I need some advice for picking out some arrows.  I don't have enough time to switch to wood, so I am stuck with carbons from walmart.  I plan to strip the vanes off and put some turkey feathers on them.  I am shooting a selfbow at 50 lbs.  The arrows that they have are 30-50 lbs and they have a nice amount of flex to them.  They also have 40-60 lbs arrows and they are really stiff.  This is my first deer season with trad gear, so I am a little lost when it comes to arrows.  Does anyone have any advice?  

I am really excited about hunting without wheels this year.

I forgot to say that the arrows are carbon express thunderstorms.

No help?

Maybe nobody has experience with those particular arrows; I don't either.

However, just see how they fly and group with field points and broadheads. Also, I'd recommend a spot of paper or bareshaft tuning, whichever takes your fancy.

The stiffer ones will weaken if heavily front-loaded, thus giving you more arrow weight.

You'll have to play around. I suppose that anything over 500 grains might be good out of a selfbow for deer, but don't take me too seriously as I've never seen a whitetail, and can only try to compare them to goats, which is not very adequate.

Good luck!

I am new here, and probably shouldn't be helping yet, but I have just gone thru this and will add.

I am using carbons,30-50lb spine.  I am shooting around 43lb.  
I left mine full length, 32inches, and just squared the tips. Then added inserts and fletched.  Using 125 grain tips just to see what happens, and they fly perfectly so far.   I am going to try 150 grains, and maybe some heavier inserts.

Multiply  arrow length X gpi in shaft weight.  Then choose the weight inserts and broadhead to match, to get you close to 500 grains weight for arrows.

I would say you are gonna just have to break down and shoot both types, but will bet that the 40-60s will spine better with all the weight you are gonna have to load up front, if that is the route you choose to go.
I started out with the arrows full length, and will add weight until I get close.   IF the weight I add is too much and weakens the spine,  then I will cut them back an inch at a time, until I can't go back farther.  IF they still spine weak, then I will jump up in spine and start over with full length and the highest weight that I attempted with the previous spine.

Just an absolute novice's advice and observation, but- it seems that with the weight you are pulling, that 50 lbs is more within a "workable" weight range on the 40-60s than the 30-50's. with the 30-50's, you are starting at the top of the spine spectrum, so to speak, so you dont have too much room to play with weight(adding weight) before you weaken the spine.

As a novice, I come from (and still shoot) a compound. carbons are great-but I am finding it difficult to load up weight without adding most of it up front.   Front side weight doesn't seem to be too detrimental so far, but I am sure there is a threshold there somewhere, where it becomes too much.

Good luck,

Farmer

Thanks for the advice.  I think I will try a couple of each and see what works best.

I would try the 45-60's simply because they are longer.  I would also use the heaviest broad head I could find.  FWIW, I have not had good luck shooting carbons from self bows.  Carbons are stiff and don't like to bend around the riser, both those arrows are good arrows if your bow is cut in toward center.  Bill

Scrub, what's your draw length?  I should be able to send you some woods that will work.  Any self bow will be happier shooting wood.

QuoteOriginally posted by Fletcher:
Scrub, what's your draw length?  I should be able to send you some woods that will work.  Any self bow will be happier shooting wood.

Man, that would be great, THANKS!  My draw length is 28"

I had 1 wooden arrow that a guy at work gave me, but it had a big chunk out of the side of it and it broke after a couple of shots.  I might stop and buy a poplar board at the lowes today, I am still not sure how to go from square to round.  [] to O.  I don't know of any river cane around me either.

Fletcher....hat's off to you friend.

Fletcher..youre a good man..

Scrub buster...save your money and ditch the carbons for your selfbow...the thunderstorms would be closest at .530 spine...but still way too stiff for a selfbow cut shy of center and dacron string....

you'll need a lighter spine woodie or aluminum that will bend around that riser and shoot straight....

Scrub buster...pm me your address and i'll sharpen you up 6 zwickey 125 grain eskimos to add to the woodies....

QuoteOriginally posted by jacobsladder:
Fletcher..youre a good man..

Scrub buster...save your money and ditch the carbons for your selfbow...the thunderstorms would be closest at .530 spine...but still way too stiff for a selfbow cut shy of center and dacron string....

you'll need a lighter spine woodie or aluminum that will bend around that riser and shoot straight....

Scrub buster...pm me your address and i'll sharpen you up 6 zwickey 125 grain eskimos to add to the woodies....

Man, there are some great people on here.  Thanks for the offer.  You guys are very generous.  PM sent.  Hopefully I will be posting my first trad deer in a few weeks.

Those Thunderstorms max out at 29", they are spined I 30/50, Two of my customers shoot them from 43-48# longbows. You need 200-225 grains up front.