What arrow weight do you prefer?

Crossbow Hunting

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What total arrow weight do you prefer using in your crossbow?

350 grains
31
7%
375 grains
45
10%
400 grains
190
44%
425 grains
96
22%
450 grains
34
8%
475 grains
18
4%
500 grains
7
2%
525 + grains
13
3%
 
Total votes: 434

whoay
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 12:04 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by whoay »

20 inch Easton bloodline @10.5 gpi
3 inch vanes @ 10 grians ea
57 grain insert
28 grain lumenok
100 grain head

= 425 Grains
Last edited by whoay on Thu Jul 26, 2018 11:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
ADM Hawk
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:02 pm

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by ADM Hawk »

I just purchased micro 355 as my 1st crossbow, what would you suggest for arrow and broadhead combo? also what's with adding brass inserts for additional weight? back in my bow hunting days we tried to cut weight in every direction and shoot 125 or less broadheads, current bolt logic seems to be going in the other direction?
Mntnere
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2016 6:47 pm
Location: Mathews Co Va

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by Mntnere »

Shooting a micro 355, Why does the 16.5 quill spec at 9.9 gpi and suggested broad head weight at 150 but this doesn't add up to the minimum arrow of 350?

I called Excalibur today and asked about 18" bolts on the micro 355 and they said it would be fine and I could shoot either bolt 16.5 or 18 with the 100 grain. This would put the 16.5 way below the min wt ?
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ads1
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:26 am
Location: Southern Illinois

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by ads1 »

I may be wrong but I have weighed the Quill bolt and it weighs 250 gr. The 9.9 gpi is for a bare shaft. 9.9X16.5 =163.35 gr. Now add in the vanes, flat nock, front insert = 86.65 gr. 163.35 gr plus 86.65 gr = 250 gr. now add 150 gr broadhead and the total weight is 400 gr.

I am using the 16.5 inch Quill and have calculated the FOC to be approximately 21 percent. Hope this helps. My apologies if I have calculated this wrongly; I'm new at this.
Last edited by ads1 on Mon Sep 26, 2016 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ads1
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:26 am
Location: Southern Illinois

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by ads1 »

ADM Hawk wrote:I just purchased micro 355 as my 1st crossbow, what would you suggest for arrow and broadhead combo? also what's with adding brass inserts for additional weight? back in my bow hunting days we tried to cut weight in every direction and shoot 125 or less broadheads, current bolt logic seems to be going in the other direction?
You need to add the brass insert to increase FOC. The Quill bolt has a very light front insert but a heavy broad head. if you use a 100 or 125 gn broad head on a Quill bolt your accuracy may suffer at distances greater than 20 yards.

If you build some custom bolts ( Jerry at South Shore Archery is building mine) and use B.E. Zombie Slayer .001 arrows, use 110 gn brass insert, flat nock, 2 in Blazer vanes you should have approx. 409 gr with 100 gr broad head and 434 gr with 125 gr broad head.
ADM Hawk
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 10:02 pm

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by ADM Hawk »

ads1 wrote:
ADM Hawk wrote:I just purchased micro 355 as my 1st crossbow, what would you suggest for arrow and broadhead combo? also what's with adding brass inserts for additional weight? back in my bow hunting days we tried to cut weight in every direction and shoot 125 or less broadheads, current bolt logic seems to be going in the other direction?
You need to add the brass insert to increase FOC. The Quill bolt has a very light front insert but a heavy broad head. if you use a 100 or 125 gn broad head on a Quill bolt your accuracy may suffer at distances greater than 20 yards.

If you build some custom bolts ( Jerry at South Shore Archery is building mine) and use B.E. Zombie Slayer .001 arrows, use 110 gn brass insert, flat nock, 2 in Blazer vanes you should have approx. 409 gr with 100 gr broad head and 434 gr with 125 gr broad head.

Thanks for the info
Greg Dewar
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:31 pm

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by Greg Dewar »

Hello I'm new at crossbow I have a matrix 380 I'm shooting a fire-blot 20'' with a 125gr ip and a 125gr broad-head my arrows are between 400 and 403gr is thisa good arrow weight
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Richieg150
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2015 2:41 pm

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by Richieg150 »

I have a Axiom, and with Excalibur Firebolt 20" arrows, 125 field tip, and Luminoks, my arrows weigh 433 grains. Chronoed them at 295 fps. They fly straight and true and have killed, so far, everything I have shot at. :D
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Joshuaj34
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2016 1:07 am
Location: Ruston, Louisiana

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by Joshuaj34 »

I prefer a 375 grain arrow. I use the Diablo bolts with a 175 grain swhacker broadhead and I've had nothing but good luck with the combination.
Hueyh1
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 4:01 pm

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by Hueyh1 »

Newbie to crossbow. Actually the last time I touched a bowl was 40 years ago with a falcon recurve.
Will be retiring soon. Just purchase the Matrix 380. 250 grain Diablo bolt. Boltcutter 150gr SS 3 blades. 12 pk 150 gr points. I know it'll be fun
Excalibur Matrix 380
150 Boltcutter Heads
125 Rage X MH
18 Diablo Bolts
SEW
Posts: 1745
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Location: NE Arkansas

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by SEW »

Drew wrote:After hunting South Africa this year I plan on sticking with the same arrow for Michigan deer.

18" Zombie
Lumenok
92gr brass insert
3.5" wrap
Blazer vanes
150gr or 175gr VPA 3 blade broadhead

Total build up weight...462gr (150gr VPA), 486gr (175gr VPA) with 20.4% and 21.8% FOC respectively.

These combos out of my M355 made two holes in three Impala, warthog, zebra, and Kudu. If it's not broke don't fix it. I've not chrono'd these out of my 355 but I'm guessing based on passed experience that they are somewhere between 310-325fps. I'd rather go heavy and have less noise/shock and stress on the bow than go light.

Not a fan of bullpup designs as the trigger linkage is always an issue. I really wish Excal would make a bow that has as good of balance as the 355, the power stroke of the M400-405, and the ability to throw a 475-500gr arrow at 380fps. Now that would be a magnum! And as flat shooting as all of those itty bitty 375gr arrows. :lol:
I've gone down this same direction lately. Some differences. 92g insert, 20" STs, Blazers, 170g (FOC) or Xbow Tricks(using 175g since I have them , but would choose 150 version for this insert wt). Arrow wt is 485-491g. actually need to test with 100 & 125g broadheads but sure like the feel of this extra wt. Use this with BD400.
M405 - 18" STs, Blazers, 50g insert, same broadheads (420g). M380 - 18" Zombies, 26g insert, Blazers, same broadheads(390-395g).
I will likely limit my usage of FOCs to heavier arrow setups and higher energy. I'm slowly migrating towards med wt arrows 425g- 490ishg. 20" arrows seem to have flatter trajectories than 18".
My guess for an ideal arrow (for deer) for a 400 or 405, 20" Tactical Tapp, Blazers or SK300, flat plastic nock, 92 or 110g insert and one of the G5 broadheads or 50g insert with 150g Xbow Trick or VPA, or 26g insert with FOC or 175g Xbow Trick or VPA. Just some thoughts.
For shorter rail length than 400,405, the above with 18-19".
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Drew
Posts: 309
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Location: SE Michigan
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Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by Drew »

>>SEW, don't forget that there is an 80gr brass insert for the ZS's as well. I thought about using that insert when I was planning on using the 175gr VPA. As it was, I decided to just go with the 92gr and if I happen to use the 175gr VPA I would just have a higher FOC. I never shoot at game beyond 40yds anyway, nor had too. Heck my longest shot to date is 35yds and the average is 24yds.
Drew
2013 Matrix 355 Xtra
TT Single Stage
Nikon Bolt XR
Boo & Xcalibur flemish strings
18" BE Zombie Slayers
VPA 3-blade broadheads
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L.C.B.H
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:09 pm
Location: Ontario,Canada-64A

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by L.C.B.H »

435-475 gr is what i prefer.
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Goose52
Posts: 299
Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2015 10:57 am
Location: NE WI

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by Goose52 »

i am satisfied with quills & boltcutters i am shooting now, plus they are paid for. i would like to add lumenoks as it took me an hour with a metal detector to find my bolt after a pass through. so going by the info provided by ads, adding them would bring my quills up to 428gr. but what about FOC? would i need to make any other alterations? anybody here shooting that combination? what kind of fps would i be getting out of a 335? thanks in advance for any answers!
Last edited by Goose52 on Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Micro 335 Nightmare (Black Bo)
Twilight DLX
Wyvern's Gold Tips
Drstirrup
Matrix 350LE
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ads1
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:26 am
Location: Southern Illinois

Re: What arrow weight do you prefer?

Post by ads1 »

Goose52 wrote:Wow, how did i miss this thread? glad i found it cuz i've been thinking about changing my arrows. however, it seems whenever i deviate from the KISS principle i run into problems. i am satisfied with quills & boltcutters, plus they are paid for. i would like to add lumenocs as it took me an hour with a metal detector to find my bolt after a pass through. so going by the info provided by ads, adding them would bring my quills up to 428gr. but what about FOC? would i need to make any other alterations? anybody here shooting that combination? what kind of fps would i be getting out of a 335? thanks in advance for any answers!
I would just try shooting them and see if they group ok.
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