What should I do?

[K. Mogensen]

First off, let me say that I won't be getting Bheads for a while but I'm starting to crunch the numbers for hunting set up this fall.

Up until now, I've planned on just getting some Zwickey Delta 4 blade screw in's from 3R and throwing them on my 2018's and calling it good. Then I was advised to mount them myself onto the adapters for versatility down the road and what not. No big deal. But after doing some searches on here, I found out that the aluminum adapters break off and bend, and that steel is the preferred choice. But to use steel, I'm gonna have to go up a couple shaft sizes to 2117. With 100 gr. insert, 130 gr. Delta, I get a 620 gr. arrow out of Stu's calculator. They also have 18% FOC which I've heard aluminums don't like too much. I've already got some 2018's on order with 175 gr. points from Lost Nation as practice arrows so I can shoot.

So what would you guys recommend I do?

Hope I'm not overthinking things and being a bother, but I'm tearing myself up trying to come up with the best solution.

Thanks!

[FrankM]

I was pretty much in the same boat. I had some 20 year old 2018's sitting in my closet with glued on broadheads. I wanted to convert to screw on for two reasons. 1. So I can practice with field points. 2. So they would match my other 2018's. They were also an inch longer than my other 2018's. Now I have 12 2018's to practice with. But I had to settle for the aluminum inserts. Don't know if there was a better way for you and me. We'll see what the big guys here say.  

[FrankM]

Oh yeah, my FOC is about 13% with a 30 gr. insert and 110 gr. Zwickey Black Diamonds on a 28" inch arrow, for about 528 gr. total.

[Pete W]

Don't over think it. These are arrows, plain and simple. The odds of breaking an adapter are slim if the shot is where it needs to be.
Pete

[K. Mogensen]

After I have the broadheads mounted, I'll tune them with my other arrows and once they are flying right, they'll be shot minimally as my other dozen will be identical.

Looked at 3R site and it seems that their alum. inserts have 5 stars...

[K. Mogensen]

Originally posted by FrankM:
Oh yeah, my FOC is about 13% with a 30 gr. insert and 110 gr. Zwickey Black Diamonds on a 28" inch arrow, for about 528 gr. total.

About what these are supposed to be. Just a tad more. Just out of curiousity, have you taken any game with these? Or subjected them to abuse? How durable have you found them to be?

[FrankM]

No, no game. I had these laying around from when I dabbled in bows long ago. My kid is getting into bows now so I decided to get serious. I shot one into a field point target just for funzies and it sunk deep from a 40# bow. I was able to pull it out without much trouble. I have read that these are very good arrows though.

I prefer to use the one piece 5 degree ferrule insert and eliminate the screw-in adapter. I think they may be stronger, I have never broken one, but i have bent the screw-in jobs bad enough that I could not get them out of the insert.

[L. E. Carroll]

You know, there are steel inserts [ good ones now] that only weigh 75 gn and actually allow the use of replacable bleeder blades if you ever decide to use B-heads that will take them, With my vented Magnus heads, bleeders, and 75gn insert... these come in right at 205.5 gn

Gene

[John3]

Don't worry about the adapters.. I've had "deflections" into trees where I had to saw the broadhead out.. Never have I damaged the adapter.


JDS III

[Rob DiStefano]

imo, don't overthink yer gear.  

start with a 10gpp arrow and don't be overly concerned with foc, just get the arrow to fly well for you outta yer bow.  

now spend 99% of yer time learning to hit a picked spot with that arrow - consistently and from all shooting positions, and at sane, realistic hunting distances,

get the broadheads really sharp.

go hunt, and remember to pick a spot.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Rob nailed it down for you.  

Lots of us love to fiddle with arrows.  That doesn't mean you need to play that game too. Playing with arrows to get an Ashby set up can take a lot of trial and error and money to figure out and get right.  

Focus on form and hitting right where you look and hunt with confidence that you will make the shot when the time comes.  Tons of animals have been killed with aluminum arrows with aluminum inserts.

[frassettor]

Originally posted by Pete W:
Don't over think it. These are arrows, plain and simple. The odds of breaking an adapter are slim if the shot is where it needs to be.
Pete

Exactly! Sounds like to much math to me. You'll be fine, just shoot and have a great time. You'll find the arrows that work and after that forget bout all the numbers.

[TimRadke]

I saw titanium adapters - stronger than steel but the weight of aluminum - maybe at abowyer?  They're a bit pricy though...

[K. Mogensen]

I may look into those.

Thanks for the help guys. I'll just go with what I planned on. Hopefully my arrows from LN will get here today and I can get shooting. I broke all my woodies. (an aluminum adapter can't be worse than that, right?)    

Preciate it!          

[JimB]

A lot of good advice there.I use steel adaptors now but used the aluminum ones for many years.I may have,but I just don't remember bending an aluminum adaptor.For sure,I didn't bend any on hits on game.I do remember bending lots of arrows.

Don't sweat that either.You will bend an occassional aluminum shaft if you hit a rock or side swipe a tree.They will get bent if one stays in a big game animal.It won't happen enough to break the bank,just an occasional thing.

The Zwickey heads are excellent and have been the choice of some serious bowhunters for many decades.

I agree with keeping it simple for now.Learning to tune the arrows to the bow will be enough for now.Once you figure that out,you will be able to accomplish it a lot quicker the next time.Once you master that and have the shooting fundamentals down,there will come a day when you have worn out most of your set of arrows,so when you need new ones,that would be the time to change your setup if you want to.By then,you will understand the sport better and you will know exactly what you want.

Above all,let it be fun.Enjoy the time working with the arrows,mounting the points,practicing-all of it.Pace yourself and don't let become a chore.Don't sweat bad shooting days,we all have them.Just hang it up and come back fresh,knowing it will get better.It will.

You have already seen,there is a ton of information here and it can get overwhelming to someone just starting.Don't ever think you are a bother asking questions.Your questions are pertinent and you are just trying to get it right.Everyone on this sight was a beginner once.

Now get those arrows put together and have some fun.

[K. Mogensen]

I got the arrows today from Lost Nation. Can't shoot them till this evening, workin on my truck and have to go to wally world. They look awesome, blue fletch and blue nock.

I've been shooting for about a year, but this is the first time with alums, and the first time that I'm gonna seriously get down with tuning my bow.

You guys are awesome! Thanks!