How to build a set Axis FMJ's for FITA

[kennls]

After some marvelous advice from Marcus26 and others on this forum, I set out to build 24 arrows for my first outdoor season. Seeing the good forum posts about Axis FMJs, I realised I could build 24 Axis FMJs for the price of 12 Navi 430s. I will try to sum up the advice and tell how I did it and put some pictures to it.

I ordered everything from bowsport, but they had run out of 110 grain points, but I had ordered both 100 grain, 110 grain and 125 grain points. Since the SIB points are dirt cheap compared with Navi points, it gives you more possibilities for experimenting. I tried out with the 100 grain points, as it gave me the lightest arrow.

This is how I did it.

Tools needed:

- Digital Grain Scale with 0.1 grain
- Bitzenburger or other fletching jig
- Torch (for heating points)
- Dremel (for adjusting weight on your points)

Materials

- Axis FMJ bare shafts - I used 29" 400 Axis FMJs

- Points and HIT inserts - I used 100 grain Screw in points

- X-Nocks or Beiter Insert Nock for Axis (5,19-2) - I'm waiting for some Beiters, untill then I'm using white X-Nocks. The Axis FMJs come with a factory installed blue X-Nock, so the nock is optional

- AAE Plasti-Fletch Max 2" shield or Bohning 1.5 x-vanes (can't get the x-vanes for Denmark, hence the AAE vanes)

- Glue for fletching

- Hot melt glue

Weighing

I started weighing the shafts and the other individual components, just to get a feel for it all and for my curiosity. The weights are as follows:

- Axis FMJ shaft including X-Nock 301,5 - 304 grain with most being between 302 - 303 grain. X-Nocks all weigh about 9.1 - 9.3 grain

- Flechtings weighs 3.5 grain to 4.0 grain a piece

- Points and inserts 100 grain points and 16 bit inserts, They varied about 2 grain from 117 - 119 grain

So the final arrows would weigh 303 + (3*4) + 118 = 433 grains a piece. Since my Navi 430s weigh 402 - 404 grains (not as well put together), it seemed like my Axis FMJs would only be about 7% heavier.

Building the arrows

I started by exchanging the blue x-nocks with white x-nocks (later those will be beiter insert nocks).



Then I fletched the arrows with my white Plasti-Fletch Max vanes. Weighing them afterwards I found the fletched shafts to be about 315 - 317 grains. Since the points + inserts weighed around 117 - 119 I decided to go for a target weight for the arrow of 432.5 - 433 grains, as most fletched shafts + point and insert could fit in that frame.




I disregarded installing the HIT insert separately, but instead assembled the insert + screw in point as one unit. This gave me freedom to group them in weight as one unit instead of two.




I paired the arrows and points/inserts and found a couple to be 1 grain to light and about half to be a grain or two too heavy. The light ones I put some glue in the inserts untill they weighed as they should. The heavy ones I grinded with a Dremel until they matched.

I then heated the assembled points/inserts with my torch lighter and aplied a bit of hot melt glue. I then inserted them in the shafts.

<pic of assembled arrow coming>

Finally I weighed the assembled arrows and they all weighed between 432.5 - 433 grain.

[kennls]

Reserved for tuning and experiences

First training with the arrows the 13/5 evening

Weather: A brisk easterly wind coming from the right on the field, else sunny and about 15-15 degrees celsius

Arrows flew quite well on 50 and 70 meter, the back end seems to go left out of the bow, but quickly recovers. I hit 10 and 10x when I did good shots. Being a beginner outside, wind still breaks my form now and again. Wondering if my bow is too strong (about 61 pounds) or if the points should be 90 grains, to avoid the back end going left, suggestions would be appreciated.

[kennls]

Reserved for upgrades/changes

[niceguy]

You say the arrow tails left when leaving the bow. What have you got the centre shot set to ?. The common figure for Hoyts is 3/4 inches (19.0mm) from the centre of the rest to the riser. I get tail left with the rest at 19.0mm and find 20.0mm is better.

Regards

[Marcus26]

Originally Posted by kennls

Wondering if my bow is too strong (about 61 pounds) or if the points should be 90 grains, to avoid the back end goin left, suggestions would be appreciated.

Turn the bow down to 59lb as there is a 60lb limit for target competitions.

Changing the point weight down will only reduce your ability to score well in eth wind. As niceguy said adjust your centreshot if needed.

Great thread, good to see so much detail.

[Jerry Tee]

I hope the points and inserts hold in as you say you put them in with hot melt glue. Easton say the inserts should be put in with epoxy.

[Marcus26]

Originally Posted by Jerry Tee

I hope the points and inserts hold in as you say you put them in with hot melt glue. Easton say the inserts should be put in with epoxy.

ooohhh I didn't notice that. Yeah the inserts should be epoxied for sure.

[sambow]

A agree with the previous two on the glueing I will be interested to hear if they hold with hot melt and also if you will be able to screw out the point leaving the HIT in place.

One thing I would add. easton recommend using a supplied epoxy. I followed the instructions stricly and found that on 9 out of my 12 the screw in points would not go in because of a fine film of epoxy inside the shaft. I had to carefully roll up a piece of wet and dry and remove the residue glue before some of the points would screw in.

Originally Posted by kennls

- X-Nocks or Beiter Insert Nock for Axis (5,19-2) - I'm waiting for some Beiters, untill then I'm using white X-Nocks.

I wasn't aware that Beiter made a knock for the Easton X-Nocks can someone confirm?

Like you I didn't like the "dull" looking blue knocks and I changed to white! Its a shame they don't use a knock that stands out more!

[kennls]

About the glueing

I figured as the inserts + points is quite a tight fit, that hot melt glue will do quite as well as the enclosed epoxy. I mean the HIT insert is there, because its a hunting arrow, so one can change broadpoints. For FITA when the arrow works well, we dont need to change points.

The points for my Navis was less tight than these. The points plus insert is quite a glueing surface and together with the tightness, I reasoned that if my Navis held with this glue, so could these.

The first 12 arrows was shot for about 10 sessions, into Danage targets (thats almost all we use in Denmark). No problems what so ever.

I just checked the points and inserts, I cant even pull them with the help of an set of pliers. So my estimate is that they will stay there for good or untill heated

Advantages of the hot melt method:

- Points and inserts can be treated as one (weight, installation and removal)
- No epoxying and the variable of the glue inside the arrow, plus the hassle, hot melt is so much easier
- No loose SIB point (heard this from others using SIB)

Disadvantages:

- Can't remove the SIB alone, but I think thats outweighed by the advantage of treating inserts and points as one
- Durability? I will report the next month or so, guess that will prove or disprove the hot melt

It will be funny to see if my customizing will last or not

I will be trying the arrow rest adjustment tonight, to see if that removes the back of the arrow going left.

/Kenn

[kennls]

Originally Posted by sambow

A agree with the previous two on the glueing I will be interested to hear if they hold with hot melt and also if you will be able to screw out the point leaving the HIT in place.

I treated the point and insert as one, so they were installed and removed as one unit. So screwing out a point is not an option, that requires my torch. So the whole unit is like a standard point for a Navigator or an ACE.

Originally Posted by sambow

I wasn't aware that Beiter made a knock for the Easton X-Nocks can someone confirm?

Like you I didn't like the "dull" looking blue knocks and I changed to white! Its a shame they don't use a knock that stands out more!

White vanes and nocks is my favorite, don't like my arrows to look like a tropical bird

The Beiter nock is the Insert nock, Marcus26 gave me this info, so thanks should go to him.

Werner Beiter | Dauchingen | Germany | Products | Nock

The size is 5,19 (AC Super Slim, Axis 0,65 10,000), get the nockbed #2 groove for compound. It can be seen from this datasheet on Beiter nocks.

http://www.wernerbeiter.com/en/infor...s/Nocke_GB.pdf

Only sad thing is the colour options, there is three options as follows:

- flash red
- flash green
- flash orange

No whites so I went with flash red.

/Kenn