My Arrow Build

[MathewsMan7]

Started putting together my arrows for this-coming deer season yesterday. Shooting the VXR 28 at 64# 28” DL. I also put new strings and cables on. Went with the new Ghost XV strings from GAS. Went with the 350 spine Day Six arrows cut to 27 inches.

Step 1 was squaring both ends of all 6 arrows.

Step 2 was weight sorting Day Six’s steel outsert system. I went with 100 grain steel outserts.

Step 3 was weight sorting the shafts and matching outserts to shafts.

Step 4 was taking a .17 caliber bore brush and scuffing the insides of each arrow shaft about 1 inch. Then I scuffed the outside of each shaft with 120 grit sandpaper about 1 inch. Then I cleaned the inside with a q-tip dipped in acetone and the outside with AAE’s wipes.

Step 5 was installing the insert into the outsert with epoxy and gluing the outsert system onto each shaft. Before the glue dried I spun each arrow to make sure I didn’t have any wobble. 5 of 6 arrows I got perfect...one arrow I just couldn’t get perfect. I let those dry for 24 hours.

Step 6 was weight sorting the vanes. I only used the vanes that weighed exactly 8.0 grains. I went with AAE Max Stealth vanes. I used the bitzenburger with a right helical clamp at 3 degrees in a 4-fletch. I cleaned the shaft with AAE wipes, used their pen to prep the vanes, and used AAE Max Bond for my glue. I then tipped and tailed each fletch with Goat Tuff glue.

Step 7 was using the Ethics Archery test pack to see which point weight was best. I was planning and hoping that it would like the 150 grain point but it shot the 125 through paper so much better so it looks like that’s the point weight I’ll be going with when I buy my broad heads.

Step 8 was a walk back tune starting at 3 yards moving my sight and then 10 yards moving my rest. Actually didn’t have to move my rest at all, just my sight a little.

Step 9 will be tomorrow and that will be sighting my 30 yard pin in and maybe 40 but I personally don’t plan on shooting a deer at 40...30 and in for me.
I know most people don’t care about my process or my build but I thought I’d at least share because I’m stuck at home and bored
Final arrow weight is 546 grains with about a 15 FOC.

 

[Outdoorsman33]

I’d say your process is pretty darn accurate and bulletproof. I really like the sounds of that setup been wanting to dive into my arrow setup a lot more too. Have you ran those arrows through a chrono yet just curious on speed out of the VXR with some good death darts?

 

[MathewsMan7]

I did not. I don’t have one. I didn’t see it as a necessity when buying everything to do this on my own; however, I would be curious what it’s shooting just to know for funzees

 

[Drslyr]

I’m just starting down your rd. Just ordered a Grizzlystik test pack. I’m going for 650gr total weight with 20% or more FOC. They are tapered shafts with a 5% FOC bare. Lots of time on my hands these days. Just curious. Was it a LONG process to get to the right weight combo?

 

[MathewsMan7]

Cool, when you do your build share it. Getting the right weight combo was easy. I put heaviest inserts with lightest shafts and vise versa...nothing to it. Weighing the vanes was easy...I had vanes that were mainly 8 grains, but there were some outliers (7.6 grains to 8.2 grains). Other than having to wait for the epoxy to harden for 24 hours, fletching the arrows took the longest...everything else was easy.

 

[ericabbott]

Between step 5 and 6 I would bareshaft paper tune each arrow, turning the nock 90 degrees until you find the best position for each. Then mark that position on the nock and arrow with a sharpie. You need to ensure the arrows are flying straight without the fletching. Bareshafting also exposes flaws in your form, since there are no fletchings to correct poor flight.
Great list though, I like the attention to detail.

 

[MathewsMan7]

Well let me tell you this...you are exactly right...I Should have shot each one bare and spine aligned them all, no question. I actually saved 2 arrows and didn’t fletch so I could bare shaft tune those (again, this is my first venture into this), I had my buddy shoot the bare shafts through paper (he’s a WAYYY better shot than me) and he got bullet holes with both...me? Not so much lol that told me that I have a lot to work on form wise before I change and alter my rest and nick point out of center shot...but again, you are right, I should have nock tuned bare shaft with each one prior to fletching.

I just thought it was interesting how much different the paper tears were when he shot my bow with great form and I obviously torqued it and have many flaws! That was mind blowing the difference in paper tuning I saw between shooters...moral of that story for me was to not send your bow off to have it tuned by somebody else or have a pro shop tune it for you...you should tune it yourself.

 

[ofor]

Thanks for the detailed steps. I have 300 and 340 spines to put through the process with a ranch fairy test kit. So far, I am stuck at the bare shaft step as I haven’t gotten past a grip torque induced sizable horizontal tear yet that I never realized was there in my shooting form.

What tricks are you trying to correct your form flaw?

 

[MathewsMan7]

Well for starters, I had a little facial pressure on the string that I didn’t realize. I shoot an index style release and my first anchor is pointer finger knuckle on my jaw bone...it’s a great place to anchor, but I had some facial pressure when I put my nose on the string, so I changed my first anchor slightly more forward and that cut my horizontal right paper tear in half. Now is just a matter of fixing my grip. I’m trying to get the grip to feel comfortable when it’s on the thumb pad of my hand, inside the lifeline...I’m just not comfortable with it yet, so I’m trying to get a lot of shots in every day to feel comfortable holding the bow this way...there are a lot of good videos on YouTube of how to correctly hold the bow.

 

[slonstdy]

I’d say your process is pretty darn accurate and bulletproof. I really like the sounds of that setup been wanting to dive into my arrow setup a lot more too. Have you ran those arrows through a chrono yet just curious on speed out of the VXR with some good death darts?

Spent yesterday shooting some new hand loads thru paper and the chrono with a freshly restrung and tuned Switchback set to 62#'s and 29.5 DL. The "lightest" of the bunch was a GT Hunter Pro 300, 604gr bareshaft with 20.3% foc at 217fps. Brought it outside to 20yds and it's the best arrow flight I've ever had.

 

[Drslyr]

Have you shot any broad heads yet? I chose Massai 200gr.single bevel. We shall see. We shall see. Hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. I come from the school of fast and light. 58lbs. 28.5" draw going 302fps. I'm shooting a HHA 5519 and when I decided to start messing around with this heavy arrow thing I found some old 2017 xx75 aluminum just to see what would happen. Gottem up to 600 gr. with 7% FOC. They shot lousy of course. I just wanted to se the drop rate at different yardages. My 20 mark on the tape had to go to 25 to hit at 20. At 30yds. I was up to the 54yd mark. She was really dropping out now. Didn't test any further and that was with 600 gr. not even 650. Both my test arrows are coming fletched. Was gonna shortcut the bare shaft testing but this is an important step.....Yes?

 

[Drslyr]

Slonstdy What do you mean by "The best arrow flight I ever had"?

 

[MathewsMan7]

Was gonna shortcut the bare shaft testing but this is an important step.....Yes?

Definitely important if you’re shooting a fixed COC head. My “archery wizard” at my pro shop says it’s an important step for that reason. He actually is not a paper tune guy...insists that walk back tubing should trump all...I told him for peace of mind I wanted to paper tune and he happily did it with me, but swears that if I just walk back tuned it I would be right as rain.

 

[heretic]

What tricks are you trying to correct your form flaw?

I've already gone through the handloads/bareshaft steps for my personal heavy arrow build. The bareshaft step went pretty quickly because my tears were suuuper consistent. I can without a doubt attribute that to Dudley's "school of nock" series on YouTube. His videos really cleaned up my form and shot process. I'd suggest giving it a look if you're having trouble with bareshaft tuning/grip torque.

 

[ericabbott]

Thanks for the detailed steps. I have 300 and 340 spines to put through the process with a ranch fairy test kit. So far, I am stuck at the bare shaft step as I haven’t gotten past a grip torque induced sizable horizontal tear yet that I never realized was there in my shooting form.

What tricks are you trying to correct your form flaw?

I would try nock tuning if you haven’t already. I was surprised at the different tears I got just by turning the nock 90 degrees. If you’re getting a consistent horizontal tear pattern you might need to adjust your rest.

 

[slonstdy]

Slonstdy What do you mean by "The best arrow flight I ever had"?

That bare shaft arrow is literally flying like a dart, just like the RF says happens with heavy high FOC arrows. The arrow flies laser beam straight and hits the target square and dead on from where I'm standing. My fletched arrows (twizzlers) I've always hunted with never looked so true in flight as this new hand load and the best part is I didn't make any adjustment to my arrow rest to get it to fly like this. I went thru the Ethics test pack and found three loads that flew great with that arrow and at least three more that gave a slight nock left tear that I bet would tune out easily if I moved the rest.

 

[slonstdy]

I haven't shot any broadheads with it yet

Was gonna shortcut the bare shaft testing but this is an important step.....Yes?

I think that's a very important step and absolutely should be done. Here's my process...

I cut my arrow to length, prepped the cut end then dry fit the 100gr ethics insert and put it on my arrow spinner with a COC broadhead to ensure it was spinning true. I marked the insert and shaft then glued the insert and spun it again to verify there was no wobble. Next I brought the bare shaft outside and nock tuned it by marking the nock and shaft and then shot it at 20yds, making a mental note of how it flew. I then rotated the nock 90 degrees and shot again. This was done over and over till I found the best and most consistent flight. After that I shot the test pack thru paper and found my hand loads that shot bullet holes without moving the rest. Back outside to make sure it's flying like a dart and now I have my recipe.

Once I decide which broadhead I will use I will adjust the insert weight as needed, fletch the arrow and observe flight thru paper and at various hunting ranges to 30 yds. After that I will slap a broadhead on it and confirm it's flight is good and hitting my aimpoint.

 

[Drslyr]

So slonstdy whats your final handloads total weights? And how you gonna sight in? I was thinking of using the ranch fairy's idea of EZ V but I think I'll try a new sight tape first on my HHA Kingpin

 

[Drslyr]

I'm a self filmer and when I was shooting speed.... a 10yd misjudgment wasn't that big of a deal. This gonna change the whole game I'm afraid. Also I need to shoot lighted knocks which mess with FOC big time. I suppose if I can keep the shots into 25 or so it should be alright. I hope. Here's a video of an 8pt I shot in NY with my speed setup. He was 32yds. Notice the lack of penetration. I was lucky I got him. Shot is around 10:30 mark into it.

 

[ofor]

I would try nock tuning if you haven’t already. I was surprised at the different tears I got just by turning the nock 90 degrees. If you’re getting a consistent horizontal tear pattern you might need to adjust your rest.

My problem is the tears are not consistent. One shot is a bullet hole and the next might be a 3” tear. I am making progress after doing some reading on bow torque. Going to check out the Dudly school of nock series mentioned above.