Easton Full Metal Jackets--I was wrong!

[Steve O]

In the past, I have always pooh-poohed the idea of the FMJ.  In my mind, why take something that inherently will not bend (carbon) and sandwich it in something that will bend (aluminum).  I figured it was just great marketing ploy from Easton so the bowhunter could spend more money on more fragile shafts.

Back in February, I bought a 1/2 dozen Black FMJs for turkey hunting...I figured they are the same grains/inch as my MFX Classics and they don't need to be durable for the birds anyway.   So, I started shooting them and was impressed.  They stood up to a lot of stump shooting and they are very straight arrows!  Plus they match the inside of the blind and look so cool all fletched in black       .  So then I found a deal on some camo ones and have been shooting them almost exclusively.  Still have not bent one stump shooting and purposely trying to hurt them.

So this week, I did a little test...

Full length 340 shafts tune real well out of my 55# Silvertip with 125g heads or my 53-54# Longbows with 260g heads.  As there was a Michigan Longbow event this weekend, I was shooting one of the latter this week.

First I screwed on a 260g (135g + 125g steel insert) Judo point and shot it into the rump of one of our "bionic" deer (1/2 steel plate with a hole for the vital).  This split the ferrule of the Judo from bottom to top.  No harm to the FMJ.

Next I screwed on a 260g Snuffer (160g + 100g steel insert) and shot it into the steel plate.  I was amazed at how well both the Snuffer and the FMJ took that hit.  As you can see from the pictures the front of the Snuffer was pushed down and there were a couple cracks in the front brazing, but the rear joints held together completely and just reshaped the angle of the rear of the blades.  The FMJ was still perfect.

The damage to the Snuffer was so symmetrical, I picked up the Snuffer tipped arrow and shot it into a 20 yard sand pit and it flew perfectly to my aiming point. Test shots were taken at 10 yards.  I've put a new Snuffer in the pics for reference.


 


 


On the advice of JC, I used JB Weld for installing the inserts on the carbon shafts.  If you were thinking FMJs were too fragile as I have in the past, don't worry about it!

[Bonebuster]

The damage to that broadhead is PROOF that you know how to get arrows flying straight.

When that arrow hit that steel plate it was flying perfectly.

Thanks for posting.  

[52 bow]

I picked up some 340's too for their weight and I love them- have to get new arrow holders now for my quivers. Shoot them 31" with 175gr. up front out of my 67# bows.

[Steve O]

Those #s listed are at 28", I am drawing 29.5".  I shoot the 340s at 30.5" for the 260g heads on the Silvertip.

[HATCHCHASER]

I am shooting the fmj's as well.  30 3/4 340 shafts with 200 grain heads out of a 61@28 dryad orion.  I draw 30".  I have broke 2 by hitting stuff at angles and the 200 grain feild tip broke at the shaft.  I really like these shafts though.

[Dave Pagel]

Do you think they would hold up on a big ole Calhoun county doe?  You know how tough they are!

Dave

[Downsouth]

Used to use 400 FMJ's with my Mathews compound bow and thought they were the best. Sold the compound last fall and picked up a 50lb at 28" Cari-bow Peregrine from Abe Penner this winter, it's a great bow, and I love to shoot it! I draw it to 27 ". I tried Beeman MFX classic's, good arrows... but ended up going back to the FMJ's, camo this time. In my opinion, a superior arrow in many ways.
 The arrow at the top of the pic is one of my old compound arrows. A 400 with a 100 grain montec, 28" to the nock, regular 16 grain aluminum insert. It weighs 430 grains, flights are blazer vanes and it shot well at my 29" draw at 61lbs from the Mathews.

 But trad archery is way more fun!  

 The middle arrow is a 500 Beeman MFX classic, 125 grain point, It has one 100 grain brass insert and one more behind it cut down to 75 grains and weighs 600 grains total with a 125 Montec. It's cut to 29.5 " to the nock. The flights are 3" gateway shield cuts that I cut down to the shape of a Gateway Razor.
 The bottom arrow, my favorite   , is a 500 camo FMJ cut to 29.5" to the nock. It has two 100 grain brass inserts and a 125 montec. the flights are Gateway Razors. It also weighs 600 grains total.
 Obviously I've been reading the high FOC info/research on this site, as well as the info on flight shapes.
 The 500 FMJ's fly like darts, are quiet across the shelf and easy to remove from a target. They're as tough as any arrow that I've seen. The small vanes are more than up to the task of steering the Montec's at any distance I'm going to shoot from (0-30 yards), so long as things are in tune.

 

 

 

[Downsouth]

Not sure whats up with photobucket, I resized the images to 600 by 480 and they came up full size. Moderator's please feel free to resize or delete if needed!

[J-dog]

Downsouth,

How much you got in the front of those??

I am going to buy arrows soon adn am wonderin, between the FMJs or the nano shafts. I shoot 400 axis right now.

J

[Steve O]

Dave,

I will spluge and bring an extra dozen for THOSE does...we'll see how many we can get to roll on the FMJs for testing purposes    .  Those things are almost bulletproof!

[overbo]

Yah, they did good for me.Killed this bull at 30yrds w/ a 200gr ace.  http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j172/overbo/ELK035-1.jpg[/IMG]]PHOTOBUCKET

[Downsouth]

J-Dog, I used two 100 grain brass inserts in each arrow, (one is just glued in for added weight)plus a 125 grain Montec or field point, which gives me 325 up front. A nice clean way of adding weight to the front of an arrow! The extra insert doesn't seem to affect spine much and may even function like an internally footed shaft. Guess time will tell.

[J-dog]

Sounds like a good idea? I was wandering as seeing what I thought was an extra insert. Thanks for getting my thinking wheels turning! When I work up my new arrows I will have to gove it a shot.

J

[Mike Vines]

I am working on a new project and I have been doing some thinking, and during my search this thread came up.  I find it VERY interesting.

Do anybody else have similar rusults as to the durability of the FMJ shafts?  Or have you had different results than those that have been stated here?

[Steve O]

I used to foot all my Axis/MFX/FMJ arrows. Switching from the Easton epoxy to the JB Weld has made that a waste of time.

[hunt it]

If your looking for a heavy shaft the FMJ Dangerous Game shafts are 17gr/inch hard to find better shaft. I use the DGFMJ 240 with 300gr up from you have a 900+gr arra that will penetrate the biggest of critters.

[ghall80]

I have been using the JB Weld since Steve told me about it. Its all i use in my own personal arrows now. Stuff is great I think it absorbs a little more of the shock of the impact.

Great post Steve I have FMJs in The works now for me and a set of 500s for a customer because of this post great stuff bud

[FerretWYO]

I like it. Welcome to the dark side Steve O

[bigbadjon]

I was shooting FMJ when I was first having touble with carbon arrows splitting and find them to be more durable than non footed carbons. They also had the attributes of being straighter and more consistent in spine than almost all carbons when I started shooting them. The only thing I can think of is that straightness may slowly degrade as it does in an alloy shaft but fmjs are fairly thick walled and I have not yet experienced it yet.

[Rick Moss]

Originally posted by bigbadjon:
I was shooting FMJ when I was first having touble with carbon arrows splitting and find them to be more durable than non footed carbons. They also had the attributes of being straighter and more consistent in spine than almost all carbons when I started shooting them. The only thing I can think of is that straightness may slowly degrade as it does in an alloy shaft but fmjs are fairly thick walled and I have not yet experienced it yet.

I have FMJ's that literally have thousands of shots on them, and they are still straight. I am a cnc machinist and checked them with a Starrett indicator and they are still right on. I think the thick carbon core will not let the straightness degrade like a pure aluminum arrow. just my .o2