So I received my first Thunderchild in september and have really enjoyed it. I really is an unbelievable little bow. The bows specs are 54" and right at 50 lbs at my draw. I have been shooting 28" heritage 150's with 50gr inserts and 125gr heads. These seem to shoot pretty well, but feel like I can get a little more out of it. I have heard great things about the FMJ's but have never shot them myself and really wanted to get some of you alls opinion on them. I was considering trying the 400 at 28" with 75gr brass HIT inserts with a 125gr head. What do you guys think??

I would give the 500 spine a try.  They are awesome arrows very straight and have good weight to them.

Widow,

even with 200gr up front that would be what you recommend? Ive always shot carbon express so I will take your word on it.

Load-up the front of your 150's and see how they fly.  I shoot GT 35/55's cut to 29" from low 50's bows with 250-285gr up front and they fly great.

A 150 heritage is a .471 spine I think you would be better off with a 500 spine than a 400.  Also the hit insert sticks pretty far down in the shaft acting like an internal foot and stiffening the shaft slightly.

Thanks buddy, that makes sense to me. Think im going to go ahead and order 6 from three rivers to start with, and add on after that.

I also would suggest the 500's and although we sell them and I have shot them, I think their axis is a better arrow.

BigJim

I would listen to Jim, he knows a thing or three

Jim, I have the FMJ's and love 'em, .... but have never tried the Axis. Why do you feel they are a better arrow?
Will

I shot the FMJ and the Axis..I agree with Big Jim Go with the Axis, much better shaft..

QuoteOriginally posted by Widowdoublelung:
A 150 heritage is a .471 spine I think you would be better off with a 500 spine than a 400.  Also the hit insert sticks pretty far down in the shaft acting like an internal foot and stiffening the shaft slightly.

Right on...same for either FMJ and Axis

I shot the axis in my wheel bow but switched to the FMJ's a couple years ago in preparation for an elk hunt.  I have  never looked back.  I love those shafts.  I have been using a 500 spine with my 47# recurve with 200 grains up front.  Flight is very nice.  One thing with the Axis is that they are very durable.

"One thing with the Axis is that they are very durable."


         I've read the same about the FMJ's.

A footed axis is indestructible.  A fmj shaft can  bend, and axis will not.  They are both great shafts and I shoot them both but I would give the durability to an axis.

Out of my 55# Montana my FMJ 400's fly perfect with a 50 grain insert and a 125 grain Stinger.  Out of my 55# Dorado those same shafts seem a bit weak.

The spine charts put me at the edges of 400's with that much point weight as well.

I'm just curious because so many people are suggesting the 500's for what is a similar set-up to mine.

Does it seem crazy that I felt like the 400's were on the verge of being too weak for my Dorado?  

I draw right around 27" and have my shafts cut to 29".

If you get the right spine and tune properly, you can get any arrow to fly great. The FMJ's don't fly better because they are FMJ's. They can definitely be bent.
Wheel guys love them because they don't have nearly as many misses or miss hits as trad guys and most don't shoot nearly as many arrows as we do either. therefore we are much more apt to bend the fmj's.

Besides, it is not an advantage to have heavy shafts in carbon (really any material). If you put the necessary weight up front of the proper spine and length shaft, it will fly and penetrate so much better than distributing the weight across the length of the shaft.

I hear guys say all the time that they don't buy in to that E F O C and that is their prerogative. After all, they have been doing it a certain way their whole life and I guess that makes it the only right way.

BigJIm

Coach, there is likely something else going on there. I have seen shafts bear shaft perfectly only after bouncing off of the outside of the shelf.

The Dorado is a aluminum riser that can be adjusted to shoot just about any arrow. It is cut way past center and not shot off the shelf....if I remember correctly.


"must be the right shaft because it flies true". Somethings can be very deceiving.

BigJim

Thanks BigJim.

I shoot it off the shelf.  I've built it out a ways to center shot (or pretty near).  They fly pretty well, but it just seemed like the flew better out of my Montana.  I've also wondered if it could just be a result of my recurve being less forgiving of my inadequacies as a shooter than my longbow is.

Thanks BigJim.

I shoot it off the shelf.  I've built it out a ways to center shot (or pretty near).  They fly pretty well, but it just seemed like the flew better out of my Montana.  I've also wondered if it could just be a result of my recurve being less forgiving of my inadequacies as a shooter than my longbow is.