benefits of heavier bolt????

speedball · Post by **speedball** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:08 pm

i'm switching from a 430 grain carbon bolt for my x-2 to a 470 grain bolt what will if any advantages will i gain or lose, i had bad luck with the pro-elites this year i thought the carbon express hunters would be tougher with the buff tuff finish???speed.......

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:11 pm

Usually the benefits are more KE & less noise.
Of course the disadvantage is a more looping trajectory.

Rage_A_Holic · Post by **Rage_A_Holic** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:15 pm

I'm kinda a newbie; but I have done a fair bit of research. take the others advice over mine.... but from what I have read..

a 40grain difference isn't much. I doubt there will be any visual differences apart from a slight scope adjustment. but if you were comparing 350gr bolts to 450gr bolts, you would see the heavy ones travel slower, loose trajectory quicker, but hit harder, and penetrate deeper.

therefore for smaller faster animals; like rabbit, or whitetail deer, stick to light weight bolts.... you don't need a lot of penetration, but you want to ensure the bolt gets there before they flinch.

when dealing with larger slower animals like moose, or large bear, go with heavy bolts... because you need the extra thump; and even if it takes longer to get there, the animal isn't quick enough to flinch out of the way in time.

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:25 pm

Speedball I have made 4 sets of bolt for people some are @ 370 gr. 400 gr. and someup to 480grs. They all shoot very well. Most of the guys are using Wasp Jak-Hammers . I use slick tricks or Jak-Hammers.
We are shooting both cardon and alum. bolts.
What kind of problems did you have with your pro-elites ?

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Sun Feb 04, 2007 8:52 pm

which would you rather hit you..

a train going 20mph or a truck going 30mph

The more weight, the more knock down energy

for whitetail, the standard gr bolts work fine. I like something in the 370-410gr range though. Not to heavy and not to light

Pydpiper · Post by **Pydpiper** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:41 am

I find the heavier arrows perform very well when there is any type of variables, like rain or wind..
I liked the speed of the stock carbons, but I didn't like the variances in POI when the wind was blowing. A heavier arrow quited my crossbow substantially and wind is no longer a variable.

speedball · Post by **speedball** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:27 am

the pro-elites were coming apart upon impact, i shot a big deer with one and it split in half and i found the other half inside of him, i dont think carbon bolts of 20" should do this, i mainly shoot 125 grain slick tricks out of it, so i guess a 20-30 yard shot shouldnt be effected too much by the extra weight???? p.o.i. will a little i guess????

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:46 pm

Speed Ball
I do not thing your problem is because the arrow you are shooting is to lite. Sounds like the bolt is not strong enough.
Yes if I was you I would change bolts. If you do not want to use carbon that is fine get some Easton alum. bolts.
As far as weight that's up to you. I've got one Brother that killed 6 deer this year with Gold Tip Lanser II weighing 370 gr. He lost 2 bolts do to pass throughs. He shoot an Excalibur 200 exocet. None of his bolts broke.
Two others in the family are using exocet 200 and an exomag 200. They both use 2219 with a total weight @ 480 gr. They had deer damage 4 of their bolts and lost 1 on a pass through.
The one brother was using crop damage permits that's why he could shoot 6 deer.
As I said before I don't think the weight is your problem I think it's the quality of the bolt.