When taking bowhunting to extremes, such as when hunting Africa's dangerous game, boosting bow weight, and assembling arrows made for extra-deep penetration is mandatory. This calls for the heaviest arrows and cut-on-contact heads.

Kinetic energy can be hopped up effortlessly by opting for heavier arrows. Carbon's the penetration champ, no matter mass weight, but heavy carbon, often matching aluminum weight, is a sure thing for driving deep into massive game. Lower diameter is another way. This makes Easton's new Axis ST shafts an obvious choice. Weighing 10.5 gpi in the stiffest deflection, smaller outside diameter also aids penetration. Easton's A/C Kinetic and Beman Matrix are other penetration enhancers, weighing better than 11 gpi in heavier spines, carbon/aluminum fusion making them ultra tough. In 5000 deflection, Vapor V-Maxx go nearly 11 gpi, while Carbon Express Terminator Hunter Select (+?- .0025 straightness), Hunter or Heritage (+?- .005) weigh 11 gpi for 4560/250 and 12 gpi in 6075/350 -- some of the heaviest made. Carbon Tech Rhino (+?- .005) and Rhino XP (.0015) are 10 gpi in 45/70, 11.5 gpi in 55/80, woven to be tough and dependable under stress. Gold Tip's heavy hitter includes the 7595 Traditional at 11 gpi. Red two gpi or yellow three gpi weight tubes can be had from PSE, Eastman Outdoors, and Browning to add weight to any carbon shaft accepting Easton Super Nocks or Bohning Signature.

When going to extremes, say, African Cape buffalo, Gold Tip offers the Camo/Big Game 100+, weighing 10.5 gpi, spined to handle the highest draw weights. The Carbon Tech CT Safari owns a 70/95 spine rating, weighing an incredible 15.5 gpi. PSE's Carbon Force Radial Weave Black Mamba 400 weighs 9.2 gpi, but includes a 12 gpi energy tube, plus stainless steel collars and inserts for unsurpassed strength. Many experienced African dangerous game hands insert Beman pultruded Hunter shafting to increase mass weight, using it full length, or adding sections (backed by weight tubes to hold it forward) to increase mass, front-end strength and F.O.C. I assembled 880-grain finished weight Cape buff arrows for a 90-pound bow using half pultruded, half weight tube; a friend a 1,100-grain elephant arrow using full-length pultruded for a 100-pound bow.

When penetration is paramount, look to cut-on-contact broadheads. Standard-weight models include Eastman Outfitters' two-blade FirstCut 90 and 125; American Broadhead Sonic; G5's 100- and 125-grain two-blade B-52 or 100- and 125-grain three-blade Montec; Steel Force's 100- and 125-grain four-blade SS Premium, Hellfire, Sabertooth, or Titanium Sabertooth; Crimson Talon's four-blade Croc or Viper Venom; Magnus 100- and 125-grain four-blade Stingers, Barrie's three-blade Supreme XP or Ironhead 100, and two-blade Tradition 100; Simmons System 100-grain, four-blade RazorShark or 100- or 125-grain LandShark, NAP's 100- or 125-grain four-blade Razorbak; Razorcaps three-blade 100- or 125 grain; and new three-blade Wac'em Triton.

Dangerous game calls for a heavier payload; Razorcaps' welded three-blade 150-, 175-, or 200-grain; Simmons' 160-grain LandShark; Magnus' 150-grain Stinger; Steel Force's 210-grain two-blade Premium or 150-grain, four-blade Hellfire; G5's 140-grain Montec or two-blade 150- or 170-grain one-piece-molded Shkote; and Eastman Outfitters' 145-grain FirstCut or 175-grain Titanium FirstCut Big 5. Traditional standbys such as Magnus glue-ons in 125, 135, 140, 150 and 160 grains, and Zwickey 110-grain Eskimo, 125-grain Black Diamond, and 130-grain Delta, combined with top-quality 45-grain, five-degree-taper adaptors from Precision Designed Products, make good choices when tackling armored game.

Get the most from your archery rig this season, by matching the equipment to the game you're pursuing -- by matching the rig to the gig.