New hunting arrow?
Equipment
I'm thinking of changing from fmj's which i have used since they came out, my current 340 fmj comes in at 480gr and I want to come in around the same weight, only reason I am thinking of switching is my current fmj's are a little short with the new bow and I don't like the blade of the exodus that close to my finger, stay with fmj's or try a carbon? I'm liking the specs on some of the carbon express arrows
Carcus, I've been shooting the CE Maxima Hunter for years. Unfortunately, CE has discontinued that model so I moved to the Maxima Red. They're straight, durable and easy to tune. The components fit very well which is half the battle of getting FB broadheads to fly well. You will not be disappointed.
I've shot the FMJs since they came out, but switched to the carbon Axis 5mm. You can put in a 75 grain brass insert. You'll be able to get them the same weight as your FMJ.
Have u heard of the VAP xtorsion arrows that r a carbon/stainless steel fiber blend? Very good product for building a tough and heavy arrow.
Carcus, I also shot FMJ's since they came out. This year I switched to the Easton Hexx shaft with a 75 gr insert and a 125gr head. Total weight comes in just a hair less than my FMJ's did but my FOC is MUCH better. Really like them so far, not sure I will switch back to FMJ's. We'll see once I get some real life performance on game bigger than a turkey.
You could check out the CX Piledrivers. I think they are similar gpi as the FMJ. Not quite as straight though, .0035. If you want better FOC, then disregard.
Also, Check out the new CX D-Stroyer .203 and also the CX Triad .166
5mm axis with brass insert! Broadhead alignment is the best, will be similar weight with much better FOC. Depending on your set up you may need to jump up in Spine to 300, which would get up in weight. The brass insert is 50/75gr so you can adjust to hit the weight you want.
How long is your current shaft? Draw weight?
Arrow will be close to 29"s, Im leaning toward the axis with brass and 300 spine
Your peno will start to suffer bud. The arrow won’t be as slippery any more.
The xtorsion might be hard to get that light when I ran the numbers on that shaft for my bow I think I was coming in at like 900+ grains
The Axis would be a good choice. They are the same diameter assuming you used the 5mm FMJ. Would require less horsing around with your rest or nock point.
Ordered a dozen 300 spine match grade easton axis with 50 gr brass inserts, thanks for the input guys!
Good choice. I shot FMJs years ago, but I prefer the durability of the Axis with our Impact Collars.
Easton Axis 260 with 75 grain insert and impact collars. Tipped with 175 grain Iron Will.....elk be trembling in 3 states this year worrying about it!
I've always used wraps on my fmj's I'm not sure if I will use them on the axis, if not whats the best glue for these shafts, I have flashbacks of vanes falling off carbon shafts years ago
"Ordered a dozen 300 spine match grade easton axis with 50 gr brass inserts, thanks for the input guys!"
That is exactly my next arrow.....IF the Axis (300 w/ 50gr insert) I have now ever break.
Never cared for wraps. I see zero advantages of them. All I see is disadvantages: decrease foc/cost/time to install/if 1 fletching needs to be replace I need to remove all of them and the wrap and start over. They may "look cool" in the quiver or laid out on the kitchen table but imo that is not an advantage.
I went to The Axis about ten years ago. I make my own collars, but the Iron Will Impact collar checks all the boxes for durability and broadhead alignment. With a collar I believe the Axis is about as durable as you can get , especially at the price point.
For fletching, I sand the shaft with 180 close grit paper. The shaft and vane base gets cleaned with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Glue is old school Fletchtite Platinum. I’ve never had a vane come off. I find that the instant glues often fail after a year or two.
Bloodsport Evidence. It surpasses all mentioned I believe.
What vanes do you use Carcus?
My favorite glue is loctite ultra flow control gel. I've had as good or better luck with it over any of the "archery" glues and it is much cheaper.
Axis tends to be less glue sensitive than others . I have had good luck with blazers, sand the shaft with wet 200 grit, clean with acetone. Used NPV if you have the time, never had a vane come off.
I used to shoot GT but would loose vanes all the time.
You shouldn't have any issues with your super glue of choice. I use Flex Fletch and AAE, both are method sensitive to making their vanes stick.
With both I clean the shaft with acetone, swipe the base of the vane with either acetone or a primer pen and the use a few drops of glue. I spread it out with the tip and then push my clamp in place on a bitz. I hold for about 15 seconds and remove the clamp. Repeat and the flex fletch are not coming off. I haven't fletched enough of the Max Stealth vanes to be certain this is the best method for me, but so far so good.
Axis 300 w/ heavy insert is exactly what I shoot in my compound....its money.
Key to these arrows though is squaring/milling the ends. I saw a huge difference in BH straightness and the durability of my arrows when I squared these with 320 sandpaper on my jig. Right off the saw they look terrible if you put them under a microscope.
This is a crummy cell phone photo with no magnification and you can clearly see how much better these will seat after running them on a jig with the arrow on the right being right off the saw the left arrow after my squaring jig.
I switched to Day Six this year and they fly great.
Great info here, thanks guys! Looking forward to getting them
Wow beendare, that is awesome results. I use an ASD and mine are never that clean. Would love to see a video on how you do that.
I started using MEK to clean my GT shafts and have not had a vane problem since, if that helps anyone. Can't remember who told me to use the stuff, but is seems to hold my blazers on solidly.
Squaring the end of the shaft is key for broadhead alignment , especially for HIT type systems. I do mine on a lathe with a grinding attachment, but also machine the face of regular inserts. It’s amazing how poor they can be out of the package. If you have a broadhead that wobbles on a shaft , but is good on the next shaft, then the first shaft is not square on the end.
At the very least a person should have one of the arrow squaring tools. Hopefully Beendare will post a pic to inspire others.
And you should do the nock end too.
My jig
My jig
Close up
Close up
Another pic
Another pic
Habitat, It all started for me when I was spinning my BH tipped arrows in a table....but then I rigged a micrometer with a bent wire to check ACTUAL straightness. The short version is; I found that at about .004" out, the BH still appeared to spin well on a table.
So I took a group of arrows; the .004" and some that I trued up to .002" and better on my home made jig and shot them all for groups at 50yds without knowing which was which with a fixed 3 blade BH that I was using at the time [20 years ago, back when I could really shoot-grin]
The groups with the .002" arrows were 1/2 the size of the groups with the .004"...and the .002" arrows were the same as what I could shoot with my FP's- sub MOA.
Folks laugh at my jig, but its super easy to make with some good marine grade plywood and a carpenter square....assuming you can use a table/chop saw and clamp everything up perfect while screwing and glueing. Start with the bottom and the end piece, then add the 2 spin blocks later- easy. I initially made the end taller [to get more accuracy with a square setting up the spin blocks ] then cut the end off on a table saw once everything was perfect.
Sorry if I hijacked your thread Carcus.
I use a wrap on my arrows and I had issues with both bare shafts and wrapped shafts with adhesion with Blazer vanes. So I started sanding the base of the vanes before applying to my wrapped shafts and now I haven't had issues. I use Bohning Fletch Fuse glue. Seems to work really well. I had mixed results with Pine Ridge fletching glue.
Beendare, thanks. I only use Hunter XTs and so am probably giving up some accuracy to begin with.
I have always assumed my lack of consistency at longer ranges was just my form. I think I will purchase a half dozen of GT's straightest and begin there.
Since all of my hunting is close, typically 15 and in, it probably doesn't matter too much.
Thank you again!
I’ve shot Axis, FMJ and a couple Carbon Express models, blue streak and can’t remember the other. All good shafts. I personally will not ever go back to the Eastons with the HIT inserts. Possibly with aftermarket components.
I am currently shooting Day Six. Their shafts are straigh/strong/durable. And I feel their component system is second to none. Small company with personal service.
—Jim
HFW,
I shoot the Pros for hunting but I bought a dozen hunters (used to be called Expedition Hunter) and they shoot really well. Arrows are still relatively cheap and they are kind of important so I buy the Pros for hunting. That being said....I honestly can't out shoot the Expeditions when cut from both ends and squared.
I just finished up putting a dozen Easton Hexx 330's together with the brass 75 grain inserts. I'm hoping to use these for deer this year instead of my dwindling supply of FMJ 340's. The finished weight of these at 29 inches with 2.1" Fusion vanes is 438 grains, very close to my FMJ 400 spine arrows I use for 3D with my non hunting bow so they should work well weight wise. I did spin all the Hexx shafts and as I suspected I would, I found some that disappoint me. There were 4 out of the dozen that I wouldn't put a broadhead on. I've seen this with just about every dozen carbon arrows I've ever bought so I'll probably not be buying any carbons again. It will be FMJ's for the rest of my hunting career from now on. By the way, I spun all my old FMJ 400 3D arrows also that I've had for years and outside of a couple that had bent screw in points were almost perfect as far as runout on both ends.
Beendare- Hard to see in the pics, but do you have a groove that the shaft rides in on each stand up piece on that jig? Great solution! Thanks
Ki-Ke,
yeah its a "V" Groove. File then check/repeat to make sure the arrow is perfectly square to the back plate.
Now I am leaning towards Iron wills impact collars and the aluminum insert
If I didn't make my own collars, I would spring for the Iron Will's. When I'm making up new arrows, I use the Easton epoxy that comes with the shafts and put the insert in and the collar on at the same time, using the little plastic tool included. If I was going to use the Iron Will's, I'd consider a different glue for the collar. The Easton epoxy is NOT coming off and for the sake of being able to salvage an expensive and still good collar if you break and arrow, a "lesser' glue might be a better choice.
I believe a good collar makes the Axis one of the best arrows out there.
Iron will collars are the way to go
Personally I like the FMJ injexions. I like the heavier weight and the tolerances of them are superb
Axis in 260 spine, Iron Will 75 grain insert, Iron Will impact collars, and my arrows have been indestructible! The HIT system without re-enforcing with collar is just simply a recipe for failure! Add the collar and it’s durability is as good or better than everything else out there.
So if i was thinking about switching from a standard .246 gold tip to a small diameter arrow like an Axis, what mod's need to happen with my bow?? Shootin a Triax at 65#.
I always use wraps. If you damaged a vane you can strip, put on new wrap, and refletch. Nice and clean every time. I have fletched several hundred Axis for family and friends. Great arrow. Use Loc-tite ultra control gel. Use a new unopened container and you will have no issues with wraps and blazers. I use Broadhead Adapter Rings(BAR) on my axis with broadheads, but i have never had issue with HIT system holding up. I shoot 73 pounds with speed bows. Son is shooting 80 pound PSE Xpedite .300 shafts. No issues with them holding up.
