Arrow weight

[Mighty Mouse]

Appreciate the reply and insight! And very helpful reminder on spine. It’s odd, for my DL and Weight (Mathews vxr 31.5 at 30” and 70#), Easton says 250-300. I currently have 300s. Any reason to go stiffer?

qSpine/OT2Go says your current arrows are slightly weak, but if you can get broadheads to group well alongside field points, your arrows are functionally "optimal" regardless of what any spine chart/calculator says. Modern compound bows can handle a fairly wide range of spines, and spine charts/calculators only give approximate starting points (not exact requirements for good arrow flight). 300 spine should work just fine at your specs.

Bow inputs: 343 fps IBO, 70# DW, 30" DL, 31.5" ATA, 6" BH, 85% LO
Arrow inputs: 30" C2C, 3 vanes at 6 gr each, 20 gr nock, 50 gr insert, 100 (top) and 125 (bottom) gr point

 

[doc holiday13]

Short answer: the importance of FOC has been greatly exaggerated by many archery "influencers"...build for your desired total arrow weight and let FOC fall where it may.

Longer answer: you're shooting a long, dense (10.7 gpi) shaft, which limits your ability to achieve high FOC while keeping TAW reasonable. If you really want to boost FOC, shorten your arrow (if you can), switch to an unlighted nock, and/or switch to a lower gpi shaft. Or, as I alluded to above, ignore FOC altogether and just go shoot what you have.

x2
with a 60# bow, you likely have more ftlbs than most people out there

 

[RuggedYogi]

What is everyone's favorite "light" arrow? I'm jealous of so many guys shooting arrows in the 400s. I'm at 549 grains and would love to get down closer to 480-500. I'd like a hair faster arrow for when I'm hunting whitetails rather than elk or mule deer. It's tough with a 30" draw and shooting 70 lbs. Have been shooting the Easton Axis for several years now and they've been so durable and reliable I've been hesitant to switch things up. I do run IW collars and their 50 grain insert but my FOC is still only around 11%.

31” draw shooting 70#
Victory RIP TKO - 300 spine
30.75” on the saw
50 grain outsert with 100 grain broadhead.
455 grain TAW shooting 294 fps

 

[holmesac89]

31” draw shooting 70#
Victory RIP TKO - 300 spine
30.75” on the saw
50 grain outsert with 100 grain broadhead.
455 grain TAW shooting 294 fps

I hadn't looked at Victory's spine chart before tonight or at least if I have it was too long ago to remember. Easton's chart has me at 250 spine but it looks like I could get away with a 300 according to Victory's chart. I'm shooting 29.5" arrow, 50 grain arrow, 25 grain collar, and 100 grain broadhead. Thanks.

 

[CentennialState]

qSpine/OT2Go says your current arrows are slightly weak, but if you can get broadheads to group well alongside field points, your arrows are functionally "optimal" regardless of what any spine chart/calculator says. Modern compound bows can handle a fairly wide range of spines, and spine charts/calculators only give approximate starting points (not exact requirements for good arrow flight). 300 spine should work just fine at your specs.

Bow inputs: 343 fps IBO, 70# DW, 30" DL, 31.5" ATA, 6" BH, 85% LO
Arrow inputs: 30" C2C, 3 vanes at 6 gr each, 20 gr nock, 50 gr insert, 100 (top) and 125 (bottom) gr point
View attachment 561470
View attachment 561471

Thanks for running those numbers for me! And really appreciate you taking the time to respond to questions, offer meaningful feedback and get me pointed in the right direction- very appreciative

 

[mikeafeagin22]

31” draw shooting 70#
Victory RIP TKO - 300 spine
30.75” on the saw
50 grain outsert with 100 grain broadhead.
455 grain TAW shooting 294 fps

Nice. That’s very similar to what I’m running.
31” draw with 75# mods on a Phase 4
Rip TKO 250 spine
28.75” carbon to carbon
50 grain insert with a 125 grain head
470 grain TAW at 297 fps

 

[Bump79]

What is everyone's favorite "light" arrow?

I shoot BE X-Impacts or Element Storm 300 spine. Whichever I get a better deal on. As Mighty mouse mentioned components gets complicated in micro. I've had great luck with Nexxus Ti components (check thread depth when installing).

If you want simpler go with a .204 shaft like a Victory Rip TKO with HIT insert & collar, or even simpler get a Easton Sonic 6.0 with stock components. Or simplest a .244 shaft with a steel insert. Sorry everyone... brass is for the birds IMHO.

 

[CentennialState]

I shoot BE X-Impacts or Element Storm 300 spine. Whichever I get a better deal on. As Mighty mouse mentioned components gets complicated in micro. I've had great luck with Nexxus Ti components (check thread depth when installing).

If you want simpler go with a .204 shaft like a Victory Rip TKO with HIT insert & collar, or even simpler get an Easton Sonic 6.0 with stock components. Or simplest a .244 shaft with a steel insert. Sorry everyone... brass is for the birds IMHO.

Explain brass is for the birds, I don’t understand the comparative benefit of steel

 

[Wannabebowhuntr]

Steel and titanium tend to be more durable. Brass and aluminum are soft. More often than not they are fine, but I have bent brass and aluminum inserts even in standard diameter arrows. I’m sure some have also bent steel or ti. Use what works for you and you’re confident in

 

[cjdewese]

31” draw shooting 70#
Victory RIP TKO - 300 spine
30.75” on the saw
50 grain outsert with 100 grain broadhead.
455 grain TAW shooting 294 fps

This is exactly what my buddy shot for a long time. Went up one spine once he switched to 125 g broadheads.

 

[CentennialState]

Steel and titanium tend to be more durable. Brass and aluminum are soft. More often than not they are fine, but I have bent brass and aluminum inserts even in standard diameter arrows. I’m sure some have also bent steel or ti. Use what works for you and you’re confident in

This belays my ignorance but how can you bend something that’s seated inside of a rigid shaft? I mean I have no doubt it can happen but wouldn’t that wreck the surrounding arrow? Or is that the point

 

[Wannabebowhuntr]

This belays my ignorance but how can you bend something that’s seated inside of a rigid shaft? I mean I have no doubt it can happen but wouldn’t that wreck the surrounding arrow? Or is that the point

So I once had a factory aluminum insert in a victory VFTKO (.246) hit rebar in a 3d target, it bent the insert significantly and damaged the end of the arrow. Now I have no idea what would have happened with a steel insert, it may have pushed the entire insert into the arrow. But after this I just feel more confident with components that I know won’t bend or anything like that on a shot at an animal.

 

[Bump79]

Explain brass is for the birds, I don’t understand the comparative benefit of steel

Here's my thought process - I don't see any benefit in adding mass just for mass (or FOCS) sakes. If I'm adding mass I'm adding it for strength. Full stop. Brass isn't a very strong material - less so than a 7075 T6 aluminum. Which is comparable to the standard steels but not as strong as say a 17-4 PH steel that Iron Will uses in their heavier ferrules.

So why add that weight by changing materials if you didn't gain any durability? It makes zero sense to me to add weight if it's say 25 grains in the breakoff style of brass HIT head as that 25 grains added little to no durability. So if can I use Titanium for essentially the same weight as aluminum, but is way stronger than aluminum & comparable to a premium steel.. then it's win all around.

Here's my advice: If you're targeting a heavy arrow weight do so with the shaft first. Shoot the heaviest shaft you can as generally it will be more durable. Then depending on your target weight top it off with quality steel components or even better Titanium components from Nexxus, Day Six, Firenock or Iron Will. That gives you more weight you can add into your head and invest in durability.

If you're using Ti components it's really possible to get a light arrow that is as durable as a cheap heavy option. I'd stack my 445 grain arrow against a lot of these builds I see floating around.

 

[CentennialState]

Here's my thought process - I don't see any benefit in adding mass just for mass (or FOCS) sakes. If I'm adding mass I'm adding it for strength. Full stop. Brass isn't a very strong material - less so than a 7075 T6 aluminum. Which is comparable to the standard steels but not as strong as say a 17-4 PH steel that Iron Will uses in their heavier ferrules.

So why add that weight by changing materials if you didn't gain any durability? It makes zero sense to me to add weight if it's say 25 grains in the breakoff style of brass HIT head as that 25 grains added little to no durability. So if can I use Titanium for essentially the same weight as aluminum, but is way stronger than aluminum & comparable to a premium steel.. then it's win all around.

Here's my advice: If you're targeting a heavy arrow weight do so with the shaft first. Shoot the heaviest shaft you can as generally it will be more durable. Then depending on your target weight top it off with quality steel components or even better Titanium components from Nexxus, Day Six, Firenock or Iron Will. That gives you more weight you can add into your head and invest in durability.

If you're using Ti components it's really possible to get a light arrow that is as durable as a cheap heavy option. I'd stack my 445 grain arrow against a lot of these builds I see floating around.

Great explanation/reasoning. Thanks!

 

[Wapiti_87]

Easton Axis 4mm 30.5” 491gr 278fps

30.75” draw @ 60#