Big fat out front

[jasnt]

Ever have an arrow not exit?
According to the blood trackers of America’s stats.  Non pass threw deer are 27% recoveries and full pass threw are 74% recovery. 

I didn’t just pick this weight and go with it.  I started low and worked up in weight till the arrow flight was perfect.  No fletches to drive the arrow.  The weight out front drives the arrow and adds momentum.  I’m not worried about what energy I have at impact, I’m thinking about after impact.  Holes bleed better when there’s no object in the hole plugging them up.

[Jpmiller]

Ever have an arrow not exit?
According to the blood trackers of America’s stats.  Non pass threw deer are 27% recoveries and full pass threw are 74% recovery. 

I didn’t just pick this weight and go with it.  I started low and worked up in weight till the arrow flight was perfect.  No fletches to drive the arrow.  The weight out front drives the arrow and adds momentum.  I’m not worried about what energy I have at impact, I’m thinking about after impact.  Holes bleed better when there’s no object in the hole plugging them up.

When I was doing some reading on it this is what I kept coming back to. I've anecdotally noticed this and it kept coming back up

[jrebel]

Heavy arrows worked years ago and will work again....kind of glad some are going away from the "SPEED" craze.  150 grain broadheads use to be the gold standard.  Now 85, 100, 125 and so on.  Big heavy aluminum arrows with 150 grain broadheads would literally pancake deer, taking them off their feet and laying them on their side, I have never seen that with these light speed / whiz bang / fancy news ultra thin and light arrows.  With that said....I do believe there is a sweet spot with speed and weight in todays setups.  Find what shoots well and works for you and go with it.  Archery can be an expensive game if you chase shiny new trends.  Kind of like reloading for rifles....but you don't need a bunch of reloading gear to support the archery habit....

[jasnt]

I have a lot of friends that bow hunt, they have always tried to get me into it, I’ve fought them for years on it because of the troubles I’ve seen them have with killing animals quickly and reliably.  These are good hunters, good shooters, and put a lot of effort into their setups.

Last year I decided to try it, was successful and had a blast.  I did get a hole in both sides but arrow fell out about 10 yards away. Buck went 80 yards and crashed.  Ribs were the only bone encountered and the arrow barely made it out.  That was with about a 400gr set up at 17 yards. 
I wasn’t super impressed with that. So I started doing research. Every search kept bringing up the Ashby foundation. 

As a new bow hunter I want all the insurance I can get. I limit my shots to my effective range and wait for the good shot.  I’m not shooting heavy pull (55lbs) because it’s easy to shoot, I can hold draw for a long time and let down easily. 
These arrows are slower but the trajectory is acceptable for me. 

By the way all my bow hunting friends think I’m nuts too for shooting such a heavy arrow. 

[Longfield1]

I take a middle of the road approach and am shooting a 125gr broadhead with a 50 grain insert total arrow weight around 515grains

[Shawn Ryan]

Ashby was killing rhinos and water buffalo with archery equipment. And he did his work with a real science approach.

[hughjorgan]

I take a middle of the road approach and am shooting a 125gr broadhead with a 50 grain insert total arrow weight around 515grains

I am middle of the road as well. Run a 75 grain insert with 100 grain BH gives me 500 grain arrows.

I’ve shot lighter set ups and they did fine as well as a 9 percent FOC. Still had pass throughs.

[MIKEXRAY]

I wasn't happy with my arrow penetration a couple of years ago, due to my ignorance I was set up with an ultra light arrow. I simply added 60 - 70 gr by going with the next heavier spined arrow and a 125 gr 3 blade broadhead. I also went with a slimmer arrow of Easton Axis @ 5mm . Shooting both simultaneously at a broadhead target the upgraded setup definitely was hitting harder and deeper. I actually only had to change my 50 & 60 yard pins. I shot an elk that year hard quartering away with the arrow entering right before the last rib and was sticking in the far leg bone on exit.  I don't think my original setup would of ever accomplished this. Shooting deer and elk in a western atmosphere I'm not sure you need the same setup as someone hunting Cape Buffalo or whatever bigger game but adding some weight definitely made me more confident.  Its nice to get some bowhunting posts going , let's keep it up.

[jasnt]

I plan to do a lot of testing different setups this spring before I decide what I’ll run this season. Picked up some kudu 150’s.  So far it seems this combo is running great at 660gr total weight with gt hunter XT’s   

[MIKEXRAY]

Good luck.  I didn't read the whole topic before giving my two cents lol, only read page two with the middle of the road posts. Let us know the final outcome,  have a great season this year. 

[jasnt]

Good luck.  I didn't read the whole topic before giving my two cents lol, only read page two with the middle of the road posts. Let us know the final outcome,  have a great season this year. 

good luck to you as well



Got sighted in yesterday with the kudu 150’s.  Broadhead is grouping right with my field points out to 40 so far.  Really didn’t change my pins much at all.   Broadhead buried to the fletches in a half frozen straw bale.
This setup sure is quite.

[jasnt]

Picked up my new broadheads last week
Ranch fairy 200gr single bevel

[jrebel]

Picked up my new broadheads last week
Ranch fairy 200gr single bevel

How to they fly?  What kind of set up are you shooting them out of? 

[jasnt]

Picked up my new broadheads last week
Ranch fairy 200gr single bevel

How to they fly?  What kind of set up are you shooting them out of? 

shoot great. Grouping right with my field points.  Running a diamond edge 320, smackdown pro rest with factory sight and stabilizer
This arrow setup is 720gr total weight.