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Im thinking about building some 4mm arrows for a future Musk-ox hunt. My broad head will be a VPA 150gr single bevel head and 150gr outserts. Total arrow weight will about 550gr with FOC about 23% Anyone hunting with 4mm arrows? If so, what make arrows & are you happy with performance.
Ken, I am leaving in ten days for a muskox/caribou hunt in Nunavut and I'm shooting Easton Axis 4mm Match Grade shafts with the 75 grain aluminum/steel half outs and Muzzy Trocar broadheads. Total arrow weight is 496 grains with an FOC of 13.8%. Muskox look huge but they aren't as big as they look. They are tough though. My first muskox was pumping blood out both sides and clung to life like no animal I've ever seen. They aren't so tough to penetrate as long as you get through all that hair and get both lungs. That is why I am using a fixed-blade head. Your proposed setup is more than adequate for muskox. Curt
I’ve shot the Black Eagle X Impacts for years and will continue to shoot them until they don’t make them anymore, at which point I’ll likely buy enough shafts to last me my entire life. I tip them with a 150 grain VPA as well, but the 3 blade, with the black eagle outserts. If I remember right, I was at almost exactly 500 grains.
The amount of extra penetration noted once you follow Ashby’s principle of the shaft diameter being smaller than the ferrule diameter is crazy. That guy knows a thing or two. If you’re drawing any weight at all, you’ll get pass throughs. Not just pass throughs, but pass throughs to the point of not finding the arrow if the shot is at somewhat eye level (unless you shoot a lighted nock). It seemingly doesn’t slow down at all on impact, with the arrows on the angled shots driving deep into the ground. I don’t ever intend on changing anything with my setup, I’ll put it that way.
I've been using Easton FMJ 4mm arrows for many years. I shoot 68 lbs out of a Hoyt RX7 Ultra. Using 330 spine arrows cut at 29.5 inches. 100 grain broadhead gives me a total arrow weight of 470 grains. My only odd item is that I still use deep six inserts and heads. I'm almost out though, so I'll be switching to an outserts next season. Never had an issue with penetration on deer or elk.
I should caveat that just a bit. No issues with fixed blade broadheads like G5 Strykers or Wac Ems. Mechanicals have caused some problems a time or two. Nothing to do with the arrow shaft.
Thank-you guys for the info. My problem is I had my right shoulder replaced in 2018 & my left shoulder replaced three weeks ago. I have a 40/50lb Mathews traverse that bottoms out about 52lbs. Im hopefully going to be able to pull/hunt with my 52lb bow. Im normally able to get perfect arrow flight after hours of tuning. Do you guys think with a 4mm arrow, VPA 150gr single bevel broad heads and a total weight of 550+ I'll be able to ethically kill a Muskox?
Been using the FMJ 4mm 400spine for a couple years now. Before that I shot the Deep 6 FMJ 4mm. I use the 55gr. titanium half outs, Ignitor nocks and fletch them with Silent Knight 3" vanes. With a 100gr. Mega Meat or VPA Terminator total weight is almost 480grs. Surer accurate and blows through anything it hits.
Easily kill the ox with a shot that hits where you intend. Your shot will be 20-25 yards max if you want it to be.
Ken, You shouldn't have an issue if you get that setup to fly well. Think of it this way: Your bow will shoot that arrow faster than any recurve bow and you're shooting a traditional-style broadhead with a total arrow/broadhead weight of 550 grains. No problem. Shoot with confidence. Good luck.
BEA new focus 4mm are pretty sweet. i would pair them up with Podiums Ti outserts
Thanks again for the info. Now, all i need to do is get my shoulders strong. Im in the proceed of booking a muskox hunt in 2025 approximately a year from now. Hopefully my shoulders will be healthy. This past deer season I was not able to pull my bow. I want to keep hunting so I used a Xbox (no flames pls). I don't have a problem with people using a xbox but its just not for me...
It would be tough to drag me away from Black Eagle X-Impacts. The adjustable outsert is incredible.
Ken.
The regs say 525. So your intended weight is good. I’m leaving in a few weeks and I’m at 537 with an Iron Will S125 -RipTKO SS set up.
I checked in with a few guys here who have been there a few times and it appears the shot on the Musk Ox can be relatively close. I'm planning on the same set up for the Caribou only babies I don’t want to have two set ups with me.
Hopefully I can report back and let you know how the set up performed.
Hell, I blew clean through a bison bull with a 60 pound longbow shooting a 600 grain arrow. 2-blade Magnus 125 with a 100 grain insert. Arrow was 30 yards on the other side after breaking a couple of ribs. He only went about 30 yards. Bison is a lot bigger than a musk ox
Killed a Shiras moose with a 450 grain arrow off the same bow. 150 grain Snuffer. The broadhead was poking 2” out the offside after cutting ribs on both sides. He only went about 20 yards. Moose is also bigger than a musk ox.
You will be more than fine. Heck, I think a 35 pound compound would have had more speed and energy than my setups. I would be more inclined to shoot a 3-blade VPA but no issue trailing a musk ox in that country so either will do.
Will likely never go there due to their idiotic regulations that don’t allow traditional bows. Hell, I was all set to go when it first opened and was a hell of a lot cheaper till I found out I couldn’t use my bow. Really sucks.
Had to go down to 60 lb limbs due to shoulder issues , 350 victory 4mm 90 grain outserts got me the same penitration as my old set up with 70lb limbs Only thing I lost was 70 yd shots which was just for practice anyway. Still passin through with 100 grain wac ems and G5 strykers or montecs. Its working
I shot Easton 4mm in D6 for a couple years. Didn't see any benefit and my anecdotal evidence was there were more fragile, break at times I didn’t think warranted it.
I went back to Easton Axis 5mm (withHIT) which I have used before and after and plan to stick with them. Keep it simple
Lots of opinions regarding 4mm vs 5mm arrows for hunting. Because 4mm is skinnyer than 5mm do you think penetration will be better if all else it the same? Is a 5mm arrow stronger than a 4mm arrow?
Ken, I used a 4mm FMJ with a 125 gr SB Iron Will Buff head while hunting water buffalo with Tyler. My shot was 18 yards, frontal, slightly quartered and I had nearly a complete pass through. My total arrow weight was 595 gr and my dw was 75 lbs.
I shot a muskox last year with a 5mm FMJ and a Vortex 100 gr Tributem head. Contrary to most, my shot was 72 yards. Slightly forward with lots of blood but he held on for over 30 minutes. I think your set up will still be plenty good for your hunt. Good luck with your shoulder!!
Damn, 72 yards... congrats
Been shooting 330 spine Easton 4mm Carbon Injexions for a decade plus for virtually all my hunting (deer, black bears, caribou, moose, elk, polar, grizzly and brown bears, etc). I use Firenock outserts so I can use the std 8-32 threaded broadheads. But I also install the D-6 stainless steel 22 gr insert into the shaft at the Easton tool measured location to reinforce the shaft and add a bit of FOC. Typically have used a 100 gr original NAP 3-blade Spitfire or a 100 gr 3-blade Rocky Mt Titanium replaceable blade head. Arrows weigh around 472 grs total. The NWT Muskox I shot was with the later combo launched out of a 65# compound. Penetration was not an issue.
Good luck on your hunt!
“ I shoot 68 lbs out of a Hoyt RX7…., Never had an issue with penetration on deer or elk.”
No kidding??
LOL
Curt Wells’ post makes perfect sense….
Tell me your total arrow weight and your chrono reading, and I’ll tell you the draw weight you would need to get the same KE out of a recurve or longbow, but I’ll bet you right now that you couldn’t get that kind of weight anywhere close to an honest anchor on a single-string…. Most guys would probably be lucky to anchor HALF of that kind of poundage, let alone shoot it well.
