Anyone shoot Easton FMJ's?

[butcherboy]

Just wondering how many shoot fmj's off their stick bow? I shoot them on my compound and like them a lot. Currently shooting easton axis off my longbow and thinking of switching over. I'm not interested in shooting other brands of arrows and I know all about fmj's bending. That doesn't bother me at all since I'm from the days when the only thing available besides wood was aluminum. Heck, I've broke, shattered, and splintered my fair share of carbon arrows over the years. Lol. I also find myself shooting my compound less and less all the time. It's just not as much fun as my longbow. So, who else shoots them?

 

[oldgoat]

Nope! I understand their allure, but I like taking long and or difficult shots practicing and they can get screwed up too fast! Find a similar spec carbon arrow to practice with them and use the FMJ's for hunting could be an option

 

[CamoPirate]

I just did the same thing I do with my FMJs on my compound: out of 6-12, I take 3 that are my main practice arrows. Come season, I swap to fine tuning with fresh shafts. It usually takes a lot of shots/misses in my experience to really get a FMJ to bend enough to cause that bad of arrow flight. Though I don't tend to miss a lot either so ymmv.

I also really (really x10) hate refletching carbon shafts. It pisses me off.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Meh. They’re ok. I have several, and they fly really well from my bow, but they still blow up after a while, and they’re so insanely expensive.

The toughest arrows I ever had were Beman ICS Bowhunter shafts with a collar. Easton makes the same shaft now: it’s the 6.5 mm bowhunter.

 

[Ksfarmer]

I will second the toughness of beman ics. I had a dozen and they lasted forever.

 

[Beendare]

del

.

 

[butcherboy]

I shot Beman hunters years ago. Switched back to Easton about 15 years ago and much happier. I also only have a few dedicated target arrows and then switch out with new shafts for hunting season.

I was just curious about how many people shoot them. I will probably use my Axis shafts for stump shooting and fmj’s for the target and hunting though I haven’t had problems stump shooting with fmj’s either. I refletching carbon arrows as well!

 

[Steve O]

If you use JB Weld for the HIT inserts rather than the epoxy that comes with the FMJs, you will find them incredibly durable. I used to foot the FMJs to up their durability but since I went to JB Weld I’ve been able to skip that step. I’ve used FMJs exclusively for at least a decade of intense traditional archery activity including a tremendous amount of stump shooting.

 

[butcherboy]

I don’t like the epoxy either and always used hot melt glue. I was going to foot them as well with a collar but ended up going with 75 grain half out inserts. I’ll try the JB weld next. I still like my fmj’s over all my other arrows in my collection.

 

[mattflint]

Meh. They’re ok. I have several, and they fly really well from my bow, but they still blow up after a while, and they’re so insanely expensive.

The toughest arrows I ever had were Beman ICS Bowhunter shafts with a collar. Easton makes the same shaft now: it’s the 6.5 mm bowhunter.

The 6.5 bowhunter is much more brittle than the old ics shafts. I got a dozen off lancaster for 60 bucks and destroyed the majority stumping. Optimus shafts are thicker walled and less brittle so I went back to them. The 6.5 seem similar to carnivores

 

[Beendare]

My worry with the FMJ;

I shoot a lot of arrows in the field at stumps and such …..and I probably hunt more than most. Just about every arrow ends up a pass thru in the dirt and rocks….where I thought I would hit something soft but it really wasn’t.

Thus I bend, ding, wreck a fair amount of BHs. With the Axis and Centershots…. Even wrecking broad heads I don’t wreck many arrows…they are surprising durable even without any collars.

Since I started running the ends of those carbon arrows on a squaring jig with fine sandpaper they are just a lot more durable.

.

 

[nevadabugle]

They are what I have shot for several years. I don't bend too many even when stump shooting. I like em for building a heavier arrow. I shoot 340s out of a 50 pound recurve with about 225 up front. Builds a 600 grain arrow.

 

[razorsharptokill]

I have several FMJs but will switch to an Axis shaft. All carbon is either straight or broken, FMJs can take only so much until they develop a wobble.

 

[butcherboy]

 

[butcherboy]

This was at 30 yds today. 400 fmj, 3 fletch 4”, cut to 29 1/2”, 300 grains up front. Shooting 45# @ 28” drawing to 29”. The 340’s didn’t fly quite as well as the 400’s did. Took me a while to dial the arrow in. Started out at 31” and shooting 4 different weights up front. Started cutting down the arrow and it flys like a dart now.

 

[Zmonster]

I love the FMJs, but I have to agree with all the above. They aren't that durable and will develop a wobble if you make a glancing shot on a target. But I still use them when I can find them. I especially like the Autumn Orange edition.

 

[cocky84]

I just switched to them but havnt killed anything with them yet. I wanted to build a 600 grain arrow in a 5mm shaft with out having a crazy high foc. Fmj’s are the heaviest 5mm i could find.

 

[ledflight]

Not used them, love that some of them are so heavy, but it seems like you get the downside of the aluminum for extra $. Some people are good a straightening aluminum - can you do that with an FMJ? I don't know.
Anecdotally the FMJ insert system is prone to blow up.
2219s are pretty tough and heavy. If Mike Mitten can take moose solo with them, then they're good enough for anyone!