# Micro Diameter Arrows for Hunting Elk



## Iamewe64 (Dec 24, 2008)

I haven't hunted elk but I shoot Vap 400 with a 125 magnus stinger 2 blade. I am 26.5 at 55#. I have shot many deer and many hogs and one hogzilla 500#. No complaints with this set up, great penetration, fly true. No problems with the outserts. I don't have experience with the other arrows you mentioned. good luck


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## bsshaver (Jul 13, 2013)

GT Pierce for me. They shoot nice!!! I am a definite fan of the Micro!!


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## lilpooh31 (Nov 15, 2013)

Love my Axis arrows! 
100GR fixed heads. Arrows are just around 392gr. No problems at 50lbs on elk. Patience and shot placement are key.


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## broBear (Feb 18, 2018)

Thanks for all the advice! I love hearing all about the setups!


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## jnordwell (Nov 12, 2011)

Hello I was looking up micro shafted arrows and came across this conversation. I shoot 62 lbs at 30” of draw I am at the moment shooting black eagle deep impacts. Standard everything with a 100 gr arrow point. I went one spine stiff and fell in the 300 range. My finish arrow wt is 480+ my bow is a 340 ibo type so fast. I killed one bull a few years ago blew thru him at 60+ he didn’t go 50 yards. I like the fact that you ladies are into the elk hunting. Gives me a few topics to show my daughter and wife. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years


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## Corene1 (Apr 27, 2014)

Just wondering why the need for a micro shaft . I know they are an asset in tournament archery since they aren't affected by crosswind quite as much at longer distances. As far as penetration the broadhead is the first thing through the animal and it makes a big opening through the animal so arrow diameter shouldn't affect penetration. I would think arrow weight, energy and shot placement would be the key in penetration. Since I am a recurve shooter any increase in performance is a bonus.


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## KRONIIK (Jun 3, 2014)

Corene1 said:


> Just wondering why the need for a micro shaft . I know they are an asset in tournament archery since they aren't affected by crosswind quite as much at longer distances. As far as penetration the broadhead is the first thing through the animal and it makes a big opening through the animal so arrow diameter shouldn't affect penetration. I would think arrow weight, energy and shot placement would be the key in penetration. Since I am a recurve shooter any increase in performance is a bonus.


 I agree with that assessment for the most part.
Fooled around with a lot of different shaft sizes, and have found that for me any insignificant advantages in performance are offset by other problems.

Anything outside either end of the .204-.246" I.D. range is now off my table...even though I'm still on the fence with the 'tween Spartan and Hexx sizes (for hunting).


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## pottergreg (Mar 20, 2015)

Great question broBear and some good answers, first of all, at 29" and 60 pounds you can shoot about any arrow you want. Lucky for you! I would stay with a COC broad head. The theory is that a smaller diameter arrow will have less drag going through an animal. The second thing is wether you want to fool with half outs or not. Good ones that won't bend are made of stainless and start at 56 grains additional weight up front which will put you in a stiffer spine that weighs more (not a bad thing IMO for hunting). I recommend you test some different arrows, Lancasster sells one at a time which is really nice for experimentation. I would shoot for as much weight up front as I could get on a light gpi shaft with a 6MM diameter so you don't have to deal with outserts (IMO). so how long are you wanting your shaft to be? which is dictated by what rest you have. 500 grain would be pushing it at your 60 pounds, I would go at least 400 spine and would consider a 330 spine with a lot of weight up front. But wait, won't that slow me down? Get a good rangefinder, problem solved! I really like the Easton Hexx for exact tolerances and light weight, I would go with the 330 spine and the brass inserts and a heavyier broad head like a Magnus 150 stinger or a VPA 3 blade COC (you could go with a 400 without the weighted insert) and learn to sharpen them on a KME sharpener ( @ $50) weight (momentum) accuracy and a sharp broad heads are your friends, not speed!


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## kwood (Oct 4, 2011)

Why micros? Better penetration. Less to push through. Simple. Also less wind drift.... 
Love my micros.

That said, some lessons learned, and some tips I have for success with micros:

-Understand you will probably have to move your rest, 
-Be prepared to re-tune
-don't let a high school kid or anyone but the most qualified and anal, cut your arrows, -inspect cut (to make sure it's straight) before installing inserts
-ARROW SQUARE (especially if made mistake of above). 
-check for fletching contact, as if you forget to move rest, arrow can be pointing down, and this can cause an issue.
-keep your FOC in mind! If you go with a 20 gn insert, 100 gn and a something like FMJ, you will be at 5-7% FOC, and at best not realize improved penetration, at worst not so good BH flight. 

I believe 90% of people who try micros and don't like them did not to any/many of the above. That is because 90% of people selling them don't offer or mention it or want to bother, or even know..... 

Arrow-specific advice:
-Easton AXIS: USE the BAR's !!! (Almost everyone I have talked to who has had negative things to say about the durability, also balked at using the BAR's).
-Victory VAP: do not use the OLD Penetrator (tapered, 50 gn) outserts. Work fine until they dent/bend. New SHOK 35 gn inserts are 7075 and a lot more durable
-GT Pierce: I really like the looks and specs of their outsert and fACT weight system, though have not tried. Nice protection of the shaft too, and can fine tune weight. Think you can also use on other shafts. Like VAP, injexion. 

IMO, for Elk, I would go heavier. I think the VAP, and even GT Kinetic Pierce, are a lil on the light side. Walls get a little thin too. 

Very impressed with durability of VAP TKO. And Axis, for a 5mm option WITH BAR. 
Also trying carbon INJEXION, haven't finished building yet. Also curious about AC Injexion (discontinued) and Easton's new but horrendously expensive new FMJ.


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## Corene1 (Apr 27, 2014)

Seems like the only thing being pushed through the animal would be the broadhead. Friction from the arrow shaft should not be a concern since the broadhead makes a big hole and the arrow shaft is behind it. Kind of like dropping a BB and a marble through a 1-1/4 hole. Killed a lot of deer and pigs in the 80's with 2213 XX75 and Zwickey eskimos. Just my thoughts though.


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## RavinHood (Sep 17, 2015)

So really depends on how much FOC you really want. Just don't get crazy. SO far my small diameter has consisted of BE impacts & deep impacts, GT Kinetic Pierce Plat, Victory Vap TKO & VAPs, Axis, 4mm FMJ

My favorite so far is the VAP TKO , Pierce Plat, and 4mm Axis. Paired with the right insert and outsert system they can be very strong.


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## ehan69 (Feb 20, 2016)

Extrapolating from all the above good advice, you could use the following two-part solution and be ready for elk season. Initially have Jerry at South Shore make one arrow per each of his available .166/.165 ID shafts with your desired fletchings, FOC, etc. and see which one shoots the best. If you call him, Jerry can use his ballistic calculator to tell you which components will work best with each of the shafts before he builds. 

Once you have the shaft narrowed down (after shooting all of them a bunch) to the one you like, you could send your bow and that arrow to Breathn and have him "super tune" it to his standards. Then order enough duplicate shafts from Jerry for the practice as well as the elk hunt. 

I have only ever shot .166 ID arrows and have tried Carbon Injexion's, FMJ Injexions, and Element Storms. I am interested in trying Victory Vap TKO Elite .001 arrows from South Shore next. I would go with the lighted nocks however and both Glory Nock and Nockturnal have new .166 ID lighted nocks out this year. When I begin using them I intend to install with hot melt because I seem to lose too many lighted nocks after one or two shots. 

Since I have not yet killed a deer with my vertical bow I will punt on the broadhead choice. 

If you can get your velocity above 280fps my favorite vane is the Aerovane 3. They are nice for the micro diameter shafts because they require a straight fletch to function properly and this works out well with the smaller amount of space available on the shafts. However Aerovane 3's require the Aerojig ($1,200) to be fletched properly. This leaves me going to Southshore archery or [email protected] for all my arrow building needs because I am not investing in an Aerojig.


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## Arrow Dynamics (Sep 3, 2010)

Arrow Dynamics has a micro shaft on market. The tip is .245id tapers to .165id. I have another one .221id taper to .165id.


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## kwood (Oct 4, 2011)

Arrow Dynamics said:


> Arrow Dynamics has a micro shaft on market. The tip is .245id tapers to .165id. I have another one .221id taper to .165id.


cool, what spines does it come in, what is the model called? about how many GPI? (I am assuming it varies depending on length right?) 
Where can these be purchased?


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## ruffjason (May 20, 2018)

30" DL, 70#, VAP will do the trick on about anything. I really like my VAPs.


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## CObugle (Jan 5, 2019)

I love the Carbon Injexions (280 spine). I double HIT insert with a footer and 100g Iron Will. Never had any issues with smaller diameter shafts. 

In my past harvests stiffer arrows focus more energy/momentum into elk (my opinion) I used the Easton Axis years ago and killed a bull with my exact bow I use now but did not have great penetration. 

All shots were luckily broadside within 40 yds. But again man every shot is different. 
Just my experience of 10 years of hunting elk with a bow. 

I really like the smaller diameter arrows. In my opinion they fly better in wind and I’ve had better penetration. But I also have heavier arrows. You’ll get a million opinions.

But what i learned in the many years of hard backpacking public land elk hunts in my home state of CO I choose to shoot 280 spine Carbon Injexions at 510g at 289fps and have never been happier


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## vito9999 (Jun 30, 2009)

Playing with the GT Kaos right now. Built a few up for some customers without adding the weights and still able to get 456g with a 27in arrow. Would have problem getting over 500g. Customers Kuma at 27 1\2 @ 67lb was hitting 271fps. .340 spine. Flew great, bareshat at 15yds were hitting clean with fletched.


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## Vernproksa1 (Aug 17, 2020)

I have shot a lot of different arrows and have settled on The victory vap TKO .166 350 spine with a mechanical broadhead the sevr 100 grains 7/8 In. blades. My arrow has a FOC of 13.91 and my Arrow has a Weight of 392 grams. The reason I went with the Sevr is because I did not have to tune it, the broadhead shoots the same as my field points At any distance. My bow is a VXR 28 IN. Left-handed With the 27 inch draw and I pull 65 pounds. The Bow shoots my arrows at a speed of 301fps.This set up can kill Just about anything in North America. I believe the arrow set up with micro arrows have Better penetration than the larger diameter arrows of today. Vernproksa1


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