Gentlemen,
I need some new arrows. I shoot Traditional Only shafts. 500's 8.0gpi. 29 1/2 inches long with 125 grain tip. I get great arrow flight.
I'd like to see what other options are out there and what you may recommend. Price, and similarity in spine/weight are my considerations. GT? Beman ICS Bowhunter?
I'd love to drop my price per arrow, while maintaining the consistent arrow flight I have receive from the TA's. Thank you for your help!!!
Mike
Beman ICS Bowhunter for sure!
I shoot the bowhunters. No complaints but I like the wood grain on the trad onlys. I have both. The bowhunters come in a little lighter in mass. I don't if one is significantly "tougher" than the other but it's hard to beat the price on the bowhunters.
Love the Carbon Express Heritage shafts myself. Nice and heavy!
Bowhunters +2
CE heritage +1
The score thus far : ).
Any flight difference for you ICS bowhunter users?
CE Heritage 150, no question!
Only carbon I've used is the bowhunter.
haven't had any problems.
I haven't shot them into bricks or anything.
But I've taken quite a few shots at little piles of gravel beside two tracks without problems.
Slapped a lot of arrows together in the target..no problems.
I have split a few in the back from "almost robin hood" type shots...
I don't like the look of the "crest"
It is easily removed with a couple wipes of acetone...not nail polish remover (not strong enough) actual full strength acetone.
Personally..and I'll probably get flamed for this..lol.. I don't want to shoot "wood look" carbons. Seems too fake in a way.
But to each their own..wood looking ones do look better to me..it's just the thought that bothers me...lol
Bowhunters +3
CE heritage +2
The score thus far : ). No TO lovers out there? $95 for a dozen shafts for the TO. CE are about 90 and Beman ICS run about $60.
all i shoot is cx 150's or 250's tough shafts that fly good brass inserts are readily available and they are pretty affordable around 75 bucks for a dozen shafts!
I have lost track of the bow hunter shafts I have blown up. The last one was on a small tree where I just caught it with a blade and it blew into four pieces, and that was a 400 shaft. I once blew up 4-500 shafts shooting 3D on 4 misses over a weekend. GT trad and CX150 way more durable plus heavier to get you some weight. You will probably lose 25 gr. with the bow hunter where you could pick up 30-40 minimum with the other shafts. The 3555 is a little weaker for me than the bow hunter 500. The 150 is stiffer. I would pick based on what I could do with cutting or what I wanted with point weight.
The bow hunter is a low cost shaft that shoots very well. One of the most consistent shafts in flight I have used. Great for shooting your bag or bail target. Just do not bounce one off something or hit something hard. Also don't let your bag target tip over. I lost my last two 500's that way.
GT trad blems from Big Jim $49.99.
I have all the above arrows and the CE Eritage are by far the best of them all! IMHO
The Trad Only and the Beman Hunter (.003) are the same arrow. The Beman Bowhunter is also the same arrow, just in .006 for straightness, and a little cheaper because of the fact. I too, remove the crest or name from the shaft, because it can get in the way of my 8" wraps. Good arrows, I like them.
GT Trad Blems from Big Jim will be cheapest if you fletch your own arras.
Some of the other shafts mentioned may be a little tougher but for my money the Beeman bowhunters are awesome. I have broken a few hitting a golf ball suspended in front of a bale but for 1/3 less than the others you can afford to break a few and still be ok. I bought 1dz a year ago and I still have 8 left. I broke 3 on the golf ball and one broke in a deer. all the rest have been bounced off of concrete or shot into the ground or survived multiple hard target hits while roving.
GT traditional shafts are very tough for me. Shot into hard wood and even ceramic tiles with no damage. The only 2 arrows I broke are from robin hoods. Perhaps there are better arrows able to withstand robin hoods? Who knows.
Cx heritage.. Tough and good weight
Beman ICS 500's
Gt blemish
The score thus far:
Beman BH - 7
CE Heritage - 6
GT Blems from Big Jim - 4
My only concern is the weight of the Bowhunters. I like the weight of the TO's. Maybe the GT's are my best bet. 50 bucks. I do fletch my own arrows. ???
Do you think 3555's will work for me?
The carbon express heritage shafts are probably some of the toughest shafts made that said if you foot the Beman ICS bowhunters with a piece of aluminum shafting you probably will lose them before you break one. My vote is if you are looking for the best shaft for the least amount of money go with the Bowhunters just foot them with some aluminum shafting.
Yup, if price is a concern hold out for some Big Jim Blems. If you don't mind dropping a little bit in overall weight Beman ICS bowhunter's are very hard to beat :thumbsup:
I really was not impressed with the toughness of the Trad Only's. Everytime I came close to anything hard they broke at the base of the brass insert (part of this is probably the 300 up front, but still). I like the look and weight of the Trad Only and they are easy to work with, but IMHO the goldtips were sturdier - I skipped them off pavement a couple times with no damage and same setup on the front.
The old CX Heritage I had never broke, but didn't shoot them as much.
I'm also on the hunt for arrows and thinking of the new Axis traditional, but they are more $$$.
Thanks gentlemen,
I think I will patronize Big Jim's cyber store and try the blemished GT's. Seems like a great deal, and from what I have heard...Jim is a great guy.
Thanks for your help once again.
Mike