Decided on a new elk arrow...feedback?
Elk
I am down to my last few arrows and they are discontinued so I’m going with some new arrows.
28.5” prime centergy hybrid @ 81lbs
Easton axis 5mm pro 260s cut to 28.5” with 75 grain brass hit inserts topped with 125gr German kinetic XL and offset 3 blazer vanes.
I know it’ll kill an elk like 1000 other setups, but wanted to see if anybody had any input, positive or negative. Anybody shooting something similar? Or maybe went away from a similar setup for whatever reason? This is my first go with hit inserts and 5mm arrows.
I've shot the Axis 260's since 2014 I think. Either with regular HIT inserts or 50 grain brass HIT's with 3 Blazers. Killed two elk, a bison, a sheep, a whitetail or two, two Sitka Blacktails, and a hog with them. All out of 80# bows. I think they will be good out of your setup. They also group good out to 120 yards. Good luck.
I think it will kill elk better than most other set ups! I really like a complete pass through, which is tough on elk especially if you hit them straight up the leg forward of the crease in the BB location.
Axis is my go to arrow. Very nice to have the brass inserts as well
You could try for a 1000 Grain set up and be throwing spears!!!! :)
Shooting a single pin I want something that shoots flat, but I like momentum! Not sure it’ll blow through a scapula but I think it’ll have a shot.
my 5mm fmj's , with brass insert, and VPA broadhead come in at only 500 grain and they slide through and elk even at the 63# I'm shooting now days. Your set up will go through like butter IMO. Your set up will blow through a scapula at any point other than the strong ridge.
Enjoy!
As soon as drew my tag this year I built a new elk arrow set up....hell I didn’t even decide what bows I were buying for the year.
Away they are BEA Spartans, 300 spine 26.5” carbon to carbon. Stainless insert with 105 extra grains of brass loctighted in. stainless nock bushing X nocks and three AAE max stealth vanes. Going to shoot 100 grain Ironwills and Soilds. Total weight is 525 grains. Will be shooting one of three bows at 70ish pounds, Elite Ritual or PSE Evolve 31...need to shoot them both a bit to decide what to keep. Still have my eyes on PSE carbon air stealth also. Or none of them and I use my Elite Spirit I built two years ago and been my go to bow.
Anyway I have two dozen elk arrows ready to go.
I think your set up with 260s will work super. My only concern would be for a little bit bigger fletching to steer those big ass XLs
I think you've got a winner. My elk arrow is a .300 5mm FMJ tipped with a 125 gr RAD Rival and it comes in about 515 gr. I'm well over 80# of KE out of my Xpedition Xcentric at 70#/29". It's turned into my everyday arrow now. I hit my whitetail buck last year a little forward and a little high and blew through both scapulas like they weren't even there. I had a picture of both of them somewhere with the holes punched through them but I can't seem to find it.
Trial how do you like the Spartans? BE were the other shafts I was considering. As far as the XL’s go, when I opened the box last year I was a little nervous. They are large, especially compared to some of the heads out there today like iron will. That being said, they fly unbelievable. I knew I had a winner when after a week of practicing, my 1.5 year old 18-1 that still looked almost new after 100s of Magnus stingers, looked like I took an axe to it!
I'm shooting 340 5mm fmj's with slick trick 100grn magnums at 67#/29.5". Mine are weighing in around 485grns and I'm having no issues on pass-thru's.
I used Axis for years, but finally gave them up a couple years ago. The main issue I found with the HIT system is that your broadhead is seated against the naked end of the carbon shaft, which is a weak point. It is also a poor design from the standpoint of getting broadheads to consistently spin perfect, and keep them that way. A shaft squaring tool is needed, at a minimum, which is no problem at all. But unless the ferrule fits very tight in the ID of the carbon shaft, the broadhead may not keep spinning true after multiple shots into foam. Some broadheads work better than others with HIT shafts, depending on how tight they fit inside the carbon shaft. But for me, it was easier to switch to a shaft utilizing a full diameter aluminum insert, which overcomes both problems. You asked ;-)
I use Easton broadhead adapter rings for FMJ/Axis to overcome the issue sticksender mentioned above. I square both ends of my arrow shafts with a squaring tool and then use the BAR on the pointy end. They spin great and continue to spin great after countless shots into foam, critters, etc. Never an issue.
I do the same a Brotsky and have had great long lasting success with Axis 5mm.
So how heavy is your new arrow...I'm guessing 450ish?
I like both the spartans and the Rampages. The spartans are a much easier build. with the stainless components they are really solid. They arent the size of 6mm eastern shafts. They been durable and i havent had any culls or flyiers.
The Rampages are 204id shafts and i use 75 grain brass hits and flanged VPA colar. Killed a moose, elk, mulie and bunch of deer with them and they been awsome. Very consistant and fairly durable. BEA is making a good shaft.
SBH,
I think his arrows will finish around 550ish based on the components he mentioned in his first post.
I think it would go through an elk long ways!
Yeah 550ish from my calculations. I like the idea of the collars but these arrows keep getting more expensive!!! Is the bar 5 the correct size for the 5mm axis arrows?
I use the BAR 5 on my 5mm FMJ's .300's. BAR 5 fits 300-340, I assume BAR 5 would work on the 260's. You can go to the Easton page and look up your shaft and it will tell you the corresponding BAR to use.
Easton site says Bar 6 for 260 shafts
I picked up a dozen axis 260 pro grade, brass inserts and the bar 6 collars. First I floated them to find the spine, then I spun them all and cut from the crooked end, squared both sides, and shot them bare shaft through paper to bullet holes. I was amazed at the penetration into the bag. They were penetrating twice as far as my old gold tip big game 200’s. I still need to fletch them and they’ll be elk killing machines!
You lost me at 81 pounds. LOL! Sounds like some awesome elk poison for sure.
Yeah with that momentum and KE you have much larger room for errors.
I am taking a similar set up North for moose this year. i did just find these and placed an order or backorder https://www.rayzor-vpa.com/Rayzor-VPA-Custom-Shop-CTR-Punch-Footers-204-CTR-PUNCH-FTR-204.htm
going to add them to my setup just to add some strengthen up the front end. 28.75 axis 260 50g brass 125g iron will wrap and 3 aee max stealth is 550g will be closer to 560 with the added collar.
I think it will be a great set up, especially out of my 80lb carbon defiant
just to kicks i am going to test the Valkyrie system as well, just to say i did. its interesting to me.
just blew through a black bear 2 weeks ago, and buried 8 inches in the dirt.
for my 70lb bow i am going to try 300 victory rip tko 125g iron will 50 g hit insert 9g vpa collar wrap and 4 aae pro max
will see how they fly.
I build a lot of wood arrows for myself and other people. They are a pain to work with in comparison to carbon and aluminum. Tedious to the point I e almost quit fooling with them. Sounds like most of you guys are heading that way too. Whether you know it or not.
Don't lose them, they sound expensive.
