Arrow testing with .204ID arrows

[Acpinn]

Hey guys and gals, looking for some advice for arrow testing different insert and collar weights. I recently picked up some Axis 5mm arrows for a bow that I'm working on and want to go through a variety of inserts to find an arrow that flies best. Has anyone ever gotten away with using the cool melt (blue stick) on HIT components with success for temporary purposes and then been able to use the HIT epoxy once a setup is configured?

 

[EASTEXASARCHER]

I would say its hit and miss. I used the blue stick to build a dozen arrows. After losing two inserts with brass and field points in my bag target I decided to go with the HIT epoxy. I soaked the arrow shafts and inserts in acetone for 20 minutes and swabbed with q-tips. I let the epoxy cure for the recommended 24 hrs before shooting and ended up with 2 that came loose. If I had to guess they just weren't clean enough. I just cut the fletching off of those 2 arrows and installed inserts on what was the nock end and have not had a problem since.

 

[Brendan]

Could probably use a nylon .22 cal bore brush on the inside of a .204 shaft to clean it up, or a .17 cal plus patches. I bet that plus acetone would get any residue out.

Other option which I did with D6 HIT inserts one year, tap the back of a standard insert on a couple arrows and use Gold Tip FACT weights on them. Probably only need 3 or so. Screw in different weights for testing, and keep those 3 arrows as your "testing" arrows. A little more work to set up, but very easy weight changes.

 

[Acpinn]

Thanks for the quick input! I like the sound of the bore brush to really clean up the inside of the arrow shaft.

 

[Zac]

You could just buy Ranch Fairy's tetst weight kit off Ethics website. That would give you a bunch of different point weights. You could also mess around with collars. IW makes a 25 and 15 grain. You could get alot of different point weights just through cycling throuh two different collars, and 100, and 125 gr field points.

 

[5MilesBack]

I have never gotten any of the melts to work with any inserts on any arrows I've ever used. To the point of first arrow into the target comes out without the insert and tip. I've had the shop put them in ("that has never had a failure before"), and they come out. Cool melt, hot melt, glue gun glue sticks.......every time. I use the 2-part 24-hour epoxy on all inserts and arrows now.

 

[Billy Goat]

I have used the hot melt with halfouts and regular inserts while testing and cutting down the arrow. Have several that still have the hot melt that I didn't swap to epoxy. I have lost probably 2 halfouts. I don't think it's what you should do permanently, but it has worked reasonably well for me. Hits are a different ballgame, I think you might have trouble getting enough heat to them without messing up a carbon arrow.

I think all my stickbow arrows have hotmelt with regular .246 or .244 brass inserts and no problems. Clean the shafts well and it will reduce your chances of loosing them. But I think it doesn't work very well with some arrows.

 

[mrgreen]

Hot melt/ cool melt have all failed on me, as mentioned above points & insert lost in target. I've been using AAE max Impact with good results, AND I can remove the inserts with a little heat if I need to.

I put together a tool to heat and remove inserts (Iron Will in my case). I had one of these laying around, lucky that it's threaded 8-32 just like HIT style inserts.

Before using this setup, I would use my biggest field point and apply heat while gently pulling straight out. That worked well but was awkward.

 

[Roughwater]

I have used the hot melt with halfouts and regular inserts while testing and cutting down the arrow. Have several that still have the hot melt that I didn't swap to epoxy. I have lost probably 2 halfouts. I don't think it's what you should do permanently, but it has worked reasonably well for me. Hits are a different ballgame, I think you might have trouble getting enough heat to them without messing up a carbon arrow.

I think all my stickbow arrows have hotmelt with regular .246 or .244 brass inserts and no problems. Clean the shafts well and it will reduce your chances of loosing them. But I think it doesn't work very well with some arrows.

I'm shooting some .204 ID Victory RIP and RIP TKO's using the stainless victory inserts held in with Arrow brand, Super Power, slow setting hot melt glue. The model No is BSS6-4. I've shot them into bags, into an old dried up deer target that's hard as heak to pull arrows out of and had no problem with the inserts pulling off in the target or bags. I shoot these same arrows almost every day.
Unfortunately I shoot mostly into a bag now and probably one out of 5 arrows gets stuck and I have to pull and wiggle and rotate the arrow from various angles till I finally get it out but again the inserts are staying in the shaft.
I use one section of a cleaning rod (the section with the handle) with a small wire brush to clean the inside and I preheat the insert (target point in insert) with a heatgun before applying the hotmelt with a hot melt glue gun. I don't spare the glue and I spin the insert or shaft to even out the hot melt and have a little excess at the junction of the shaft and insert and the excess glue comes off easily after it starts to dry just using a fingernail. I let the glued inserts harden up over night. Ultimately I plan to use Epoxy when I get my hunting shafts set up but for more than 2 months of daily shooting these have been working great. Also of note, to take the inserts out of the shaft I leave a target point in the insert and heat it up with a electric heat gun and the inserts pull out easily.

 

[Roughwater]

If you never used a heat gun they come in real handy for a lot of applications. You can buy one pretty cheap at Northern tool or Harbor freight.

 

[MattB]

I use HITs and hot melt, can't say as I have had an inserts pull out. I like to be able to index my BH's.

 

[Beendare]

I always use Iso Alcohol with a q tip and the thick epoxy....they don't come out.

I've wedged some in there to test with a tiny dab of hot melt and it works for a few shots.

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