 2016 aluminum shafts.
Started with the orange XX75 2117's in the 80s. Bent way too many to go back from carbons. I have multiple uses for old bent ones, like footing carbons, arrow pens, cub scout arrow of light.
they are making these again !
Quote from: gordydog on December 30, 2025, 07:47:31 PMI like the discontinued 1918 autumn orange from my 51# Big River longbow. Shot many bucks and a bear with these and they usually bend. Down to less than a dozen now.