Texas Hunting Forum

something else for y'all to help with..

Posted By: freonfreak82

something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 02:10 AM

ok guys I've asked about bows, broad heads etc.. i guess arrows is next lol. I went off the guy at the pro shop's advice on the arrow and head weight selection. I'm sure its great and all. just wanna make sure. only hunting hogs, turkey and deer with it. I've got a hoyt faktor, 28" draw about 68 ish pounds. currently have 330 hexx arrows and 100 gr tip. been looking at the fmj but was told it'd slow my bow way down. it looks like the hexx arrows are great from what I've read, i use don't know. thanks again.
Posted By: DirkDiggler

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 04:10 AM

Never used the hexxs but the arrow weight sounds right to me.
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 04:14 AM

i think they come in at 7.9 gpi, i like the look of fmj's but they are way heavier. i don't know enough to know if thats good or bad..
Posted By: bphillips

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 06:19 AM

7.9 is way light to me especially if you are thinking mechanical broadheads. For whitetail this won't make much difference but pigs and bigger game it will. I believe in the grim reaper but with a lighter arrow fixed will be the safe bet. I should have mentioned in your broadhead thread that my arrow is 474gr and my setup is 70/30. FMJ are great arrows and speed isn't getting you penetration momentum is. Big pigs and big game go with the heavier arrow.

Proper shot placement will make any combo work but you want one that will work on a less than perfect shot.
Posted By: kmon11

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 06:22 AM

If looking for penetration FMJ are good arrows, those skinny heavy arrows FMJs penetrate well but do reduce speed due to added weight. Unless shooting past 50 yards I would not sweat it on FMJ either way on the intended game.

The spine weight of your selected arrows sounds about right, have never tried the arrows you bought but bet they will work fine for the intended game.
Posted By: DFWPI

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 07:11 AM

Why ask a bunch of questions from a lot of "experts?"

Personally, go with what the Pro Shop tells you. After you've been doing in a bit, you will then be able to make your own decisions on YOUR experiences. What works for me may not work for you, and therefore, you will be disappointed while I will be "yippee."

There are so many arrows out there these days, just depends on HOW MUCH you want to spend. I've shot a bunch of different arrows and I really like Carbon Express 350's for a compound. And since ALL my set-ups are usually 18 yards and less, I'm not all that worried about losing speed with a heavier arrow. I can see the need for speed maybe out west, or 3-D shooting, but at 18 yards, who cares. Deer is not going to care if he was killed at 160 fps or 330 fps because dead is dead.
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 01:20 PM

fair enough on all aspects. just didn't want to go full throttle with the wrong stuff. i don't know enough about any of it and the pro shops in the end just tell ya that its your decision. so yeah i get a little overwhelmed with it. i spent 1700.00 on my rig so how much the arrows cost doesn't really matter. i want the best for the application. i really like the deep six fmj's (or at least what I've read, seen online etc) but the reaper heads aren't compatible with them. they are with the regular fmj's though. i was thinking the fmj with the 340 spine would be good, they are 11.3 gpi, and id still shoot 100 grain head. way do y'all think?
Posted By: bphillips

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 03:06 PM

Originally Posted By: freonfreak82
fair enough on all aspects. just didn't want to go full throttle with the wrong stuff. i don't know enough about any of it and the pro shops in the end just tell ya that its your decision. so yeah i get a little overwhelmed with it. i sent 1700.00 on my rig so how much the arrows cost doesn't really matter. i want the best for the application. i really like the deep six fmj's (or at least what I've read, seen online etc) but the reaper heads aren't compatible with them. they are with the regular fmj's though. i was thinking the fmj with the 340 spine would be good, they are 11.3 gpi, and id still shoot 100 grain head. way do y'all think?


That would be a great setup for just about anything.
Posted By: DFWPI

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 03:58 PM

Where do you hang you hat (live)?
Posted By: BOBO the Clown

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 03:59 PM

I use 360gr total blue streaks and 415gr total blk eagle deep impacts. Never had an issue with passtrus with mechnicals or fixed

I'm not a fan of the full metal jackets.

A) to heavy for me
B) bend
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 04:01 PM

so many arrows out there and different spines, weights grains per inch etc. I'm getting lost in it. the pro shop i bought the bow from was a good shop, but old school. he doesn't use mechanical heads, the new blade stabilizer for hoyts he just screwed on instead of indexing it properly (horizontal) not bashing them at all… use saying that outside the box thinking may not be what they were looking at. i told him i wanted it to hit hard. i ended up with more of a speed arrow i believe. i only bought 6 so its not that big of a deal. just don't want to get into the situation where i would say i wish i would've bought this other arrow or whatever. hell, I'm just going off online reviews, recommendations, and whatever research i can do to figure out what brand i go with. pretty well decided on easton but the grains per inch and spine is where i get confused… I'm in the austin area by the way. thanks again to all for the advice
Posted By: bphillips

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 04:13 PM

Originally Posted By: freonfreak82
so many arrows out there and different spines, weights grains per inch etc. I'm getting lost in it. the pro shop i bought the bow from was a good shop, but old school. he doesn't use mechanical heads, the new blade stabilizer for hoyts he just screwed on instead of indexing it properly (horizontal) not bashing them at all… use saying that outside the box thinking may not be what they were looking at. i told him i wanted it to hit hard. i ended up with more of a speed arrow i believe. i only bought 6 so its not that big of a deal. just don't want to get into the situation where i would say i wish i would've bought this other arrow or whatever. hell, I'm just going off online reviews, recommendations, and whatever research i can do to figure out what brand i go with. pretty well decided on easton but the grains per inch and spine is where i get confused… I'm in the austin area by the way. thanks again to all for the advice


Don't over think it.. With your intended game that setup is perfectly fine. I just like heavy because I don't stick to hunting Texas and want to use the same setup everywhere I go, plus they are a little quieter. Both setups will work for you.

Without having anything to look at I believe the 330-340 spines are correct for you.
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 04:16 PM

and with that spine, do grains per inch matter? seemed like the pro shop really was insistent on staying around 8. i don't know why and had reached my limit for dumb questions that day lol. i mean is 11 that much worse than 8? how do you figure total arrow weight?
Posted By: bphillips

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 04:28 PM

Originally Posted By: freonfreak82
and with that spine, do grains per inch matter? seemed like the pro shop really was insistent on staying around 8. i don't know why and had reached my limit for dumb questions that day lol. i mean is 11 that much worse than 8? how do you figure total arrow weight?


No, there are all different weights in each spine depending on the arrow. If someone insists on staying around 8 instead of 11 they are promoting speed in my opinion. The only thing that is "worse" is the speed. The arrows I shoot now are actually heavier than my FMJ in total weight. I'm confident a light arrow would work just as well from my setup as long as I wasn't going after anything large, but it would definitely be louder.
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 05:03 PM

so you're saying stay with the 100 grain head, stay within the 330-350 spine range and not worry so much about the grains per inch? is easton pretty well gonna be the best arrow i could go with? or is it like a chevy ford thing?
Posted By: Navasot

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 05:18 PM

I love shooting 250s when I plan on shooting out at 55-75yrds... other than that its 350s or so
Posted By: Navasot

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 05:19 PM

Originally Posted By: freonfreak82
so you're saying stay with the 100 grain head, stay within the 330-350 spine range and not worry so much about the grains per inch? is easton pretty well gonna be the best arrow i could go with? or is it like a chevy ford thing?


Carbon express Maximas are my favorite but I shoot eastons ha $$$
Posted By: bphillips

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 05:34 PM

Originally Posted By: freonfreak82
so you're saying stay with the 100 grain head, stay within the 330-350 spine range and not worry so much about the grains per inch? is easton pretty well gonna be the best arrow i could go with? or is it like a chevy ford thing?


You are actually pretty much borderline between the 400 and 350 spine so either will probably work. If what you have tunes properly then you are good. Grains per inch is up to you and whether you care more about speed or a heavier arrow. It's very much a chevy/ford thing. I have shot easton plenty and have carbon express now but my next will be something else. I just like to try different things.
Posted By: DFWPI

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 06:32 PM

Here is my setup for compound bow....

Mathews z7eXtreme Tactical
28" draw
63 pounds
single pin site
QAD rest
Axiom stab
5 arrow quiver

Most recent arrow was the Carbon Express Pile Driver 350's. I believe these are a shy over 11 grains per inch. Shooting mostly a 125 grain two blade Magnus, sometimes a 125 grain NAP Hellrazor. Why you ask? Because the arrows were on sale for $19.99 per 6, and the broadheads were on sale for around $12 per six on the Magnus and about $18 for a 4 pack of Hellrazors.

Why shoot these? Because I hate losing arrows or breaking arrows when I stick pigs. I don't feel so bad if I don't have $30-$40 per arrow tied up in a pig sticking. And they kill the crap out of deer as well.

Heavy arrow? Yup, but still getting about 275 fps out of my setup. Could I get faster? Probably so, but a lot of people don't understand that to get the top speed out of the bow, as advertised, they will need a long draw length, shoot the lightest arrow possible and have nothing on the string. My bow is rated for 322 fps and I WILL NEVER SEE 322 fps. Why? Because I shoot a 28" draw and have stuff on my strings.

Don't over guess everything. Get a setup, start shooting and enjoy. In my opinion, if I wanted to shoot deer at 50 yards and beyond, I would go to my rife. Bowhunting is a close up game, the closer the better. I believe my longest shot at a deer was 38 yards and the closest was 3 yards from a pop up. Get the deer in close, observe and learn. Nothing like sitting in a stand or pop up and see a fawn start sucking on its mother and when pulls away, a little bit of milk on its mouth.

Have you joined www.texasbowhunters.com as of yet? I'm dfwpi there as well, and TONS of information there as well. And there is a big meet in the College Station area this weekend with a lot of knowledge floating around.
Posted By: DFWPI

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 06:35 PM

http://safearrow.com/
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 09:56 PM

so theres another question, why would you use a 125 grain over a 100 grain? seems like 100 is what most people use and what i see most in the stores. i had no idea that there would be so many choices lol.
Posted By: bphillips

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 10:28 PM

Little more weight up front... Read up on FOC

If your shaft is just a little stiff it could weaken it just enough to tune perfectly also
Posted By: Chuck McDonald

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/05/14 10:31 PM

Originally Posted By: freonfreak82
so theres another question, why would you use a 125 grain over a 100 grain? seems like 100 is what most people use and what i see most in the stores. i had no idea that there would be so many choices lol.
Hunting arrows are easy, you ought to get into target arrows.
Posted By: DFWPI

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/06/14 01:47 AM

Originally Posted By: freonfreak82
so theres another question, why would you use a 125 grain over a 100 grain? seems like 100 is what most people use and what i see most in the stores. i had no idea that there would be so many choices lol.


LOL. I shoot some 150's as well as 170's. But the 170's and 150's are usually out of my crossbow, but I've used them before in my compound.
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/06/14 04:44 PM

I've been looking online and its a never-ending process. I don't mind spending what a good arrow costs, but I don't want to buy over and over the wrong one for me. I have been looking online and really like the cx maxima hunters, seems like they are a little more advanced with the FOC weight thing, different spines in one, matched sets, etc. but i like easton as well. although with some of theirs it seems like you're looking at the same arrows just branded differently. like the hexx and da torch, all specs and everything are the same… seems like they are a little bit difficult to find qualifying differences in a few of em. with that said i do like the fmj. little heavier than i would like though… i think maxima hunters are 8.9gpi, fmj 11gpi. i appreciate the advice fellas
Posted By: kmon11

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/06/14 05:25 PM

Pick an arrow in the correct spine from the chart on the arrow box, use 100 or 125gr tips. Get your bow tuned with your arrows and forgetaboutit. Have killed deer with cedar, aluminum and carbon arrows, find one that fly's straight from your bow, deliver a sharp broadhead through the vitals game over.

All of the high dollar arrows mentioned will work, but so will lots of less expensive arrows. Having your bow tuned to your arrow is more important than which arrow it is IMO. Most shooters cannot tell the accuracy difference between store brand carbon arrows that are +/- .005 straightness and $$$$ +/- .001 straightness and either will deliver accuracy for almost all hunting situations.
Posted By: bigbuckboy

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/06/14 11:12 PM

Im shooting a creed xs. I jut got the bow and im shooting blue streaks 250. My draw length is 27 and it is at 64 pounds. It shoots the blue streaks about 284 fps. Which is plenty fast enough. The blue streaks fly damn good straight paper tuning was kicking a little to the right due to my arrows are 1.5 inches short. But the blue streaks is the best bang for the buck
Posted By: freonfreak82

Re: something else for y'all to help with.. - 03/08/14 10:00 PM

ok so after talking with both of the bow shops here, its easton, bemoan or gold tip.they don't sell carbon express. so i looked on eastons website and narrowed it down between fmj, axis or axis real tree. fmj is 11.3 gpi, real tree is 10.3, and regular axis is 9.5. with that said, what do y'all think? can't get much info on fmj aside from they are great and they bend…
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