# Pre-carbon arrow days of target archery



## all10s (Sep 29, 2006)

I have had a Hoyt TD2 for years and always toy with the idea of setting it up as a throwback FITA bow with aluminum arrows. My outdoor experience has been limited to 1990 so all I know is carbon arrows with spin wings. 

Before the early Bemen and Easton A/Cs, what was typical fletching like for aluminum arrows before spin wings? I know there were a variety of hard vanes used but I imagine those are hard to come by so I figured I would try a soft vane. I have the shafts, NIBBs, and glue-on nocks ready. What would be a reasonable vane length to try on 2213s when trying to reach 90m?


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## Theisgroup (Oct 19, 2020)

I shot hard k vanes back in the day and usually a 2014. But even at that reaching 90 was aiming at the wind flag at the top of the bail. I think I was shooting a 2” vane. You’ll also need to bring the sight all the way in and a few even flip them around. When I got to 52lbs, then I could leave the sight out and drop it all the way down. 

Just started back up shooting. Shooting indoors for now and pulled out my td4+. My bow is older than most people at the range. Lol. Hell, my string is older than most at the range. 

I shot during the transition. At the start of the season only the team guys were shooting carbon, by the end of the season and at oly trials only the last 2 bails were shooting aluminum. 

That when td4’s were cracking at every tournament because of the heavy poundage guys were shooting, the advent of fast flight strings and then carbon arrows.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

90 M used 1914's at 44# & 28.5" arrow, could aim right on & had room to spare. 2" Flex Fletch back then.


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## all10s (Sep 29, 2006)

Interesting on the vane length. I guessed the vanes would need to be a little longer than 2 inches to stabilize a metal log.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

My arrows in the late ‘70s were X7 1914 or XX75 1916. Preferred vanes were Arizona Plastifletch. Not the original hard ones, but a soft but fairly thick plastic. 2 3/8”. These were available in various “sparkle” colors. Then I switched to K Super Flonite, very thin, fairly stiff, 55mm. After that, when Myrovanes and “Homer’s Hummers” came out I used to make my own vanes out of silver mylar, about 2”. Also the original Spin Wings.

I shot TD2s from the mid ‘70s until I got a TD4 in ‘83. (I don’t want to talk about that few months I struggled with that damned TD3) and never had an issue with 90m at 42-44#, but it depended a lot on the anchor position as well as the bow draw weight and physical arrow weight. For your 2213s, probably any current parabolic soft plastic, like AAE, in 2 1/2” would be reasonably authentic looking. Nobody used shield shape in those days.


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## all10s (Sep 29, 2006)

Great information. I decided to do some experimenting with vane length using Flexfletch vanes figuring I will know when I get too short. The sight is going to have to be pulled up in to reach 90m regardless. It should be interesting. 47 pounds is all I am interested in pulling so hopefully my longish draw length will help get some distance.


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## kballer1 (Aug 31, 2010)

I interested to hear how you made out with the 47# & the aluminum arrows?


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## all10s (Sep 29, 2006)

Thus far, not well at all. I thought I could get 2213s to tune fairly well, but that has not been the case (way too stiff) plus it has been a windy spring. I am still trying to get my field bow fully tuned up making this fun project a lower priority. Aluminums in the Easton chart are always too stiff more me; wish the ACEs were the same.


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