Dairy King

I have 2117's that are cut to 26 1/4 inches, with a 100 grain tip. With that arrow I can shoot up to 72 or 73lbs. I would call that overspined. On my old 10 year old bow, I could get perfect bullets at 3 feet and I could group pretty dang good I think. I still have yet to try to tune my new one, basically Im too lazy.

BobCo19-65

Just wondering why you consider your arrow overspined. Easton charts (which I don't trust 100%, I have found their charts to be on the stiff side) calls for deflection between .340 and .390 in their aluminum lineup. Your 2117's have a .400 deflection.

Straightarrow

It's difficult to find an arrow too stiff for a modern compound shooting a true centershot with a release. I always shoot overspined carbon arrows with all my compound bows. I have no problem getting great broadhead flight with such arrows. On the other hand, borderline spined arrows have caused me many headaches. The spine variation in the typical dozen carbon arrows is so large, that you end up shoot some weak and some stiff, which gives terrible groups. Tune your bow for a stiff arrow, and groups are much smaller.

With aluminums it's much easier to get the correct spine withoug going too weak or two strong. Also, if you're not shooting a modern compound, then too stiff is not good.

BobCo19-65

I'd have to disagree with you. Unless my 2004 Darton Tundra Extreme (311 fps)would be considered outdated. Anyway, I started out using a 2317 (deflection .297) which was the same arrow that I used on my 2002 Parker Feather Mag, both set at the same poundage. Anyway that arrow gave me a very stiff reaction. I was already using a 145 grain tip, and the arrow was cut past my knuckles. I could get the darton with the 2317's tuned pretty decent with field pounts but fixed broadheads were tough, and I wasn't all that happy with my rest set at 1/4" off center. I expermented with a few other combinations, and ended up using a 2216 with a .375 deflection. The rest was sitting at center point now, and my fixed broadheads were flying very true. In fact in elk camp last year, I was able to shoot a 2" group at 50 yards (three arrows) at an elk target. Luckily, I had witnesses for that one.

But, here is what I think. Not all bows are going to call for the same arrow deflectioneven if they are set at the same poundages. There are just too many variations of cams out there. And there are so many differences in nock travel (which has a large effect)between various bows. Arrow manufacturers put out charts which are nice of them, but they are really only a starting point for any particular bow. It would be so nice if the bow manufacturers started testing (which shouldn't be very hard) and giving out recomendations of proper arrow deflectionsfor their particular bows. That would help solve a seemingly problem.

Straightarrow

As I mentioned, if your shooting aluminums, then ideal spine is best.

BobCo19-65

Just reread prior posts, and I guess I can not see where that was mentioned.

Anyway, I agree that when carbons are offered with spine deflection in increments of .1, it can be hard to get exactly the right spine, and in that case, I would agree that it would probably be better to error to thestiffer side if you absolutely have to. However, there are always some things that can help to get it right. For instance; adjusting poundage of the bow to fit the arrow (I would suggest starting at midrange so there is adjustments either way, increase poundage to get weaker reaction, decrease poundage for stiffer reaction), cutting the arrow to the correct lengths (the longer the arrow, the weaker the reaction, shorter the arrow, the stiffer the reaction),and using the correct point weight (lighter the tip, stiffer reaction, heavier tip weaker reaction). Using compinations of the above mentioned techniques can sure get you very close, even with a carbon.

Straightarrow

Like I said, coming close with a carbon, usually doesn't work. Most carbons have such huge spine variation in a dozen, that attempting to get close, usually leaves you shooting some weak and some stiff. This is very bad in my experience. On the other hand, I've shot very stiff carbons, with broadheads, and had no trouble grouping.

BobCo19-65

Like I said [8D][8D][8D], it is better to be on the stiff side with carbons if it is absolutely necessary. Like I said [8D][8D][8D], with deflection differences in .1 increments usually offered in carbon, there are techniques that can getan individual veryclose. And maybe even shot better then good groups.

straightarrow, I think we are saying close enough to the same thing. nuff said for me anyway.

Straightarrow

Actually, I think we saying something quite different, or I wouldn't keep responding.

I'm attempting to say, don't shoot your all-carbon arrows with the exact correct spine. I think they should be shot on the stiff side. The average hunter shooting all-carbon arrows will find spine variations averaging around .020 - .050 in a typical dozen. How can one possibly shoot such a dozen with the exact correct spine? Attempting to do so, will result in some pretty poor broadhead groups (in comparison with how good the groups could be). The ideal way to shoot such arrows, is to spine test them, align cock fletch to the stiff side and then shoot them so they all fly stiff.

I wouldn't keep posting this, if I didn't think it was important for the average hunter shooting an all-carbon arrow, to understand this. As to the orginal question about whether you can shoot them too stiff, I've never found one too stiff to tune to a good group. If you're hunting very large game with a 900-1200 grain arrow, you'll find it very difficult to shoot an exact correct spined arrow. Yet, hunters are taking such game with super heavy arrows all the time. In many instances, the advantages of heavier, stiffer arrows, outweigh the advantages of a more correctly spined arrow.

Anyway, I've too have said enough and will leave it at that...

BobCo19-65

You're exactly right, we we not speaking about the same thing. I was speaking more in the lines of having matched arrows. Variable deflection readings within a batch of arrows can most definetley create problems. You are correct that lining up the spine (in the true sense of the word) can most definetely help. And that would even go for matched arrow, even aluminum (I do it anyway). See attached:

http://forum.hunting.net/asppg/tm.asp?m=1129052&mpage=1&key=bearing&# 1129950

Thanks for your explaination.