Heavy arrow setups

[mattpsu1]

So I was just wondering how all you guys faired that moved to heavy arrow setups last year? And or single bevel broadheads. I’m planning on joining the movement this year for a few reasons. I did get a nice buck last year but didn’t get great penetration on an fairly sharp angling away rather steep downward shot. No exit hole. No blood. Deer didn’t go far and my lighted nock made it pretty easy to find but if he had gone further in that thicket may have not been the same story. Im shooting a 48# Tolke Pica and 150 grain Magnus Stingers. Probably going to single bevel and possibly Day Six or Grizzly Stick Momentum TDT arrows. The Grizzly Stick 650 package looks interesting but don’t know if I want to go that high. Ideally I’d like to try it and also something closer to 600 and see which I prefer. 650 just seems like a lot out of a 48# longbow. I’m shooting around 500 now. I will add that I generally like to keep my range 20 yards and under with my max at most 25 and only if ideal conditions. Just looking for some ideas and some shared experiences.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

My new heavy arrow rig worked just as I hoped it would. Got an exit wound thru the heaviest bone of the far shoulder. 200 pound buck.

 

[mattpsu1]

You’re shooting 200 grain Samurais right Tom? And the Grizzlysticks if I recall. Did you do the 650 package? If not, how many grains?

 

[Oakridge]

I built some day six arrows with ethics insert/outsert. 590 grain total weight with Simmons Timbershark broadheads. I’m shooting those out of a Javaman helms deep. 54# at 26. Complete pass through this year and buried into the ground about 5-6 inches. I didn’t hit any significant bones just ribs. I personally think mid to high 500’s grains is a sweet spot

 

[Allegheny Tom]

You’re shooting 200 grain Samurais right Tom? And the Grizzlysticks if I recall. Did you do the 650 package? If not, how many grains?

Yes. 200gr Samurai single bevel on Grizzlystik Momentum shafts.
I'm at 664 grains.
55# recurve.

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[GetHomeSafe]

I am at 620gr, 29.5" draw 50# PSE drive R. Grizzly 200 gr single bevel. Gold Tip 300's. 100gr brass insert. They fly great. If I do my end right they go where your aiming. They pack a punch.

 

[mattpsu1]

I ordered a test kit from Day Six a few days ago and realized afterwards that it’s not shipping until 3/1. Thinking about ordering a Grizlystick test pack while I’m waiting

 

[Allegheny Tom]

I ordered a test kit from Day Six a few days ago and realized afterwards that it’s not shipping until 3/1. Thinking about ordering a Grizlystick test pack while I’m waiting

Grizzlystik is coming out with a gen 2 Momentum and they had a great sale on closeout gen 1. Not sure the current status of the sale, but you might still be able to get a deal on gen 1.

 

[ArkieArcher]

I shot 300 spine black eagle carnivores this year. 125 grain insert 175 grain broad head. Total arrow weight around 565. Im really liking this set up

 

[weekender21]

I was shooting 580 grains in early 2020 and ended the season with 485 grain arrows.

My thoughts:
•at 29/70, it doesn’t make much difference. I’ve been archery hunting for 15 years and have never had an issue with penetration.
• large diameter fixed blade broad heads are better than small diameter fixed blade broadheads assuming penetration is not an issue with your set up.
•Heavy arrows are generally easy to tune and make your bow whisper quiet.

My 2021 arrow set up:
•530 grains ~14.5% FOC
•Iron Will wide cut 150 grain solid

I’m dropping my drawl weight down this year to the low 60s and do like the idea of a relatively heavy arrow. My personal thoughts are that the extreme FOC (Asby 19+) isn’t necessary for deer hunting but I’d rather see guys go that route than the ultralight arrows that were so popular just a few years ago.


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[GetHomeSafe]

I ordered a test kit from Day Six a few days ago and realized afterwards that it’s not shipping until 3/1. Thinking about ordering a Grizlystick test pack while I’m waiting

I ordered a test kit with heads from a 100gr to 250gr. The 200 flew great. Which was my hope as I wanted to shoot a 200gr grizzly. I have a 620 gr arrow. 100 gr insert. Gold Tip 300's. I draw 29.5". 50# IBO 329. This spine calculator was spot on for me. Go to this page https://www.victoryarchery.com/arrow-guide/ press spine calculator. Enter bow type (compound or trad), enter IBO speed, draw weight, point weight, inset weight, shaft length, wrap weight, fletch weight, knock weight, bushing weight. Click Find Spine.

 

[mattpsu1]

Grizzlystik is coming out with a gen 2 Momentum and they had a great sale on closeout gen 1. Not sure the current status of the sale, but you might still be able to get a deal on gen 1.

I did see that. What spine are you shooting? I’m thinking a 400 will be ok at my weight but not sure with that much weight up front

 

[Allegheny Tom]

I did see that. What spine are you shooting? I’m thinking a 400 will be ok at my weight but not sure with that much weight up front

I shoot the 400s but I think I could have tuned a little easier with a less stiff spine.
It took me a while of goofing around to get them to shoot well.
I wish Grizzlystik had 500 or 600 to try.
I like the fact that they are tapered shafts. Easier to increase FOC and a tapered shaft penetrates better than a parallel shaft.

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[MattMan81]

Arrow Test Packs

 

[ericabbott]

I shot a good sized doe at ~16 yards with my new arrows, worked as expected. Blew through and buried deep in the ground behind her. She went less than 100 yards. Season was disrupted with some personal issues, looking to get some more blood on these next season. 808 TAW, 29% FoC. Biggest gain for me was all the tuning I did to my bow and the arrows.

 

[woodsdog2]

BEFORE	AFTER
TAW: 373	TAW: 532
ARROW MFG. & SPINE: .400 GOLD TIP HUNTER	ARROW MFG. & SPINE: .340 GOLD TIP HUNTER XT
DL: 27"	DL: 27"
FOC: 10%	FOC: 21.7%
INSERT WEIGHT: 20 GRAINS	INSERT WEIGHT: 100 GRAINS (ETHICS)
DW: 61.2LBS	DW: 61.2 LBS
BROADHEAD & WEIGHT: MUZZY 100GR. 3 BLADE RPL. BLADE OR NAP SPITFIRE 100GR. MECHANICAL	BROADHEAD & WEIGHT: VPA 150 GR. 3 BLADE COC
NOCK: STANDARD GT NOCK	NOCK: STANDARD GT NOCK
ARROW SPEED: 275FPS	ARROW SPEED: 235FPS
FLETCHING: BOHNING BLAZER 3 FLETCH LEFT HELICAL	FLETCHING: ZINGERS 3 FLETCH, 3DEGREE LEFT HELICAL
BOW: 2018 DARTON SPECTRA E	BOW: 2018 DARTON SPECTRA E

Stopped buck at 15 yards at full draw after he freshened a scrape. Buck was immediately ready to bolt. Upon release, the buck whirled toward me to its left. The arrow actually caught its right side jugular and went laterally out just above its right shoulder. The arrow stuck 6-8 " in the ground to the left of where I originally aimed on the buck by about 1 to 1.5 feet. The buck ran like it was spanked on the a$$ and I found it piled up approximately 150 yards later. The blood never stopped the entire way. With a mechanical this would have been a wounded buck. I am very happy with my heavy arrow setup. The other thing is how quiet my bow is now. I think bow manufacturers will be able to push the envelope even more now if this trend continues as the ideal bow and set up is a bow that stores an extreme amount of energy and sends a log quietly but with great momentum down range. The best thing is I cleaned and sharpened my broadhead and arrow back up and slide a new zinger fletch on it and this arrow is totally ready to kill again in 20 minutes. No throwing away a demolished aluminum ferrule piece of junk. These VPA heads or $42 for three and I pay almost that for something I would have to throw in the garbage after it harvested a deer.

 

[Jpdarby2]

I shot a lighter arrow setup (Carbon express Maxima Hunteres with stock inserts and 125 grain grizzly stik samurais with a total arrow weight around 420) this past season that killed 2 deer just fine but I wanted to make the jump to heavier arrows as I am wanting to hunt bigger game (nilgai and bear) on a more regular basis next season. I just finished my heavy arrow build and I have to admit I am very pleased with the results.
Easton Axis 5mm 300 Spine
30" carbon to carbon (I might trim a 1/4-1/2" off since you gain the extra length with the outsert)
125 grain Ethics Adjustable Outsert System Stainless Steel
125 grain Iron Will S Series
3 Bohning Blazer vanes with 3 degree Helix
5" arrow wrap
stock X nock
620 grain arrow weight
16.77% FOC
60# Bear Legion 29.5" draw
221 FPS

I bare shaft paper tuned at 6 feet with the full range of insert weights from 185 - 95 grains and 125 was the magic number. No confirmed kills yet but I'm impressed with the groupings out to 30 yards. These arrows just feel right, they're much more quit and hit hard with tight groupings. I am so confident in this build I went ahead and bought 3 dozen shafts to build out.

 

[weekender21]

I shot a lighter arrow setup (Carbon express Maxima Hunteres with stock inserts and 125 grain grizzly stik samurais with a total arrow weight around 420) this past season that killed 2 deer just fine but I wanted to make the jump to heavier arrows as I am wanting to hunt bigger game (nilgai and bear) on a more regular basis next season. I just finished my heavy arrow build and I have to admit I am very pleased with the results.
Easton Axis 5mm 300 Spine
30" carbon to carbon (I might trim a 1/4-1/2" off since you gain the extra length with the outsert)
125 grain Ethics Adjustable Outsert System Stainless Steel
125 grain Iron Will S Series
3 Bohning Blazer vanes with 3 degree Helix
5" arrow wrap
stock X nock
620 grain arrow weight
16.77% FOC
60# Bear Legion 29.5" draw
221 FPS

I bare shaft paper tuned at 6 feet with the full range of insert weights from 185 - 95 grains and 125 was the magic number. No confirmed kills yet but I'm impressed with the groupings out to 30 yards. These arrows just feel right, they're much more quit and hit hard with tight groupings. I am so confident in this build I went ahead and bought 3 dozen shafts to build out.

Very similar components to my 2021 build:

Easton 5mm Axis 300 spine
29” carbon to carbon
25 grain Iron Will steel insert
10 grain titanium Iron Will footer
150 grain iron will wide cut solid BH
Wrap and three blazers

Total arrow weight ~530 grains. 14.6 FOC


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[MattMan81]

I was shooting 750gr out of my old bow. 200FPS. 300spine cut 28.5". Had 200gr. Inserts with 200GR broadheads. 21% FOC
Newer bow I just got is a little faster. Still had my test kit. 650gr was shooting pretty good. But gonna have to go to 250 spines. I was getting good bare shafts from it.

 

[1simplemann]

My current set up is a Bowtech Experience @ 70lb. 29" DL. Arrows are Gold Tip Kinetic 200's 31" long w/ 75gr insert and 225 gr Strickland Helix's. Gold tip ballistic Collar on the front as well. Blew threw a mature 10 pt WT. No bone encountered. Bow is whisper quiet. Great BH flight. My 2018 buck is a different story. Same bow and arrows only slightly shorter and 125 Helix w/ 100 gr inserts. I had a 150" 10pt come in facing me. Normally I would have waited. On that trail, Every other deer that came in that morning went behind me and to my right. There was absolutely no shot shot in that direction. I have the pics to prove it. I knew that my only shot was going to be right then and only then. He kept lip curling. I told him. " Do it one more time and I'm going to put one right in the center of your chest". He did it and I shot. At the shot he turned and crashed into 2 or 3 trees. He piled up in 40 -50 yds. The arrow came out his belly. Here's the interesting part and is why I built my arrow the way I did. My taxidermist/processor called and said "I thought you said this was a bow kill?" Turns out the ball on the buck's shoulder was completely shattered. He'd never seen that before from a bow kill and fella's he's been doing this for a long time! He's processed 100's of deer and elk. I told him it was a bow kill and he said no way. I assured him that it was. I sent him pics of me and the buck w/ my bow at the kill sight. He was amazed. Unfortunately he threw out the shoulder before he called. I would post the pics but don't know how. However, I believe 100% that my Ashby arrow setup is responsible for a 150" WT that I would probably never had killed with my old lighter setup. That's the best example of what an Ashby arrow can do that I have experienced. The rest have been positive as well. Full penetration pass thrus on every buck and doe I've shot the last 8-9 yrs. I definitely can't say that w/ my old 375-400 gr. set up. I shoulder bladed a legitimate 22" inside spread 8 pt about 12 yrs ago that haunts me. Widest deer I've ever seen in the wild. No penetration. My current set up would've smoked him. I can think of several other really nice ones that got away because I was waiting for the perfect shot that never came. Now I just shoot and they fall within sight usually.