Arrow Build Guidance Needed

[itsnlkthing]

I would appreciate some input from those of you more experienced at designing your own arrow setups. I am shooting a Bowtech Insanity CPX, 65lb, 26" DL. My current arrows are Carbon Express Maxima Hunters with Blazers and I have been shooting 100 grn heads. That combines for a decent amount of speed but I would feel more comfortable with a bit more weight for elk. I am planning to go with Viper Trick broadheads. I can either up the weight with 125 grn heads and some trimmer line in the shaft or start from scratch. From what I've seen on the charts, I should be fine on spine with my current setup but I don't know how the heavier head / trimmer line may affect that and how it would affect FOC. If I can arrive at a good setup with a tweak to what I have, great but I'm not opposed to spending money on new arrows. That is the least expensive part of the hunt. Thanks in advance!

[dtrkyman]

With your draw length I would look at adding all the weight to the front, not sure of your arrow length or if you shoot a maxima 350 or not but consider looking into gold tip brass weights! You can add them to your already assembled arrow and gain weight and foc!

I shot them from a 62lb bow with a 28.5 inch maxima 350 and added 70 grains of weights, a 20 and a 50 screwed together, so with the weights insert and 100 grain point I had 182ish grains up front! Mine were standard maximas not hunters and were close to 18% foc and 435 grains total!

Gold tip sells a long allen to install them to arrows already assembled! I put blue loc tite on mine to keep them tight. If you want to look into the value of high foc do a search on dr. Ashby, he has some amazing info on arrows for ultimate penetration on large game!

Keep in mind that reducing weight on the rear of the arrow has a drastic effect on foc, so it takes very little to have a good effect when weight is removed from the rear of the arrow(leverage) I shoot feathers personally and this is one of the reasons!

I am currently shooing a muddy ht1 shaft with there ss outsert(85 grns) 100 grain points with 4 razyr feathers, come in around 480 grains and foc should be around 18 percent! These are micro diameter shafts which help on long shots in the wind!

[itsnlkthing]

Mine are the hunters and they are the 250's, which I believe is the 400 spine. They have the CX inserts, I don't think that they are threaded to receive the threaded weights but I could be wrong about that.

[dtrkyman]

They should be threaded but the 250s being only 400 spine may be an issue! The trimmer line is an option and will not effect spine but will reduce foc, three rivers archery has weight tubes designed for carbon arrows and they have a few different weights per inch, they are basically like a long straw!

[Pmcgee]

They should be threaded but the 250s being only 400 spine may be an issue! The trimmer line is an option and will not effect spine but will reduce foc, three rivers archery has weight tubes designed for carbon arrows and they have a few different weights per inch, they are basically like a long straw!

do you have any experience with the weight tubes?

[dtrkyman]

They should be threaded but the 250s being only 400 spine may be an issue! The trimmer line is an option and will not effect spine but will reduce foc, three rivers archery has weight tubes designed for carbon arrows and they have a few different weights per inch, they are basically like a long straw!

do you have any experience with the weight tubes?

Yes, they can blow noks out on hard hits, I actually put kinks in them so they fit tighter, you could put a small dab of glue on the back end as well, they do just as they are supposed to, the weed eater line works as well but i like the tight fit of the tubes!

[itsnlkthing]

Any experience with the Easton Nemesis arrows? I can pick up a dozen fairly cheap and they would come in at over 400 grain with just the standard 100 grain broad head with the 340 spine I could go 125 and increase the FOC as well.

[Pmcgee]

They should be threaded but the 250s being only 400 spine may be an issue! The trimmer line is an option and will not effect spine but will reduce foc, three rivers archery has weight tubes designed for carbon arrows and they have a few different weights per inch, they are basically like a long straw!

do you have any experience with the weight tubes?

Yes, they can blow noks out on hard hits, I actually put kinks in them so they fit tighter, you could put a small dab of glue on the back end as well, they do just as they are supposed to, the weed eater line works as well but i like the tight fit of the tubes!

thanks I ordered some last night. Going to try them out.

[dtrkyman]

Any experience with the Easton Nemesis arrows? I can pick up a dozen fairly cheap and they would come in at over 400 grain with just the standard 100 grain broad head with the 340 spine I could go 125 and increase the FOC as well.

Looks like a nice arrow, may consider a brass insert, they should have them available that are adjustable from 75 to 50 grains with a piece that breaks off, cheaper than new heads! Depending on your arrow length you may be able to get away with the 75 grains!

[Heartwood]

Elknut did a study a few years back on finding optimum arrow weight for best penetration. What he found was: build your arrows for 6.6grains per # of draw weight. Archery talk still has the 8 page thread with details and arguments. If you set up your new arrows inthis range +- 5% you should be good. Shoot for a minimum of 10% foc amo method. Your existing arrows are near the break point between 250s and 350s. I have shot cx 350s for many seasons at 70 # but have reduced my draw weight in recent years down to 63 # and am now borderline overspined but that is much better than underspined. Built some new arrows last night cx 350s 28" shaft 4 blazers and wraps, 125g heads with 11 grain inserts. Foc came to 12+%. 430 - g total wt.
I now shoot a 4 fletch so i don't have to look for the cock vane when nocking an arrow and the added steering surface area doesn't hurt either. Just some suggestions, hope this helps.

[itsnlkthing]

I was able to pick up a dozen Nemesis from a member on AT for $50 that were already cut to my length and fletched. They should be 408 grains and around 11% FOC with 100 grain tips. I will give those a try and see how they group with the viper tricks. Thanks for the input everyone.

[dtrkyman]

That is a deal, hope they work well for you!

[itsnlkthing]

Got the Nemesis arrows and they seem to be great so far. They come in at 412 grains with 11.65% FOC using a 100 grain head. The calculated values on the 125 don't show an appreciable change in the KE so I will stick with the 100 if they group well. I ordered the Viper Tricks and they should be here tomorrow.