Best Easton hunting arrow?
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
Hey bowsiters, I’m a Bowhunter/Guide/Outfitter but not much of a tech guy. I want to try the best Easton FMJ arrow for hunting and want your opinions? One that is 6 mm or bigger, not 5 mm. Highest foc, highest straightness tolerance if that matters? Which one should I chose? They have too many for me to figure out?
Well Mike if you want 6mm or bigger that leaves you with one choice in the FMJ: The 6mm FMJ unless of course you want to pony up for the tapered FMJ 64 which tapers from 6 down to 4 mm. Personally I feel the 5mm FMJ is the best arrow out there and have shot it for years with excellent results.
If you want highest FOC forget the FMJ!
Too much weight in the shaft for high FOC in the FMJ. To truly go that way you get the lightest shaft possible and add brass inserts and collars and heavy tips to come up with super high FOC.
Personally I don’t think that’s the way to go. I think FOC is good but 12-18% is plenty. I like Easton 5mm Axis best with a 50/75 brass insert. To step it up a notch I would add a collar like the Iron Will 25 or 10 to protect the tip and make it near indestructible! You can shoot 100 or 125gr tips. A cheaper way is to foot it yourself with about 1” of old aluminum shaft over the tip area
XX78....too bad they don`t make them anymore.
Unless you are getting them at no cost i would look at at a different shaft than the FMJ personally, I just think there are better options out there. And if you have an Easton hook up I think there are better options from Easton.
But if you are set on the FMJ I think the above advice is solid. I would go with the 5mm, and consider the brass inserts. I would never again shoot an FMJ without a footer as well.
—Jim
I've heard the 6mm FMJs bend easier also as it is a thinner aluminum. I would go with the 5mm if you want FMJs. And if you want higher FOC, get a stiffer shaft and shoot heavy inserts and broadheads and put feathers on the back. But I agree that if FOC is important, you're better off with carbon shafts. I think a lot of high FOC guys like the Easton Hexx shaft.
Example of iron will collar
Example of iron will collar
Why 6mm? With the 5mm axis you shoot the same tips. Also the FMJ is expensive and it can bend! The weight is in the wrong area, especially if you want lighted nocks. The only advantage I see is some claim it is straighter and higher tolerance for spine deflection- thus more accurate.
I stick with the 5mm Axis with brass insert and collar for plenty of weight in the right place, standard broad heads and durable.
Highest FOC and FMJ is a contradiction
Don’t overlook the new Easton 6.5’s....I just got a dozen, and I think they’re pretty sweet. The Classic and Match Grade both come with 23 grain inserts, which are threaded, and accept weights such as the GoldTip FACT weights. They come standard with MicroLite nicks which only weigh 8 grains. Here’s some pics....
Here is an example of a cheaper footing - I used a 2018 gamegetter shaft will fit the 340 or 300 spine 5mm axis. The same standard Broadheads and tips fit it. Don’t know why you want 6mm and FMJ?
Bowbender's Link
wildwilderness - Curious what type broadhead is that, is that a 2 blade?
Thanks
Zbone, I think it is a Wac em 3 blade.
ACC...really a dam tough arrow !
Yes, it's a wac'em 3 blade, just the picture makes it look like 2. I've shot them since 2005 and are the best flying fixed head I've tried. (I test other blades all the time). the 2018 fits the 340 spine axis well, is a bit tight on the 300 but goes. The Iron will collars are nice since you don't have to glue them on so you can reuse them on different arrow. (as a disclaimer the picture I included above with the iron will is on a 4mm injexion shaft but the same principle on the Axis. I do think the Axis is an overall better value and tougher than the injexion, I just like to try different stuff)
I'd go with what others have said:
*5mm Axis *50 grain insert *25 grain Iron Will Collar *Your broadhead of choice.
It's a mean arrow.
Whackem 3 blade!! One of my favorites . Hunt
Another 5mm axis recommendation.
I also prefer the Axis 5mm. I use the 75gr brass insert, which offset the weight difference when I switched from FMJ’s.
I've used the 5mm FMJ and just changed to the same size Axis. Both are great arrows. I use the typical insert and 125 grain tip. My total weight with fletching and wrap 335 grains. I get penetration and pass thrus on elk. My bow is set at 65lbs with a 27 inch draw.
Easton makes some great arrows you just have to the one that works for you.
Mike,
What animal are you wanting to hunt?
I have the 6mm fmj, you can't use the hit inserts which is fine.
I shoot 100gr thunderheads and they fly great to 60 yards
5 mm 340 Axis 50 g brass insert 100g vipertricks (elk) 100g hypodermics (deer) is my poison!
The original 5mm fmj's have worked for me, no complaints, I've killed well over a dozen elk and moose and even more deer and bear since I started using them, I have no complaints, not sure if there is anything better out there, I like the weight of my 340s, 11.3gr/inch is perfect for the big stuff
I agree carcus tough to beat that set up. I'm with you.............other than the part about a dozen elk and moose...........i'm not with you there man
I've shot the Axis 5mm arrows for quite a few years, 75 gr brass HIT inserts. 100-125 grain point. Have footed a few for my trad arrows, I dint stump shoot with my carbons so never found the need.
Been really happy with the Axis 5mm
I’ve been shooting 4mm FMJ. Very accurate arrow with great spine consistency. I like the added weight of the FMJ and that’s why I choose to shoot them. Also the fact they are very accurate due to spine tolerances. My arrow is 26” long. I’m shooting outserts in them with a total of 160 grains up front and weighs 475. Here is a 100 yard group I shot the other day.
I believe the old saying of “it’s a FMJ...it will bend” has not been true for me. I don’t think I’ve bent one arrow. I’ve broken a few but not bent. The ones that I busted a carbon arrow would have busted too. I do think the deep 6 hit inserts is a weak point. Hence why I’m shooting outserts and I’ve been very happy with how durable they are.
5mm axis are my choice. You can weight them up anyway you like. However, regular old beman ICS shafts or 6mm easton aftermath shafts(cheap version of Under Armour 6mm Axis) will kill animals just fine and you can make them up anyway you like also. I do not like aluminum/carbon shafts. They can bend. I have taken some falls in rough country and dragging or pushing your bow in front of you on stalks can be difficult on arrows. With full carbon I do not have to worry. Cut a little from both ends of the shaft, square them up and any Easton shaft will be straight enough and spine consistent enough shoot better than most hunters ability level.
Acc's by far. I over two dozen 390 prohunters cut and fletched for my 60 ish pound set ups. And another 7 dozen shafts last i looked. Hope i dont run out.
Hexx with brass H and IW collars are freaking amazing as well.
Another vote for 5mm axis. Just shot a mule deer this week at 73 yards complete pass thru. Shoot great with punch
Franklin x7s are the xx78 aloy but there not made in the thicker wall sizes I believe .15 is the thickest wall size
Its pretty cool to see how long Easton been producing excellent hunting shafts.
I have a dozen of the xx78 Super Slam 2314 uncut an in the original factory wrapping.
Thanks for all the info guys! Shows how clueless I am on all the new arrows and all the choices. I’m definitely not a tech guy! I usually just get some heavier grain weight arrows made up for me at the archery shop, make sure I can group them well at 60 yds with broad heads and go kill stuff, not a lot though cause I’m always after big critters so a dozen arrows might last me awhile.
Anyway, I want to upgrade to a 6 mm arrow, not a 5 mm simply because the small shafts pull out of my quiver while fighting through brush, and an outsert wrecks my foam target, maybe dumb reasons but oh well. Then I want 4 fletch because I can nock it quick and never wrong and they seem to easily stabilize a fixed blade broadhead. I’ve had all this set up with a carbon express pile driver and shot right through a couple moose, an elk, shoulder blades on two goats. But I want to try higher foc, for greater penetration without going to a 600+ grain arrow, 18-20% maybe, but not have my total 28 inch arrow grain weight out of my 72 lb bow go over about 540 grains because then my pin gap gets too big. (I tried Victory xtorsion arrows at 610 grain finished weight.) Then a figured I can just screw in different weight broadheads and try higher foc and see how it affects accuracy? With all the arrow companies out there I just figured Easton was a safe choice, not stuck on it. A carbon arrow would probably be best or a very tough, not easy to bend one at least? Probably fully displaying my ignorance here...Advice?
Hexx 260 spine with 75 grain brass insert up front will get you close to those specs. Guess it’s dependent on the point weight you’re going to run. Great shaft, accurate and durable.
I tried the iron will heads this past fall and they were great so I guess I would like to use the 125’s but I could go to their heavier broadheads
Mike-Your quiver should be adjustable to accept shafts much smaller than 5mm. If not, "upgrade" the quiver. It's hard to beat the 5mm Axis with 50-75 grain brass insert. Add the iron will or similar footer if you want. 600 grains and a great FOC would be easily achievable if you start with the .260 spine.
5mm takes standard BH's w/o outserts as will (internal HIT insert). 4MM takes either Deep 6 or outserts/half outs.
FMJ arrows are heavy from a GPI perspective, so a poor choice to start with if higher FOC is the objective (I think FOC is over-rated personally).
Carbon shafts are basically either straight or broken. They do not bend in the same manner as an aluminum/composite shaft.
I am shooting the 6mm FMJ with a 175 grain broadhead, it makes for a heavy arrow and I only get around 245 fps with it at my 28" draw and 60#s but it hits like a ton of bricks. Just shot a bog doe(130#s) dress and blew thru her shoulder and broke the off leg cleanly. Quiet as well. I just started shooting them but I like them so far. Shawn
I've shot them all and I am a big fan of the Element carbon weave arrows. They are extremely tough shafts in either standard or .204 size. Very consistent spine as well.