Anybody else going the cheap arrow route?

[eidsvolling]

Surewood has a dozen hunter grade doug firs for $48.

Hush yer mouth, less’n the carboniferous crowd wises up and drives the price up.

(I quit checking spine, weight and straightness midway through the first batch I ordered several years ago.)

 

[Ifunk]

I like easton aluminum for affordability, consistency and durability. I started off with Doug fir arrows and then carbon. But have gone almost exclusively aluminum. But then again I like hunting with heavy arrows. > 600 grains.

 

[eidsvolling]

I like easton aluminum for affordability, consistency and durability. I started off with Doug fir arrows and then carbon. But have gone almost exclusively aluminum. But then again I like hunting with heavy arrows. > 600 grains.

Hush yer mouth, less’n the carboniferous crowd wises up and drives the eBay price up. ;-)

 

[rclouse79]

I think my problem with carbon express arrows might have been the shop set me up too light and under spined. They were fast but broke incredibly easy and were impossible to broad-head tune. I went with a stiffer heavier Eason axis arrow and they are bulletproof and easy to tune. They end up saving money in the long run because they seem practically impossible to break. I think bought two dozen a few years ago and have maybe lost a handful forgetting to redial distance at the 3d range or shooting animals.

 

[Ohiohuntr]

I think my problem with carbon express arrows might have been the shop set me up too light and under spined. They were fast but broke incredibly easy and were impossible to broad-head tune. I went with a stiffer heavier Eason axis arrow and they are bulletproof and easy to tune. They end up saving money in the long run because they seem practically impossible to break. I think bought two dozen a few years ago and have maybe lost a handful forgetting to redial distance at the 3d range or shooting animals.

This has been my experience with them as well

 

[Beendare]

This has been my experience with them as well

Me too

Re Linkboy inserts; I haven't shot the Linkboys I have in years- I cannot remember where I got the std inserts for those.

I have been ordering the Accmos from Amazon for convenience and fast shipping. I order the std inserts in bulk from them too just making sure diameters match.

 

[Ifunk]

Hush yer mouth, less’n the carboniferous crowd wises up and drives the eBay price up. ;-)

Don't tell them where to buy em'! I mean, real traditional folk use carbon arrows only. Deer and elk are known to get spooky and run far from wood and aluminum shafts.

 

[cck311]

Got out and did a little shooting today. The green fletch arrows are the Amazon Pinals. Shot out to 35 yards and the arrow flight was beautiful with these full length (31 inch) 500 spine arrows with a 175 grain point from a 46 lb Samick Sage. As far as accuracy goes, even with a wheel bow I was never good enough to shoot the difference between an expensive arrow and a cheap one. With a stick bow this is doubly so.

 

[Hilongbow]

I shoot trad and started using cheap arrows about a year ago. I previously spent a fair amount of money on mid-range arrows (like gold tip traditional), components (like brass inserts), and broadheads (like kudu points). My perspective changed after sending two arrows worth about $25 each (between shaft, inserts, fletching, and broadheads) straight into a swamp within a few seconds of each other after passing through pigs. The arrows were never recovered, and unfortunately neither were the pigs. I realized durability doesn't mean a darn thing if the arrow gets lost, and in the areas I frequently hunt or shoot 3D a missed arrow is usually a lost arrow.

I bought 2 dozen sanlida shafts for $60 and some $2/ea kudu-esque Amazon broadheads. I also bought some cheap .245 components. The arrows took a bit of work to rebuild (since they come with the fletching and components glued in), but I now have arrows worth only a few dollars. They're durable enough. I recently shot my first Axis deer with this setup. I even got my arrow back! But the broadhead broke (kudu point would have been mangled too).

 

[cck311]

I shoot trad and started using cheap arrows about a year ago. I previously spent a fair amount of money on mid-range arrows (like gold tip traditional), components (like brass inserts), and broadheads (like kudu points). My perspective changed after sending two arrows worth about $25 each (between shaft, inserts, fletching, and broadheads) straight into a swamp within a few seconds of each other after passing through pigs. The arrows were never recovered, and unfortunately neither were the pigs. I realized durability doesn't mean a darn thing if the arrow gets lost, and in the areas I frequently hunt or shoot 3D a missed arrow is usually a lost arrow.

I bought 2 dozen sanlida shafts for $60 and some $2/ea kudu-esque Amazon broadheads. I also bought some cheap .245 components. The arrows took a bit of work to rebuild (since they come with the fletching and components glued in), but I now have arrows worth only a few dollars. They're durable enough. I recently shot my first Axis deer with this setup. I even got my arrow back! But the broadhead broke (kudu point would have been mangled too).

I started down the cheap broadhead path as well. I just ordered some heads that some people think of as a Zwickey Eskimo knock off though to me they kind of look like an Ace. Just a very basic straight edge 2 blade head that ran me $20 for a dozen. Other people seem to have had good luck with them. I'm sure they will come dull, but I have a KME jig and diamond stones. That will be fixed quickly.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[cck311]

Today I stripped the feathers off of one of these arrows and shot a full length bare shaft with a variety of point weights. It turns out I was fairly weak with the 175 grain point I had on. A little 100 grain field point looked to be just right with these full length 500s. They are just a little under 8 gpp (355ish grains) and will make a great light and fast target arrow. I have some 400 spine arrows coming now and I figure shooting these with a heavier point will make for a nice hunting arrow.

 

[Hilongbow]

I started down the cheap broadhead path as well. I just ordered some heads that some people think of as a Zwickey Eskimo knock off though to me they kind of look like an Ace. Just a very basic straight edge 2 blade head that ran me $20 for a dozen. Other people seem to have had good luck with them. I'm sure they will come dull, but I have a KME jig and diamond stones. That will be fixed quickly.

Pardon Our Interruption...

I'm sure those will be effective enough for animals that aren't super tough if you touch up the edges. Sharper is better in my experience.

 

[wildace]

Im all for cheap shafts. I still use easton axis for elk, but i make up another pile of burner arrows to shoot the rest of the year. We are lucky enough to have family in texas and to go on hog killing sprees. Bad place to be flinging 30 dollar a piece arrows. I use the Scheels brand arrows that are victorys. They all come with blazers so you have to strip and fletch them, but you can usually get the for about 45 or less a 1/2 dozen if you watch sales. My 55 lb bow shoots the 400s great, and they seem like pretty tough arrows. Ive shot a pile of hogs with them.

 

[cck311]

Im all for cheap shafts. I still use easton axis for elk, but i make up another pile of burner arrows to shoot the rest of the year. We are lucky enough to have family in texas and to go on hog killing sprees. Bad place to be flinging 30 dollar a piece arrows. I use the Scheels brand arrows that are victorys. They all come with blazers so you have to strip and fletch them, but you can usually get the for about 45 or less a 1/2 dozen if you watch sales. My 55 lb bow shoots the 400s great, and they seem like pretty tough arrows. Ive shot a pile of hogs with them.

What is your method for completely stripping the fletching without damaging the shaft?

 

[wildace]

I used to use a razor blade and just be careful, but you will occasionally wreck a shaft. lately I've been using a plastic scraper. It's one of the cheap drywall scrapers yoy get at the hardware store and you can mash it into the vanes without hurting the carbon. I know bohning makes a commercial one but I've never used it

 

[wildace]

Then use acetone and a rag to strip the little bit of glue and vane off

 

[Falcon XL]

I don’t quite get this personally. I am all about saving money, but we gladly pay $1K-2K for our bows, but then cannot justify the cost of arrows? I am all about cringing when I lose an arrow on a 3D course, but I try my best to shoot exactly what I plan to hunt with and that is what I consider putting my best effort out there in equipment. I am also in a point in my life (old’ish) that I like to support American made products. Does that limit me greatly in my choices? Of course it does! All my bows are from somewhat local bowyers, mostly all from Michigan in fact. Are the overseas carbon manufacturers producing the majority of shafts and then American importers rebranding them? Most likely. Does purchasing them direct from the manufacture save money cutting out that middle-man? Surely it does. Why are we all not then shooting Sandila, TBow, Black Hunters, etc? They are much cheaper, right?



At some point, I feel like there is some sort of pride of ownership that enters the discussion. We are all proud of our American made bows and often brag about shooting this brand or that brand and puffing out our chests a little, right? Could this not also be an argument for American made arrows or is it just me being old’ish again? Whatever you personally decided is best for you, this is simply my thoughts on all of it.

 

[Guncap]

I don’t quite get this personally. I am all about saving money, but we gladly pay $1K-2K for our bows, but then cannot justify the cost of arrows? I am all about cringing when I lose an arrow on a 3D course, but I try my best to shoot exactly what I plan to hunt with and that is what I consider putting my best effort out there in equipment. I am also in a point in my life (old’ish) that I like to support American made products. Does that limit me greatly in my choices? Of course it does! All my bows are from somewhat local bowyers, mostly all from Michigan in fact. Are the overseas carbon manufacturers producing the majority of shafts and then American importers rebranding them? Most likely. Does purchasing them direct from the manufacture save money cutting out that middle-man? Surely it does. Why are we all not then shooting Sandila, TBow, Black Hunters, etc? They are much cheaper, right?



At some point, I feel like there is some sort of pride of ownership that enters the discussion. We are all proud of our American made bows and often brag about shooting this brand or that brand and puffing out our chests a little, right? Could this not also be an argument for American made arrows or is it just me being old’ish again? Whatever you personally decided is best for you, this is simply my thoughts on all of it.

This is how I look at it too. Additionally, I personally refuse to purchase any archery or other sporting equipment from no-name companies and shady sites like Amazon, Temu, Ali, etc because the quality can be so spotty but also because all of this stuff that gets drop shipped from China skirts past Pittman-Robertson/Dingle-Johnson Act taxes. These are the excise taxes that manufacturers of firearms, hunting equipment, and fishing equipment pay that are then distributed to all the states fish and game agencies for funding conservation and enforcement. I simply refuse to support companies that skirt past this. I saw there is a bill floating around to potentially address this and require the companies like Amazon to pay these taxes upon importation but I don't know if it's gone through yet.

I have no problems with Chinese or other inexpensive imported equipment as long the sale of it is contributing to conservation the same way things sold through established retailers are. I also have no problems if I'm buying the product through an established domestic company. Good luck getting help or a warranty arrows and other equipment you bought through Amazon. I'm fairly certain some Safari Tuff and 3 Rivers shafts are Chinese, but I have no problems trying them out since I know I'll be taken care of if I have an issue with them.