Heavy arrows for Aus buff

[MickB]

Hi Gents I'd like to take a matrix 380 on a water buffalo hunt in Australia.For interest sake wondered what the heaviest arrows one can assemble and where to get these components? Not totally necessary I know they can be taken with regular 450grains but it will add to the memories of the hunt to say I took it with something a lot larger. I would put in all the target work as needed prior. Thanks for any suggestions or examples of your own setups.

Mick B

[Limbs and Sticks]

Hi Gents I'd like to take a matrix 380 on a water buffalo hunt in Australia.For interest sake wondered what the heaviest arrows one can assemble and where to get these components? Not totally necessary I know they can be taken with regular 450grains but it will add to the memories of the hunt to say I took it with something a lot larger. I would put in all the target work as needed prior. Thanks for any suggestions or examples of your own setups.

Mick B

First welcome to the forum, I think the best person to answer your question would be Danny Miller, he had a hand in the arrows Bill T used to take his elephant tel 1 740 483 2312 fax 1 740 483 2030 good luck

Wes

[vixenmaster]

Welcome to Forum & Danny Miller should knowed about the arrows. I slug my arrows either steel or brass round stock. I use 2216 & 5/16" fits very snug. I knowed of others use carbon arrow shafts inside of their shootin arrows to raise the weight up & on carbons wid brass inserts can use set screws or machine screws to add weight into the brass inserts

[nchunterkw]

I have taken an American Bison with the following arrow from my Vortex.

Easton FMJ shaft
Brass Insert
Blazer vanes
100gr G5 Montec CS
total wt = 525gr
Put the BH through on all 3 shots, 1 complete passthru

This year I am upping it by 50gr by switching the BH to a 2 blade Magnus Stinger. I'll get better penetration for sure.

You might also look up Dr. Ed Ashby and read his stuff on building arrows. Most of his stuff is available here:
http://www.alaskabowhunting.com/Dr.-Ed-Ashby-W26.aspx

I'd start with this one:
http://www.alaskabowhunting.com/Ashby-O ... n-W19.aspx

Good Luck!! and post pics when it's done

[Hunt it]

Gooday Mate,

I have a bunch of Easton FMJ Dangerous game shafts 240 spine that I rigged for Oz buff for my 85lb long bow. Theses shafts are 17gr/in and are the heaviest I have come across without going to a tapered shaft which I do not believe will work in cross bow but have not tried it. Alaska Bowhunting makes Grizzly stick line of tapered shafts and their Safari model was very heavy gr/inch although tapered.

I would suggest you get some solid fiberglass bowfishing arrows and cut a few down to size and test. there is no issue with strength or breaking just will they fly for you. Muzzy make good solid glass arrow. In the old days many of first African trad bow huntes such as Hill etc all used these solid glass shafts for big stuff. This will be the cheapest option for sure and I know you can find these in Oz if you search - good ones are $10.00 each.

Keep us posted on what you find.

[MickB]

Thanks all I will look into the arrow modification side of things as suggested. That is a new area for me and have not tinkered much with arrows before.

Also could one of the heavy 250-300 grain broadheads on the markets be added to a regular diablo arrow for greater effect? Or is this not necessarily more effective on big game?And also have a tendency to wreck accuracy with the big sail like fins on these things?

[awshucks]

Fwiw, I shot a 1000 lb cow buff in Tx a few yrs ago w/: a stock Y-25, Boo string, 446 gr total weight arrow w/ a Slick Trick 1 1/8" cut bhead at 20 yds. Est fps was 295-300.

The bhead was sticking out the off side about 2-3". It had cut a rib in two on the offside.

Boo shoots a huge 3 blade bhead, G5 I think w/ good results.

[nchunterkw]

Thanks all I will look into the arrow modification side of things as suggested. That is a new area for me and have not tinkered much with arrows before.

Also could one of the heavy 250-300 grain broadheads on the markets be added to a regular diablo arrow for greater effect? Or is this not necessarily more effective on big game?And also have a tendency to wreck accuracy with the big sail like fins on these things?

I think you could shoot the 20" arrow I am shooting out of my Vortex with no problems from your Matrix. That weighs 575gr and I would not hesitate to shoot that at a water buffalo. If you don't want to mess with arrows, you can buy the FMJ shafts with the brass inserts installed from Lancaster Archery, or any shop can put them in for you. Easton sells the shafts with Al inserts so they need to be swapped out. The easiest way is to buy the 22" arrow and cut them off and install the brass. I have great accuracy from the 2 blade heads. Ashby's research has shown without a doubt that you get best penetration with 2 blades, next best is 4 blades, and 3 blades are last. That's why I am switching it up this year and going with the Magnus. I have not tried them but the Ashby 2 blade head - available at Alaska bowhunting supply is reported to be a really good 2 blade designed off of all his research. FWIW, he did a lot of his research in Africa shooting Asia buffalo with bows as "small" as a 40lb recurve. SO it directly applied to your situation.

[Masboy]

I take another smaller arrow shaft that fits inside the one I,m shooting an add the brass insert an gives you a good stiff ,heavy, deadly accurate arrow.

[nchunterkw]

I take another smaller arrow shaft that fits inside the one I,m shooting an add the brass insert an gives you a good stiff ,heavy, deadly accurate arrow.

I like this too - but above he said he hasn't built arrows in the past.

For my own interest, do you put the insert in the bigger arrow first, and then insert the smaller arrow and cut to length? Or do you use a full length smaller arrow, and a brass insert for the smaller diameter arrow?

[Hunt it]

The FMJ Dangerous game shaft cut down is way to go if you don't want solid shaft.

Stay away from Those Ashby heads they junk. Doc Ashby has no connection to ABS he just allowed them to use his name (I know the good Doc) now he supports design but made in China crap metal they break. For those referring to shooting Buff in N. America there is no comparision between Bison and Oz Buff - none.

Hide and ribs on Oz buff are different ball game all the way around compared to bison. My buddy Andy that lives in Oz and guides bowhunters for buff has done a great deal of broadhead testing of recent models in the last few years. Most of Doc Ashby's testing was few years back now. Andy has seen most broaheads sold from N.America fail on the Oz buff, his favourite heads that have held up even with bone hits from 100lb compound are the VPA in both 2 and 3 blade model. The Tuff Heads and Silver Flames have done well as well - word of warning the Silver Flames I'm refering to are the MADE IN GERMANY MODELS DIRECT FROM MARCUS - NOT the made in China version ALaskan sells (these are junk again) use cheap metal/manufacturing get cheap heads.

[Masboy]

I put the insert in the larger arrow first an then the shaft cut to lenth to exactly between the rear an front insert. an sometimes only a short piece in the front an a little gorilla glue for a permenant bond.

[MickB]

Thanks again, as mentioned I am not overly advanced and my post was probably a bit misleading- 500-550 is where I was aiming as opposed to the 700+ which will be something for later.

I was thinking I might try some of the 20" alum 2219 352 grain arrows as advertised and put a decent broadhead 150-170grains on them. Which will get me into the 500grain+ level without too much fuss. Would these be worth trying without further modification?

Still good information being passed around though on ultra heavy arrows so feel free to keep it going.

[Limbs and Sticks]

Thanks again, as mentioned I am not overly advanced and my post was probably a bit misleading- 500-550 is where I was aiming as opposed to the 700+ which will be something for later.

I was thinking I might try some of the 20" alum 2219 352 grain arrows as advertised and put a decent broadhead 150-170grains on them. Which will get me into the 500grain+ level without too much fuss. Would these be worth trying without further modification?

Still good information being passed around though on ultra heavy arrows so feel free to keep it going.

Magnus makes a 150gr two blade bh, might be what your looking for,I know they fly where you aim and have a life time warranty, pull their site up.

Wes

[cb175]

Have a look at Outback Broadheads. Woody has 220gn heads specifically for large Australian game. I'm sure he would be happy to advise.

http://outbackbroadheads.com.au/supreme-fe-220-grain