I received a very nice Super Kodiak yesterday and took a little time just to shoot in the new string that was on it. Had to adjust brace some based off of noise and a minor creeping due to string stretch. Completely expected for brand new strings. The specs on the bow are marked 65# and this is the 60" model. My draw length is 27", or just a hair over. I scaled the bow at my draw and came up with 63#. Shooting yesterday (fletched arrows) I went with 340 spine at 29" and 245 grains up front with a weight tube giving me a total of 586 grains of arrow weight. In flight out to 30 yards, as far as I shot, this looked good.

Today told a different story. I had time to bare shaft some today between the down pours. Where I ended up, with LOTS of shooting, was a 30" 400 spine carbon with 100 grain brass insert and 145 grain point with added weight tube making an arrow of basically 600 grains. This sounds like a soft arrow for this bow, but I shot the bare shaft out to 25 yards with no flight issues in the least. I do not believe I have ever had such a clean flight with bare shaft. I am sure someone will say this is not possible and give reasons why, but from actually shooting this arrow combination, I believe this will be the go to. Have any of you ever been WAY off on your proposed arrow and had to go to a softer arrow spine to achieve the flight you want?

-Bones

The objective is to get an arrow to fly straight into your spot. I'd say you are there. Good job.

That is on the weak side but if the bare shaft is flying good & grouping with the fletched shafts that is what you want. >>>----> Ken

Static spine doesn't mean much except for a place to start tuning. The bow will inevitably tell you what works, just as your's has. That's why the call it dynamics, three people can shoot the same bow with three different results. Just shoot what flies best, that's pretty much what you want anyway.

You didn't say what shaft you are using, I can believe a 5mm (skinny) axis would spine okay. Also, have you tried a 28" arrow?

The arrows I am shooting today are the GoldTip traditional and Hunter XT shafts. Felipe, shorter would make the arrow MORE stiff. 340 spine was already to stiff at 29. That's why the 400 was better than the 340. Longer, and weaker spine. I do realize that center cut of the bow is a big part of what spine arrow flies correctly. I had read that the Super Kodiaks were cut past center. I never could find where anything said how much. The strike plate on this bow is a very thin piece of slick leather, but I think this one may not be completely past center. When I was able to block the bow in and sight down the center f the limbs, the string seems to follow the edge of the center cut. Right handed archer, right edge of string lays along the left side of the center cut. Maybe not ALL bows end up the same exact spec?? I know the radius part of the shelf also seems a little more pronounced than other Bear bows I have seen, again, not sure if that is just due to being a Super Kodiak or not. I do like that the arrow pass is really close to my hand. I have some bows that have a much thicker/higher shelf, it seems like the closer to the hand the easier they are to shoot. I understand that the main objective is to find what flies best, and if I can shoot an arrow true from 25-30 yards without fletchings I think that is a good arrow to use. Fletched arrows and bare shaft are agreeing at this point, so I think it is time to go stumping when the rain allows.

-Bones

Bones: If you have good arrow flight and the arrows are hitting a vertical line that you're aiming at, your good to go. If its left of that line there stiff, right of line weak. Its really that simple.

Bob

What Bob said....

Agree with Bob and fdp. I'm not surprised that the 400 work. That's about 78# static spine in a carbon shaft measured the Easton way. You're not loading up the front a whole lot. When works, go with it.

400s sound correct to me with that bow.

I like what Bob said.

If it works it works, but what’s that weight tube doing to your spine ?

"Have any of you ever been WAY off on your proposed arrow and had to go to a softer arrow spine to achieve the flight you want?"

I have been off at one time or another more so with carbon than aluminum. the most surprising to me was when everything on paper and my prior experience said a .500 would be ideal, and it turned out the bow liked the stiffer spine of a .400 that was not overly long or needed heavy weight upfront. final weight for that set-up was around 9 gpp.

for your bow, draw length, and draw weight, i would have started with a .400.

Thanks for the comments everybody. Yes, the 400's are hitting a vertical line, bare, so that is where I am staying. The BW I have that is 61.5 at my draw seems to like the stiffer arrow, so that was another reason I went with the stiffer arrow to begin with. Weight tube- Okay, not really a "weight-tube" like what you buy and insert from a shop. I wanted a heavier arrow. The 400's with 100 grain brass and 145 point did not get what I wanted, barely 8gpp. SO, my added weight is a length of cotton clothes line. I made sure to check the first bare shaft arrow with the cotton cord inside. I basically filled the tube until it would not push anymore in and stuffed the end back on the arrow. Since it is cotton there is no noise and if you make it tight I do not perceive it moves in inside the tube at release or impact. Could this be affecting spine some, maybe, but if I have all my arrows done the exact same as the bare shaft that flies like I want, I think it is a win.

-Bones

Do you know what material the string is made with?

When my wife bought the clothesline it said cotton, and was fairly cheep for 50 ft of the cordage. I have replaced the softer line for a coated wire for our actual clothesline due to how quick it broke down outside. Since I replaced the line we still had a couple spools of the cotton cord.

-Bones

Bones: The reason your Widow likes a stiffer spine is because the shelf is cut past center. You will find more and more bowyers are cutting the shelf past center because you can use a wider range of spines. With a bow cut that way, once you find weakest spine it likes you can go way over spine and still get them to shoot the line.

I have used this example several times. I made arrows for Paul Brunner for many years, he once asked me to make an arrow weighing 1000 grs. at his 26" draw length, for a Cape Buffalo hunt. I accomplished that using a solid Dymondwood shaft. Breast tapered and fletched with a 135gr magnus II I believe they weighed 1010 grs. and spined 108#, he shot them out of a 74# selfbow of his making that was 3/16" past center and they flew great. He got almost complete penetration, with the broadhead buried half way through the offsite rib.

Bob

Bob, I appreciate the time you have taken to respond to this thread. And all the information shared here.

-Bones

Yep good info Bob. And from this Bob too. haha

Arrow tuning is not rocket science. It's more art then science. Continue with what you're doing. problem solved.

this was good info in the comments I personally would have started with a 400 spine but if it flies good let er rip! thanks for sharing

I have a bow that tunes perfectly with 500 spine carbons and a b50 string. With its low stretch string it requires 340. String material can make a big difference.

Late on update to this thread, but to the last comment, yes, you are right. I forgot that along with the widow being cut past center it has a fast flight string. I am not using fast flight on the super kodiak. Sometimes we miss the simple stuff.

Thanks again for everyone's responses.

-Bones

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here