Arrow build help
Equipment
After a few years of shoulder rehab, I am finally back in the saddle and shooting again and it feels SOOO good. I really missed it. I just bought a new bow (because my 3yo Hoyt RX-5 wasn't any good anymore, right?). Mostly just to start fresh and kick start the excitement again (and because I love new bows), I bought a Mathews Lift 29.5 set at 60# with a 27" draw length (love it so far!). I have been shooting Easton 5mm FMJ 340 arrows with 2" Blazers and 100gr tips for the past 8+ years and haven't really looked at anything else. My total arrow weight is right around 465gr which I feel is adequate for most NA big game. I don't have any issues with my FMJ arrow set-up but when I started looking at replacing them, I realized that there are A LOT of options out there now. So, I thought I would check in here to get a few opinions on arrow builds. What's your current favorite and why? My primary purpose is hunting, mostly deer and elk with moose also being on the potential hit-list, with an occasional 3D shoot for fun.
I essentially shoot the same arrow…400 FMJ with a 125 head and 50 Gr insert When hunting bigger animals.. moose - musk ox I use 340s with little heavier weight up front. I shoot 63# DW with both arrows
I truly don’t know if “ the charts” say it’s correct but they fly excellent and hit where I want..
I have no thoughts of looking into other arrows because they work.
So if they fly well could kill anything in NA and you have confidence in them…why consider a change
I'm not an equipment guy, all I care about is killing stuff. FMJ 300's with a 100-grain head is all I shoot for anything. I don’t even weigh arrows, but just from adding up components, I think they come in at about 500 total. Hard to beat FMJ arrows in my opinion.
I shoot an Easton match grade 6.5 mm. Out of my compound. I do so because I was shooting the beman arrow it replaced. It comes in about 450 grains.
I shoot a little lighter arrow at 418 gr out of my 60 lb Mathews to give me a little more speed and it's been excellent for deer and turks using mechs. Black Eagle Rampage 350's, aluminum HIT insert, Iron Will collar, and 125 gr head. Would not be afraid at all to use it for elk but will use my 70 lb Elite with a little heavier set up for that hunt. (because I'm going to draw...I just know it) :-)
The only thing you might look at changing on your set up are those Blazer vanes. I don't like the high profile due to possible bow clearance issues and they're noisy. I've been shooting Q2i X-II vanes in 4-fletch configuration the last couple years and love them! They are a lower profile, 2.1" vane and steer fixed blade or mechs excellent. Super tough, too. I also like not having to look how I'm nocking up to the string with the 4-fletch.
Good to hear your shoulder is fixed up and you're back to shooting! Enjoy!
Stay with the Easton line. Make up a 300 Axis with 50 or 75 grain HIT insert. 100 or 125 broadhead. Go 4 fletch like Midwest says. The Q2ii are great. Put a wrap on (or not) and a lighted nock and you will have a hammer of an arrow with better FOC. And it will weigh about what your FMJ’s weigh now.
If you want an arrow that pretty much won’t blow up on hard impacts. Look at Sirius Gemini arrows and their insert system.
With your lighter draw eight and short draw length, you have a lot of options to play with.
Do you have some kind of different characteristic you are trying to obtain with a new arrow set up or just change for the sake of change ?
One reason takes more planning than the other.
I think your arrow choice is good with the fmj, if you want some more speed get the Axis 340s, or use both
I cannot stand FMJ or the Hit insert system. I think Easton makes excellent shafts in the axis line, but wouldn’t trust a FMJ. If you are intent on shooting axis I’d look to one of the aftermarket component companies. I like the Ethics Archery stuff.
I am a bit interested in some of the Sirius offerings, but don’t plan to change anything soon, so won’t look too hard at them. And for the record I don’t shoot any of the above mentioned arrows, but I don’t feel that you have to shoot what I do either.
—Jim
I’ve shot Easton Axis and Sirius Gemini and Apollo. I can say the Gemini and insert system (made by Ethics) is the strongest all around system I’ve ever shot. And - you can mess around with FOC and total arrow weight a lot in order to customize exactly what type of setup you want.
I think your current arrow is great.
Thanks for the input. I don't feel a NEED to change, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something or if there was a better option out there for my intended purpose. I will definitely look into the 4-fletch Q2ii. How much helical do you use, especially with the 4 fletch? Any custom arrow sites you like better than others to order from? I've been looking at BlackOvis, but have used custom-arrows.com before with good luck, too.
I roll my own. Use a Bitz for fletching. Right helical clamp with as much angle as I can get.
I’ve heard good things about Black Ovis built arrows. I think Brotsky uses them.
I make all my own. If it fails….. it’s my fault.
fdp is spot on.
All the guys above, me included are passionate about the arrow we use for one reason or another.
Many factors can dictate on what you choose. You definitely came to right place for information.
I myself use a variety of Victory arrows with titanium outserts are my go to. From what I’ve found, the spine and weight are very consistent.
Decipher what you’re looking for and hone in on that. Heavy vs light, speed vs slow, and also what your rig can handle to get the range you want.
To answer your question why? Because I like to tinker and experiment.
One thing is for sure, your arrow weight will kill about everything in NA.
Congrats on getting back into it. Enjoy the process.
I just bought a new bow last month after 19 years. Hoyt Alpha X 33 in 65lbs, 28.5” draw. My new arrow set up is:
Victory RIP TKO arrows 350 spine 50 gr insert with a 100 gr G5 Dead Meat Q2i Fusion 2.1” vanes with a Halo lighted nock.
Total arrow weight is 427gr and FOC is just under 15%. It’s shooting at 280 fps. May go to a 125gr Dead Meat to get a little more weight.
Best of Luck.
I have taken most of the 29 with FMJ’s with no failures on the arrow’s part. Most of the animals not taken with an fmj were taken with the Easton Axis arrows. I will say that the fmj’s will bend if you are not careful. So they do require a little more care on backcountry backpacking and horsebacking. Most of those types of hunts I carried my spare fmj’s in a tube for that reason.
I have been shooting Easton FMJ’s since 2014, both with my compound and traditional bows. My current setup with my Elite Enkore 60# @ 28.5” is FMJ 340’s cut to 28”, 50 grain brass insert, 4” Onestringer wraps, TAC Driver 2.75 vanes, standard Easton X nocks, and 125 grain Slick Trick Magnums……TAW 537 grains. Have been using this setup since 2021.
I shot fmj 400's since 2011 out of my 74# MQ1 and killed a lot of animals.
In 2016 I bought a Halon, also set at 74# and shot the 400's for a couple years. I was probably under spined and with the Halon being much less forgiving than the MQ1, I moved up to fmj 300's and they grouped considerably better than the 400's. I recently dropped the poundage on my bow 1 full turn so probably about 4 pounds. As expected my 300's now hit low at all yardages beyond 20 yards.
I pulled out some old Beman MFX 340's that weigh 10.4 gpi or about the same as fmj 400's. I shot them out to 70 yards and all my pins are right on (pins were set for the fmj 300's).
I'm going to buy some Easton Axis match grade 300 shafts because they weigh about the same as the MFX 340's and fletch them up and see how I like them.
Since 2011 I've never had any issues with bent fmj's but it's always a consideration on a backpack or horse pack in hunt.
Just wanted to say thanks for the help. I received my arrows in the mail yesterday and LOVE them. Can't shoot at the same spot on the target at 30yds ! (good problem to have!). I went with the 400 spine 5mm FMJ @27.5" with left helical 4 fletch Q2ii in yellow with a white wrap, so visibility is great. 125 gr tips to increase FOC a bit. FOC is right at 12% which is decent. Total arrow weight is 463 gr (10 arrows weighed in at 463 and 2 at 465 which I thought was pretty impressive). I went with 400 spine over the 340 I was shooting because I dropped my poundage to 55-57 lbs, so hopefully that will be alright. Given the tight groups so far, it doesn't seem to be an issue and at 463 gr, arrow weight should be plenty for elk or even bigger. So far, I'm super happy with them and so glad to be back to shooting again. I've missed it so much and I just hope the shoulder stays good. Therapy for the soul!
Where you can get in trouble is being underspined. It only rears its ugly head when shooting BH’s. You are right on the cusp. Don’t wait until right before the season to shoot your broadheads to find out.
In my experience, there is a wide range of arrows and Broadheads that worked just fine out of modern compound bows. All of the experienced compound guys I know shoot an arrow that’s between 420 and 500 grains- that seems to be the sweet spot.
I shot access arrows for a very long time and like them, but recently switched to the cheaper carbons and I was shocked that in someways those cheaper carbons are better than the Eastons. For one, they have a better finish that doesn’t wear out as fast..
That was my concern going to the 400 vs. 340, but hopefully shooting the lighter poundage (plus shorter draw length), it will be ok. I'll get everything dialed and start shooting broadheads soon. I much prefer COC heads so I'll want to make sure they are flying straight.
If you are using COC heads, arrow weight is much less of an issue.
Those COC heads turn even light arrows into into penetrating monsters.
I’ve shot 340 fmj’s for quite a while now. I really like how they fly and I’ve never had a problem with one bending that wouldn’t have ended up being a broken or splintered arrow in an all carbon arrow. I also shoot an axis 340 or an Easton Hexx if I want to go lighter with more foc. I prefer the fmj’s over everything. Shooting 68# 28” dl 100 gr exodus swept broadheads and a 50 grain brass insert. Total weight is 482 with a 27” arrow.
If you are using COC heads, arrow weight is much less of an issue.
Those COC heads turn even light arrows into into penetrating monsters.
