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Who has snorted the Fairy Dust?

Well this has been great. Very educational and encouraging. I've been wanting to increase the draw weight on my bow for a while, but held off because I didn't want to mess with my arrows. This gives me an excuse to re-do my whole system this summer - new draw weight, new one-pin slider, new arras and 200gr broadheads. I'm actually exited. This is almost like handloading, except I'm not driving myself nuts trying to find primers somewhere.
 
My experience was very similar to that shown here in the video. I started bowhunting with fixed 4 or 5 blade broadheads and almost always got complete pass throughs. In the early 90's I switched first to 125grn Vortex mechanicals and then moved to Rage after a couple of Vortex o-ring failures. At that point I was sure that faster flight and large cutting diameter was the key to recovery.

After almost a decade and even though I'd killed and recovered a bunch of deer with the mechanicals, I realized I could only recall one instance where I had achieved a complete pass through. I've been shooting a 70# compound at a 30" draw for as long as I can remember, I figured I should be getting pass throughs. However, most of my shots ended up looking just like those in this video. Arrows would enter and stop about mid shaft.

In hindsight, I fully acknowledge that I never properly tuned my bow. I didn't have to, the mechanicals hit exactly where the field points did. It wasn't until 2019 when I switched back to fixed blades that I found out just how out of tune my bow was. The 3 blade Ramcats I changed to at that time hit fully a foot to the left at 20 yds. It was easily corrected with some minor rest adjustments but it showed me just how complacent I'd been about bow tuning.

I still haven't gone "full adult" with my arrows but I'm closer now. I'm shooting 200grn Grizzly Stik single bevel Overkill Samurai's with a 540grn total arrow weight at about 18% FOC. I haven't killed one with them yet but I personally have more confidence in the setup than I did.

 
Put together a couple test arrows:

457g (avg of 3) 238 fps 13.3foc green

479g shoot 226 fps 16.3 foc green

483.6g, 234fps yellow 13.5foc

509.8 , 227fps orange 17.2foc

I'm leaning towards the heaviest orange. I'm shooting 60# @ 27 inches. If the drop is reasonable for single pin sight out to 30 yards that'll be the way I go. All wieghts are avg of 3 arrows, speeds avg of 7 shots and the colors are the fletchings on them. All with 125gr BH.

Does anyone have any thoughts of g5 monotecs in this set up? I'm pretty torn about BH selection

Thanks
 
Horn said:
Put together a couple test arrows:

457g (avg of 3) 238 fps 13.3foc green

479g shoot 226 fps 16.3 foc green

483.6g, 234fps yellow 13.5foc

509.8 , 227fps orange 17.2foc

I'm leaning towards the heaviest orange. I'm shooting 60# @ 27 inches. If the drop is reasonable for single pin sight out to 30 yards that'll be the way I go. All wieghts are avg of 3 arrows, speeds avg of 7 shots and the colors are the fletchings on them. All with 125gr BH.

Does anyone have any thoughts of g5 monotecs in this set up? I'm pretty torn about BH selection

Thanks
Click to expand...
I've used Montecs in standard - weight arrows and been kind of ambivalent. They penetrate just fine and do what I expect, but haven't really blown me away. And they don't penetrate bone better than anything else. To me, heavy, high-FOC arrows are maximized when paired with heavy 2-blade broadheads, preferably single-bevels. I'm leaning towards the 200gr Bone. I think I'd rather have my weight in the head than the insert, but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.
 
Horn said:
Put together a couple test arrows:

457g (avg of 3) 238 fps 13.3foc green

479g shoot 226 fps 16.3 foc green

483.6g, 234fps yellow 13.5foc

509.8 , 227fps orange 17.2foc

I'm leaning towards the heaviest orange. I'm shooting 60# @ 27 inches. If the drop is reasonable for single pin sight out to 30 yards that'll be the way I go. All wieghts are avg of 3 arrows, speeds avg of 7 shots and the colors are the fletchings on them. All with 125gr BH.

Does anyone have any thoughts of g5 monotecs in this set up? I'm pretty torn about BH selection

Thanks
Click to expand...
Which one of those arrows has perfect flight? There are a few ways to build an arrow setup but one of if not the most important aspect is the final tune and perfect or as close as you can get it to perfect arrow flight. As far as actually building out the arrow I look at it 2 ways, either total arrow weight I want to hit or I choose the head I want to shoot and build the arrow around it. I prefer to build around the head. In your list, it looks like you are either shooting different shafts, shaft lengths, different fletching and maybe some lighted and some standard nocks. Not sure what combos you have there but assuming all the shafts are the same spine they should shoot slightly different with 125 out front on all of them. With a high speed of 238 you arent shooting fast enough for speed to be a serious consideration in the arrow build imo. So I would focus on what is going to make the arrow setup the most lethal it can be and if your choice is the montec for a head, I would spend my time tuning the orange fletch arrow at 509 grains. If you change you mind and opt for a 2 blade, any of them will work, I would pick the one that currently flies the best and then try to optimize the tune for that arrow if needed.

As for the montec, my experience with them is from years ago when they first came out. The head killed just fine but blood trails were avg at best and mostly poor for a 3 blade. If I was going to shoot that head now I would go with the carbon steel version because I would expect to be able to get it plenty sharp.
 
Iron_llama said:
I've used Montecs in standard - weight arrows and been kind of ambivalent. They penetrate just fine and do what I expect, but haven't really blown me away. And they don't penetrate bone better than anything else. To me, heavy, high-FOC arrows are maximized when paired with heavy 2-blade broadheads, preferably single-bevels. I'm leaning towards the 200gr Bone. I think I'd rather have my weight in the head than the insert, but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise.
Click to expand...
The weak link is the threaded section when the head has solid impact at an angle. Structurally is there a difference in more weight being in the head or more in the insert re: thread failure? I dont know the answer and dont recall ever hearing that aspect discussed. I think weight and foc are going to benefit any head but I think they are maybe more important to 3 blade heads than 2 but it depends on what the arrows are penetrating.
 
BTaylor said:
In your list, it looks like you are either shooting different shafts, shaft lengths, different fletching and maybe some lighted and some standard nocks. Not sure what combos you have there but assuming all the shafts are the same spine they should shoot slightly different with 125 out front on all of them
Click to expand...

I will double check but they're all easton 6.5mm 340 spine cut right around 30 inches. Same nocks, fletching other than color. 3 different inserts, one aluminum the other two heavier ones brass.

I'll be rethinking the montecs.

Thanks for the advice
 
Horn said:
I will double check but they're all easton 6.5mm 340 spine cut right around 30 inches. Same nocks, fletching other than color. 3 different inserts, one aluminum the other two heavier ones brass.

I'll be rethinking the montecs.

Thanks for the advice
Click to expand...
I wouldnt rule out the montec if they fly good for you. That head will for sure kill the crap out of stuff. I just had a hard time getting them sharp back in the day and that is probably why the blood trails were what they were. I would imagine you can get the carbon steel version plenty sharp. What ever head you decide on just make sure they are as sharp as you can get them and blood trails should be fine given a proper hit.
 
Horn said:
Put together a couple test arrows:

457g (avg of 3) 238 fps 13.3foc green

479g shoot 226 fps 16.3 foc green

483.6g, 234fps yellow 13.5foc

509.8 , 227fps orange 17.2foc

I'm leaning towards the heaviest orange. I'm shooting 60# @ 27 inches. If the drop is reasonable for single pin sight out to 30 yards that'll be the way I go. All wieghts are avg of 3 arrows, speeds avg of 7 shots and the colors are the fletchings on them. All with 125gr BH.

Does anyone have any thoughts of g5 monotecs in this set up? I'm pretty torn about BH selection

Thanks
Click to expand...
Iron_llama said:
... I'm leaning towards the 200gr Bone...
Click to expand...
Do you have a stockpile of Bone broadheads?
I thought Bone stopped making boadheads due to someone in the company getting very sick and unable to continue working?
I was very impressed with their Massai 200gr that I was able to try out when @Red Beard compilied a bunch of heads and passed them around for anyone wanting to test.
 
boyne bowhunter said:
My experience was very similar to that shown here in the video. I started bowhunting with fixed 4 or 5 blade broadheads and almost always got complete pass throughs. In the early 90's I switched first to 125grn Vortex mechanicals and then moved to Rage after a couple of Vortex o-ring failures. At that point I was sure that faster flight and large cutting diameter was the key to recovery.

After almost a decade and even though I'd killed and recovered a bunch of deer with the mechanicals, I realized I could only recall one instance where I had achieved a complete pass through. I've been shooting a 70# compound at a 30" draw for as long as I can remember, I figured I should be getting pass throughs. However, most of my shots ended up looking just like those in this video. Arrows would enter and stop about mid shaft.

In hindsight, I fully acknowledge that I never properly tuned my bow. I didn't have to, the mechanicals hit exactly where the field points did. It wasn't until 2019 when I switched back to fixed blades that I found out just how out of tune my bow was. The 3 blade Ramcats I changed to at that time hit fully a foot to the left at 20 yds. It was easily corrected with some minor rest adjustments but it showed me just how complacent I'd been about bow tuning.

I still haven't gone "full adult" with my arrows but I'm closer now. I'm shooting 200grn Grizzly Stik single bevel Overkill Samurai's with a 540grn total arrow weight at about 18% FOC. I haven't killed one with them yet but I personally have more confidence in the setup than I did.

Click to expand...

It's so interesting to see that. I've shot mechanicals for 20+ years and have had pass throughs but once. Grim Reapers and 3 blade Rage mechanicals at first, then 2" cut Rage's until 10 or 12 years ago when a very experienced pro-shop owner convinced me to shoot the 1.5" Rage instead.

I've followed the coc, foc, single bevel, high mass talk since before Ranch Fairy and have amassed stuff to make the switch (Alaska Bowhunting field point kit, Og German Kinetic broadheads, etc). I'm not against improving something despite "if it ain't broke don't fix".

But I never could make the time to invest into changing my bow's tune. I had it dialed in good for my arrows with mechanicals. Two bucks I shot penetrated shoulder bones and passed through. Now I'm not comparing that to crushed femurs or whatever the "adult" arrows are accomplishing, just that it's a bit unnerving to see the shots in that video just stick mid-deer. I'm shooting Legacy and Switchback XT bows with a 30" effective draw at 65ish lbs, so I'm not exactly applying brute force.
 
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