Pro's and Con's - Arrow Decision - Let's have fun!

[ThePushArchery]

Alright gang,

I am a tuning addict. I like to micro-tune my setups all the way down to changing my silencer locations by 1/4" at a time until I get perfect bareshaft flight out to 30 or 35 yards. I admit, I have a problem, but I love tuning!!! ...  

Here is where I am at for my 2015 hunting rig. I'd like to get some input from you guys.

Rig: Brand new Black Widow PLX - 64" - 46 @ 29" (I draw 29")

Arrows: All the arrows below are flying like laser beams at 30 yards with zero in flight wiggle and grouping with my fletched arrows perfectly.

Easton Axis:
- 500 Spine
- Length: 29.5"
- Total Arrow Weight: 532 gn
- gn per pound: 11.56

Gold Tip Traditional:
- 500 Spine
- Length: 29.5"
- Total Arrow Weight: 546 gn
- gn per pound: 11.87

Easton Axis Traditional:
- 500 Spine
- Length: 29.5"
- Total Arrow Weight: 555
- gn per pound: 12.07
*** Best Flying Bareshaft, not by much, but noticeable***

Easton Axis Traditional
- 400 Spine
- Length: 32"  
- Total Arrow Weight: 589
- gn per pound: 12.8

So here is the question. I am a fixed crawl shooter. My gaps at closer ranges than my 25 yard fixed crawl are pretty similar, and within a couple arrows, accuracy is perfectly equivalent between all 4 arrow options.

So, what arrow would you all choose? Here is my logic right now of benefits of the characteristics that the different arrows exhibit.

1. Skinny Diameter (Axis) - This is my first time hunting with a longbow. I've been a recurve guy in the woods for many years. So the small arrow shelf is a little concerning when grabbing, maneuvering my bow when an animal approaches. So the skinny diameter is nice with this bow I've found so far at our archery range and in the backyard.

2. Skinny Diameter Penetration (Axis) - This is my first time in the woods with a sub-50 lb bow. I've always shot 51 to 54 lbs @ my draw when hunting. With my obsession with micro-tuning, shooting heavy arrows and 50+ lbs off the fingers, I've had complete pass-thru's on 95% of the animals I've taken. I want to maximize the arrow for the 46 lb transition I am making.

3. Arrow Maintenance (Gold Tip) - As we all know the HIT system can be somewhat cumbersome when it comes to modifying and maintaining arrows. (which I think I've solved by figuring out a way to use Kimsha hotmelt with my HIT inserts - a lot nicer) Not to mention that Gold Tip Trad Blems from Big Jim are the least expensive option of the bunch!

4. Full length versus shorter shaft (400 vs 500): Is there a benefit to shooting a full length 400 shafts versus a 500 spine with only ~40 gn differing in arrow weight? Both fly great. But I definitely like the 29.5" arrow in my quiver rather than the 32" that's for sure! Anything here I am not thinking about that should lean me toward the full length arrow, ignoring the weight difference?

5. Aiming Gaps under my 25 Yard Point on: (Gold Tip) The Gold Tips have the smallest gaps at ranges under my 25 yards fixed crawl. It is really nice having the tip on the animal at all yardages. But the Axis shafts do not have that much larger gaps. Maybe a couple inches at the target. But again, accuracy seems to be pretty equivalent. However, I do notice that the gold tips are a little less forgiving than the axis with this longbow, so I have to consider that.

5. Arrow Weight: If accuracy is equivalent across all 4 arrows, why wouldn't I shoot the 400 spine Axis Traditional? I've always said, shoot the heaviest arrow that you can tune and shoot accurately. Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to shoot that arrow, or is there a middle ground?

What says you?!

I know that was a lot to take in, but I have 4 very attractive options that all fly very well and satisfy the scrutiny of my micro-tuning. I'm just trying to maximize my penetration with a 46 lb longbow this season.

I should mention, that I will be shooting VPA 250 gn 3 blade broadheads.

Thanks guys,
Matt

[Charlie3]

Well, based on the info you have provided I doubt anyone could provide you with anything that you don't already know! Haha. I'll just say that I really like my Axis traditionals. I have used them for a year and a half now and have shot three whitetails and a turkey with them. I footed them with 19/16s and they are bombproof.

[dirtguy]

It sounds like you are having a great time!

Honestly, it wont matter if you hit 'em in the boiler room.

[kevsuperg]

They are all pretty close, take one of each for a live in the field test.

[olddogrib]

Yea, pick one. I am a bit surprised that the skinnies shoot to the same point of impact as you get downrange as the 5/16ths diameter shaft due to them being closer to the center line.

[njloco]

What is fixed crawl ?

[lt-m-grow]

Originally posted by njloco:
What is fixed crawl ?

I was wondering that same thing.  I know (or I think I know) what a crawl is, but if I know what that means, a fixed-crawl seems like contradictory things.

[JR Williams]

The below was posted by cpnhgnlngct on another thread and is the best description of Fixed Crawl. It is a great method for hunting, quick, accurate, and intuitive.

__________________________________________________

I posted the below reply on someone else's post a few weeks back. The fixed crawl is not slow, nor is it hard to learn. It is quite simple and extremely accurate for hunting with a traditional bow. A brass nocking point added to the string at your fixed crawl location is no slower than addressing the string 3 under or split finger. See below for more detail:

A fixed crawl is an abbreviated form of stringwalking.

While stringwalking, your tab is positioned vertically at different positions down the string (the further away from the nock down the string, the closer the shot).

As you can imagine, in low light and under the pressure of a fast approaching animal, looking down at your string, making the crawl to the right location, and executing the shot may be too much to ask especially if you have a P&Y buck quickly approaching, changing it's distance from you every couple of steps. (which would require a new crawl to occur)

So a fixed crawl in the most basic sense is adjusting your point on distance. Everything else is handled just like gap shooting.

This is extremely handy for guys like me that love the feeling of a low anchor point. My point on distance shooting 3 under is roughly 40 yards, and my max gap (20 yds) is around 15 to 18".

By crawling down the string to my 25 yard crawl (now my new "point on" distance) this basically means at 25 yards I stick my broadhead on the animal and the arrow goes there. The "fixed" part of fixed crawl simply means I put a brass nocking point right at my 25 yard crawl. So now instead of addressing the string under my second nocking point right under my arrow, I'm addressing the string at my 25 yard crawl every time at the nocking point placed ~0.75" below my arrow nock on the string.

Another benefit of using a fixed crawl is that in reducing my point on distance to my preferred 25 yards, my max gap now becomes 12.5 yards. In addition, that 15-18" max gap just became 8" with the fixed crawl.

Sooooo, now I tune my arrows and broadheads from one crawl distance on the string (25 yards).

Anything under 25 yards, I hold the tip at the bottom of the chest. (it will effectively shoot between 2 - 8" high putting me in the vitals)

At 25 yards, I'm holding center of chest.

At 30 yards, I'm holding at top of back.

I stringwalk all my hunting and competition bows throughout the off season with no fixed crawl. Basically crawling to a different location on the string for each individual distance.

But as soon as the weather starts to get cooler and fall is approaching, I choose my preferred hunting rig for the year, put a brass nocking point at my 25 yard crawl position, tune in my broadheads, and hit the woods.

Its a deadly approach and remedies a lot of issues found with gap shooting or stringwalking for hunting. (summarized below)

Stringwalking issues a fixed crawl fixes:
1. You can tune your broadhead at one location
2. Can address the string and execute a shot without trying to make your crawls with game approaching

Gap shooting issues a fixed crawl fixes:
1. for us low anchor guys, it greatly reduces our point-on distance to whatever you choose. (15,20,25,30 yards - wherever you want)
2. By reducing your point on, it also reduces the extremely large gaps that us low anchor guys face.
3. The tip stays on the deer for most shots in the woods.

Happy hunting!

[JR Williams]

And cpnhgnlngct I would personally go with any of the Axis arrows above, they are a lot more consistent in spine than the Gold Tips.

 I like longer arrows as it keeps my fixed crawl nock point closer to my arrow nock.

If they all fly great and hit right where you want out to 30-35yds, I would go with the heaviest, or the .400 spine Axis. Heavier = better penetration!

I shoot Axis Full Metal Jackets and love the hunting performance I get from them!

And I have found the same results as JR Williams above. The Axis FMJ's are leaps and bounds more consistent in spine and straightness than Gold Tips ever thought about being!

Bisch

[babs]

Hey matt, I think you should use the 400 spine axis arrows. The only reason i say that is because at ETAR my buddy was shooting MFX arrows which is pretty much the same as the axis arrows and those arrows were always a pain in the butt to pull out of the 3d targets. The penetration on his arrows was unreal, always a few inches than my gold tip blemishes from big jim. It made me order some micro diameter arrows for this fall. Take care buddy and happy shooting.

[WESTBROOK]

The Axis trad 500 would be my pick. 555g is plenty of weight, especially from a 46# bow. The 400 is not much heavier(your heavy enough) and I hate 3" of extra arrow hanging out when it don't have to.