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Arrow/Broadhead Opinions

cpoplayer

cpoplayer

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Nov 20, 2016
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Grand Ridge, FL
Yesterday I put a brand spanking new 2016 Obsession Defcon M6 on layaway. I have only whitetail hunted with a bow and just wanted to pick everyone's brain about their archery setups. Right now I am shooting a 2013 Bear Legion with Gold Tip Traditional arrows fletched with feathers and 125gr NAP Spitfire expandables. Ideally with the new bow, I would like to have one all-around setup for deer, hogs, turkeys, and possibly elk. Is this something that is feasible? Does anyone do this? Also, I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on arrows, fletchings, and broadheads (brands and weights for various big game). Does anyone use expandables on deer and then swap over to fixed blade heads for elk?

My current setup:

bow current.jpg

My new baby:

bow.jpg
 
I've got an Elite Answer drawing 72#. I shoot 340 spined Easton Carbon Aftermath arrows. I tried Easton Axis for a while, but the arrow ends would start to come apart with the hidden insert setup. I get mine fletched with 2 inch Blazer vanes. I use 125 grain Slick Trick Magnums. They fly great out of my setup and there was no adjustment between field points and broadheads. They have killed everything from rabbits to antelope and deer. I'm still waiting for my first bow elk, but it's my own fault I've come home empty handed. You will get all sorts of advice and recommendations, but you have to shoot what shoots good out of your set up and what you're comfortable with. A well tuned bow will shoot most anything pretty well. Congrats on the new bow!

EDIT: It looks like you're getting the bow at a big box store..Bass Pro, Cabelas...I would take the bow to a local pro shop after you get it to have it tuned. Most of the archery department people I've run in to at the big box places all over the country have had no clue what they're talking about and I wouldn't trust the shot on an animal of a lifetime on a bow that isn't set up right.
 
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Build yourself a 450-500 grain setup with a good SHARP fixed blade (shuttle t, slick trick, wacem) and call it good. In my opinion that will handle anything you will ever hunt. Feathers fly great but I think they are a waste of time with a compound setup for hunting.
 
Standardize your bow setup, don't need to switch for deer antelope, bear, etc. And go with fixed. Don't worry about the mechanical stuff. In another thread I posted about what were the priorities for bow hunting. I shoot goldtips, and really like them. Buy the best ones you can afford, they have different levels. You'll notice the accuracy on longer shots, around 50-60 yds not at 20. I also shoot stingers and have gotten the m to pattern pretty decent.
 
If your bow is well tuned, you should be able to swap expandables and fixed blade with very little, if any change in arrow flight and/or POI.

I've never used feathers, I use either Blazers or AAE Max Hunters, shooting FMJ 340 shafts and 125 grain heads.
 
I agree with a well tuned bow you can shoot both fixed and mechanical heads with same
Point of impact! I shoot a 420 grain arrow for everything !

I have had good luck with wackems and slick tricks!
 
Go with the arrow that is spined for your set up. Also spend the money and get the straightest arrow, example Gold Tip Pro .01 in straightness. Use these as your hunting arrows. Fixed blade broadheads are the best way to go. Slick Tricks are a good choice. I killed a 5 point Bull with one. It X'd the heart and shattered the opposite side front leg bone. I could have used it again, it held up great. My Gold Tip Pro's "300" and Slick Tricks weight in at 400 grains. They shoot great with my Bowtech Experience set at 70lbs. Just remember don't skip on your hunting arrows. In my mind they will only be shot once so I don't even think about breaking or losing my arrow. Just concentrate on your spot.
Good Luck,
Dan
 
Dan O said:
Also spend the money and get the straightest arrow, example Gold Tip Pro .01 in straightness.
Click to expand...

I think you mean .001" and in my opinion they're a waste of money. Unless you have gorilla arms and shoot full length arrows you will never see a difference between .001" and .003" arrows other than price. The majority of us don't shoot good enough to notice a difference...
 
Fire_9 said:
I think you mean .001" and in my opinion they're a waste of money. Unless you have gorilla arms and shoot full length arrows you will never see a difference between .001" and .003" arrows other than price. The majority of us don't shoot good enough to notice a difference...
Click to expand...


Your right I did mean the .001 shafts, thanks for pointing that out. If you spin test the .003 shafts you will find on average 50% that will spin perfect the others will have a small wobble. My thoughts are to remove all variables possible. The difference will show up usually around 40 yards or more. Some guys buy the .003 and use the straightest for broadheads and the others for regular shooting.
I also number and shoot each arrow with broadhead to insure good flight. Then put new blades in and they are ready for the quiver. This system works for me, but each person needs to do what works for them.
Good Luck
Dan
 
In general, I would say try to keep your arrow speeds between 280 and 290 fps. I fought my bow tuning for too long when trying to shoot fixed blade heads at speeds above 300 fps.

I like having a high FOC - and use the Gold Tip weight system. It really helps fine tune spine adjustments without having to vary your arrow length. I've seen big differences in broadhead/field tip point of impact with as little as 10 grain differences in tip weight.

My current setup totals 510 grains (Carbon Express Piledrivers 350 spine, 100 gr Solid broadheads, 40 grains with insert and blazer vanes). I use the same setup for deer, elk and antelope.

Take a listen to John Dudley's podcast 'Nock On'. He has great arrow tuning information.
 
Thanks for the input everyone! Seems like finding the correct shaft/broadhead combination is a lot like working up a handload for a rifle.
 
I know others will disagree but in my opinion stay as far away from mechanical broadheads as you can. I shot a javelina with a mechanical broadhead years ago and the blades not only did not open but prevented the arrow from penetrating. Ended up wounding but never killed or recovered the pig. I shot a similar sized javelina the following year with fixed blades (same bow, same arrows) and the shot hit the same area. The fixed blade broahead cut and penetrated perfectly for a quick kill. I can't even imagine trying to shoot a big deer or an elk with a mechanical broadhead.
 
You can't go wrong with wacems I've passed through 3 bulls with them at distances > 40. Furthest being 55. And for me they shoot just like my field tips. Expendables just seem like one more thing to have to unnecessarily worry about, if you can get a cut on contact fixed blade to shoot like your field points.
I have killed a couple elk with shuttle T ( do they even still make those? ) as well. But for me, those hit slightly lower than field points, with the difference becoming obviously more notable at greater distances.
 
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I used Easton Injexion FMJ's last year and really liked them. I didn't trust the Rage Hypodermic DP6 heads though. This year I'm looking to change to a different arrow with an outsert. Anybody have any suggestions on arrows? I want more options on broadheads with the outsert.
 
I use 4" feathers, fletch my own in the tightest helical I can get out of my jig. 2 reasons for this - I'm kind of fanatical about wanting the arrow to spin, the other reason is I'm a little paranoid about a stiff plastic vane hitting an unseen branch as its flying at an elk and losing either accuracy or energy or both. Just my preference. I'm actually the only bowhunter I know that uses feathers.

On to mechanicals, I like some of them. Spitfires are great for deer sized game. I've shot about a dozen deer and 3 antelope with them. I'd be reluctant to shoot an elk with one, they don't penetrate great. I've shot elk with the old Tekken 2s, but they don't make those anymore. People on this thread seem the like Slicks quite a bit, but for fixed blades I'm very partial to the standard 4-blade muzzeys. Those fly right through all kinds of game seemingly without even slowing down. Great all around broadhead design. Just not as fashionable as they once were.
 
I shoot 28" Gold Tip Hunter XT .300" out of a 72# compound with 125 grain heads. Total arrow weight is 430 grains. I feel this is perfect for a do-all setup. The only thing I switch out between animals is broadhead style. I don't use expandable broadheads on elk, but use rage hypodermics on everything else.

In general, a FOC between 7-15% is good. Keep arrow weight above 400 grains and use a quality arrow (I love gold tips!). I don't recommend expandables on elk, and traditional fletching isn't necessary but those arrows will be fine is everything else is in check.
 
I've used Easton FMJ's for years now, at 11.3 grains per inch I did lose some speed but my bow is quieter shooting the heavy arrows and the have awesome penetration. When shooting with friends my arrows are consistently driven deeper into the target even though they are shooting the same draw weight and have a longer draw length than me. Also the FMJ's are made in the USA if that makes any difference to you. As long as they keep making them they are all I'll ever shoot.
 
Wheaty17 said:
I used Easton Injexion FMJ's last year and really liked them. I didn't trust the Rage Hypodermic DP6 heads though. This year I'm looking to change to a different arrow with an outsert. Anybody have any suggestions on arrows? I want more options on broadheads with the outsert.
Click to expand...

I shot the exact same setup last year and I am switching. I loved the arrows but I don't like having to go to the DP6 type heads. I'm not sure the Hypodermics deployed either. I had a 5 yard shot on a cow and watched a perfect hit result in nothing after searching for blood and coming up with none.
I'm going to a Black Eagle Deep Impact .001 with outsert and possibly the Grave Digger. Not sure about what grain to use. Probably 100.
 
I shoot the VAP Elites 350, with a stainless steel outsert and 100grain Exodus. Total arrow weight is just under 450g and the punch deep. Even using field points I'll bury arrows up to fletching a right next to a guy whose arrows only get a few inches in. I'm only shoot 64# and 28" draw.

As a note, and this was new to me, initially set your draw weight in around the middle of the range of your bow. If your set up is a little over or under spikes you can adjust the weight to try and compensate then
 
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