Why 18" Bolts?

[vixenmaster]

Its all about trial n error You try it til you find what cha like Makes Companys happy that you purchase lots of their products! Try it, then you knowed how it does

[Ont_Excal]

Question, is there some scientific reason that I just am not aware of that led to decision to use 18" bolts with the Matrix series bows? The reason I ask is simply this, when I put a bolt of 20" length in the Vortex rail, it is mid way between the stirrup front, and riser cut out. You don't bump the broadhead when you hang the loaded crossbow on a hook in the stand. Also, when you are still hunting and rest the front of the bow on the ground, you don't pick up debris on the end of the broadhead. If there is enough FOC, would a bolt of 16" length work OK, or is there something that I am missing here?

So...............put up two hooks and hang by the limbs instead and when on the ground lay flat or use a crossbow stand.

[Ont_Excal]

For some of my regular Excalibur bows I've thought about going longer than the standard 20 inches.

Don't forget that when you go short with the Matrix series of bows you may end up burying arrows shot into targets

[Masboy]

I always thought shorter arrows would not shoot as well an just had that fact in my mind.then after some testing in my bows found I was wrong at hunting ranges.i used the same setup with brass inserts an blazers an just cut 4 inches off the shaft an that dropped my arrow weight from 416 down to 380 in a 16 inch arrow. I shot them in all our bows an did great . but no broadheads from the equinox as it would need a little longer arrow than 16 inch to let the broadhead set in the riser grove.
in my bows I find most broadheads even exspandables shoot a hair lower an more so with fix blade than field points . an the longer the range the more .but with the 16 inch they hit about the same as my field points out to 50yds in both my bows an not lower like the 20 inch. don,t know why or care but works for me an have been shooting short arrows for awhile an don,t have any 20 inchers made up they have all been cut down
I even have some slugged with 14 inches of a shaft that weigh 515 gr an get the same results with the 16 inch arrows with broadheads.
I have shot arrows as short as 12 inches in my shorty bow an it is deadly acurrate half of the time at thirty yds. but i get flyers the other half using the same arrow?
most times hunting I use a rope stirrup an don,t like arrows sticking out past the front of the bow catching on anything.

[cdn.redneck]

because number 20" and 22" were already taken
I shot the matrix with the 20" and they shoot good, just a little different. i cut them down to 18" so that's all I have now

[XcaliburFX]

Honestly, when I get my Matrix, I am thinking of sticking with my 20" bolts. I'll just have to try them out and see how they do.

[XcaliburFX]

Good luck with it bro!

[taz3]

From the stand point of basic physics, the longer bolt will be more stable, so any influences will have a more dramatic affect during flight of a shorter bolt. A longer bolt will also recover during flight, more so then a shorter bolt. I have cut and used 18" bolts in my Phoenix at 35 yrds, and found them to be as accurate as the 20", under good conditions.

High speed vehicles have a longer wheelbase for the same reason, to maintain stability.

[cevans]

with the sorter power stroke of the new bows, and cutting the arrows to 18"...will give you added speed as the grain weight loss of 2 inches, just remember to keep enough weight forward to have them all shoot and have no problems flying as the shorter the arrow, the stiffer and more desplined with no bend whatso ever. I am sure Excalbur did a lot of testing to make things work out for their new bows to make everything perfect. I would like to shoot a shorter arrow myself in my Exomax,,but its not possible with fixed broadheads other than maybe half inch cut off?

[Boo]

A longer arrow will be more stable over a longer distance. As the arrow looses speed the leverage of the vanes is lower in a shorter arrow so the arrow will start to yaw. Within hunting ranges as Frank pointed out there is no difference.

[yooper_man]

I cut down my Easton 2219 gamegetter aluminum shafts from my vertical compound days.

The local shop charges me $0.50 per shafts cut and square. I didn't want the longer 20" arrow sticking past the stirrup. The 18" arrow with tip is within the stirrup and gives me added safety when uncocking. My foot will hit the arrows alerting me the arrow is still in the rail.

My Easton shafts with 170 grain NAP Thungerheads totals 470 grains. I calculated my FOC is approx 15%. Super accurate.

Andrew

[flightattendant100]

A longer arrow will be more stable over a longer distance. As the arrow looses speed the leverage of the vanes is lower in a shorter arrow so the arrow will start to yaw. Within hunting ranges as Frank pointed out there is no difference.

True... but you gain spine stiffness. Some think the new "Zombies" shoot so well because of greater spine. Shorter arrows=greater spine. Whole new can 'o worms? Naw, but somethin' to play with.( have fun with) Nuther side to that coin, sorta.

[Limbs and Sticks]

I've built them from 18'' to 24'' and found one not to be better than the other for accuracy within 40yds, you need to know how to build a arrow first, and I'm not talking about just gluing something together

[Limbs and Sticks]

Can you elaborate on what you do to build your arrows? I'm seriously considering the shorter length, and want to get every detail right. I have squaring tools, good fletching skills, and an accurate scale.

Build them all the same, make the next one like the last one, provided the first is built right when I say that I mean hits where you aim

[yooper_man]

I cut down my Easton 2219 gamegetter aluminum shafts from my vertical compound days.

The local shop charges me $0.50 per shafts cut and square. I didn't want the longer 20" arrow sticking past the stirrup. The 18" arrow with tip is within the stirrup and gives me added safety when uncocking. My foot will hit the arrows alerting me the arrow is still in the rail.

My Easton shafts with 170 grain NAP Thungerheads totals 470 grains. I calculated my FOC is approx 15%. Super accurate.

Andrew

Additionally, I use the Arizona EZ bolt fletcher with Bohning Blazer vanes and Bohning fletch-tite platinum glue. I install Easton flat plastic nocks and the pro shop installs the inserts. Fetching is easy with this jig and very consistent. I practise out to 40 yards and I am very satisfied with the accuracy. I don't shoot the same place twice as others can attest too.

Andrew