[David Petersen]

in reply to: elk #44196

Tex — Indeed, we often run into an overall weight vs. high FoC choice. STart with a light shaft and we can easily get EFoC but not always the 650 min. total weight. It’s even harder with shorter shafts. But also with a shorter shaft you have lots of spine and if you want you can hang a ton of weight up front. I shoot 30″ cheapy Carbon Express 45/70s with 125-grain steel broadhead adapters and 100 grain brass inserts and heads in the 200-grain category and wind up with 680 grains and 26% FoC, dynamite. For woodies I’m currently using pine hexshafts right at 700 total with 200-grain points but can’t even bust 20% FoC with lead or titanium wire inserts. I’m the type of guy who will say, “OK, this is close and it shoots like a bullet, so this is my elk arrow for this year … for now.” Then sit it aside and start playing around again. My biggest surprise through all of this has been how forgiving of spine carbons are, and how much weight I can hang on front of any shaft, so long as it’s within spine range, before the arc becomes so high I must reject it … and even then they fly straight. With the right broadhead you should have pass-throughs if you miss the big bones. I’m jealous of your NM hunt! Gorgeous country and tons of monster bulls, but I’d need another lifetime to draw a tag. Go get ’em, dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Cameras or No? #42840

I’m with all of you, above. Hunting should involve hunting and no guarantees or shortcuts for woodsmanship. And like TTF said, mystery.

And welcome aboard, Adirondackman. 😀 Dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Brass insert preventing failure? #36589

Sapcut — thanks for the photo. Why do you use a double sleeve rather than just one layer?

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Brass insert preventing failure? #35717

Kegan — Yes and yes. What Sap and Ray said. I have destroyed several carbon shafts on purpose with this sort of test, shooting into pine trees straight on and at a sharp angle. Mostly with field points as broadheads are almost impossible to pull, but I have shot a few expendable broahs in these destruction derbies as well. For angled shots I do believe the longer brass inserts help prevent the front of shaft and head from breaking off. For for straight-in shots the head gets jammed back into the shaft and splits it in several places when it gets jammed back. In that case an aluminum collar–I use 2″ to 3″ lengths–cut from an alum shaft seems to help prevent splitting. But then, this shouldn’t be too big a worry with quality carbon shafts and brass inserts (and steel adapters if you’re using glue-on heads) shot at animals, even with heavy bone impact at an angle. What Ashby’s research shows is that aluminum adapters and insert readily break, bend and fail. Avoid those and we’re pretty much over the hump. I built up some alum sleeved wood arrows in an ongoing search to find ways to prevent shaft breakage just behind the head which magnifies with heavier heads and esp. with WoodyWeights (in my limited testing). They were great in every respect exectp the clunky way they look. So far as I know only KingWouldBe uses alum sleeves over carbon shafts. Maybe if he reads this he can offer some knowledge as he’s been shooting them into all sorts of big critters for years. Good luck, dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: German Pine???? #35707

Steve, I doubt that German pine is much different than N. American or any other pine. I’m guess it will be heavy and wavy and hard to straighten. But for that price? We nominate you as our Mikey to buy, test and report back to us. It would almost be worth that much to watch them shatter! 🙄 dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: How much bow and arrow for hogs? #34181

Welcome, Apex! We’ve been missing David too … figured he must have been on an extended hog hunt, or busy cooking all that pork. 😛 dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Euro Mount #32945

Beautiful buck and mount, Ray. Did the horns stay on the skull for the whole process? I once tried a simple prongy mount with the skull cap. After a few months the horns started to stink. Unlike antler, which is solid dead bone, horns have a spongy matrix with a carotine outer sheath and I’ve never heard anyone describe how to deal with it. Just curious if you have it figured out … as I have a prongy tag this year and high hopes. Of course, in hunting I always have high hopes. For such boxy looking faces, prongies sure have thin skulls. Congrats. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: 2 Blade double bevel and 3 blade vs single bevel #31069

USMC and Pothunter, you guys have an intelligent, open-minded and interesting discussion going here.

USMC — you sound like quite an intelligent man … you sure you were a Marine? :lol::wink::D:):P:P Semper Fi (takes on to know one)

George — your favorite point of “don’t fix what ain’t broke” is well taken, and as you suggest, for those who feel they have it wired with no improvement needed or wanted,and who aren’t recreational “tinkerers,” well there you go. But keep in mind that the Ashby forum was created specifically for folks who enjoy tinkering, experimenting, playing around with archery in general and testing Ashby’s results for themselves in particular, without being bullied when they discuss it, as happens on some sites. I’m not saying you’re bullying, ’cause you’re not. I’m just trying to explain “where we are coming from here” in hopes that you can get more comfy with it. So far as heavy heads, my experience has been same as Bloodie’s — as weight goes up, so goes accuracy. Ashby explains it in lever-arm terms. It offers one reassurance — that you can use heavier heads without spoiling tune — plus one tiny advantage for those interested in eeking out max speed (which I personally am not), and for EFOC hogs (which I am), to wit: with more weight up front, you need less fletching to achieve the same relative accuracy. If only a tiny bit, smaller feathers offers the potential to increase both speed and penetration. For me, everyday practice would be a lot less interesting if I just shot what worked when I was 14 and never “messed around” with new possibilities. Also, it’s a great excuse to keep building more arrows than I need, as I really enjoy building arrows. 😀

Cheers, dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Broadhead of choice let's hear it #28926

Steve — I’ve had great results from the STOS 160s, and never a failure of any kind. They should slice through deer for you like a needle through warm butter. I’m with you on the “Hill” aka Ashby broadhead conformation formula — 3:1 and straight. Not convex. Not concave. And absolutely not serrated. Thanks for introducing the Compton’s kids to woodsmanship. dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Our 2nd grand child is almost here #28499

Best luck, and congratulations. 😀 Dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Compton #25441

Thanks for the pics and report, Limb. I’ve really wanted to attend Compton’s, but because it’s a camping event and half of American away from me here in CO, I’ve never made it. Interesting to see that this huge MI event suffers from the same pains as our little state trad camp shoot — heat, unpredictable weather, and bugs. I’d still like to spend a day there! dave

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Simmons Land Shark or Interceptor broadheads #25291

Concave heads did not fare well in Ashby’s testing. I believe that report is very early, maybe even during the Natal study. It’s all in the Ashbly library here if anyone has the time and motivation to search it out.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: EFoc and Carbon Arrows #21868

This is very similar to Kingwouldbe’s set-up with alum sleeving over carbons shafts. I don’t know if he uses an internal weight-adaptor or not. But in both cases I’m left to wonder if the “bump-ups” over the sleeves don’t distract when you approach full draw, and don’t affect accuracy as they bump back over the shelf on release? Or do you leave enough length up there so that you don’t draw onto the sleeves? Very nice illustrations, thanks. dp

[David Petersen]

in reply to: Broadhead of choice let's hear it #21858

My preferences are close to T’s, above, with variations. As I’ve often said, and others have echoed from their own experience, I’ll say again (keeping in mind that I gauge everything toward efficiency on elk):

Strongest/best head: ABS Ashby

Best head for the money (thus all-around best head): Abowyer Brown Bear

Best head for the least money: Tusker Concord

Yet this year I’ll be shooting the new improved 200-grain Grizzly El Grande, which has the potential to replace all others in my personal line up.

Again this is for elk. Almost any solid (that is, non-mechanical) head that’s sharp will get it done for deer, and in that category I really like the Eclipse 2-blades.

[David Petersen]

in reply to: wood arrows? #21850

The reason I’ve switched to carbon arrows for elk the last couple of years can be summed up in a single acroynm: EFoC. I have seen the amazing influences on accuracy and penetration that EFoC provides and just can’t deny it. At this point, you can’t even come close with wood. And believe me I’ve tried — WoodyWeights, footed shafts, internal weights (heavy metal wire), external sleeves (3″ sections of aluminum shafting that also allows for the use of screw-in points). In one way and another, none of these options has been satisfactory. So for me it’s not a choice of convenience or uniformity, etc. I’ve shot woodies for more than half a century and built my own for the past several years and nothing else comes close to offering the visceral satisfaction that Larry alludes to. So for now I’ll keep hunting with carbons while searching for an EFoC solution for wood arrows. The best compromise right now is that new El Grande 200-grain broadhead. I wish other broadhead makers would come out with even heavier glue-ons. But then shaft breakage behind the head predictably will increase. Meanwhile, Larry you don’t mention where aluminum shafts fit into your aesthetical views. In my mind, other than using sections of shaft to foot wood (or as Kingwouldbe does, carbon) arrows, I can’t understand why they haven’t become obsolete and disappeared. To each his own and believe me, I will not be satisfied until I can get it all worked out with woodies. At least I’m experimenting and working at it. “Convenience” carries no weight in my approach to archery and hunting, as I enjoy every aspect. dp

[Author]

Posts