does shaft size matter?

ok i am a superb shot with eastons 2315's aluminum arrows. but i am concerned with penetration because of the shaft diameter. i purchased eastons fmj's but now that i think about it, if the broadhead clears a path for the arrow, does the shaft size really matter? help me out here.

 

I am bringing the comp down to my wife, she will answer the question.

 

ha ha ha! i guess i could have just asked my wife. i need to know what you think. it makes sense a smaller shaft would penetrate better but if the broadhead has a bigger cutting diameter then the shaft then it should matter right?

 

theoretically the FMJ's should have less friction passing through, whether you notice it or not is debatable

 

yeah, i guess i just got too caught up in the new "technology" of bowhunting. i read an article that chuck adams shoots a reflex caribou bow and superslam arrows. if he killed a world record elk at 39 yards with that setup then i think my bowmadness can fling some 2315's fastest enough with enough penetration. i just over analyze everything about bowhunting.

 

i think a lot of hunting junkies do the same thing...

 

Yes, overanalysis is a problem for most bowhunters (myself included). Technically a smaller diameter arrow shaft will have less surface area and therefore less friction. Will it really make a difference... nope. Not IMHO.

 

yeah....... i was also thinking that a fatter shaft would also in theory be what you want sense you are trying to make as big of a wound as possible.

 

Just remember that the broadhead makes the hole... the shaft has no impact on how big the hole will be... All broadheads that I know of are over an inch in diameter, arrow shafts are nowhere near that.

Theoretically a "fatter" shaft will have more drag (more surface area = more friction) as the arrow travels through it will have contact with tissue resulting in more friction... but has no effect on the size of hole.

Again this "increased friction" is negligible.

 

I used the 2315s for a long time and had no problem with penetration at all. 2315s are excellent hunting and target competition arrows because of their diameter and their weight.

 

what type of game?

what big game do you hunt? i hunt mulies, and elk and black bear.

 

Back to BASICS, we in many cases OVER PREPARE for our game we're hunting.Do we really need 80ft/# of KE for a whitetail deer???? NOT AT ALL!!!! Now if you're shooting a 300gr Easton Fat Shaft with a 2-blade Rage out of a 50# bow, then I think you should worry about penetration. Shooting a heavy 2315 the MOMENTUM trumps shaft size, regardless of the BH you have out front. Worry more about arrow flight and getting your arrow to hit where you want them too, with both BH and FP's, and the rest will fall into place.

 

Yes. Shaft diameter can have a DRAMATIC affect on penatration if you hit bone or other area's where there is a lot of resistance. I have seen this many times. I was amazed at the differance when I first started using small diameter shafts 20-25 years ago (AFC's). However, I shot a lot of deer with large diameter aluminum shafts up to 2512's.