Who else is running heavy/high FOC?

[Mossy-Back]

After researching and watching a lot of recorded shots I made the decision to go heavier than what is “normal” for a lot of bow hunters who are focused on speed. I want it to hit hard and penetrate and don’t care about my holdover/pin gaps much as I wouldn’t be shooting anything past 40 yards.

My current setup is:

Bear Legion single cam, 68#, 28.5” DL.

Black Eagle Zombie Slayers, 300 spine, 29” long, 9.1 gpi, standard 14gr inserts, 250gr VPA 2 blade broadheads. Total weight 565 grains and 19% FOC

Arrow flight is excellent and I have no doubt they will penetrate through bone if the animal moves or my shot is off a bit. Hopefully I’ll get to sling one at a Blacktail in the next couple weeks, and elk next year.

For next year I’m thinking of going to the smaller diameter Renegade shafts, Ethics heavy stainless insert/outserts, and then a 125 grain head so I have more options to choose from.

 

[zach_destroys]

Are those single bevel or not? I've decided to go back to cut on contact broadheads this year. I also plan on going to a 500ish grain arrow. I like your setup. How many pins are you running on that sight?

 

[Mossy-Back]

Are those single bevel or not? I've decided to go back to cut on contact broadheads this year. I also plan on going to a 500ish grain arrow. I like your setup. How many pins are you running on that sight?

The VPA heads are double bevel and they make some nice three blade heads as well. I haven’t decided if I want to go single bevel next year or go to a three blade. I am a big fan of the machined single piece heads for how tough they are and being able to sharpen them easily. I’ve put this set of broadheads into the dirt a few times taking shots at squirrels and have also hit the back edge with field points with no damage to the head.

Ive got a 3 pin sight right now sighted for 20, 30, and 40. I’m looking at getting the Trophy Ridge Livewire in the future with two fixed pins and one floating pin for longer distances.

 

[elkhnter]

You say the arrow flight is excellent. Have you tuned them yet? Seen a lot of guys jump on the high FOC bandwagon, but when they do the simple shoot through paper, they’re getting terrible left or right tears.
Had the same issue with FMJ and brass inserts.
BTW, I have 11, 5mm brass inserts if anyone needs them.

 

[Northwoods]

I have a little heavier arrow than you, 9.9 gpi x 30”. With a 125 gr head. The FOC on my finished arrows is about 15%. So far that’s worked well for me.

 

[zach_destroys]

The VPA heads are double bevel and they make some nice three blade heads as well. I haven’t decided if I want to go single bevel next year or go to a three blade. I am a big fan of the machined single piece heads for how tough they are and being able to sharpen them easily. I’ve put this set of broadheads into the dirt a few times taking shots at squirrels and have also hit the back edge with field points with no damage to the head.

Ive got a 3 pin sight right now sighted for 20, 30, and 40. I’m looking at getting the Trophy Ridge Livewire in the future with two fixed pins and one floating pin for longer distances.

I think I'm going to run something like an iron will. 2 blades with bleeders.

 

[Mossy-Back]

You say the arrow flight is excellent. Have you tuned them yet? Seen a lot of guys jump on the high FOC bandwagon, but when they do the simple shoot through paper, they’re getting terrible left or right tears.
Had the same issue with FMJ and brass inserts.
BTW, I have 11, 5mm brass inserts if anyone needs them.

Bare shafts out to 30 yards, broadheads grouping with field points well. Watching arrow flight in slo-mo filming with my GoPro and using lighted nocks.

 

[Mossy-Back]

I think I'm going to run something like an iron will. 2 blades with bleeders.

Magnus Black Hornet is in the running for me also. I’ve seen a lot of good results from those.

 

[Fire_9]

I’m a fan of heavy arrow but I don’t pay attention to my FOC. I think an arrow in the 450-500 grain range is a pretty good sweet spot for compound shooters. Right now I’m shooting a 550 grain setup out of my compound and a 565 grain setup out of my recurve, both with two blade broadheads. If I were you, I’d drop your head weight down to a 150 or 200 but the setup you have will most definitely do the trick

 

[TimeOnTarget]

I'm running 520gr arrows at about 17% foc IIRC. I love having to pull the arrow from the dirt on the far side of critters.

 

[Mossy-Back]

I’m a fan of heavy arrow but I don’t pay attention to my FOC. I think an arrow in the 450-500 grain range is a pretty good sweet spot for compound shooters. Right now I’m shooting a 550 grain setup out of my compound and a 565 grain setup out of my recurve, both with two blade broadheads. If I were you, I’d drop your head weight down to a 150 or 200 but the setup you have will most definitely do the trick

I was shooting the 250 grain heads with my recurve, 650 grain total arrow weight. With my compound using the 300 spine the 250 grain broadheads fly very well.
As I said, after this season I want to build up some arrows with heavy inserts tuned to run 125 grain heads so I have more options to choose from.

 

[p_ham]

I'm at 510gr. 300 spine Victory RIPs, I think they're 8.7gpi. 125gr head, 105gr insert/collar from Ethics. They shoot great and tuned easily. I'm using 4 fletch bohning heat vanes and those arrows are dead quiet. I'm still thinking of dropping down to 450-465gr total weight. I just look at it the same as changing bullets.

 

[OzzyDave]

BIG BIG fan of heavier arrows. Weight is king for me. My std set up is around 550gn and up to 600gn. Recurve arrows are up around 650gun mark. If they work go for it. The heavier arrow will make bow quieter also.
I was concerned going back to 500gn for my recent elk hunt But all worked OK.

 

[dgc1963]

IM abt 500 gr out of my nitrum turbo 65 lbs 13 % foc
not as heavy as some here but fly great and shoot like darts very quiet out of the bow will prob go a bit heavier for my 2020 elk hunt
back here in Pa they do a great job on our game even bear

 

[rustednuts]

I run very similar weight as you with Black Eagle Dep Impact arrows. I get the benefits of microdiameter with the added weight. Their outsert design also allows you to use any broadhead unlike some other microdiameter shafts.

 

[bullbugle307]

My buddy went with darn near the exact same setup Big Fin used on his bison hunt. Heavy arrow, high FOC, bone broadhead. When he shot his moose this year it went through like a hot knife through butter. It kills me that these whitetail guys on tv can't get a passthrough because of their super light arrows and ridiculous expandibles.

 

[dgc1963]

My buddy went with darn near the exact same setup Big Fin used on his bison hunt. Heavy arrow, high FOC, bone broadhead. When he shot his moose this year it went through like a hot knife through butter. It kills me that these whitetail guys on tv can't get a passthrough because of their super light arrows and ridiculous expandibles.

Amen I was pulled into the lite arrow thing most archery shops here in Pa recommend going that way and for mostly deer your ok . but once you look around at how most of the guys out west set up their bows and arrows it made me and some of my friends rethink things

 

[TimeOnTarget]

My buddy went with darn near the exact same setup Big Fin used on his bison hunt. Heavy arrow, high FOC, bone broadhead. When he shot his moose this year it went through like a hot knife through butter. It kills me that these whitetail guys on tv can't get a passthrough because of their super light arrows and ridiculous expandibles.

I use those ridiculous expandables and with my arrow set up i still pull them out of the dirt everytime.

 

[Mossy-Back]

I use those ridiculous expandables and with my arrow set up i still pull them out of the dirt everytime.

What is your arrow setup? Have you had one go through bone, besides ribs?

 

[bradr]

There's some really good vids on heavy arrow building/tuning. Check out Ranch Fairy on youtube. Or grizzly stik. I just got done building a dozen Gold Tip hunter xt's. 555 grains total weight, 16% Foc. Using 100 gr brass insert and will be using the 125 gr Strickland Helix. I shot the bare shafts through paper at 5 yds and was able to get them shooting bullet holes just by nock tuning. I never realized it would make such a difference, but I'm definately sold. Can't wait to hunt with them.