Hey all.
For under $100, what are the toughest shafts for the money?
By this, I mean, how many shafts can I buy and how many will I end up with at the end of a week of stumping?
For example, Doug fir hunter shafts are under $100 for 3 dozen. Sitka is pretty similar, and the cheapest carbons are 1 1/2 dozen.
I'm shooting a 40# recurve that was a gift to me.
Thanks!
Cabelas Stalker Extremes; about $80.00/dozen, fletched, with 3-5 feathers, including nocks and inserts. Best buy for the money, and they're tough.
I'm gonna have to say Douglas fir home made arrows
Gold tips, with an aluminum footer. I shoot 70lb longbow and a 60lb blackwidow. the only time I have broken an arrow now is when it flipped up after hitting solid rock and landed sideways.
Footed Gold Tip blems from Big Jims. These come in cheaper than Wal-Mart special arrows and are darn near indestructible. Sure they cost more up front but they survive MUCH more abuse than other types of shafts, making them the better long term investment.
I went to these for stumping and small game hunting (ie bouncing them off rocks and trees a lot) a few years back. To date I've only damaged ONE arrow. That arrow I got distracted and put it through a steel pipe. The front end mushroomed a bit and I probably could have shortened it by 1/4" and still used it but I threw it out anyway just to be safe.
Big Jims has gold tip nugent blems for 39.99 a dozen. I just got 2 doz this week. They are great for stumping.
Nugent blems or homemade fir from Surewood.
Brad
Cane arrows.
Roy has a point about cane, but there may be more to it...
When I was stationed at Camp Lejeune NC I harvested a bunch of cane shafting that was nearly solid all the way through. I made some arrows from it and they were darn near indestructible. The comment about "there is more to it" is that it took a TON of work to straighten them and turn them into arrows. I'd probably charge more than 100 for them!
Footed carbons are tough to beat otherwise.
Scott, you are right on 100 bucks. That is exactly why I would never make any to sell. I couldn't charge anyone that much for arrows. But I will tell them how to make their own...
Carbon Express Heritage
Tough to beat GT blems and foot them with aluminum.
I've been shooting GT traditional blems from Big Jim. Seem to be very tough. I've used them to shoot ground squirrels in rocky terrain. They hold up really well. I've been pleased.
Tom
I agree, Big Jims Nugent Blems, Footed. You can expect about 2 dozen for a 100 bucks final cost by the time you add feathers and points and stuff.
They are not indestructible, but you would not believe the things I have shot over the years and had the arrow survive.
Tuff as Nails
Agree on cane being tough!
The "ton of work" naaa!
Heck, we spend a lot of time building a bow, and it ain't no good without 'em!
Need to try some of those blems from Big Jim, too.
for woodies I would say douglas fir, sitka spruce or chundoo/lodgepolepine......tougher than cedar, fairly straight naturally, great materials. I prefer douglas fir myself.
cane or bamboo arrows work great. you can get them free or fairly cheap and then hand straighten over heat and sand and have some great durable shafts...does take a bit of work but saves you more than the wooden pre sorted, straightened, and cut wood shafts if you have the time and desire.
As others have said, I don't think you can beat Big Jim's GT blend with footing.
If you are not footing the arrow, I'd go with the Carbon Expresd Heritage arrow hands down.
Cane or boo. I managed to shoot the concrete wall in my basement the other day with a boo arrow. The point didn't like it much but the shaft wasn't damaged.
For years I had the best luck with CE heritage shafts and still shoot them from my glass bows. A dozen CE shafts will last me many years of hard use. I don't mind breaking them off lodged in the opposite shoulder of a deer or elk. ;)
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Forrester hardwood shafts. His video is rather impressive. Has anyone tried these shafts and have experience to share?
homebru
Ash is really really tough but often really heavy. Prob way more than you want to shoot from 40 lbs
Homebru,
I shoot the Forrester shafts quite a bit. Red Balau and the mahogany exclusively. They are great! Very durable and the nice thing is they are heavy...which I like.
I agree with the cane/bamboo being inexpensive, but there is work involved. If you like diy projects, cane/boo is hard to beat.
Bill-
carbon express heritage
Carbons, as a general rule will outlast anything else. But, I have not tried cane, and this has got me thinking.
x2 on CX Heritage. I have lots of damaged woods, aluminum and carbons of various makers, but very few broken CX Heritage. Good luck on your journey till you shoot CX Heritage you will see.
I foot all my carbons. I have found a way to break them. Concrete slab that the carpet bales sit on at range where I shoot. Usually from long range. I have not broken any on natural materials like rocks or trees.
Cane or bamboo. Dog fir next.
All time toughest has to be Monty Browning's solid fiberglass arrows - 'course he was shooting them out of a 90 lb longbow, I think.
QuoteOriginally posted by LoneWolf73:
x2 on CX Heritage. I have lots of damaged woods, aluminum and carbons of various makers, but very few broken CX Heritage. Good luck on your journey till you shoot CX Heritage you will see.
X3..4..5..
GT blems are fine shafts-used them often. But to YOUR actual question and specs - Heritage will be hard to beat.
Ash, Hickory, Birch, well under 100 and very tough wood. Dont have to deal with weights or footings, etc.
Tapered Ash or tapered Maple. :campfire: :coffee: