easton FMJ arrows

[wariner87]

Anyone here shoot these arrow? If so what's your experience with their performance?

[RadSav]

What is your definition of performance? 

Slow but flew straight for me.  Not the most stable of arrows, but easy to fletch and easy to tune.  Some have complained about the durability.  I can not figure out what they are talking about    I've killed a good number of rocks with them and never had to toss one yet.  Started out with a dozen for hunting and after three years and a number of animals I still have eleven.  After a dozen or so animals I went back to shooting A/C/C.  More a case of weight my bow likes than anything negative about the FMJ.  Well, that and I hate HIT

[xXLojackXx]

They're tough arrows, on the heavier side (a plus for my set up), and hit like a hammer. Overall, a solid hunting arrow. Like Radsav said, it's either FMJ's or ACC's in my opinion.

[northwesthunter84]

This will be my 3rd year using them.  Only damaged 2 with arrow to arrow contact at the range other than that still shooting my original ones.  Got a half dozen for my carry set this year.  I like them and they make my bow quieter than shooting my ICS.

[Machine hunter]

Will the 300 spine be stiff enough for an 80# / 30" draw? 

[RadSav]

Will the 300 spine be stiff enough for an 80# / 30" draw?

I assume 125 grain point.  May even want brass inserts.  What bow?  What arrow length?

[Rainier10]

I have shot them for a few years now, maybe close to five years.   Anyways I love them.  They fly great out of my bow.  Lojack said it best they are heavier but they hit like a hammer.

I used to have Goldtip Hunters and I had what I thought was a problem with those flexing and deflecting on impact with an animal.  Might have just been a fluke but twice on quartering away shots I had the gold tips come out farther back on the animal than where they entered.  Since switching to the FMJ I haven't seen that happen and the arrow seems to travel through on the path it was on at impact, no deflection or left turns once inside of the animal.

[xXLojackXx]

Will the 300 spine be stiff enough for an 80# / 30" draw?

My bow is @ 84lbs and a 29" DL, I use the 300's with a 125 gr tip and they shoot great.

[RadSav]

My bow is @ 84lbs and a 29" DL, I use the 300's with a 125 gr tip and they shoot great.

An Ugly bow and 84#!  Man, you need some counseling   Better take my wife with ya.  I think she is in need of some help too


Sorry, I haven't been able to pick on D-Rock for a few days.  I needed to get a fix...Bad!

[RadSav]

Bear is suppose to be sending me one of their new ugly bows in all black.  I've been thinking of shooting the FMJ's through it.  Thinking a quiver full of Diamond plate might distract ones vision from the blocks of unflattering squareness that makes it balance and shoot so dang good.  Haven't decided if the twisted car wreck with unfinished hubcaps is uglier or if the vented ping pong paddles are.  Both should be deadly shooting a well balanced FMJ.

[Machine hunter]

Carbon spyder turbo 29" arrow

[yajsab]

I shot FMJ for several years now.  They are heavy but great for penetration.  I only damaged one arrow on a bear quartering away.  The arrow went through the heart and came out several inches from the chest.  The arrow got bent.  For elks, all pass-through undamaged.

[grundy53]

Tagging

sent from my typewriter

[wariner87]

Just picked up a pack. Wondering how they will do.

[Rainier10]

Just picked up a pack. Wondering how they will do.

Solid move, I love them, let us know how it goes for you.

[h20hunter]

They work well in my bow, fligh nice, and hit like hammers. I'll be picking up another dozen next time to the bow shop. However...I only shoot a crappy Hoyt (there you go Rad...like giving candy to a baby) so don't just take my word for it.

[MtnMuley]

The FMJ's don't shoot good for me.  Axis and ACCs both shoot great, and I can't figure out why the FMJ's don't group as well. 

[RadSav]

The FMJ's don't shoot good for me.  Axis and ACCs both shoot great, and I can't figure out why the FMJ's don't group as well.

Should definitely group better than the Axis!  I wonder if you aren't pushing the limits of the spine.  FMJ's have a slightly weaker dynamic spine than does the Axis and A/C/C.  Only thing I could figure   Hard to believe the difference is speed to make a difference if you have a farm/followthru issue.

[Rainier10]

The FMJ's don't shoot good for me.  Axis and ACCs both shoot great, and I can't figure out why the FMJ's don't group as well.

I had a little trouble when I first started with them four or five years ago.  I shoot the 340's and they were 11.1 grains per inch and they changed them to 11.3 or vice versa.

Before they made the switch I had to number all of my arrows on the fletches #1,#2,#3 and so on.  Then I would shoot them all and keep record of the "flyers".  If an arrow was a flyer once I chalked it up to me, if it was a flyer 3 or 4 times I didn't use it anymore.  Out of a dozen I would have 3 or 4 that were just flyers.

After they made the grain per inch changed I didn't seem to have the problem with flyers per dozen.  I am guessing with the grain change they improved their manufacturing tolerances or something.

I guess I don't know what happened exactly but I know they are flying great out of my bow.

I am shooting one of those short ATA single cam Mathews Z7Extreme tactical jobs so the arrows look nice in the quiver also.  I did start shooting them when I still had my old Switchback so I didn't get the arrows to match the bow, I got the bow to match the arrows. 

[MtnMuley]

I'm shooting a Carbon Element 29.5" draw @ 72#.  The FMJ's are the 340 spine.  I definitely have certain arrows that fly better than others with the FMJ's, but compared to the cheaper Axis's there is no comparison.  The Axis have proven to be a lot more durable as well.  I've only broke 1 Axis and that was into steel on a miss.  Mushroomed the tip.  Trimmed an inch off, now it's my go to golf arrow. I can't see follow through as a problem, but maybe so.  If that were the case, then why can I grab 5 Axis arrows and put them in a 12" group at 100.  I'll follow with 5 FMJ's (granted they shoot a little lower at that distance) and the group is at least 24".   Makes sense for me in my opinion to just continue to shoot the Axis's and forget the FMJ's, and just remain confused.

[Rainier10]

There you go, if it works don't fix it.  That is why I am still shooting Thunderhead broadheads, they work for me.  My buddy shoots the axis arrows also and appreciates the lower cost as well.  They shoot great for him so he is sticking with them.  Funny how some arrows work for some and not for others.

[RadSav]

I'm shooting a Carbon Element 29.5" draw @ 72#.  The FMJ's are the 340 spine.  I definitely have certain arrows that fly better than others with the FMJ's, but compared to the cheaper Axis's there is no comparison.  The Axis have proven to be a lot more durable as well.  I've only broke 1 Axis and that was into steel on a miss.  Mushroomed the tip.  Trimmed an inch off, now it's my go to golf arrow. I can't see follow through as a problem, but maybe so.  If that were the case, then why can I grab 5 Axis arrows and put them in a 12" group at 100.  I'll follow with 5 FMJ's (granted they shoot a little lower at that distance) and the group is at least 24".   Makes sense for me in my opinion to just continue to shoot the Axis's and forget the FMJ's, and just remain confused.

I just ran your numbers through Archers Advantage.  Both with 100 and 125 grain points and assuming the arrows are also 29.5".  They show the dynamic spine for that set up to be in the danger zones.  Even the 300 spine shows slightly weak!  Being that the FMJ is weaker in dynamic spine and FOC is out of whack compared to the Axis it is starting to make sense that you would have issues with the FMJ and not so much with the Axis.

Nice to know the newer Axis are stronger than the first ones I gave the durability testing on.  The originals were pretty bad!  I get a few guys asking me to spine test and sort each year.  And unfortunately that hasn't changed much.  I'd say if you are shooting 12" groups at 100 yards with random 340 Axis arrows your form is outstanding!!  I don't expect for weak spine and spine consistency you could ask for anything better than 12".  That's really, REALLY good IMO

I'd be really interested to see what you could do with a 125 grain point and a 300 spine.  I'd expect you could get that 12" even tighter.  And that would truly be impressive!

[wariner87]

 I tested these arrows yesterday  with my faktor turbo 29inch drawat 70 #.Right away I noticed they are heavier (obviously) than my old arrows.   To be a little more specific   was shooting goldtips XT Hunters.  My arrow weight went from 398 great to 476.
 
I have to admit that the weight of the arrow at first was a little off putting, how ever I noticed that once I sighted my pins in to compensate for the heavier arrow I noticed a few things.
1.  My shot is MUCH quieter.
2. I'm getting same groups , but more shots are DEAD CENTER!
3.  The penetration of these arrows are amazing. the arrows are driving  all the way to the fletching on stacks of hay bales. My old GT XT would only go about halfway.

I had troubles sighting in beyond 60, but I figured  this was more of a hunting arrow than target shooting.
Didn't have much time  to shoot, but those are just the 3 big things I noticed right away.

[Rainier10]

Thanks for the update on what you found.  You can imagine with the penetration you are getting how hard these really hit the animal.  These arrows work really well for me.  The one thing I would say is after you pick your 5 arrows that you are going to hunt with, leave them alone with broadheads on them and use the other arrows for target practice.  You need to be little more careful with these during target practice than with carbons because these are aluminum wrapped so you can bend them slightly and not know it.  I give my target arrows the spin test if one of them all of a sudden starts doing weird things.  That is when I find that I have bent it slightly.

Keep shooting and good luck this year hunting.

[MtnMuley]

I'm shooting a Carbon Element 29.5" draw @ 72#.  The FMJ's are the 340 spine.  I definitely have certain arrows that fly better than others with the FMJ's, but compared to the cheaper Axis's there is no comparison.  The Axis have proven to be a lot more durable as well.  I've only broke 1 Axis and that was into steel on a miss.  Mushroomed the tip.  Trimmed an inch off, now it's my go to golf arrow. I can't see follow through as a problem, but maybe so.  If that were the case, then why can I grab 5 Axis arrows and put them in a 12" group at 100.  I'll follow with 5 FMJ's (granted they shoot a little lower at that distance) and the group is at least 24".   Makes sense for me in my opinion to just continue to shoot the Axis's and forget the FMJ's, and just remain confused.

I just ran your numbers through Archers Advantage.  Both with 100 and 125 grain points and assuming the arrows are also 29.5".  They show the dynamic spine for that set up to be in the danger zones.  Even the 300 spine shows slightly weak!  Being that the FMJ is weaker in dynamic spine and FOC is out of whack compared to the Axis it is starting to make sense that you would have issues with the FMJ and not so much with the Axis.

Nice to know the newer Axis are stronger than the first ones I gave the durability testing on.  The originals were pretty bad!  I get a few guys asking me to spine test and sort each year.  And unfortunately that hasn't changed much.  I'd say if you are shooting 12" groups at 100 yards with random 340 Axis arrows your form is outstanding!!  I don't expect for weak spine and spine consistency you could ask for anything better than 12".  That's really, REALLY good IMO

I'd be really interested to see what you could do with a 125 grain point and a 300 spine.  I'd expect you could get that 12" even tighter.  And that would truly be impressive!

Thanks for all that info Rad   I think I like your idea of getting a half dozen 300's with the 125's.  When I do that I'll report back.  Thanks again.