Mathews Inc.
4mm vs 5mm?
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
Iowabowhunter 29-Oct-24
Kurt 29-Oct-24
Bowfreak 29-Oct-24
Beendare 29-Oct-24
Bou'bound 29-Oct-24
Iowabowhunter 29-Oct-24
Bowfreak 29-Oct-24
Beendare 29-Oct-24
Murph 29-Oct-24
Kurt 29-Oct-24
Iowabowhunter 30-Oct-24
JTreeman 31-Oct-24
HUNT MAN 31-Oct-24
29-Oct-24
Going to be buying a new bow once Hoyt & Mathews launch their '25 bows, with that comes an upgrade to accessories including arrows.

I've always shot the 5mm Axis shafts, but the 4mm with the titanium outserts have piqued my interest. I've got some Western/Alaska/Canada hunts upcoming in the next few years, and would like to maximize efficiency regarding wind drift.

I heard somewhere that the 4mm arrows are more sensitive/difficult to tune-any truth to this?

From: Kurt
29-Oct-24
4mm Easton Carbon Injexions (discontinued) tuned and flew well for me for the past decade or more. Lots of mountain hunting and species.

That said, I’d likely go with 5mm Axis shafts today if switching shafts and be happy.

From: Bowfreak
29-Oct-24
4MM shafts are no doubt less resistant to wind drift. To me, I am not sure the juice is worth the squeeze to deal with the subpar, in my opinion, insert/outserts. I would think unless you are in the 1% of shooters you would not see any benefit from 4MM shafts. Others may tell different but that is my 2 cents. :)

From: Beendare
29-Oct-24
No, 4mm shoot fine.

The problem with the 4mm is not the shaft itself but the system. You need expensive components to get concentricity with your BH's- ie; long machined outserts.

Compare that to the 6mm shafts I'm buying for $40, including insert and nok- then I buy and fletch. It's more fun in the woods when you aren't losing a very expensive arrow.

From: Bou'bound
29-Oct-24
I think the 4MM are more resistant to wind drift not less. They are more susceptible to it.

I looked at this earlier this year and we had a pretty good thread on it. Decided not to go for it. They are not lighter or cheaper or more durable than the 5MMs. I stuck with 5MM

I'll find the old threads for you they are already well informed and responded to

29-Oct-24
Yeah Bruce the crap deal about the 4mm shafts is you basically have to go with the Easton titanium half outs @ $44/half doz to get something that'll consistently spin true.

Maybe i'll just get the Match grade 5mm shafts & instead play around with a bunch of different fletching combo's rather than the 4mm w/super expensive insert systems.

Broadhead wise I'm finally dialed in- Iron Will wide's for whitetail, and the Iron Will solid 125's for when I'm encountering wind.

From: Bowfreak
29-Oct-24
Bou' is correct.....I meant to put they have less wind drift, not less wind resistant.

From: Beendare
29-Oct-24
@iowabowhunter, Thats a probably a good call.

Good idea to look at fletching, it matters and someone shooting flex fletch 360's is going to get more wind drift than someone shooting Blazers. I know guys shooting 4 fletch with the small Blazers and getting great performance and groups with BH's at long range without the parachuting effect of large fletch.

Some guys like the additional stabilization of more fletch. If you are only shooting short shots, it doesn't hurt you. I find it doesn't matter much for me as long as my bow is tuned. Even with my recurve I use 3-3" feathers....and it groups BH's.

Re 4mm. I shot them for years when Beman was giving them to me. Great shafts but the components sucked back then. Now, if you use an outsert with a long [3" or more] prong inserted into the shaft, they are pretty good. I've heard a friend of a friend has developed a very long outsert for those micro shafts- something like 5" or 6" and those will no doubt be excellent. It makes sense; they draw from the straightness of the shaft.....AND the additional surface area of the long inserted section spreads the impact out over more arrow shaft.

My problem is; I've had great success with the cheap shafts I'm using now....and same for the Axis with hit inserts I used to use. I can't think of a single arrow thats failed in the last 3 decades. Anything more than that is overkill for me unless I was going after Water buff or something- then it makes a lot of sense.

From: Murph
29-Oct-24
I’ve been shooting 4mm gold tips for a couple years and the titanium outsert is flawless, it makes me wonder why people hate outserts sooo much cuz they spin sooo true and are incredibly durable have had hard impacts that ruined heads and field points and they still Spin true, no collar needed it’s a great system and have never seen better long range accuracy from an arrow setup, people that say 4mm are hard to tune I have no idea I went from .246 to 4mm and have never had an issue and will never go back. The only draw back is if your on a budget the titanium is expensive about $90 a dozen so definetly adds to the cost but bow hunting is my passion so $100 isn’t gonna stand in my way..

From: Kurt
29-Oct-24
I went with Firenock outserts installed with Bohning Hotmelt glue on Easton Carbon Injexion 330’s so I could use regular threaded broadheads.

Also installed the Deep-6 stainless insert to regular depth for reinforcing and a bit of more foc. They have proven super tough as a system for me. No issues with tuning or getting great concentric spins on broadheads.

30-Oct-24
Hey Jim-are you using the Easton Titanium outserts I assume on your GT arrows?

From: JTreeman
31-Oct-24
I echo Murphs comments exactly. I’m not shooting the gold tips, but completely agree with everything he said.

—Jim

From: HUNT MAN
31-Oct-24
I am shooting Easton pro comps with the titanium outserts . Best arrow I have found since ACC went away!!

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