JoeRE

A little info: I shoot Cabelas Carbon Hunter 55/70s at 68 lbs at about 260 fps.

I have shot at 2 deerin the last 2 years: both are dead, however, both times my arrow deflected on ribs. They were both mature bucks so their ribs were pretty thick however...but this has never happened before.

I am shooting a heavy head for my setup (125 grain head) because I want the cutting diameter AND low slope of the blades for better penetration.No problems tuning. I cheched my FOC and it is at 10.1% I amnow thinking that this createsa greaterpotential for deflection. I probably slept through that part of physics but I think it has something to do with the effect of an indirect force(the bone adainst the BH, trying to resist penetration).

When thecenter of gravityis closer to the head, it is easier to deflect(my idea).


So I am asking all of you for your thoughts: Can too great of FOC make a greater chance for deflections? Do you agree? Am I way off? Help please! Something made me almost loose my last 2 deer, and it needs to be identified!

Arthur P

No. You actually are way off base with your theory. In actual fact, it's the reverse. An arrow that's got too much weight close to the tail is much easier to deflect. I consider your arrows at 10% to be absolute minimum FOC for shooting broadheads.

brucelanthier

I am fairly new to this so I am sure the more experienced will correct me if need be but I believe the ooposite to be true: A very high FOC will decrease the chance for deflection. With a high FOC you have the front of the arrow determining the direction of the arrow. As the FOC decreases then the rear of the arrow will have more influence on the direction of the arrow.

JoeRE

Hm....i never thought of it that way.....thanks guys, goes to show But still...lighning generally does not strike twice back to back. I think something is causing deflections(in these certain instances). Maybe it is the BH(Wasp SSTs)...but a chisel point is a chisel point right on a replaceable blade head? I know that is a generalization but....

Arthur P

If you never had the problem before, the reasonable question to ask is what changed with your setup before this problem started cropping up? Have you changed to Wasps from another head? Anything that's different now from what you had before you started having trouble needs to be looked at.

You say you're shooting 55/70's at 68 lbs. To me, that kind of waves a little red flag about checking arrow spine.

And it just might be that lightning really has struck twice and you really don't have a problem. Stuff happens, ya know.

Straightarrow

Unless your drawlength is very short, 125 grains on that arrow is probably leaving you with a weak spine. This will be very prone to deflection at the low FOC you're shooting.

bowdoc1

I don't thing your F.O.C as any thing to do with it. I think its were you blade is hitting the rib not the point and sliding off to the side of the rib as it cuts it. Your F.O.C is good if you get to heavy on the point and shoot any yardage the point will coming down lower than the arrow and as it hits the weight of the arrow will not be straight behind the point and you will lose some of you energy. My arrow are at 10 % and 400 grains axis arrows and are blowing through every thing and in the ground with a 85 grain thunderheads they don't go far that way. Maybe it's the blade angle that make it slide off to the side of a rib.

Arthur P

Straightarrow? Ausie? Would one of y'all like to take this one? I'm tired of arguing with this guy.

JoeRE

Thank you all for the very helpful feedback

As to what has changed on my setup: I have been shooting the same equipment for three seasons. Three years ago I made a heart shot on another buck but never hit a rib going in, so that tells me nothing. Before that I shot a heavy setup (2219s) at 70 lbs and blew through everything but wanted a bit more arrow speed.

My draw is 30 1/4 inches. (I am 6' 4" with long arms)....so yes my arrows are a bit underspined. Have not had any problems tuning tho with broadheads or field tips...But maybe that is the problem I am looking at. I shoot lighter 100 grain field tips sinceI do quite afew 3-D tournys.

As for the blade catching the rib, that was what I thought originally. However, I very closely inspected the rib and in both instances, my arrow tip hit the rib. On my kill this year, the tip (which are prick-your-finger sharp) just caught the back edge and splintered the back part of the rib, then the blade came by and cut it almost in two...but at the same time changed where the arrow was heading.

Kanga

That my friend is a mix of poor spine, low FOC and thin blade heads.

Which is the exact same reason I wont use a head that is under .040 thick.

I use 175gr screw in points for 3d

Art.

I am just gonna go bang my head up against a brick wallit's less painless