Ok I have to ask because every spine chart I see says this wont work but I am getting good bare shaft results and excellent fletched shaft results (the arrows just fly to where I point). My bow set up is this:
JD Berry Vixen (68 inches) 51# @ 27.5 inches. I draw just about 27.5 so the 51# is accurate. I have added a small pressure point on the side plate that increase the distance to center shot by about 1/16" of an inch. The brace height is set at 6 ¾ inches.
The arrows that I am using: Gold Tip 35/55s cut to 28 ¼ inches. 100 grain brass inserts and 250 grain field points. Three 5 inch left wing helical feathers. Like I said above every chart show these arrows to be way under spined... but I am getting great flight and the heavy 615 grain arrows just fly perfect and really smack the target. I plan on using 160 grain grizzly broad heads with 100 grain steel inserts.
When I try 55/75s they fly well but don't hit where I am looking - usually hit left with a nock left (right handed shooter).
Anyone else get similar results?
The 100 grain insert acts as a footing, have you entered that data into the calculator ?
Spine charts always seem over spined to me. Your results don't surprise me at least.
Brother don't think twice about it, your results are what counts!
Spine charts, calculators, etc....they are only a guideline....nothing more.
I've been shooting traditional since '86, and carbon arrows since '06 and have never used any of that stuff....how they shoot is what counts!!!
I've never even measured centershot on a single bow I've ever owned.Couldn't tell what it is, and don't need to know.
How an arrow bareshafts and then shoots is all that matters.
To be honest, from what I've seen, most people are shooting way overspined arrows. Most of it is because a chart or calculator 'said' they were "right".
What Guru said. Just look at spine chart, scratch your head, then go back to shooting.
My MOABs are 68# and 71# @ 29" and my draw length is a bit more then 29" actually close to 30". I'm shooting full length (30 1/4") 35/55 Gold Tips with 80 grains of Gold Tip weights behind the insert and 250 grain tips. The riser of the MOAB is not cut to center, but I don't know how far outside of center it is.
Spine charts do seem a bit on the stiff side, but much closer to past center cut shelves of some bows... Widows are a great example, 3/16" past center cut and they can accept some pretty stiff shafts and still get good flight. Most of your longbows will have shelves not cut to center and weaker spine shafts are necessary for good flight/tuning.
You don't say what the center cut was before adding the extra thickness, but the overall specs seem very close to what I would expect for my "D" type bows. I had a Mohawk Sparrowhawk (admitedly not center cut) that loved .500 spined carbons with 100gr inserts and 200gr points and left 30.5" long.
I'm currently shooting 1535's with regular insert and 200 gr points, 30" out of my Mohawk Classic which is around 45# at my draw length. I usually start with Stu's calculator and then start adding point weight until I finally get a weak indication, than go back to the last point weight, fletch a couple up and they almost always fly right to the same point as the bareshaft.
Bet that 68" Vixen is a sweet shooter!
Vixen is 1/8 inch from center and yes it is an amazing bow - It tolerated a ton of spines and compensates a lot for my poor release at times. I went out stumping for the first time the other day and i've never shot better and I was using a juso that was 125 grains less than what I normally shoot.
In our (recent) obsession to tune to the nth degree, the tendency is to start thinking there is only one perfect set-up for our bows. That may be, but there are lots of others that are very close and will work just fine. In my experience, most bows will handle at least a 20# difference in spine range. In short, I don't see anything out of the ordinary with your results. I'd expect them.
I agree with Curt! Charts and Calculators are just starting places. In the end it doesn't matter if they say your arrow is 100# over or underspined. If it flies straight and true that is all that matters. I finally got tired of all the charts and whatnot with parallel carbons and use the AD trads exclusively just varying point weight and they fly great from every bow I have shot them out of from 55# to 65#
:clapper: Guru is 100% correct!
Hey if it ain't broken , don't fix it !
I read several times that spinecharts or calculators are overspined for carbon. To give you an idea: I own a very fast hybrid longbow that goes over or is around the 200 fps at 9GPP.
It delivers 45 lbs at my drawlenght of 29".
I use Goldtip Traditionals (Big Jim Blems) 1535 (0.600) on that bow. Standard insert and nock, a 100 grains fieldtip, three 5" shielded fletching, crowndipped (adding 10 grains), 30.5" BOP.
I bareshafted them with 17 grains weight in the nock and they flew to perfection. However, with the fletching on it, I leave the 17 grains weight out, then the arrows seems to be just right. They fly like laserbeams!
Most of the time I don't even bother to bareshaft or papertune. In the end it is all about how the fletched arrow flies from your bow. I reckon, if I can hit a balloon repeatidly at 55 yards, there can't be much wrong with my set-up.... That's the way how I like to test.
I know several fellow bow shooters that say the 1535 shafts fly well out of bows at least up to 50#.
I found out early on when I bought 5575 shafts for a 56# bow, the charts are not right. They flew OK and I killed deer and targets with them but I didn't know what I was missing until I tried the 3555 in the same bow.
I agree with Guru and I think it is very wise to get good bareshaft flight.
If your feathers get wet - no sweat!
Curt is right but with that said, guys do not realize hwo carbons react. They recover from paradox way quicker than any other arrow material. Remember carbons are spined using 14"s centers as opposed to woods using 13" centers. Try spining a .400 spine carbon using a 13" center and see how stiff the darn thing really is. I have been doing this a long time and can honestly tell you that most times guys could take the carbon they are shooting and add a hundred grains of point weight and improve their arrow flight and in some cases a lot more than that. Take Stu's calculator and figure out what it tells you to shoot and add a hundred grains and than you will be close, sorry but I have a clue as to what most guys can shoot and the calculators can be thrown out the window. Shawn
Most LBs that are not cut to center will require a lighter spined arrow. I have a JD Berry Yawher ( spelling) it's 64" 64#&28". I draw 29" and I shoot 55/60 spined with 125 point.
Those are not underspined in any way. If you had asked me, I would have thought that maybe you would have to leave full length.
First of all, 3555's are good typically up to about 53#'s depending on draw length. You are not near center shot and you are only drawing a 68" bow to 27.5"s and not even getting close to the power curve out of that bow.
Fletch one, and shoot a broadhead with it. If it goes where you look (or where field pt goes) then fletch them all and be happy.
good luck, bigjim
overthinking adds to the problem-your quarry will never consult the chart-all they know is they are vitally hit, then on the dinner table....
Cut to center Kanati, 45#@26". 27" Gold Tip 35/55 100 grain brass insert 200 grain broadhead 3 5" feathers.520 grain total.
What bigjim and Guru said..3555 is a great arrow and I set pretty much everyone up with then when I was in retail. And what Guru said.if there goin where there supposed to, don't worry bout it.
Don't over think..have fun and shoot.
Stu DCS isn't very accurate with carbon arrows and certain points weights. It tend to over compensate for the effect of point weight. If you are using heavy points it tends to give weaker values than reality.
Guess my experience are not the norm then, cause all my stuff tends to want heavier spine. The only bow I had that shot 1535 shafts well was a 45lb bear montana with 225 up front. My 50lb northern mist needed 5575 with 350 up front. My modern ilf type bows (47lbs at my draw)require mfx400 with brass inserts and 200gr tips. I leave all my arrows full length. When I bareshaft my bows, the weak arrows fly sideways. I consulted with Stew about my hoyt buffalo and his calculator indicated I could use a weaker spine then the 400's that flew where I was looking and fairly straight thru the air. Fletched arrows that look like they are flying straight, may not be. I have video showing my 1535 shafts shot out of an ilf bow that was pulling about 40-42lbs and they are flying a bit sideways, but only visible in the video.
Ken, if you use the plunger and proper tension you will need no where near that spine. I have a set of Border Hex-5's(top performers) and at 52#s at my 28.5" draw, I shoot a .500 spine carbon cut 29.5"s with 190 grains up front and my flight is perfect, as long as I do my part. Shawn
Shawn I'm shooting bows with no plunger. Hoyt buff doesn't even have a hole. I'm using a Hoyt stick on rest on my Titan riser, both shooting 400 spine
Sorry unless your arrow is full length carbon, I would still bet a years wage your shooting too stiff or should I say get away with a lot less spine. Shawn
Listen to the "Guru" on this.
Dave,
I am finding something similar with my new Vixen. It is 56@28 and I figured that I would need to run GT 5575's through it but that has not been the case - they shoot a bit stiff. It actually seems to likes the same arrows that I shoot with my Argos. GT trad 3555 29.5", 50 grain inserts, 175 grain point w/27" weight tubes (3grns per inch). The entire arrow comes in at around 550 grains. These bare shaft just a bit soft and nock high and are pretty good with 5" fletching. Today I will put a Zwicky Delta broad head on and see how things work... that is really true test, right? I have not paper tuned this set up nor have I run it through a calculator.
The only other change I may make is to order heavier weight tubes - or go to wood... That is what I really want to do with this bow.
JW
Don't argue with the arrow.