I have a set of 6 GT Trad Classic XT in 600, 500, 400 and 340.

I was playing around with the Dynamic Spine Calculator (correctly this time, thanks Rick), and it seems that if I would put all the components that came with the arrows it would be too weak.

For example, with my Bob Lee bow 52@28 with a 29.5" draw shows a dynamic spine of 70.1.

The arrow shows a dynamic spine of 45.7. The specs of the arrow are as follows:

Static AMO Spine: 63 (340 spine ASTM) 12 GPI .286 diameter length 30.5" Point: 75 GR Insert weight: 80 GR (included component) Footed shaft: 13.9 GR (ballistic collar, included component) nock weight: 12 fletching: 3x4" feathers

Those parameters I put in to try to make a stiff arrow in the DSC. I know many on here shoot short shafts with heavy tip weight with good results.

Anyone here shoot the GT Trad Classic XTs? With all the components attached, do you find it does come out too weak? Just right? Must you remove some of the components to bring it up to spine?

Thanks.

ttt

I shoot Gold Tip traditional 500 (3355?) shafts, full length (not XT, which I think seems to mean "Xtra tight specs"? with tight straightness specs).

Aluminum insert, 175 grain points. 3 x 4" fletching.

They shoot well in several bows that yield about 45-48# at my draw (29.75" ish). These include: Samick Journey, 1959 Bear Kodiak Special 68", Wing Gull 64", Bodnik Slick Stick 64", 1962 Bear Polar 66", Trad-AL longbow 66".

They have different degrees of "cut to/past centerline".

They fly great. I HAVE had to tune each bow's strike plate thickness and / or riser thickness (mild sanding by 1-2 mm to adjust "cut to/past") to aid in desired impact.

I also shoot Easton Tribute xx75 aluminum 2016 full length shafts, and 500 aluminum Gamegetters with the same tip weight.

All three of these shafts shoot pretty close to each other's across the bows mentioned. If any of those is "stiffer" than the others, I think the 500 Gamegetters spine a bit stiffer than the other two. This is based on target impact. I have never used the spine calculator.

YMMV. These are my results. I like the flight of the Gold tip traditional shafts.

My experience is that these arrows behave strong and not weak. That is what the GT region manager told me and time on the range proved it. They are a heavy gpi arrow....

I shoot the 600's out of my 53 lb Kanati.

Tom, what is your draw length?

I have been trying to bareshaft some GT Trad Classic 600's out of a 45# recurve with a 29.5" arrow. They depart the bow with a hard tail kick to the left, even with a lighter 20 gr insert and 100 gr points.

The GT rep I talked to today confirmed they are too weak. He said the GT calculator indicated I should be shooting 500 spine.

Backcountry, build your side plate out a bit and I bet they work fine.

Length of draw can be more important than length of arrow...

30" arrow with 27" draw is effectively more stiff than same 30" arrow at 29" draw. Etc.

I even added about 1/8" to the side plate but saw little improvement in correcting the kick out. These shafts might work for someone with a shorter draw but they didn't work for me.

My Easton Axis 340's shoot just fine out of my A&H Archery ACS bows that have draw weights in the low to mid 50 pound range. I bought some Gold Tip Traditional shafts in 340 and cut them the same length and they spine weak. No doubt the heavy brass inserts are the biggest factor.

Center cut, string material and arrow diameter are all factors. Charts are starting points and dynamic charts are usually only a ball park suggestion as well. Still the best way to tune arrows, is to learn how to do it without all of the interactive "help", it will stick with you because you learned how to do it, versus someone telling you how to do it. The more you rely on charts and interactive formats, the less you learn how, and why something really works in relation to your personal dynamics. And it's good to actually know spine can be different from one material to the next. A 600 carbon can react totally differently than a 600 aluminum, or a like-spined wood.

I have a set of the 400 spine GT Trad CLASSIC, which are the skinny ones vs the regular GT Trads. They shoot well in a Blacktail recurve that's about 51# at my 29"+ draw, and 30" arrow length

To add to what George said, I've learned that 600 spine shafts from the same manufacturer may behave differently. For me, GT Traditionals don't react the same as the thinner diameter but thicker-walled GT Traditional Classics.

i shoot the GT trad classic 1535 in 600 spine with my jordan Stalker 37# at my 28 draw.Point is 100 with 20gr.insert. full length arrows fly very well and impact right when I tuning the shaft. 3" shield fletching only black!

I bought traditional Classic xt’s in 400 spine and when i tried bareshaftong they showed to be stiff even w the 80grain insert and 200 grain fieldpoints when full length! Super stiff arrows.

J B French, what draw weight and length were you shooting those 400's?

"Charts are starting points and dynamic charts are usually only a ball park suggestion as well."

As usual, George sums it up concisely.

legato. have you shot those yet? im guessing theyll be a little stiff. but theres a ton of factors that contribute. i shoot 53lb @28 widow to 29.5” draw and use 340 axis with 200gr tips arrows are 31.25 -31.5” depending on brace height and silencer config and string i use. tuning is pretty personal thing and all the factors contribute ( release style, anchor point, gripping the bow, quiver on the bow etc) good luck

I shoot GT Traditional Classic(not XT) 600 Cut to 27 1/2 with the 1/2 “ steel outsert and 125 gr point They fly perfect with my draw of 25” and dynamic poundage at 38.5 . I experimented with the point weights 100, 125 and 145 . The 125 s straightened out the arrows best. So I really ,really like GT Trad Classic and would recommend to anyone. I don’t like dicking around with cutting down arrows as I like 28”which is a matter of personal preference. I tried the GT Trad with no outsert and they fly well but the xtra weight of the Classic seem to tame the arrows better.

A .340 spined shaft from a 52 pound Bob Lee. I hope you have over 300 grains up front. Bob Lee's aren't cut past center much, and the design really needs a weak shaft. I know, I grind all my rises so my shafts are center shot.

The Classic XT are a .204 diameter shaft, and the footed part is just for looks. It does nothing at add to the stength of the arrow. I've shot the Classic XT's off and on since 2016. Still have 22 of the 24 they sent me. I'm not very impressed with the shaft. Get a spine tester and find the stiff side of the shaft.

I shoot 500 spine GoldTip traditional shafts out of my 56lb longbow the shafts are cut to 30 inches using 3- 5 inch fletch and a 100 grain brass insert and 175 grain tip they shoot very well, I have done the paper tuning and this is the perfect arrow for my bow,

I shoot a 65lb @28” JD Berry Viper and my draw is 27”. I finally got the GT Trad classic 400 arrows to fly straight. Built side plate out a tad and w 100 grains up front and the 80 grn inserts and shafts cut cut to 29” they fly great. W the regular GT trads I use 200 grains up front.

I have zero faith in dynamic spine calculators anymore. In almost every case it calls for an arrow size or spine weight that is 2-3 times stiffer than what my bows will shoot. This applies for both aluminum and carbon shafts.

For example the calculator calls for a 2117 or 340 spine carbon for my 50lb A&H ACS. The bow shoots 2114, 2016 and 500 spine carbons perfectly with 125 to 170 grain field points and broadheads.

Ghostman, I have had the same issue. My long draw, every chart or calculator puts me at a 340 spine (arrow aluminum and carbon) for my 50# Wallace. 340's are too stiff unless I go super heavy up front (over 175 grains I know for sure).

What complicates the selection of carbon shaft size/spine is there is a lot of variance in actual spine weights within a given size within a brand and even more so comparing the same size shaft from brand to brand.

Ive measured 400 spine carbon shafts on an Adam's spine tester(@28") that varied in spine from 362 to 446. I've bever seen that amount of spine variance in aluminum shafts of the same size. That's why I don't use carbon shafts ver often and when I do I select a brand & size and stick with them.

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