I think I went overkill on my arrows

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I decided to make up some hickory arrows for the hell of it and finally got them fletched and tuned to my 65# bamboo/ipe English longbow. They're not fast but dang are they quiet. I think they'll be enough for a mid Missouri bunny. I got 12 shafts from an 8"' long 1x4 board. Turned them with a veritas dowel cuter to just under 3/8" then tapered the back 16" down to 5/16" and the from 7" or so down to 11/32". Tipped them with 275gr tips and started shooting and sanding down with the drill until they flew straight. Landed around 75# spine to shoot well. Ended up averageing 950gr for the bunch. Lightest was 930, heaviest was 980, and most were 960gr. Averaged 143fps for about a half dozen shots through the chronograph.

But a little tidbit I wanted to share was if you arrows are shooting a bit stiff, just check them in a drill and sand until they ahoot right. I used 180 grit paper to slowely tune in.

Kyle

[EHK]

Impressive making them from a board like that! 

[gifford, MO]

Nice job on the arrows, I see you are keeping busy.

Seeya.

Gifford

[Terry Green]

932 grain arrows from a 65# bow will work for bunnies....

Not so sure about them for squirrels though.   

[trad_bowhunter1965]

43 LBS of kinetic energy that's impressive.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Thanks guys

If I could figure out video sharing I took a couple videos of turning the shafts on a verotas dowel cutter and tapering them with a sanding jig.

How's it going Gifford! I feel like I'm always busy anymore. Just gotta work in some fun stuff here and there. I look forward to seeing you at Mojam

This may turn into an amazing squirrel setup. I'll have to test and see what size of sapling they will finally be safe behind.

It is, and it surprised me the amount of energy gains and especially slugs from going from a 700gr at 160fps to these 930s at 143fps.

Kyle

[Paul/KS]

Nice job Kyle. 
"Overkill", nah, I hereby dub them the Hickory Hammers. 

[Vroomvroom]

An English longbow must thump in the hand pretty good does it?

[rainman]

Still gonna have to use single bevel broadheads for good penetration on squirrels. 

[Vroomvroom]

Could thread on the head of a ball peen hammer

[Mo_coon-catcher]

HAMMER!! I like that name for them. It's tempting to make some blunts in the shape of some hammer heads now. I've we're going for some serious penetration I should throw some old school long nose bodkins on these suckers. Hiding behind the branch or young tree won't save them now.

These English longbows aren't bad at all if tillered correctly. A lot of people want to tiller them full compass like the English warbow. That tiller is for long term durability when pushing extremes but will shake the snot out of your hand. You want these guys elliptiacally tillered with the center foot pretty stiff and only noticeably bending at full draw. If you get handshock it means the handle is bending too much.here's a few pics of the one i was shooting

Kyle

[Vroomvroom]

Ok. Doesn't look to large in diameter around the handle.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Nope, about 7/8" wide at its widest point. Bamboo backed ipe is a stiff combo and doesn't take much to hit a solid weight

Kyle

[Hud]

I like it!! Have you tried some blunts that weigh 9x bow weight? You should get that speed up to 180 fps. At least your arrow will catch them, even if  they see you, behind that tree.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I havnt. I bet you're not too far off in speed estimated. I'm getting 160fps from 700gr arrows. So a 9x around 580gr will probably be low to mid 170s from this bow.

Kyle

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Here's what those heavies do when they hit a 3/4" rubber horse stall mat. Everything else I've hit it with just bounce off.

Kyle

[Paul/KS]

OK, I want you,(and those arrows), on my team for the jug shoot at MOJAM this year. 

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I actually was testing them for the jug shoot when I punched through the mat. They just zip right through the jug at 20 yards. One barely stuck by the nock wrap

Kyle

[Kirkll]

OK, I want you,(and those arrows), on my team for the jug shoot at MOJAM this year. 

On that Jug shoot , Do they have two jugs of water balancing on pole and the object is to empty the jug and have the other teams jug hit the ground first?    I've shot those kinds of targets with broadheads before. Great fun!   

[Volund]

Like an old 45 go slow but lots of kinetic energy at contact. I bet they penetrate great.