FOC arrow shaft recommendation?
Equipment
I shoot a 28.5 draw RH Drenalin 70 lbs. 65% with 125 gr. Thunderheads and Gold Tip Hunter XT 7595 carbon shafts with 4-inch vanes. I use a whisker biscuit medium #20 diameter rest and a Spot Hogg sight that is set just a smidgen from fully left. For practice I only shoot broadheads into sand. My arrows are hitting slightly tail left. When I tried 100 gr. Thunderheads it only compounded the tail left situation. I don't want to change broadheads as I still have nearly 2 dozen. I'm thinking that I need to get those arrows that are Forward-Of-Center weighted. I can't seem to find the brand that makes them or where to get them. Cabelas used to carry some of these FOC specific shafts but I don't think they do anymore. Any suggestions? I prefer stability over speed so a medium-heavy shaft would be my preference.
So you're tail left when you paper tune?
I don't think your issue is FOC. Prob best to hit a pro shop and let them watch your form shooting through paper b/c it sounds like there is more going on here w/ your sight pushed to one extreme.
Funny that you would buy New Shafts but not New Broadheads.
For the record, I never could get thunderheads to fly very well, but of course I'm talking past 50yds. There are many smaller heads that fly so much better.
Also from what I have seen on the "FOC" arrows it was really a joke, with just a paint job to add a few grains to the front of the arrow.
If you really want to add FOC it would be really easy with your GT to just add the weights to your inserts. GT makes the whole system very easy to add as much to the Front to get the FOC you want, not some gimmick shaft.
some thoughts....
1. I have never heard of anyone having an arrow flight problem that was FOC related. There is NOTHING unusual about what you are shooting. I'll bet we could find lots of hunters using the EXACT same arrow and BH at 70lbs w 65%.
2. how far away is the sand you are shooting into? It is surprising to me that 4" vanes wouldn't straighten our ANY arrow that was even close within a few feet of flight.
2. "slightly tail left" How do you know you are perfectly square to the sand? Maybe you are add that torque. It might be interesting to shoot 125 gr FP's through paper and see what kind of tear you get.
3. If your arrow is "porposing" all the way to the target it should have some very visual flight clues and your groups should suck. Have someone watch your arrows fly to the target from the side.
Personally I don't spend much time thinking about the angle of my arrow after impacting the target. Since you are only shooting BH's...to me the question is....Do your BH's group tight and are they consistent? If so you are done.
I'll be watching this thread with interest to see what you figure out.
There's a lot that can cause what your describing, shooter imput, bow tuning etc.. You have GT arrows, they make a slick weight system to tune arrows, here's a link, hopefully it works, Google f.a.c.t. system by goldtip if the link doesn't work https://goldtip.com/componentlanding.aspx?page=4
Oh man, so many folks brainwashed on the high FOC thing- crazy.
Your problem is NOT FOC related...its a tuning issue. Follow one of the many good tuning guides [inc the free Tuning guide on the Easton site] and when your BH's hit with your FP's at distance...you are good to go.
But how will he get proper penetration without perfect FOC? ;)
Thank you everyone for the technical support here. It sounds like those FOC shafts are just a gimmick and that's the reason they are no longer easily found. The weighted inserts would seem to be the easy way to add a bit of forward weight. My arrow flight seems fine and good shots hit the target. I've shot enough to know it's not a side wind or torque that's causing the slight tail left. My trial with 100 gr. thunderheads makes me think a bit heavier broadhead or a bit more FOC weight would give me the perfect perpendicular arrow sticking out from the target. I've only got a quiver full of good arrows remaining hence my option to get new arrows instead of hunting tips. Again, thank you all for your input.
You just need to tune your bow, that's all. If you can't do it yourself, take to a reputable pro shop and get help.
Yep, I'd shoot for getting the bow lined out. Very doable with today's bows as opposed to yesterday's.
You could easily go to 175 grain head with that shaft. I agree though, get the bow tuned before you tune an arrow set up for it. Shawn
I just got off the phone with the tech guy at Gold Tip. He said that those inserts may straighten my arrow at the impact point but that it would increase oscillation as the arrow is released. He suggested the heavier #300 arrow shaft (as opposed to the #340 / 7595) if I was going to stick with 125 gr. Thunderheads. Then the 20 grain screw combo weighted insert might not have as dramatic of an oscillation impact. He stressed paper tuning and a new bowstring to mitigate cam canting.
Get the new string and such before buying any new arrows or heads. Then get help tuning the bow You'll be fine. God Bless
I agree with the others. Just get your bow tuned. Do that before you buy new arrows. And the Gold Tip guy is correct. The #300 arrow is spined heavier, but if you turn around and add more weight to the tip it will weaken the spine. You could pry lighten the tip on your current arrows and get the spine you would with the 300s and a heavier tip. Tune it or take it somewhere that can help.
That is funny, you do know that those 75/95 have to spine at the high end of 95#s and that is at 28"s. If you are shooting them at 28.5"s which is simple with a biscuit you could easily shoot another 50 grains and they still would not be weak for your set up. These discussions are always a joke as if more guys owned a spine tester they would know a lot more of what they speak. Shawn
Yeah, I guess everyone needs a spine tester to hunt one week out of the year.
No, Ohio hunter read what I said. Just saying "IF" guys had one they would not make statements that make no sense. Shawn
Changing the FOC can chang the tune of the bow even if the total weight remains the same.
This FOC fad is becoming insidious. What the OP needs is to tune his bow with his existing equipment, not get new equipment hoping that will fix a problem it won't.
^^^This is true. Get the bow shooting like a Cadillac first, then goof around with other things that are "arbitrary".
Has your sight always been maxed out to the left?
When my roller gaurd went out on my reezen it pushed my sight all the way to the left. When I got my bow back with a new roller gaurd. Sight went back to normal.
Is the bow in specs? Where is your center shot? How much idler lean do you have? Is the cam timed? Have you shot paper? Broadhead tuned? With a drenalin you should be able to set center shot at 13/16" and adjust your yoke to get the bow to tune. Given your spine is adequate. With the shafts and tip weights you mentioned that shouldn't be an issue.
Like Purdue said changing FOC will change the bows tune. But changing foc is not a cure to fix an untuned bow. I wouldn't be buying new arrows to try and fix an issue with the bow. But that's my opinion.
So I purchased a dozen Gold Tip Velocity 300 shafts from Amazon for $86 delivered. I cut them to 28.5 and put on 4-inch vanes. With the Thunderhead 125's they shoot perfect. Now they stick straight out of the target perpendicular and seem to have a much improved oscillation out of the gate. Problem solved. Did not need to alter sight pins. FYI my center shot was already at exactly 13/16th's and I believe my bow was already tuned as best as possible for a maxed out draw weight. In hindsight, perhaps I could have lessened the draw weight to get better flight, but I prefer heavier draws. Anyhow, thank you all for the good advice. I'm good to go. Aloha!
For what it's worth, if you replace the standard nocks with speed nocks and the 4" vanes with (4) 2" feathers, you will save about 25 grains. If this 25 grains is added to the front of the arrow via washers or heavier broadhead the FOC will increase about 5% yet the total weight of the arrow remains the same.
