[dinosaur]

Hi Everyone,

I'm switching back to traditional archery after close to 10 years of being away from it. I shot recurves growing up in California, but then I grew to 6'4" and had to long of a draw for any of the bows I had. I live in Ohio now and have been hunting with a crossbow for the last few seasons, but traditional is just calling my name. I bought a Samick Journey over the Sage because of my 31 inch draw, and I am trying to figure out arrows right now. I understand I will need to bare shaft tune, but I'm trying to use the 3Rivers Spine Calculator to get close. In using that, would it make a difference to list the Samick Sage? The Journey is not on there but I know they are very similar bows. Also, any suggestions on arrows themselves? Definitely looking for ones to hunt with eventually.

Thanks,
Don

 

[MartyA]

You can use the Sage to get in the ball park. I have two Journeys - a 40# and a 50# - so perhaps I can offer some help.

Need to know what the bow poundage is.

Also toss the OEM string, there are much better strings available. Using the regular AMO calculation on mine a 61" (actual length) string is too short, so go with an actual string length of 61.5" or 62". Brace is 7.5" to 8.25" with a 61.5" string I get 7 7/8" with almost all the twist taken out. You will be drawing that bow to just about its max so getting the brace close to the middle allows for some possible future adjustment based on bare shaft tune.

 

[Tom M]

I have a couple of bows not listed. I use the Preformance Generic recurve or LB. Some guys hate the calculator but I like it. It does get me in ballpark most of the time. I do not use the form factor function.

 

[dinosaur]

Thanks for the responses! It's a 45# so I figure I'm getting somewhere in the low 50s at 31". That's great to know about the string too. I thought the brace height seemed a bit high, even with a low number of twists.

The calculator seemed to get close to what some others had recommended for people with similar situations so I was hoping it simplify things for me.

 

[MartyA]

General rule is 2 to 2.5# per inch, and even more if the bow starts to stack. You are probably correct at 52#. For a beginner that is a lot of weight to learn proper form. With your draw length I would suggest a set of 30# Journey limbs to start out, some full length 400 spine inexpensive carbon arrows such as Gold Tip Hunters, with 175gr field tips and three 4" feathers. Practice and learn good form and how you will aim with this setup, then step up to your 45# limbs.

However, to answer your question, from my experience with my 40# and 50# Journeys, shooting off the shelf at 31" draw, with your 45# @28" bow you should try full length Gold Tip Hunter 340 spine with 175gr field tips. My 2nd guess would be 400 spine with 125gr tips.

For local 3D and back yard targets, I shoot a 40# Journey with full length 400 spine GT Hunters and 175gr tips. As hunting season approaches I switch to practicing with my 50# Journey and shoot full length 340 spine GT Hunters with 125gr tips. Both setups are based on bare shaft testing.

But since everyone is different, for your bare shaft testing with your 45# limbs I would suggest buying a few full length 400 spine and 340 spine GT Hunter arrows with nocks and inserts, and a few screw-in field points at 125gr, 145gr, 175gr and 200gr. Lancaster Archery will ship a couple of each for your testing purposes.

Or, you could get that Gold Tip Bare shaft test kit and that Screw in Field Point test kit, both from 3 rivers. The arrow test kit has only one arrow each for the 4 different spines, and you probably won't need the 600 or the 500 spine. I prefer shooting 2 bare shafts with my fletched arrows when I bare shaft test.

Mix and match and record each combination. You are looking for two things - how the bare shaft flies, and where it lands compared to your fletched arrows. Be sure to get Rick Stonebreaker's "Tuning for 10's" and use it as a bare shaft test guide.

Gold Tip Hunters are fairly cheap arrows, and as your form gets better you may be change to a different setup so you are not out too much if the arrows change. Also it won't hurt too much when you lose or break some arrows starting out.... don't ask please....

 

[KevinK]

The spine calculator kept me from giving up on Traditional archery. I started in it a little over a year ago and was terrible. Per the advice of my local bow shop who had no experience with a bow cut as far past center as the sage I was very under-spined. Although I trust him and have a lot of respect for him I just could get it. Being an engineer I started tinkering with the 3Rivers version of the calculator. it's scary close. If you don't find it to be close it's because you entered incorrect info. My advice is to download the original spreadsheet version here: http://www.heilakka.com/stumiller/V2 Dynamic Spine Calculator Rev 12-25-10 v2.xls
This way you can see where you entered the wrong info when it seems weird. Directions are helpful too.
http://www.heilakka.com/stumiller/calculatorinstructions.pdf

 

[dinosaur]

Thanks for more great info! I used to shoot a 45# when I was 14 so I thought I could handle fifty now, but as soon as I strung it up and drew it, I know I had over bowed myself. I'll have to look at ordering another set of limbs.

Marty, thank you for the specific arrow recommendations as well. The Gold tips look like a much cheaper way to go than most of carbon ones I was looking at. That is also an extremely close to the setup that the calculator recommends. I didn't Lancaster Archery would do that. That is very convenient. I had only found the testing kit at 3Rivers and it looked good, but I had the same thought that there were several shafts in that there is no way I would need.

Kevin, that's really great to hear as well. When I used to shoot, I would shoot whatever arrows a teenager without a job could get his hands on, and I was always frustrated that I couldn't get a higher degree of accuracy and that was one of the things that kept me away from traditional when I started hunting. This reconfirms that the right setup and lots of practice to develop good form can get me there. Thanks for the spreadsheet as well, that's a big help.

Thanks again for everyone's advice!

 

[Tom M]

After looking and replying to this thread I ran the specs for a bow I am getting. Knowing all the answers to the questions helps. I keep a record of what weights for nocks, points, inserts, etc. I donot have to worry about long draw so that helps as well. I entered the info and on first try I am in specs. I have a good starting point now. If the bow performs as I hope it should then I may need to stiffen up my shafts a tad.

 

[dinosaur]

Hi Tom, that's great. It's awesome hearing that the calculator is effective from some more experienced archers than myself. I've been shooting some old aluminum Easton shafts I had laying around and it's been cool getting back into it. I'm getting arrows this week

 

[KevinK]

Keep in mind it's still a "primitive sport" there is no crazy calculus, try to have fun and don;t over-think it. Easier said than done.