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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: econnell71 on May 20, 2009, 12:15:00 AM

Title: I keep busting arrows
Post by: econnell71 on May 20, 2009, 12:15:00 AM
Hey fella's,
Anyone else ever have a problem with carbons? I keep busting the shafts about 7 inches up from the insert and can't figure out why...If you got any ideas let me know, I thought maybe they were shaft slaps but ruled that out, checked the shafts for deformity or other obvious signs..nothing.

I would love to shoot wood but I shoot what I can afford unless you have an idea how to build some back yard arrows with material from the hardware store.
Thanks for your input.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: m midd on May 20, 2009, 01:45:00 AM
you can get 3 rivers hunter arrows for 79.00 a dozen. they are plain, but they shoot well
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: LONGBOWKID on May 20, 2009, 01:54:00 AM
In my opinion, if you can afford carbons, you can afford wood arrows.

Could be a thin walled shaft, and angled hits into a hard foam target. Thats how Ive had a few break.

No real way to tell though.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: razorsharptokill on May 20, 2009, 02:02:00 AM
I've never had a carbon break except from a deer running through the trees. I've hit rocks, and trees pretty hard too.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: econnell71 on May 20, 2009, 02:33:00 AM
Longbow kid; I bought carbons when I found them on sale, or I found a good deal on **** or left overs that were cut and wasn't picked up, I shoot what i can afford; now that I lost my job... I'm looking for other ideas on wooden arrows.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: wollelybugger on May 20, 2009, 05:41:00 AM
I buy used arrows and restore them. Most of the time all you have to do is replace the feathers. I am shooting old Bear arrows that are over 60 years old and they shoot fine. You do have to inspect each arrow for cracked nocks and to see what spine they are. It is cheaper than buying carbon.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: ishoot4thrills on May 20, 2009, 05:57:00 AM
How 'bout shooting aluminum arrows?
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: Stone Knife on May 20, 2009, 06:05:00 AM
Are your arrows breaking in the target or are you hitting something real hard? If there breaking like that in the target I would say that your tuned wrong and your arrow is hitting on an angel causing them to break. Carbon is pretty darn tough, anything short of a direct hit on a rock or a glancing blow on a hard object will not do damage.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: Paul Mattson on May 20, 2009, 06:38:00 AM
What type of arrows are you shooting?  Carbon's just don't break very easily.  If they are breaking from hiting a soft target, something is wrong with them.  They could possibly blow up upon release, damaging your bow or hurting yourself.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: Whip on May 20, 2009, 06:53:00 AM
I agree with Paul - something sure doesn't sound right and there might be a problem with your arrows.  Even if they were extremely  poorly tuned so that they hit the target flying at an angle I still don't think they should be breaking.  Heck, with bareshaft tuning that happens all the time, and I've never had a carbon break that way.  The only way I have ever broken a carbon is a direct hit on a rock or metal object.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: horatio1226 on May 20, 2009, 07:13:00 AM
I started shooting the aluminum adapters that allow you to use screw in points on my woodies. Yesterday I shot one clear through my wooden stockade fence and didn't do any damage to the arrow. The aluminum acts like a footing. I love these adapters. They are tough.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: SELFBOW19953 on May 20, 2009, 09:52:00 AM
I would assume that graphite shafts are like graphite flyrods, not all created equally.  Some break if you look at the cross-eyed, others you could use them like a machete.  I would lean toward an inferior batch of shafts that are brittle.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: GMMAT on May 20, 2009, 10:55:00 AM
He's talking about CX Heritage arrows, though.

MY opinion is....either you or the guy who previously owned them is twisting them to remove them from the target.  I've seen (OK and done it once or twice, before I knew better) guys using arrow pullers twist arrows and break them (or weaken them, severely).

That would do what you're describing.

I've found carbons to be MUCH cheaper (in the long run) than aluminums.  I put my carbons through hell.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: WestTnMan on May 20, 2009, 11:14:00 AM
Sorry about the job loss. Things are tough enough with a job. I don't know much about wood arrows but I have seen post about using dowels for arrows. You might do a search for "dowels" and get some information that might help you out. If 2213 eastons would help you out I can send you some. You will need to refletch them with feathers and they are used but straight.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: Shooty1 on May 20, 2009, 11:19:00 AM
I've broken some carbons in the exact same place, and it was always when I used rubber bludgeons and shot at something that was too "springy."

I broke a couple shooting at inverted plastic 20oz bottles stuck into the top of a traffic cone. With metal blunts, the arrow just passed through, but with bludgeons, the bottle sometimes hung up on the cone, moving just far enough after impact for the arrow to double over on itself and snap. Hitting the side of cone caused the same thing--anything that caused the arrow to double up after impact. I've bent a few alums the same way, always when glancing off the side of a tree or a rounded target.

Guess what? I don't shoot at the cone anymore.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: TheFatboy on May 20, 2009, 03:28:00 PM
I just recieved my Tomahawk Diamond SS, and it's too hard on my current arrows. The first arrow I shot today - the first arrow ever shot with the new bow - splintered my carbon arrow. It was a thin carbon arrow though. But the point is; it went through the target, into the tree right behind it. The tip broke and the arrow splintered. Even though I lost an arrow this was quite satisfying for a first bow shot ever!
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: Broken Arrow 1 on May 20, 2009, 07:44:00 PM
Bamboo tomato stakes Get them from home depot for about 3 bucks. I usualy get 5 or 6 arrows out of one pack
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: econnell71 on May 21, 2009, 12:01:00 AM
The type of carbon I am shooting is Carbon express 300, and a couple of cross weave  from what i can recall since i am at work...They are going into a bag target...so it's not hard enough on the shaft to break it, I have a couple that go in at an angle but thats from getting tired, others are straight in...I have checked the integrity of the shafts...its got me puzzled.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: Smallwood on May 22, 2009, 04:18:00 PM
what poundage bow are you shooting them out of?
sounds to me like they might be too stiff for your bow, so when the hit, they hit at an angle instead of the nock following the point. btw shooting a bareshaft with no fletching would tell you if they are right for your bow or not.
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: BEN on May 23, 2009, 11:01:00 AM
Definitely sounds like something is being done to them ----pretty sure it's not a shaft integrity issue. I've shot Goldtips and CX Heritages and have found the CX's to be the toughest arrows I've ever shot-- wood, aluminum, or other carbons.
I tried using the 350's using 250 gr. up front, leaving them 30" long out of a 62# recurve--still too stiff! I now have the same set-up except using the 250's--and all is good! I've bounced the CX's off of all kinds of stuff because of crazy shots and arrows that don't know how to hit a target   :bigsmyl:  Anyway, the only heritage I've had break was one that I heated (stupidly, accidently) to try and remove an insert. I've even bounced them off a rock or 2 shooting at half-buried groundhog targets back-stopped by a rock----checked em and kept on shooting them.
If you are shooting a bag target, any chance it's wore out and your groups are close? Maybe they are getting hit by each other while inside the bag?  Not really any other idea about what could be causing this---jsut like to ramble on sometimes!  :bigsmyl:    :goldtooth:
Title: Re: I keep busting arrows
Post by: Bjorn on May 23, 2009, 11:24:00 PM
Maybe you could buy carbon that smells like cedar when it breaks.  :bigsmyl: