easton axis FMJ's

[uplandhunter870]

need to buy new arrows and am thinking about switching to the easton axis fmj's, im currently shooting beman ics hunters 340s 9.3gpi.  my rig is an 08 reflex bighorn with a 27" DL and have it set at 70#.

i can my bemans for about $70 a dozen bare shafts,  my hunting buddy shoots the fmj's and swears by them.  whats everyones opinion of the fmj's.  im kinda struggling with the switch due to cost

thanks,
Steve

[LongTatLaw]

I just shot about 10 pigs with mine...

27 inch FMJ 340's shot from a Bowtech set at 76lbs

Great flight
Great penetration
destroyed most of them shooting pigs from 10lbs to 150lbs  took 8...bent 5

some from an arrow sticking out and an animal falling on them...
some went through and hit trees on the other side...

Im pretty dissapointed..not sure what to do...  I love the pentration but miss the survivability of my straight carbon arrows!!

not much choice for me..if I wanna stay legal I gotta stay with the FMJ..nothing full carbon will make the WA requirements for a short arrow and 76lbs pull!!

mixed reviewed IMO

[let.it.fly]

ics's are far supperior in my oppion.

[LongTatLaw]

LIF...do the ICS's come heavy enough for the min GPI 27in x 76lbs?  are they composite metal/carbon  or just carbon?

[wabow]

LIF...do the ICS's come heavy enough for the min GPI 27in x 76lbs?  are they composite metal/carbon  or just carbon?

With 3 5" vanes and 125g points you would be close, just over legal @ about 468.

Don

[MtnMuley]

  are they composite metal/carbon  or just carbon?

Just carbon.  I will second the comment recommending the ICS's.

[tonymoe]

I liked the ics, but just bought a dozen bare shafts of the beman bone collectors. So far I like them.

[LongTatLaw]

i just hate dealing with a 20$ once fired bent metal shaft

i woulda sai im invested before this trip but now??  not many survived!!

but they did penetrate well..might have had plenty to do with those mean mean shuttle t locks!! 

[Lowedog]

I have some Beman MFX Max 4 340 arrows and they are 11.2gpi. 

Check out the new Piledriver by Carbon Express.  The 450 (.300) spine is 13.6gpi!

You can also add weight to an arrow using weight tubes and other products designed to add weight.

[xXx Archery]

I just shot about 10 pigs with mine...

27 inch FMJ 340's shot from a Bowtech set at 76lbs

Great flight
Great penetration
destroyed most of them shooting pigs from 10lbs to 150lbs  took 8...bent 5

some from an arrow sticking out and an animal falling on them...
some went through and hit trees on the other side...

Im pretty dissapointed..not sure what to do...  I love the pentration but miss the survivability of my straight carbon arrows!!

not much choice for me..if I wanna stay legal I gotta stay with the FMJ..nothing full carbon will make the WA requirements for a short arrow and 76lbs pull!!

mixed reviewed IMO

Where in Wa. are you shooting 10 pigs?

[NWWABOWHNTR]

Where in Wa. are you shooting 10 pigs?
[/quote]

He was in GA shooting pigs,  wish we had that here! 

[xXx Archery]

Where in Wa. are you shooting 10 pigs?

He was in GA shooting pigs,  wish we had that here! 
[/quote]

Ok when you go to GA shoot Axis's 340 and when you hunt WA. shoot fMJ.

[yajsab]

I switched to FMJ last year.  Shot a complete pass thru on an elk and the arrow is still like new.  I shot carbon express/goldtip previously and almost every arrow I shot into an elk was lost due to damage.  I think it depends on what happen during the shot, you will damage the arrow whether it is carbon, metal or hybrid.  But I like the FMJ on elk.

[LongTatLaw]

yeah...pigs in GA...I go a few times a year and slay them as prep for elk season here   great practice...tough skin...lots of shot ops'..test equipment...harsh conditions...great warm up for elk!

if ya can hit a 50 yard shot at a 150lb pig and get a complete pass through of the chest shield 

1. ya might be able to hit an elk  
2. if its a proper shot on a 600lb elk versus a proper shot on a 150lb boar with a well developed shield...ya might have a decent comparision..some might argue but not many that have bow hunted for hogs will argue despite the obvious size/weight/thickness difference!

again..really happy with the FMJ survivability!

when I went down pig hunting with the all carbon axis arrows...I lost I believe 2/8 that were shot    this time...nearly all damamged..maybe 5 or 6 of 8..virtually the same test...except better broadheads on round two!!

any way,

If I could find a 11+ GPI all carbon arrow with a spine for 76lbs and a deecent straightness...then Id prob drop my FMJs...

or maybe Ill stick with em here and switch to carbons in GA as suggested...

Id spend the money to put 12 fully dressed full metal jackets for any elk Id nock an arrow for!!!
last year I did...I believe I put 6 in him..5 or 6...  lol   my quiver only holds 5 but the first was a complete pass through that I recovered so I believe shot 1 was also shot 6...

sooooo, thanks for the suggestions on some new arrows to research!

[NWWABOWHNTR]

for that weight and draw... try Grizzly sticks, Alaskans from alaskan bowhunting supply.... $98 a half dozen,  but tough and heavy.  I shoot them from my longbow, 30" and 125 gr BH,  weigh in excess of 600 gr,  I think it was 630 grains.  THey are carbon,  tapered bigger in front to narrow at the rear to make the FOC even better.  Expensive but amazing.

[carpsniperg2]

i have shot the fmjs threw my recurves and they do like them much they really like the arrow dynamics tapered carbons that i buy from my friend that owns a trad shop.

[Todd_ID]

LongT, post up your specs and I can give you some ideas with finished arrow weights and spine recommendations.  That should help settle your debate about whether you want to switch or not.  No doubt about it FMJ's are killing machines, but you pay for that ability.  I'd need: bow year, model, draw length, 76# draw weight (absolutely must keep or open to changing a bit?), broadhead weight, FOC desired, range of arrow lengths desired.  I'll bet we can find a great combination out there somewhere that aren't $160 a dozen that would fly great and kill well.

[LongTatLaw]

I shoot a 2009 Bowtech Guardian -
draw is at I believe 27 inches
arrows cut to 28
I shoot 76lbs because even with twisted cables I cant get it any higher without switching to 80lb limbs ($$ $$) Im a big fan of draw wt
125g Shuttle T Locks
I shoot a release (copperhead)
my rest is a new version whisker biscuit (2009?)
I normally do white 4 inch wraps and 3 x 2in blazer vanes
I currently have 340 FMJ's   i had identical 400 FMJs before and see no difference in accuracy...spine be damned (but its borderline at 76)

ps- the accuracy isnt really an issue...its fine with full metal jackets...and penetration is very good...but hate metal arrows = bend...  miss my carbons that are shattered or straight...no bending...

Im also a fan of super tight tolerances...like I loved the flight of my old PSE carbons a few years ago..claimed   .001 straightness

I believe I do see a difference between them and say any arrow that claims .003 ect...  but those are all small numbers so someone will tell me its in my head!

[Lowedog]

Watch the Archery Talk classifieds for limbs.  I have 3 sets for my Guardian from 50-80lbs.  I think I paid $85 for one set and $60 for the other. 

[LongTatLaw]

hmmm what ya want for them there 80's

you dont need all that draw...its just wasted kenetic energy hard to tame!

[Todd_ID]

LongT....  with those numbers and a 2008 Guardian (not made in 09 from what I can find), .340 is a good spine for you to be using (program shows .338 as the recommended spine for your setup).  The Easton N-fused Axis Camo 340's would fill the bill well at 456.4 grains (6.005 gr/#).  Carbon Tech has the best spine consistency from what I've tested.  Their Rhino's in 65/80 (.300 spine) come in at 499 grains (6.57 gr/#), and their Whitetail Camo's in 65/80 are .310 spine and would be 485 gr.  The Gold Tip PRO Hunters Camo in 7595 are (.340 spine) and would be around 460 gr, but stay away from the cheaper XT Hunters if you are looking for consistency.  Beman MFX Max-4 in 340 would be 490 gr and are pretty good for spine consistency.  You mentioned PSE...their 2010 Radial X Black Mamba in 400 show a spine of .332 and would be 471 gr, prior years would be 435 gr, and I haven't tested either on my spine tester. 

Lots of good options in the 340 spine and using the 125 grain heads to keep you legal and under $20 per shaft.

[Lowedog]

hmmm what ya want for them there 80's

you dont need all that draw...its just wasted kenetic energy hard to tame!

I'll think about it.  I have been shooting @ 60 lbs for the last year and the older I get the more I like pulling 60lbs. 

[croix]

If I could find a 11+ GPI all carbon arrow with a spine for 76lbs and a deecent straightness...then Id prob drop my FMJs...

At a draw weight of 76 lbs and 27" arrows a deflection of .340 is adequate for any broadhead from 85-125 gr.

Beman MFX Classic in .340 has 11.2 GPI and +/- .003 straightness for $120/dz

[LongTatLaw]

ok guys...

80lb limbs in the mail toward me...

with twisted cables that will put me around 84-86lbs draw weight...

that eliminates the Easton Axis...and prob 340 FMJs any way..when discussing spine!

sooo, the woodgrain crap on the MFX classic is just horrible looking...

I like the look of the PSE black mambas but they only have a .003 straightness rating...

The 7595 gold tip in camo looks the part and has a .001 straightness (my fav #'s are straightness)..but my only experience is with 3555's and they are crap!!

sooo...new numbers...   28inch arrows...shot from a 85lb Guardian...with 125grain shuttle t-locks...??  staying ALL CARBON...

which arrow?

[carpsniperg2]

you might check out the radial x weave arrows very tuff arrow. i shoot 83lbs with my x force at 343fps and i shoot gold tips they have always been great arrows for my i shoot the xt's that are .003 not the expeditions that are .006 but my brother and wife shoot them and they do well it sucks you had such a bad prob with them by the sounds of it. i took the fmjs to test in new zealand they worked great but i did not like them better than my goldtips shot 3 animals with the fmjs and 2 broke and one bent they do penitrate way better than anything else but they do not group as well as my gold tips, so i stuck with my gold tips and shot my elk this year with another goldtip

[LongTatLaw]

didnt love the groups with FMJ's....  bent and broke about 50% that I shot...

but best penetration Ive had from any arrow ever...

just too damn expensive..maybe Ill stick with FMJ's for hunting the PNW and shoot some GT's for pigs in the South...

best group arrows Ive ever had were PSE Competition Pro 400's .001 straightness with Thunderhead 125's shot from 73 lbs PSE Stingray

glad to hear u actually draw over 80lbs and can speak from experience

sooo...u like the PSE x weave Black Mambas in 400 for my 85lb / 28inch /125g BH set up???

[carpsniperg2]

yeah i think that would be a killer setup for you bow. i would shoot them over the fmjs any day of the week. i watched pete from pse shoot a elephant with the x weave and did great on it i own the video bowhunting dangerous game. my set up is very similar to yours and i shoot the 125 grain montecs 28" with the goldtip and they are killer arrows, i think you would be good to go on anything with that setup.