Heavy arrow? yep, you could say that

[Mallardstacker]

So I bought some GrizzlyStik Safari's from the "factory seconds" sell recently - they were out of the Alaskan model which is what I really wanted, but I decided to give it a shot.

I shoot a 55@28 Toelke T/D recurve right now and I figured they would most likely be quite overspined and I would need to build a little heavy on the front (I needed an excuse to buy some Abowyer 210 grain broadheads anyway:D  )

Here's how I built them:

Full length shaft 32.5"
standard 72 grain brass insert
125 grain glue on adapter
210 grain Abowyer head

Bringing the total to 410 grains out front!  :eek:

Total arrow weight is 1049.4 grains  

How do they shoot?
I didn't get a chance to shoot much over 17-18 yds tonight, but they flew great and the bow is whisper quiet.

If I get a shot, the pigs are in trouble!

[George D. Stout]

If you reach them, they could be in big trouble 8^).  I wish you well partner, but I can't help but think you are just about on that line of diminishing returns.      
Let us know what the pigs think.

[Mallardstacker]

George,
I knew I would be pushing it to the limit, but shooting them side by side with my 740 grain laminated birch arrows (with Woodsmans) into the same target... I couldn't believe the difference in penetration.  Now to be fair, they are not the same (wood vs carbon, 3 blade vs single bevel) but the difference was dramatic.

[Shleprock]

Did you bareshaft your Grizzlystiks? If so how did the process work for you?

[celticknot]

I shoot a 700+ grain arrow out of a 45 pound D shaped bow and get great penetration.

[Mallardstacker]

Shleprock,

No, I didn't bareshaft.  I never have been a huge fan of that method, not that there's anything wrong with it, I just find it an exercise in futility with carbon shafts  

I fletched with 3 5" LW parabolic feathers and hung a LW single bevel off the front and watched a nock spin in a circle between three spinning feathers all the way to the target    

[Benny Nganabbarru]

I used to run 1200 grain Grizzlystiks out of my Black Widow longbow, but it was 75#; even then, there was quite an arc to them. I did manage to get my first ever pigs with them, two in fact, until I decided that for pigs, I'd be better served with 700 grains of CX350 out of that bow back then.

Here's my second ever pig, taken with the above set-up:

 

As you can see, it isn't very big. I shot it at about five or eight metres range, or something short anyway. That heavy arrow had a STOS broadhead, and hit her spine, dropping her on the spot. Back then, it surprised me that a little piggy's spine could stop such an arrow, but it sure did.

You'll have fun, for sure, with those big arrows, but if ever you want to, don't be concerned about going down to 700 grains or so.

Good luck, and knock 'em for six!

Ben

[joe skipp]

Good luck with them but I think your way too heavy for that setup. 10 grains per lb is more than enough.....  

[SteveB]

About twice my max gr/lb.
One thing for sure - you are keeping the "arch" in archery  :D

[Grant Young]

I agree with Joe but as he implied, it's all up to you. My go-to bow is 72# and I shoot a 615 grn. arrow (2317) or 640 grn. max (8.7)and haven't had any problems with anything I've shot unless my placement was poor. Like Ben pointed out above, you wouldn't think a little bone would stop one, but it will, and that makes trajectory even more critical. But if you can get used to the arc, who is to say.     GY

[Don Stokes]

When I was experimenting with compressed wood, I used some arrows that were in the 900 grain range from a 64# longbow. Didn't like the performance. I stay around 600-650 grains these days, shooting 50-60#. Plenty of punch, and a good trajectory. For my 40# recurve, I shoot around 550 grains. My limit for decent performance seems to be around 15 g/#.

[BobW]

 

Funny we say this is not good.  Due to the length of my arrows (32"+ draw), and the required spine, my "non-e-foc" wood arrow is 850+g with a 145g point, and 105# spine.  They fly wonderfully (thanks Mr. Stokes).  Heck of a lot better than the carbon/aluminum Rube Goldberg thing I shoot otherwise.  And oh my are they silent.... that is until they hit something...

BobW

[Don Stokes]

Bob, with the energy you're putting into the arrow with more than 32" draw, the weight is no problem.

[Jesse Peltan]

Mallardstacker, your probably over the penetration gains limit. I had a thread earlier on a similar subject. Your max penetration zone is usually around 14gpp(+ or - depending on design) so you would probably gain penetration dropping down some weight.