Help Me Pick My New Arrows

[Tag_Soup]

I am sending my bow in to get new strings and thought it was a good time to change out arrows as I don't love my current tune/setup. I am debating two arrows and wanted to get some feedback from everyone. I will be hunting elk, mule deer, and antelope with this setup. I will be hunting 3 mule deer archery tags this year (all open country alpine or desert) so distance needs to be a priority. My current MER is around 60 yards with broadheads but i'm hoping to be able to push that out to around 80 for perfect conditions with a better tune and more stable arrow. I also like to shoot the shoulder if possible so having some mass and FOC would be nice.

Bow Specs: Hoyt Vector 32, 29.5" DL, 71 lbs (hoping to get a couple more pounds with new strings, we will see)

Arrow 1: Day Six 300 @ 29" (11.2 gpi)
- 4 fletch factory AAE hybrid 26 w/ right offset (8.6 grains per vane)
- Centric 50 grain
- 125 grain COC broadheads (Iron Will or RMS Cutthroat)
Total Arrow weight around 542 grains. 11.1% FOC. Should be nominally 260 FPS

Arrow 2: Black Eagle Rampage 300 @ 29" (8.7 gpi)
- 4 fletch AAE hybrid 26 w/3 degree right offset (8.6 grains per vane)
- 50 grain brass HIT
- Black Eagle Stainless Impact Collars (25grains)
- 100 grain COC broadheads (Iron Will)
Total Arrow weight around 470 grains. 12.8% FOC. Should be around 285 FPS

 

[Breckenridge]

Are you dead set on those two options? What about an Easton Axis 300 with an iron will inserts and impact collar. Depending on broadhead selection, that would put you around 515 and 270 fps. Seems like a happy middle between the two listed options? I know my bow likes it

 

[Tag_Soup]

Not dead set. I shoot the axis now. It may be the logical move forward but I don't like the duribility for the weight penalty. The nice thing I have seen from Day six is they are bomb proof, are micro diameter but can use standard broadheads with the centric system and come pre-fletched in my preferred vane. I also hate the extended inserts so the centric or ethics would be what I would use if I went micro. If i am going to shoot a lighter arrow that I have to fletch myself I may as well drop down to something that pays less weight penalty with similar durability. I could also probably keep the 125 grain heads on the black eagle and bump the FOC even more, but I don't totally buy into the ultra high FOC thing. I just want an arrow that doesn't fall off a cliff and performs well in the wind.

I am open to other shafts like GT Pierce as well but don't want to get too far out in the weeds.

 

[gretch6364]

Personally (and I am shooting a VERY similar setup) I would increase the weight of the HIT insert on arrow #2 by 50 grains or so and check if you are ok on the spine. Try to get 500 to 530 or so and just stay above 260fps (and below 285fps)

 

[stonewall]

If just elk i might have voted for heavier arrow. But since deer and antelope also. And 3 deer hunts in open country. I vote the faster arrow. 470 is plenty of mass imho and a flatter trajectory to make up for any missed yardage estimates

 

[SoDaky]

I'd look at VAP TKOs.

 

[Brendan]

Personally out of those, I'd probably pick the Rampage. But, I also prefer the Axis (I Shoot Axis and Rampage 300's @ 29.25" DL, 70# - 73#). I run both with 175gr up front, carbon-to-carbon of 27.5". Brass HIT, plus mixture of 100/125 grain heads and Iron Will Collars.

If I run the axis at close to 520 gr, I'm still close to 280 fps last I checked.

I am not a fan of any micro diameter arrow, or any outsert insert/outsert system.

 

[RaggedHunter]

I'm biased, because the day six setup your thinking about is almost identical to what I'm shooting right now, and I couldn't be happier with my setup. My finished weight is 535 gr. I'm shooting them at 280 fps and they are a hammer. They are very good arrows, great spine consistency, great tolerances, and extremely durable, definitely cant go wrong with the day six, I'd put their durability against anything else on the market.

I'm also shooting the 125 gr Cutthroats also and they are a great head, they fly really good. Check out my post (#208) in the cold bow challenge and you can see how they shot for me out to 80. I don't think you could go wrong with either broadhead though as I would love to some day have some Iron wills too, and someday I probably will. For now it just came down to price.

 

[RaggedHunter]

I will add that the day six is the only micro I would personally shoot. Otherwise I would stick with .204s and do what others have suggested and shoot and axis with a collar/footer.

 

[Tag_Soup]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I’m putting together a spreadsheet and including the axis for comparison and will probably push spine a bit more to get a little more up front of arrow 2.


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[Tag_Soup]

I'm biased, because the day six setup your thinking about is almost identical to what I'm shooting right now, and I couldn't be happier with my setup. My finished weight is 535 gr. I'm shooting them at 280 fps and they are a hammer. They are very good arrows, great spine consistency, great tolerances, and extremely durable, definitely cant go wrong with the day six, I'd put their durability against anything else on the market.

I'm also shooting the 125 gr Cutthroats also and they are a great head, they fly really good. Check out my post (#208) in the cold bow challenge and you can see how they shot for me out to 80. I don't think you could go wrong with either broadhead though as I would love to some day have some Iron wills too, and someday I probably will. For now it just came down to price.

I did see your cold bow and almost sent you a PM but your accuracy speaks for itself. I have had reservations of the Cutthroats on longer shots but from what you posted it looks like they don’t give up much in the accuracy department!


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[BurningBeard]

I don't have experience with either. Just bought a couple Black Eagle Spartans and can't say anything bad yet. Seems like a good arrow. I have yet to shoot a carbon arrow I thought was garbage.

 

[Tag_Soup]

updating this thread I ended up going with BEA Rampage with Brass HIT trimmed to 50, 4 fletch AAE max stealth, Iron will impact collars, and 150 grain points (will be hunting with 2 blade VPA 150's). With 10 grain iron will collars I am at 500 grains and about 274 fps. With the 25 grain collars I am 515 grains and 270 fps. I will see which one tunes better going forward (after a re-string on the hoyt). Hoping for some good terminal performance and accuracy at distance from these

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Those rampages are awesome arrows. By far the most consistent/accurate arrow I have shot. If hunting antelope and open county I think they are a great choice. I just went with day six arrows recently for my recurve set up for the durability (that is the one issue with rampage, I broke one in half not even knowing how, and another snapped I half when I glanced it off a limb at a buck last fall). Obviously both my fault, but still something to consider with them FYI.