Arrow Terminology for Traditional Archery: A Complete Guide for Recurve & Longbow Shooters
By TTT Archery
Understanding arrow terminology is one of the fastest ways to improve your traditional archery setup. Whether you shoot a longbow, recurve, or vintage bow, or selfbow the language of arrows matters — because every component affects flight, accuracy, and tuning.
This guide breaks down the essential arrow terms every traditional archer should know. If you’ve ever wondered what “FOC,” “spine,” or “GPI” really mean, this is your go‑to reference.
Why Arrow Terminology Matters
Traditional bows are unforgiving. Unlike compounds, they don’t have cams, rests, or stabilizers to correct archer’s mistakes. That means your arrows must be:
- Properly spined
- Correctly weighted
- Matched to your bow
- Tuned to your shooting style
Knowing the terminology helps you choose arrows that fly straight, group tight, and make your shooting more enjoyable.
Essential Arrow Terminology for Traditional Archery
Below are the terms every traditional archer should know — explained clearly and without the jargon.
1. Spine (Static Spine)
Definition: The stiffness of an arrow shaft, measured by how much it bends under a standardized weight.
Why it matters: Traditional bows require the right spine to achieve clean arrow flight. Too weak and the arrow fishtails. Too stiff and it kicks hard off the riser.
Common traditional spines:
- 700 (35-40lb longbows, 29-35lb recurves)
- 600 (40-47lb longbows, 35-42lb recurves)
- 500 (45–52lb longbows, 40-47lb recurves)
- 400 (50-57lb longbows, 45-52lb recurves)
Note – Depending on the bow, arrow weight, arrow length, tip weight, string, silencers, draw length, and shooting style, a traditional archery may find that their equipment tunes outside of these parameters.
TTT Archery stocks arrows in the spines that make sense for real‑world traditional draw weights. You can find those HERE
2. Dynamic Spine
Definition: How the arrow behaves during the shot — influenced by point weight, arrow length, string material, and release.
Why it matters: Two arrows with the same static spine can behave very differently depending on your setup.
3. GPI (Grains Per Inch)
Definition: The weight of the arrow shaft per inch.
Why it matters: Higher GPI = heavier arrow Lower GPI = lighter, faster arrow
Traditional archers often prefer heavier arrows for stability, quietness, and penetration.
An average rule of thumb is if your total arrow weight is 10 grains per pound of your draw weight AT YOUR ACTUAL DRAW LENGTH, then you have a consistent, forgiving, and deadly combination.
If you have not scaled your bow, it is critical to be able to select the proper arrows for your setup. You can get an affordable draw weight scale HERE
4. FOC (Front of Center)
Definition: The percentage of an arrow’s weight that sits forward of the midpoint.
Why it matters: Higher FOC improves stability and penetration. Lower FOC gives flatter trajectory.
Most traditional setups shoot well with 11–15% FOC.
FOC above 15% can cause significant speed decay on distances past 15 yards, and they provide a narrower window of tune.
5. Arrow Length
Definition: Measured from the throat of the nock to the end of the shaft (not including the point).
Why it matters: Longer arrows behave weaker. Shorter arrows behave stiffer.
TTT Archery offers cut‑to‑length service, so archers get arrows tuned to their exact draw.
If you prefer to fletch your own, you can check out or arrow shafts and cut services HERE
6. Nock
Definition: The plastic component that clips onto the bowstring.
Types:
- Glue on
- Push In
- Pin Nock
Proper nock fit ensures clean releases and consistent accuracy.
The best nocks on the market today are as follows:
- Beiter Hunter nock #2
- Gold Tip .246
These nocks are superior to all others due to their flexible fins. This allows the nock to hold tightly for longer as your serving wears.
7. Insert
Definition: The component glued into the front of the shaft that accepts screw‑in field points or broadheads.
Materials:
- Aluminum
- Brass (adds weight for tuning or higher FOC hunting setups)
Brass inserts are popular among traditional archers who want higher FOC.
8. Field Point
Definition: A practice point used for targets, 3D, and stump shooting.
Weights: Common weights include 100, 125, 150, 175, and 200 grains.
Selecting a quality field point is critical to have a good long-term experience with your arrows.
You need a point that will not constantly unscrew if you plan on shooting often.
You can find our Ghost Forge double O ring field points HERE
9. Broadhead
Definition: A hunting point designed for penetration and cutting.
Types:
- Two‑blade
- Three‑blade
- Four‑blade
Broadheads require perfect arrow tuning for clean flight.
10. Fletching (Feathers)
Definition: The feathers or vanes that stabilize the arrow in flight.
Traditional archers use feathers, not plastic vanes, because feathers clear the shelf cleanly.
TTT Archery arrows are fletched with Voyager Feathers for premium performance.
Mathematically speaking, Voyager Feathers provide the most optimal stabilization with the lowest drag coefficient of any feather on the market.
11. Helical vs. Straight Fletching
Straight: Minimal spin, slightly faster.
Helical: More spin, more stability, better broadhead control.
Most traditional archers prefer helical feathers.
12. Shaft Material
Carbon
Durable, consistent, and widely used today. Examples at TTT Archery:
- Easton Carbon Legacy
- Gold Tip Traditional Classic
- Victory VFT
Aluminum
Smooth, forgiving, and extremely consistent. Examples at TTT Archery:
- Easton XX75 Camo Hunter
- Easton Gamegetter
Wood
Classic and beautiful, but requires more maintenance, knowledge and skill to tune.
Arrow Terminology in Action: Choosing the Right Arrows
When you understand the terminology, choosing arrows becomes simple. You’re looking for:
- The right spine
- The right length
- The right point weight
- The right material
- The right fletching
TTT Archery makes this easy by stocking arrows specifically for traditional bows — no compound‑only spines, no gimmicks, no junk.
Final Thoughts
Understanding arrow terminology empowers you to tune your setup, choose the right arrows, and shoot more consistently. Whether you’re shooting Easton Carbon Legacy, XX75 aluminum, Gold Tip Traditional Classic, or Victory shafts, knowing the language of arrows helps you get the most out of your traditional bow.