# All My Stuff Is Old



## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

I've been hunting with a bow since 1979, and bought most of my stuff before 1985. Easton had 3 different shafts then, the XX75 was top-of-the-line. I need some new shafts to make more target arrows. What are recurve shooters using these days? My current arrows are 2216's, the bow is 70#. I don't even know the new spine weight system.


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## Old Fudd (Nov 24, 2007)

I also am old, I shoot GoldTip wood grain 55 to 75 carbons, also same arrow 35 to 55 great arrows.thats out of my recurves also my wheel bow.. No Complaints Here.. Other than I'am Old..:grin::grin::grin:


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Well, this old recurve shooter is shooting wood. But, the new carbons these days are hard to beat. Check out the trad stuff that Gold Tip puts out.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

My hunting arrows are wood, my target arrows are XX75s. I need more target arrows, as I only have 5 now.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

I shot Gold tip traditional (carbon) 3555''s in mine. 

You can still buy xx75's.


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## Birdbow (Sep 22, 2009)

70# hurts on both ends to shoot. I would use goldtip 55-75 with 100 grn brass inserts. If you ever want to update your bow let me know. I'm making a good performing hybrid longbow that will still give good performance at a lower weight. I shot through the shoulders of a 3 point buck 3 years ago with a 47# hybrid longbow.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Thanks. I'm not the updating kinda guy. I have four Howatt Hunters, ranging from 65# on up, and will stick with them. Hard to find a better recurve, IMO. The 70# bow has gotten heavier through the years, but shooting it will keep one in shape. 

As my current target arrows are XX75's, I'll probably just get more shafts. All these inserts, weights, talk about FOC, etc, is too complicated. Wooden shafts and Zwickeys are more my speed.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

I'm shooting Zwickey 160gr Eskimos now, switched from 125 gr snuffers. I had a huge improvement in accuracy after the switch.

I was going to use wooden arrows but after seeing how much time, expense, and effort Tex puts into his arrow building, I took the easy way out. He's defiantly the guy to talk to about building your own wood arrows.


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## babytuti (Aug 14, 2013)

That's some really old stuff!:shock:


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Wooden arrows are cool. I bought a bunch of shafts from Acme Wood Products in Roseburg, Oregon many, many years ago. I went through them and matched them for spine weight, mass weight, as well as trueness. Made some dipping tubes, fashioned a jig using a drill motor so I could crest them, etc.

I shoot the 125 grain Eskimos. I haven't been serious about archery hunting in many years, but have had a few close calls with elk. Here's a photo from 1983, a small 4-point taken with my Howatt and wood arrow. Note the complete pass through. He was close, and actually watched as I slowly raised and drew my bow. The quiver I made from green hide according to the instructions in_ "Hunting With The Bow and Arrow_", by Saxton Pope.:


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## Birdbow (Sep 22, 2009)

That's a nice buck. Pretty deep forks. The howatt hunter is actually a very fast bow. I'm not sure if those xx75 in your spine are available but I know 2117 are still pretty common. Gold tips are a lot stronger.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

I think the Howatt is as good as it gets in a hunting recurve. It certainly was better than my first bow, a Red Wing Hunter, and arguably better than anything Bear ever built, better than Pearsons of the day, etc. It's very stable because it's 62", yet fast because of the limb design. I think my 560 grain hunting arrows come out at ~195 FPS. Martin bought Howatt, and I think the current Martin Hunter is the same bow. Retail is now $600, mine was $175 in 1982. 

My XX75s are 2216. I think they're still made. I was a bit curious about the carbons, but the aluminum shafts should be fine for my uses.


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## Birdbow (Sep 22, 2009)

It's unfortunate that Martin is up for auction and several million in dept. I hope they keep making trad bows if it gets bought and restructured. One of my favorite bows is the little Mamba.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

I didn't know Martin was in trouble. Checked out their website, and the current Hunter is the old Howatt.:

http://www.martinarchery.com/2013/hunterrecurve.php

Don't know why more guys don't shoot one.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Too bad about Martin. I wonder if the traditional side of the business would be viable as a stand alone.

I looked at wooden shafts, they're pricey nowadays. I think I paid $30/100, they're now $270/100. Aluminum makes more sense these days, or maybe even carbon. I have a hard time paying $10 for a shaft, though.


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## Old Fudd (Nov 24, 2007)

Got to love them Howatts Have 2 Hunters 1 High Speed And 2 Super Diablos. They all seem to pull heavier than they R marked. Great Bows.. Super Quick.. And mine are OLD STUFF..


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

I agree. One of mine marked 75# is actually 80#, IIRC. It sat gathering dust at the old Consolidated Field Sports because nobody wanted it. I'm not exaggerating, I had to wipe a thick layer of dust off it when Bob handed it to me. I made him an offer he refused, but it just kept sitting there. I think I eventually paid $80 for the thing. I paid $60 for another, my M-I-L gave me my first one as a graduation gift, so I'm into them right.

I did some quick momentum calculations. My 560 grain hunting arrows @ 190FPS have 15.2 lb-ft/sec, a compound shooting a 375 grain arrow @ 310FPS has 16.6 lb-ft/sec. I'll stick with my recurves.


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## fur-fins & feathers (Sep 21, 2013)

Like Paddler, I'm getting back into shooting my old recurves and loving it. Never was a fan of compounds, never owned one, never shot one. 

I have a couple of Howatt Hunters, too. One is a 50# Ne Plus Ultra from about 1961 that I acquired last fall. Then over the winter, I was lucky to get back a beautiful 52# Hunter that I sold to a college friend over 30 years ago and regretted it ever since. i also have several Wings--a Comp II takedown, a Redwing Hunter, and a pre-Head Thunderbird. I enjoy shooting them all, but my current hunting bow is a 56# Quillian Patriot. 

I was shocked at the price of wood arrows and shafts last summer when I priced a dozen locally-made (Logan area) cedars. A set matched for spine and weight was $145! I settled for the plainest, spined-only, and those were $80/doz. Although I prefer woodies, I started buying GT 35-55 carbons, or whatever I can find on sale, or in Cabelas bargain cave. 

The carbons are durable and consistent, but there's nothing as satisfying to me as shooting wood arrows... 

But I would sure snatch up any XX75 Autumn Orange I could find. Love those, too.


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## bds (Sep 20, 2007)

I shoot the easton legacy shafts in 2216 from my recurves and long bows. I had xx75 autumn orange a long time ago. It seems to be a very durable shaft and can usually be straightened pretty well if needed. Also, I don't seem to have the time or money to experiment with wood or any of the other stuff.


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## fur-fins & feathers (Sep 21, 2013)

Still wondering if there's a traditional archery group in Utah any more. I thought there used to be. Does anyone here know?

Thanks!


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

That's funny, my current XX75's are Autumn Orange. I bought a dozen in the mid 80's and now have five left. I think the alloy remains the same, so I'll just buy a dozen of the Legacy's.


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## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

Take a look at deer crossing arrows. They are carbon and the cost is unbeatable. I recently bought a dozen of their target shafts and am very satisfied. The tolerance are more than adequate for you trad guys.


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## fur-fins & feathers (Sep 21, 2013)

Bow Dude,

Did you fletch those yourself with feathers? I didn't see feather fletching offered on their site. 

As far as tolerance, yep, they are probably better than wood. I don't need better tolerances than you get with good wood shafts and they fly just fine for me. 

But how tough are the Deer Crossing shafts? Are they made in U.S.A.?

Paddler, I might look at those Legacy Eastons, too. If you lose an aluminum in the snow, you have a chance of finding them with a metal detector. Or just wait 'til the snow melts. With woods, not so much.


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## bow_dude (Aug 20, 2009)

furr... yes, I fletched them myself, but I went with vanes this go round. I build all my arrows. I purchased only the shafts. Tuffness... I haven't shot them too much yet. To date, I have yet to find an arrow as tough as Gold Tips. I am trying to learn to shoot a hinge release and shot directly into a brick wall. They held up as good as any arrow under those conditions... not!!!


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