Arrow Weight

[Dave Barnes]

I was interested in knowing who weighs up their arrows to make sure they all weigh the same.

After playing around with Accurate sights i have found out lots of very interesting stuff like only 2 grains difference in weight between arrows gives me 33mm of difference on the target at 70m.

How do people change the weight of arrows if they are different???

[Glenn Bourne]

Dave, I used to stuff around with it and should really make a effort to do it more. At your level I can see how it can make a big difference. I use to put that point weight system that easton use to put out (soft lead) into the shanks of a/c/e inserts. Now days one would have to file down points or weigh the points then weigh the shafts and match the lightest with the heaviest. :beer_drink:

[James Park]

I very carefully weight mine. I put the heavy points with the light shafts. Then if I have any that are still too heavy I file the points. Any that are still too light I fix with a piece of paper pushed down the tube.
Then I ensure that I shoot each arrow the same number of times so that as the carbon slowly wears off they stay the same weight as each other.

[Dave Barnes]

I have never thought about making up arrows that accurately but i might give it a try with my next set.

Do you guys just use grain scales? or is there a specific archery one?

Cheers

[Marcus]

Yep I weigh mine and even at my level find a massive difference on the target. Geez Dave, I would be interested in seeing your scores with a matched set of arrows!! :o

I use a amo grain scale,
RCBS Model 5.0.2 Reloading Scale

my dad has a set of electronic ones. I believe that Bows Arrows Bits sell them for around $400.

There are a few threads on the forum showing the process in detail. There is one on my Doo Sungs matching and another on Jim's set of X10's.

Do the Koreans do much of this stuff?

[James Park]

I use Alan White's electronic scale at Maverick Archery, but any of the usual grain scales should be fine.

One thing to watch out for is changing arrow weight as the carbon wears off (much more of a problem with the very fast compounds than with other bows). Marcus: perhaps you could show some of the variation you measured?

From my calculations I am convinced that anyone who can shoot 1300 for a FITA (recurve or compound) does need to think about this area, and the higher the score the more it matters (actually, it is the tighter the average group and the longer the distance, the more it matters).

[mike]

From Dave:
I have never thought about making up arrows that accurately but i might give it a try with my next set.


Recurvers of the world, BE AFRAID, BE VERY, VERY AFRAID....
:o

[Marcus]

Yes, I recently found that my grouping at long range had dimished greatly. Where I would shoot 55-57 at 70m I was struggling with 52's. I took the set that when made (and grouping well, 350 at 60m first day out with them) and there was a 0.5 grain difference with 8 shafts withing 1/10 of a grain. When I weighed them again I found a 3.5 grain variance. I rebuilt them from scratch and my grouping at 70m has improved again (831 Perth on a windy day last week).
So yes I recommend doing this every 3-6 months.

[James Park]

I have a large collection of ACE's of different sizes and ages.
I measured the shaft diameter near the point for a new 430 ACE: 5.4 mm.
For a 430 that has done a large amount of shooting from my reasonably fast compounds, that diameter had reduced to 4.9 mm.
I guess that is quite a bit of carbon fibre left in the targets, and quite a significant change in arrow weight over the life of the arrows.
If I then mixed a new 430 with an old 430, the weight difference between arrows could be quite severe.

[robbo]

Loss of carbon in the target isn't something I have thought about.

I will be weighing them in the morning. Although I don't think you would lose as much in a wool pack filled with nappy linner as you would in stramit.