Cold weather, a grill, bow...and heavy FOC!

[Oliverstacy]

As the last arrow hit the target and literally knocked it over I thought their might be something to this high FOC.  I was shooting my #57 @ 29.5” Kota Kill-um with 31” Beman MFX Classic 340 spine.  I had an 8” wrap and 3 5” feathers with a 100 grain brass adaptor and a 250 grain field point.  Funny thing was this is the first shooting I’ve done in months and it felt great to be back outside…in 15 degree weather with a near zero wind chill.        

So as I was grilling the brats, burgers and a couple left over steaks (this is why I brought the bow outside, figured if I was going to get cold it was going to be worth it   :D   ) and sent some arrows down range.  I knew they were heavy but didn’t know how heavy they were until I got back in and thawed out some.  

The three I had made up were from 725.1 to 726.4 total grains, WOW are they heavy.  It’s funny the 500’s I had been shooting were about 225 grains less and you could tell, they didn’t move the target and didn’t group well either, they’re from a previous set-up and are too week.

The first shot with the 340 spine arrow hit its mark and the next two followed suit and I was able to repeat this.  Funny they’re .5” longer than my others and I thought at first I was short drawing but then realized the arrows were longer.  I don’t look at the arrow or bow (I concentrate on the spot I’m aiming at) when I draw but when my finger hits the point I’m at full draw so this seemed odd at first.

So all the above aside do I need that heavy of an arrow or should I try to get my Easton Axis 400’s flying right.  I just bought a dozen 400 spine shafts so I will do some tinkering, just don’t know how much. For the record I have three 400 spine AXIS shafts ready to go for testing from last summer.  I’m guessing I’ll need around 150 and 200 grains out front with the brass adaptors with these.

If I keep shooting the 340’s for turkey season where the shots are going to be close, hopefully less than 15 yards and if I’m lucky under 10 will these be okay.  I think they’d almost knock a turkey of its feet.  Do I insert another 100 grain brass adaptor and use a 150 grain head or make up some sort of 250 grain head?  WW with a 125 steel adaptor or 125 grain Snuffer with the same steel adaptor?  

Just wondering…

Josh

[whitebuffalo]

I think they’d almost knock a turkey of its feet

I think you have it figured out,, no problem with heavy but if you were at 550 grains you will still be in greay shape for anything running around in our woods,,JB

[Dustin Waters]

stick with what you have going.  Sounds like it that you kind of impressed yourself with the arrows.  Would you rather NOT get hit in the face with?  A ping pong ball or a golf ball?  Imagine what the heavier arrow is going to provide you with as fars as pentration and KE.

[Orion]

IMO, turkeys can be hard to penetrate, in part because their feathers absorb part of the arrow's impact, and in part because of their relatively small size on stilt like legs their body moves with the arrow on impact.  That's why I like to hit them with a heavy arrow.  Keeps driving through them.  White Buffalo is correct, too, of course.

[Oliverstacy]

I've watched a bunch of turkey hunting videos and Orion you're correct they can take a heck of a wallop and keep going.  I've see wheelie's hit them with fast set-ups and the arrow doesn't penetrate very far on several occasions, often wonder if they were shooting heavier arrows it would help them out.  When I shot compound I used a heavy arrow around 7.25/gpi…so I don’t mind them being heavy.

I believe Brooks of Double Bull said it best…shot should be close if you let them come into your decoys, load up on an arrow and hit them hard.  He also said “accuracy by quantity”…love that one!

So would you find a 250 gr. combination for a broadhead or would you add another adaptor?  Adaptors aren’t cheap but in the grand scheme of things they aren’t expensive either.  Blind $450, bow $600, Camo (varies) around $200, bino’s, calls, decoys…$12 brass inserts are cheap in comparison.  If you add up what you’re wearing to the woods and what your hunting in or on inserts are cheap, broadheads are cheap…all in all the sport is expensive but most of my stuff is added along the way so I don’t feel it all at once.  I just noticed Easton or Muzzy has break apart brass adaptors for the MFX/Axis line so I’m going to look into that.

I guess I’m just rambling on…

Josh

[whitebuffalo]

Josh,,Have you shot a turkey with a bow yet,,Compound or recurve?? I'm just curious bud,,JB

[frassettor]

Great isnt it?? I shoot 31" ad's with the front loaded up. 160 gr glue on field point, with a 100 gr steel adapter, with a 100 gr brass insert...360 total up front, with an arrow weight at 715....They hit hard

[Oliverstacy]

Originally posted by whitebuffalo:
Josh,,Have you shot a turkey with a bow yet,,Compound or recurve?? I'm just curious bud,,JB

No I was 0-2 last spring with my recurve...but I'm picking a spot now    

I missed one walking slow at about 16 yards and another one by less than an inch at 22.5, that arrow looked great, wing butt high but about a half inch to far to the left.  That arrow looked to be in slow motion on the way, I remember thinking, "wow this looks good" but it was still a miss.  I had called 7 hrs to get that shot, that bird need to die!  :rolleyes:  

This spring I'm going every weekend during my season until I get a bird.

Josh

[Drew]

Josh the Muzzy Phantom SS are 220 grain..and come pretty sharp out of the package but you can get them scary sharp! Turkey's are tough bird so why not use the heavy arrows if they shoot well?

I made the mistake of using a lighter arrow last year on the bird I shot and I  won't do that again....