Although shorter arrows are easier to deflect, they are less susceptible to wind in theory. The problem with longer arrows could be the spine. The very hard acceleration on the short acceleration path makes it useful to use such short arrows, the arrows should not break or fray at the first acceleration.

 

Deflect?

Can you expand on that?

To me a shorter arrow is less likely to deflect because there is less fulcrum aka lever action

Now a shorter arrow will have less wind drift but that can be made better by more foc.

 

@Blaster It could be a translation problem. Short arrows (projectiles) react faster to incoming pulses. Whether wind or a thin branch in the way, a small impulse changes the trajectory of a shorter projectile of equal weight more than with a longer projectile (arrow) Longer projectiles fly more stable.

 

The only practical issue with the shorter arrows is they can bury to or past the fletching easier. Which is resolved with a better target.

Shorter arrows penetrate game just as well as longer arrows. Some say better because there is less shaft friction to get a clean pass through. I think that is a moot point though. All it takes is a 30gr heavier combined insert/point to get back that mass lost the 3" shorter shaft.

All excalibur factory arrows weigh the same regardless of length. Same can be done for heavier aftermarket arrows.

 

I guess my fear with crossbow arrows has always been an angled shot that is the arrow being stopped by bone after entry but no fletching sticking out. With even a shorter arrow that increases my concern.

 

If that’s the case and you’ve only got an entrance hole Id say maybe no shaft sticking out might be a good thing if nothing is helping to plug the only hole that’s leaking.

 

So far the only problem with my short Micro arrows (17 1/8" oal) is finding them after the passthrough. I DID have a problem sometimes with the vanes entering the target but that went away when I changed from field points to bullet points.

 

I love the fact that my 16" arrows fit in my pack, makes for quieter stillhunting. They do provide a challenge in the targets, getting a grip to pull them, and hitting the fletches. A better target and arrow puller will remedy that. Finding them after a passthrough is sometimes tough because in soft ground or at low angles they get buried. If I had a choice, I would use 16" in every crossbow I hunt with. And 18-20" in all my target arrows.

 

There are three advantages to the shorter bolt/rail in Excalibur crossbows’ limb driven design. (1) They are heavier to pull back than their cam driven counterparts. A shorter rail means a shorter power stroke, which would be easier to cock for a greater variety of shooters. (2) Since the rail is shorter, the bolt is capable of being shorter and that means more speed. (3) A longer bolt would not hurt the bow, but now you have broadhead sticking out past the foot stirrup.

 

I have a few matrix (330,355) excal's, I shoot nothing but 20" arrows out of them. I generally bury the arrow in the dirt after the pass thru, longer shots are not a problem either. I'm not a fan of short arrows after seeing one guy limping across the parking lot and hearing how he forgot to remove his arrow in the dark while decocking his bow. From what I was told he managed to stick about half of a 100 grain thunderhead into his foot just between his big and 2nd toe. Talk about an attention getter....

 

I'm not a fan of short arrows after seeing one guy limping across the parking lot and hearing how he forgot to remove his arrow in the dark while decocking his bow. From what I was told he managed to stick about half of a 100 grain thunderhead into his foot just between his big and 2nd toe.

You can kill yourself with a kitchen knife, if you don't pay attention.
Or even easier, with your car ...

But in general, I think shorter arrows have better penetration, since they are stiffer and thus have less longitudinal oscillations on impact. In other words, less bending.
Just watch a a slow-motion video of an arrow from a vertical compound hitting the target.
This bending while penetrating the tissue creates additional friction, and causes loss of momentum.
Vertical archers cannot reduce arrow length, so they play with FOC to reduce this effect.

 

I’ve only used 18” arrows so far ( micro on the way this year). Arrows blow through game. When I shoot 3d, I use either 20 or 22” arrows. I’ve heard the foot thing while decocking before. It is incomprehensible to me that such a thing would happen. Before I leave a stand, morning or evening, my arrow is off the bow and back in the quiver, well before I think about decocking.

 

I buy full length XX75 2219 shafts and cut them in half to get two arrows out of one full length shaft. The arrows end up being 15-1/2 inches each. I use a 60 grain insert and 125 grain broadhead to make the front heavier but aluminum arrows don't seem to be real picky when it comes to FOC. I haven't had any issues shooting the shorter arrows. Overall weight is around 435 grains.