Chrony results with the new Exomax!!

[bomtek44]

Warmed up a bit today, and with the Holiday....had to go outside.

My string is 28 strand black and gray, so I think from reading here, it is the endless loop ff string. Strung it up with about three twists and had a brace height of 1 5/16 inch to the back of the string. I did put some catwhiskers on each end just at the end of the loop serving.

First I shot the GT Laser 2's with aluminum front and rear inserts and 125 grain points. Total weight averaged 391.3 grains. Chronograph readings were very consistent and averaged 330 fps.

Next up were the 20 inch 2216's with aluminum front insert and solid rear aluminum insert, and 125 grain point. Total weight averaged 442 grains. Average speed was 317 fps.

My 17 year old son was shooting 2 inch groups with the 2216's at 40 yards from a sitting field position. Standing five yards to the side, the 2216's were noticeably quieter off the bow, and much quieter than I thought they would be. The sound is truly felt more than heard with the cheek on the stock. May have to do the pipe insulation experiment.

I am doing up some Laser 2's with brass front inserts and some 2219's with aluminum front and rear. Hope to add about another 50 grains total weight. That should get the speed to about 300 and make it quieter still.

In my opinion, this 225 pound bow is better suited for a 500 grain arrow at 300 fps than a 350 grain arrow at 350 fps......plus it will be easier on the limbs.

This is quite a machine!


Thanks,

[saxman]

Great report.
You are the second person I have seen posting about the heavy arrows for the #225's

I might have to try it

[crazyfarmer]

i bought my equinox for the speed so thats why i like the 350fps

but im only shooting 330's with my 375grain bolt and string

a 500 grain arrow is nice, but its way to much overkill for deer when a 325grain bolt would work fine

for moose the 500grain bolt would be ideal But everyone likes different setups:) Hevay bolts do fly more like darts which do perform better in windy conditions, but if you are splitting bolts with the lighter arrows, then better flight doesnt factor in

FOC is the key for flight

[wabi]

In my limited experience (8 or 10 years of deer hunting with a crossbow) I have come to accept 300fps as an adequate velocity for deer hunting.
I started with the old black Vixen and with heavy arrows was down in the 250 fps range, and deer could "jump the string" at the longer end of normal hunting yardage (around a 30 yards max for me). At 300 fps those problems are greatly reduced. I have shot at deer at around 30 yards (I like to add a ± 10% to allow for range estimation error) with the Phoenix getting in the 290s and the deer didn't move before the arrow impacted. Unfortunately, I know they didn't move because I shot under them. (one scope failure, and one brain failure - I used the 20 yard crosshair at 31 yards)
A heavier is definately quieter, and as long as it's going fast enough to get the job done it should work just fine! Keep it around 300 fps and get close is always a good plan!

BTW - I switched to a 25 yard sight-in with the crosshair this year. A hold in the center of the kill zone on a whitetail within 30 yards will put the arrow in the vitals with this sight-in. If I have time/desire to fine tune the hold I can, but if not it's just a matter of aim at the center of the kill zone and shoot. So far it's worked perfectly for me, perhaps because the need to think under stress is reduced.

[crazyfarmer]

In my limited experience (8 or 10 years of deer hunting with a crossbow) I have come to accept 300fps as an adequate velocity for deer hunting.
I started with the old black Vixen and with heavy arrows was down in the 250 fps range, and deer could "jump the string" at the longer end of normal hunting yardage (around a 30 yards max for me). At 300 fps those problems are greatly reduced. I have shot at deer at around 30 yards (I like to add a ± 10% to allow for range estimation error) with the Phoenix getting in the 290s and the deer didn't move before the arrow impacted. Unfortunately, I know they didn't move because I shot under them. (one scope failure, and one brain failure - I used the 20 yard crosshair at 31 yards)
A heavier is definately quieter, and as long as it's going fast enough to get the job done it should work just fine! Keep it around 300 fps and get close is always a good plan!

BTW - I switched to a 25 yard sight-in with the crosshair this year. A hold in the center of the kill zone on a whitetail within 30 yards will put the arrow in the vitals with this sight-in. If I have time/desire to fine tune the hold I can, but if not it's just a matter of aim at the center of the kill zone and shoot. So far it's worked perfectly for me, perhaps because the need to think under stress is reduced.

wabi, well said... 300fps is the cut off line for me also. Normally its no way to jump out to 3o yards at 300fps. Now start getting out at 40 which is the high end of the kill and if a deer knows you are there, then he has a slight chance to move just enough to throw the shot off.

I didnt by my xbow because it was quiet though. Thats why I have my Hoyt compound which makes a whisper sound on the shot and shoots 290fps

Bomtek, if you want to kill more sound but keep a sub 500grain bolt, try a Boo string;) Strings make a big difference in sound also, whichout going to a heavier bolt

[honker]

wabi, well said... 300fps is the cut off line for me also. Normally its no way to jump out to 3o yards at 300fps. Now start getting out at 40 which is the high end of the kill and if a deer knows you are there, then he has a slight chance to move just enough to throw the shot off.

You got that right.

Experienced it this year on my 2nd buck... A mature 8pt and it definitely knew I was not supposed to be on the ground.

Hoping that an upgrade in securing quietness and 305fps with carbon arrows will aid in moving things along when the time comes to pull the trigger.

[ComfyBear]

a 500 grain arrow is nice, but its way to much overkill for deer when a 325grain bolt would work fine

Hopeful 325grain is a typo, because using an arrow that light would be akin to dryfiring your Equinox.

Using a 225lbs crossbow to shoot deer is overkill regardless whether one uses a 500gr arrow at 300fps or a 375gr arrow at 350fps. The only difference is if you use a 500gr arrow your crossbow should last a few years longer.

Personally, I prefer to shoot no less than a 420gr arrow out of both my 175lbs Exocet and 200lbs Exomag. Doing so means a lot less wear and tear, and therefore not having to sell them on the trading post.

[bomtek44]

Thanks for the replies. All points are well stated. I must say that I didn't purchase my "new" Exomax new. I bought it two weeks ago from a good friend who sold me the entire package for less than a third of new cost. He had it for less than two years and it still looks new.

I am not enamored with "magnumitis". I own no magnum centerfires. I have videotaped the most spectacular deer kills I have ever witnessed when my son, who is now 17, started hunting with his .243 and 85 grain Speers, lightly loaded, at age 11. My Mathews MQ1 is set at 63 # and launches a GT 55-75 and 100 grain Muzzy at 260 fps.

The Exomax is big and bad. If I had been purchasing a new Excalibur, it would likely have been nothing above the Vortex.

Speed kills.....but at a cost to equipment. Any instrument that launches a hunting arrow accurately at 300 fps is a killer. Looks like I will be able to comfortably do that with a 480-500 grain arrow.....and preserve the life of my Exomax.

That works for me.

Thanks,

[dutchhunter]

but before these high speed bows came out we were killing deer every year with 150lb cross bows out to 40 yards with no trouble at all .never had any complantes thy were to slow and the deer did not now the diff .i thing knowing your yardege and your bow is a bigger part of the answer .then just speed .we shot those 150lb bows every day in season and thy were a lot quioter and narower then the new high speed bows .I do like my excals and am going back to the xocet 200 this year great huntinh tool DUTCH

[crazyfarmer]

a 500 grain arrow is nice, but its way to much overkill for deer when a 325grain bolt would work fine

Hopeful 325grain is a typo, because using an arrow that light would be akin to dryfiring your Equinox.

I meant a 325 on the phoenix:-P Thats the min rated arrow weight for that bow
no less that 350 on the 200+ models of coarse I like speed, but im not interested in seeing the arrow hit MACH 3 and the bows limbs explode

I will say im probably switching to a 400ish grain arrow for this year to try, but so far no issues at all with the custom 375grains and 14.7% FOC

[Phoenix_Tom]

a 500 grain arrow is nice, but its way to much overkill for deer when a 325grain bolt would work fine

Hopeful 325grain is a typo, because using an arrow that light would be akin to dryfiring your Equinox.

I meant a 325 on the phoenix Thats the min rated arrow weight for that bow
no less that 350 on the 200+ models of coarse I like speed, but im not interested in seeing the arrow hit MACH 3 and the bows limbs explode

I will say im probably switching to a 400ish grain arrow for this year to try, but so far no issues at all with the custom 375grains and 14.7% FOC

I think you meant Vixen / Vixen II there CF. The min for the Phoenix is 350gr.

[crazyfarmer]

bahh.. yes I meant the vixen.. its to many bows to keep track off in my old age LMAO

im sure in 2 years there will be 7-8 others added to the names now

[hikerman]

Last year I changed to alum. 2219s with the plastic nock and alum. insert.
I shoot with 100g broad head.
I have a 175# exocet I figure I was some were around 290-300 fps.
I just made up some 2219s with the plastic nock and alum. inserts but only 22" long. I am going to use a 125g. head. That puts me right on 500g altogether.
Just need the time to get out and try them.