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Adult Bolts?
- Thread starter Dustball3k
- Start date
Most crossbow bolts are pretty beefy for what they are. I've never had one that wouldnt blow through a pig or deer shoulder if it needed to. I have hammered several pigs that way, because they cant quite run as far in the mud in 3 or 2 wheel drive.
I believe I'm shooting right around 450 grains with 100 grain heads. I've heard some beefing up inserts and getting around 650
You can find many different wieght inserts on ebay. Just make sure it's the inside diameter you need. I buy bare shafts & like to build arrows different weights, vane configuration etc. My bows shoot 400fps & I have found 428gr give or take is where i get most accurate arrows.
I just put together some bolts due to the interest in adult arrows. Gold tip Nitro 500 (400gr) with insert. and Grizzly Stick Ashby 315 forged head and have lighted nock coming .297 dia not many choices for them. I’m thinking I’m close to 725 when all said and done.
That looks like one of my arrows from my regular bow. I have the T-rex arms.
Yeah I am staying pretty consistent with them. I will admit though I haven’t been shooting off a bench either. So to say I am keeping bullethole groups wouldn’t be facts.
xbows friggin blow through anything already. Mine shot 350fps and I used aluminum blots w 125gn heads. Never had a single bolt not bury in the dirt. I think w a vertical bow its a way bigger deal. So much kinetic energy lost. But why not beef it up lol. Can't hurt right? Except your bolts going half way to China and blowing through all your targets...
Nothing wrong with burying a bolt 4 inch's into a tree after it went through a deer. Plus if you have two deer lined up drop them both with one bolt.
I took a shot wo years ago at 35 yards out of a horton storm rdx and hit the thick part of the shoulder blade, only about three inches of penetration. I doubt a heavy bolt would've made much of a difference.
I shot one last year with my 575 grain total bolt weight out of a ravin r26. On the ground 34 yards hard quarter to. Through shoulder hit a rib stopped on the femar on far side shattering 6 inches of femar. Deer went 30 yards. That was with sevr 2.1 125 on the front. I have no doubt a fixed blade would have exited.
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I am all about this heavy shooting. I shot a buck 2 years ago at 15yards qrt to with a Rage Hypo 125 and only got 4-5” of penetration lucky for me I clipped top of lung and I’m a pretty good tracker. We watched more deer go by last year because I wasn’t going to risk it again. I have the utmost confidence that had I had the set up I do now I would not have let as many walk last year.
Not to be "that guy" but like @Nutterbuster said crossbows produce enough energy to blow through a deer.. Taking more ethical shots with an off the shelf crossbow will get you further than trying to beef up any bolt. Wait for a quarter away shot or broadside. That's just my .2 cents.
I agree with you when In a stand. But when you are on the ground still hunting or tracking most of the time the only shot you will get is a hard quarter or frontal. That is why I beefed up my bolt setup. I want to be able to have reliable penetration even if I gotta go through a shoulder or bone to get it done. I will always try to wait for a good shot. But when they know you are there and they come straight on to investigate it can get tricky.