Best heads and shafts for hunting

Street Samurai1978

Street Samurai1978

Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
694
Innuendo in the title aside, it's been around ten years since i last picked up a bow for hunting and was wondering what are some good heads. Here's the deal: I'm shooting a Greatree Deerslayer Classic recurve, 50# pull, off the shelf. My draw is 28" and right now I'm using Gold Tip Wood Grain Carbon Arrows 5575 9.3 grains per inch @31" (the only feathered the local shop had). I'm also finger drawing. I've actually been given some heads, 3 Thunder Valley 170 grain Three Blade Snuffers and 3 VPA 200 grain Terminators, from some friends of mine. I'm wondering if these are/aren't too heavy. I'm also worried I might be overspined. Someone suggested dropping to 3350s to clear the shelf better. Thoughts?
 
SS -

I mostly shoot a #54 recurve, with a 27" draw. I also shoot GT 5575 Traditionals, however I'm shooting 330gr. up front (100 gr. insert, 225 gr. broadhead, 10 gr. collar) which weakens the spin considerably. My total arrow weight is 630gr, and with that much FOC (23.5%), they fly very well within my standard hunting range (20 yards), and penetrate like a bunker buster. I hunt elk, and set my arrows up accordingly. I also don't change that set up when hunting other, smaller animals - a heavier, high FOC arrow will always work on smaller game, but the opposite isn't always true, imo.

My guess is that if you're going to stick with broadheads in the 170-200 gr. range, the 5575 shaft might be a bit stiff, so the suggestion of switching to a 3555 might work better (or you go the route I have and add more weight up front). However, the shelf cut of your bow can make a big different in its ability to tolerate a wider spectrum of spine. Is it cut forward of center, on center, past? In general, shelves cut to center, or past, will handle stiffer arrows, and a wider variety. Those shelves cut forward of center usually require weaker spines, because the shaft needs to bend around the riser as it is released.

Also, what will you be hunting with it?
 
She's cut to center and I will be hunting deer, elk and black bears (for now). I've been known to hunt foxes when they start attacking my cat. Never had a fox problem when I owned a savannah monitor.
 
If you're drawing 28" but the shafts are cut to 31" then the spine will be a bit weaker. The longer the shaft = weaker spine.

Do you have field points that mimic the weight of those broadheads? Have you shot it with that set up? If so, how did they fly at 10 yards? 20 yards? That will tell you a lot about whether the spine is too weak, too stiff, etc.

Unfortunately, there is no exact formula to any of this (in spite of spine calculators, which I find marginally useful). But if you start shooting them, and let me know the results, I might be able to help you problem solve to get the right set up for that bow.
 
Right on. Have fun!

And if you can, take a few pics of your arrows in the target, so I can see if they seem to be angling in one direction or the other, rather than straight in.
 
Mr. Smith has this covered.:thumbup: All I have to add is that it can get darn expensive to find what flies best, and when you find it don't change. I shot X7's for years in 1916, they quit makin those.:( Been shooting Cedars ever since.
 
Ok slight update. Finally got my 250 grain points. But I'm going to end up buying a friends Bear Super Kodiak 55# from him. Between the heavier heads and the extra 5# of pull, we'll see what happens. Hope I'll be able to get out between school and work. I'll say this: the super Kodiak is a beauty of a bow.
 
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