Preventing Arrow Damage

[Gorp2007]

Last weekend I took a few shots at the bison target at the Total Archery Challenge. I was still dialing in my slider for 90 yards, so I put two arrows a little low and apparently discovered the steel supports running through the legs of the target. As a result, I've got two arrows ready to be cut down to 27.5" shafts.

Is this type of damage normal? I was a little surprised that they'd break like that after traveling 92 yards AND going through a few inches of Rinehart foam. They're factory Easton Axis, 340 with HIT inserts and 100 gr field tips.

 

[lumis17]

That’s normal with HIT inserts in my experience, which is why a lot of people use footers.

 

[Beendare]

IME, there isn't a system out there that will prevent damage to your arrow when hitting steel rebar or a steel post, something has to give.

I've used the collars and yeah, it is a little stronger but when hitting something solid like a rock or steel post, it bends the end enough as to make the arrow worthless.

I've shot the Axis for over 20 yrs off and on and they are a pretty darn durable arrow. You can improve them by running them on a straightening jig with some fine sandpaper or something to make the carbon end perfectly straight and squared.

I posted a close up pic on the old site showing the difference between a carbon right off the saw...and one run on my squaring jig- its a big difference. It not only improves the BH straightness but also seats tighter.

...

 

[Gorp2007]

Okay, looks like I won't worry about questioning all my life choices just yet, maybe just stop shooting steel posts so much.

 

[sim22mie]

Last weekend I took a few shots at the bison target at the Total Archery Challenge. I was still dialing in my slider for 90 yards, so I put two arrows a little low and apparently discovered the steel supports running through the legs of the target. As a result, I've got two arrows ready to be cut down to 27.5" shafts.

Is this type of damage normal? I was a little surprised that they'd break like that after traveling 92 yards AND going through a few inches of Rinehart foam. They're factory Easton Axis, 340 with HIT inserts and 100 gr field tips.

I was there and saw the exact same thing happen to guys in my group. I was shooting BE rampages with the HIT inserts and a footer. I bent one tip, but the footer and arrow were fine. What happened to me though was the nock end ended up cracking. Maybe a thicker walled heavier arrow wouldn’t have done that for me I’m not sure

 

[fatlander]

I shot axis shafts for years. Now I shoot gold tips. I used to have the exact same issues with axis, I’ve had nothing of the sort with gold tips. The beating those arrows will take is amazing. Plus xt hunters are a whole lot cheaper.


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[5MilesBack]

I shot axis shafts for years. Now I shoot gold tips. I used to have the exact same issues with axis, I’ve had nothing of the sort with gold tips. The beating those arrows will take is amazing. Plus xt hunters are a whole lot cheaper.

The regular GT's must be a heck of a lot tougher than their Kinetics. I've broken 18 Kinetic XT 200's in the last three years, yet I still have all my Axis 300's and TR Crush 300's that I've had since 2007 and 2008.

The funny thing is........I see these pics of Axis arrows a lot, yet I've never had one do that. The Kinetics on the other hand, not so strong.

 

[fatlander]

The regular GT's must be a heck of a lot tougher than their Kinetics. I've broken 18 Kinetic XT 200's in the last three years, yet I still have all my Axis 300's and TR Crush 300's that I've had since 2007 and 2008.

The funny thing is........I see these pics of Axis arrows a lot, yet I've never had one do that. The Kinetics on the other hand, not so strong.

Micro diameter shafts just don’t hold up. The hunter xts are darn near indestructible. They survived hitting things that no arrow should, and they’re cheap to boot.


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[5MilesBack]

Micro diameter shafts just don’t hold up. The hunter xts are darn near indestructible. They survived hitting things that no arrow should, and they’re cheap to boot.


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The Kinetics aren't micro-diameter.

 

[fatlander]

The Kinetics aren't micro-diameter.

Excuse me. The standard kinetics are “small diameter” the rest of the kinetic line is “micro diameter” per Gold Tip.


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[5MilesBack]

Excuse me. The standard kinetics are “small diameter” the rest of the kinetic line is “micro diameter” per Gold Tip.

My Kinetics are 11.6gpi and are .282" OD with thicker walls (.039") than normal diameter arrows. Normally those thinner diameter thicker-walled carbons are much stronger than regular diameter thinner-walled carbons........which has been the case with the Axis.

 

[fatlander]

My Kinetics are 11.6gpi and are .282" OD with thicker walls (.039") than normal diameter arrows. Normally those thinner diameter thicker-walled carbons are much stronger than regular diameter thinner-walled carbons........which has been the case with the Axis.

Definitely the pictures above show that. . .


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[elkstabber]

When an arrow hits steel at any distance something will have to give. The damage you've shown in the photos looks to be about what I would expect.

I've been bowhunting for 35+ years and have banged up every type of arrow that I've ever shot at one time or another. I've hunted with all kinds of wood, aluminum, and carbon. There are more durable systems that help an arrow survive longer but I think the HIT system is about the most accurate for a carbon shaft. I took the advice of Beendare and have carefully assembled arrows and my results clearly showed that the HIT inserts were more consistent (accurate) than any kind of collar/tophat.

 

[Bill V]

I had a few misses at the Total Archery Challenge. I shot two rounds with the Axis and two rounds with Injections. I used the Iron Will hardened steel Impact Collars and HIT inserts on all of them along with hardened steel field points. All arrows survived and spun true afterwards. Knocks popped out of a couple. I didn't hit any boulders or rebar head on, but a couple did hit shale and 2" rock piles.

 

[5MilesBack]

Definitely the pictures above show that. . .

I don't see any pics showing that. But I could post some pics of some 12 year old Axis 300's that still have intact ends that have hit all kinds of hard stuff over the years. My grouse arrows are Axis 300's with HIT's and they blow through grouse without even slowing down.......hitting rocks, gravel, and dirt. But those Kinetics are much more brittle.

 

[Gorp2007]

Thanks for all the replies, I definitely think that the fact that the steel was buried in foam made for a worst case scenario because instead of deflecting one way or the other. I have other arrows from that weekend that I bouced off a rock or buried into a tree and they're fine, so I think I'll just try to avoid shooting foam-wrapped steel in the future.

I may also pick up a pack of the steel impact collars since I'm getting ready to move to Texas and I hear there are a fair number of rocks in the area. Bill, do the impact collars help with broadhead alignment?

 

[jspradley]

I'm getting ready to move to Texas and I hear there are a fair number of rocks in the area.

I'll put it this way, every third target at the last 3D shoot I went to in Austin was essentially an iron buck target. lol

 

[Gorp2007]

I'll put it this way, every third target at the last 3D shoot I went to in Austin was essentially an iron buck target. lol

That's why I'm also going to figure out how to fletch my own arrows. Archery was a lot more affordable when I just went to the range and didn't lose or break anything.

 

[jspradley]

That's why I'm also going to figure out how to fletch my own arrows. Archery was a lot more affordable when I just went to the range and didn't lose or break anything.

Yeah man, I feel ya. I was sweating bullets and felt really dumb bringing my Day Six hunting arrows to the 3D shoot... everyone else was shooting cheapies haha

 

[Bill V]

I may also pick up a pack of the steel impact collars since I'm getting ready to move to Texas and I hear there are a fair number of rocks in the area. Bill, do the impact collars help with broadhead alignment?

With the broadhead shank aligning to the ID of the arrow, broadheads should align pretty well anyway, but squaring the arrow and adding the Impact Collar, who's face is square to the diameter, should make this all more rigid and improve alignment.