Victory Rip vs Rip Tko

[Fins_N_Tines]

I’m just trying to build an arrow that is around 500gr for elk hunting that puts me at 280fps. I was shooting RIP TKO’s and switched to axis match and preferred the RIP. I have plenty of energy but at shooting a mechanical too, I am happy to gain the FOC since it comes from a 100gr IW insert, 25gr collar and 100gr head which should hit like a hammer.
ZAC, I have a set of TKO’s at 490gr and Axis at 500gr, the axis are 12% FOC and the TKO’s are 17% and the TKO’s hit slightly higher on the target at 100 yards, both are close enough at all yardages that I can still hold center and shoot and more than accurate enough to hunt with.
I’ve never cared much for higher FOC but the TKO is a better arrow than the axis for me and more durable and it happens to have way higher FOC than the axis at 500gr.
I do think there is an advantage to having more steel in the front of your arrow for durability reasons. Also I think an arrow with higher weight on the front vs one with the weight spread will be less likely to deflect from small brush and leaves.
I don’t get too caught up with experiments with long bows, or shooting into gel or bricks or plywood. I like to make adjustments to my setup based off of my experience shooting elk. I have been happy with a 480-500gr arrow, I like small fletchings because the are more durable and don’t get smashed sitting in my case, I like mechanicals because I’ve had trouble with blood trails and am color blind. I also like messing with stuff so I try a bunch of different stuff with my bow and arrows. I have a press setup at home as bare shaft tune every time I make an arrow change.
I think there are huge flaws in every test I’ve seen where guys add a bunch of weight to an arrow and say it does (X) I order to get accurate results the first thing than should be done before each different weight or tip weight change is to tune your bow for perfect arrow flight for that particular arrow. I think if that was done on all of these test that guys are doing the margins would be a lot closer.
I also don’t like listening to test results for hunting arrows by people who sit on ground blinds shooting deer and pigs at 20 yards.
If a person is an elk hunter and has killed a bunch of elk and adjusted accordingly to make theirselves a better elk killing setup I’m all ears because that is what I’m after.
Honestly I’ve never really seen any major issues with any arrow setup I’ve shot through an animal. Arrows from 7-17% FOC weighing 330-500grs with all kinds of different heads have worked.
Tuning my bow with a 280fps arrow had been much easier than when I was shooting 315fps.
The biggest thing that has helped me is shooting at longer ranges often. I use to only be able to go out and shoot past 40 when I could set side time to shoot. Now I have a 100 range setup all summer at home and can shoot all I want.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I’m basically looking to build similar arrow specs

 

[Stevendearden]

I really like weaved carbon arrows for toughness and durability. As long as they have great straightness and spine consistency specs, and shoot great, I'll take a weaved carbon arrow every time. That's why I'm testing these RIP TKO's.........I just wish they came in a .200 spine. I'm also testing the Sirius Apollo shafts, which are also weaved carbon. The winner of these two will most likely be my next arrows. If neither rises to the top, then I'll sacrifice the durability and fall back on only consistency and accuracy and go back to my ACC's.

How did your results from the Apollo arrows fair? I have been looking into them pretty extensively.

 

[Marbles]

I really like weaved carbon arrows for toughness and durability. As long as they have great straightness and spine consistency specs, and shoot great, I'll take a weaved carbon arrow every time. That's why I'm testing these RIP TKO's.........I just wish they came in a .200 spine. I'm also testing the Sirius Apollo shafts, which are also weaved carbon. The winner of these two will most likely be my next arrows. If neither rises to the top, then I'll sacrifice the durability and fall back on only consistency and accuracy and go back to my ACC's.

Which arrow did you go with? What are you shooting now?

 

[CB4]

Yea I’ve also been looking at small diameter shafts as well. My current Easton axis is borderline heavier than I want it to be. I want to stay around 500G~ for my arrow and right now I’m looking at 540 and if I goto a 125g head to increase my FOC the. I’m in the 565 range. I want to keep my FPS close to 280. Currently 276 if I remember correctly. So I was looking at some lighter GPI shafts but don’t want to sacrifice weight for strength. I wouldnt mind switching to as axis 4mm or a GT pierce, but the .166 components in the past haven’t been the best.

FOC is mythical. Stop listening to the ranch fairy. There is a reason why the same top archers mentioned above dont even bother calulating their FOC.

ACCURACY>everything else

 

[5MilesBack]

Which arrow did you go with? What are you shooting now?

The RIP TKO Elite 250's. Cut at 30", with 75gr brass HIT's, 125's, Bohning A nocks, and 2" QS vanes, and 2.1" Q2i Fusion Xii's in a 4-fletch. They come in right at 500gr which is what I always like to shoot for in weight. I also did up some with regular 16gr HIT's that come in right around 440gr. They both shoot well.

I put one through a turkey target the other day that was all shot out in the middle, and then missed a pronghorn target at 76 yards while trying to stack pins with only pins to 60 yards. Both arrows came out unscathed with no damage at all. No collars.