Help Me Archery Experts

[jlw0142]

Iron Will is selling singles and I have been wanting to try them out. I have a Matthew’s V3X at 27.5 DL and 65 lbs. I was thinking I may crank it up to 70, switch to a 4 vane helical setup with Vanetec swift 2.88’s and 150 gr single bevels with a 50 gr insert on a 300 spine Easton Axis 4mm long range (approx. 27 in long). Will probably throw a 5gr wrap on the back too for better FOC. I have been shooting QAD Exodus 100gr but lost a deer this year with a shoulder shot. Thoughts on switching to this heavier setup? Is it worth a shot? I just haven’t felt super confident with my current setup, and it doesn’t seem super stable and is also on the lighter side (420-430 gr).


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[Lytro]

Will probably throw a 5gr wrap on the back too for better FOC.

What?

 

[jlw0142]

What?

Dude, I came to get help not smart comments. I was going to put a wrap on the back for some more weight and hopefully better stability on the back end, keeping my FOC near 15% was the plan. If you think I should do something different, that’s great, tell me.


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[Lytro]

Dude, I came to get help not smart comments. I was going to put a wrap on the back for some more weight and hopefully better stability on the back end, keeping my FOC near 15% was the plan. If you think I should do something different, that’s great, tell me.


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Adding weight to the back of your arrow will reduce your FOC. I personally think 15% FOC is unnecessary though. Figure out how heavy of an arrow you can shoot without it slowing down too much and go from there if you want to add weight. A 27.5" draw is going to be a limiting factor. Do you know your current arrow speed?

Realistically, you're probably SOL no matter what with a shoulder shot.

 

[silasbowhunter]

I’ll bite.
In my experience, 4 vanes don’t gain you almost anything except more time spent fletching.
What are you predominantly hunting?

Running your current setup through a calculator your probably around 270-275fps. I’ve been on either side of that shooting arrow weights between 260-315 and like most I’ve found 285-290fps is the best balance of speed, forgiveness, arrow weight, and easy to build/tune arrows.

I would definitely try an iron will, you’ll like em! Idk if I’d go way overboard on the arrow weight at your draw length.


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[jlw0142]

Okay, so you like less FOC, gotcha. Honestly I’m not really sure about my arrow speed, but I think 260-270. Yeah, my draw length is definitely not optimal and is most likely why I have had trouble with broadhead tuning in the past. Yeah, it’s unfortunate about the shoulder shot situation and I have had good penetration with my QADs before but losing that buck mentally destroyed me and I feel like I would’ve had a different outcome with 1-2 inches more of penetration. How heavy do you think I can get on the front? I have the 50 gr inserts in already, so should I stick to 100gr or move up to 125 or 150?


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[diverc18]

What is your current arrow setup?

 

[jlw0142]

I’ll bite.
In my experience, 4 vanes don’t gain you almost anything except more time spent fletching.
What are you predominantly hunting?

Running your current setup through a calculator your probably around 270-275fps. I’ve been on either side of that shooting arrow weights between 260-315 and like most I’ve found 285-290fps is the best balance of speed, forgiveness, arrow weight, and easy to build/tune arrows.

I would definitely try an iron will, you’ll like em! Idk if I’d go way overboard on the arrow weight at your draw length.


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Gotcha. I’m hunting whitetails and mulies primarily, as well as turkeys. What weight iron will do you think would fit my setup the best? I’m stuck with the 300 spine axis arrows with 50 gr inserts for now, and I really like the arrows so you got a recommendation for broadhead weight and model?


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[Mighty Mouse]

100 gr QAD Exodus is a perfectly good head, but if you have some money burning a hole in your pocket and an itch to try something new, go for it. 300 spine would be slightly stiff of "optimal" per qSpine/OT2Go at 70# draw weight with 200 gr on the front and ≈40 gr on the rear of a 27" shaft. You'll lose around 17 fps with the ≈60 gr you're proposing to add.

 

[Zac]

The best solution for you is to simply purchase the 100 grain Iron Will. Leave everything else as it is. Do not just go and put 250 grains of useless weight on the front of your shaft. That will only exacerbate your tuning issues. You can use the single bevel, or double, probably doesn't matter which. If you buy into the bone splitting thing than just try the single.

 

[jlw0142]

What is your current arrow setup?

Currently 27 inch 300 spine Easton axis 4mm with 50 gr half-outs, 100 gr QAD exodus, 3 vane (Bohning X, 3 inch)


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[Lytro]

The best solution for you is to simply purchase the 100 grain Iron Will.

I have a hard time believing he would have had a different outcome with an IW.

 

[jlw0142]

The best solution for you is to simply purchase the 100 grain Iron Will. Leave everything else as it is. Do not just go and put 250 grains of useless weight on the front of your shaft. That will only exacerbate your tuning issues. You can use the single bevel, or double, probably doesn't matter which. If you buy into the bone splitting thing than just try the single.

Well, my reason for the single was that I felt it would fly better with my helical, helping it rotate rather than fighting it. What do you think? Also, you don’t think a heavier setup is necessarily beneficial?


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[diverc18]

Currently 27 inch 300 spine Easton axis 4mm with 50 gr half-outs, 100 gr QAD exodus, 3 vane (Bohning X, 3 inch)


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Personally I wouldn’t go changing arrows or components. I like my arrows right around 425-440. For me I have found that it is the best combination for flat shooting and penetration. As far as switching broadheads go, the Iron Will and QAD are both excellent and are tried and true. You can’t go wrong with either. What I would do if I was you is just start practicing at 70lbs. That would be the easiest way to get some more speed and penetration.

 

[jlw0142]

I have a hard time believing he would have had a different outcome with an IW.

I agree. That’s why I wanted heavier, not just the same weight with a different broadhead. I don’t believe that the IW’s will necessarily fly better in my current system. I was thinking about making some pretty solid changes in hopes of creating a heavier arrow with better penetration and more stable flight. But I am not very knowledgeable, which is why I wanted to pick your guys’ brains about it


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[camelcluch]

Why not buy a head and try the set up you have? Only change what you need not what you think you need.

 

[jlw0142]

Why not buy a head and try the set up you have? Only change what you need not what you think you need.

Yeah I agree, I just don’t want to spend $200 on a bunch of different heads because I’m not sure which weight would be optimal. Got a recommendation on BH weight for my setup?


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[Billy Goat]

Personally, I don't believe you can count on busting through the shoulder joint 100% of the time, animal reaction is a big part of it. If they are already moving away from the arrow, they absorb more of the energy. You can do things that help, but it still won't be 100%. You also have trade offs. Smaller heads that give better results on bone have less cutting area and in my experience make tracking harder than bigger heads if you mess up and go the other way, ending up in the guts. Heavier arrows make having the exact yardage more critical, can also give more time for the animal to react.

There's nothing wrong with IW heads, I have them and generally have a couple in my quiver.

I'm just saying that planning for a shot in the shoulder joint (which is a shot that should be avoided with archery equipment anyways) is a small part of the overall picture, and it isn't covering vitals or very much of them at all for appropriate shot angles.


I'd stay where you are with your shafts. Like others said, if you actually want more FOC, adding vanes and wraps don't help.

Your shafts are heavier than what I use.

 

[Jethro]

I don’t consider 420-430 light. Nothing wrong with trying new broadheads. Certainly should feel confident with what you use. I don’t believe in wholesale changes based on the results of 1 shot. Very rarely do arrow build components make up for poor shot placement.

 

[jlw0142]

Personally, I don't believe you can count on busting through the shoulder joint 100% of the time, animal reaction is a big part of it. If they are already moving away from the arrow, they absorb more of the energy. You can do things that help, but it still won't be 100%. You also have trade offs. Smaller heads that give better results on bone have less cutting area and in my experience make tracking harder than bigger heads if you mess up and go the other way, ending up in the guts. Heavier arrows make having the exact yardage more critical, can also give more time for the animal to react.

There's nothing wrong with IW heads, I have them and generally have a couple in my quiver.

I'm just saying that planning for a shot in the shoulder joint (which is a shot that should be avoided with archery equipment anyways) is a small part of the overall picture, and it isn't covering vitals or very much of them at all for appropriate shot angles.


I'd stay where you are with your shafts. Like others said, if you actually want more FOC, adding vanes and wraps don't help.

Your shafts are heavier than what I use.

Okay gotcha, I appreciate it. It’s not that I am planning for a shoulder shot, I am just a freak about accuracy and I obsess over things like this. I just really want to be able to be confident that if I do hit the shoulder, I have equipment that gives me the best shot at still taking the animal. The deer I lost was not completely my fault, it was mostly a stroke of bad luck but nevertheless, I feel that I could’ve and should’ve had a better outcome. But yeah I understand and I agree with you. Maybe I’ll just stick to what I’ve got and try out a 100 grain IW for kicks and gigs.


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