Valkyrie System Destructive Testing

[PathFinder]

So far I'm pretty impressed with this system. Install was a breeze, they spun true with no effort at all. Customer service was top notch. It's refreshing to see someone use something besides the typical cheap materials most manufacturers use. The only downside I can see so far is being very limited in broadhead selection. I like the design of the Jagger but the price is awful high. For now, I'm doing destructive testing on various .166 shafts. I'm shooting an 80 lb Hyperforce at 26.5". Total arrow weight was 545 at ~250 fps. Test mediums were hollow house bricks at 20 yards. These were VAP TKO 300 shafts. They exhibited the same sort of failure with Zelor outserts; I think it has to do with the outer layers of the shaft. Both sheared off quite cleanly behind the end of the Valkyrie center pin. The Valkyrie components weren't perfectly straight after, but I had to spin test them to tell they had been tweaked slightly. I definitely think they are going to hold up, now I just need to find a shaft that can keep up.

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[mfllood3800]

Have you shot the BEA X Impacts?
Their ID is .166

 

[PathFinder]

No, but they're on my list. I do worry about them being a bit brittle. On one hand, the X-Impact shaft has less mass to stop. On the other, carbon fiber experiences a similar relationship between strength and toughness as steel. As strength vs weight goes up with the lighter GPI shafts, toughness goes down (it becomes more brittle). As strength per weight goes down with higher GPI shafts, toughness increases but FOC is reduced and the arrow has more of its own mass to stop on a hard impact. I'm looking for a balance somewhere. I know the heavy Zelor shafts do great with hard impacts, but the shafts are too heavy for what I'm trying to do. Standard VAPs, X-Impacts, and Gold Tip Pierce are all on my list to try now. I'm going to pick up more test shafts on Monday, I'll post the results when I'm done testing them.

 

[PathFinder]

Another update. I put one on a Zelor 350 shaft. It required some sanding to get the shaft down to the right diameter. Just chucked it up in a drill and went at it with some 80 grit. I shot it at the same kind of bricks, twice. Both times it broke through the bricks and stuck into the target without breaking or fracturing at all (the VAP TKOs that broke broke all the way through the brick, but didn't stick). The Zelor shaft is still 100%. So far Zelors are holding up to hard impacts better than any other arrow I've tested, even Grizzly Stiks. The problem is I think I'll for sure need a 300, which will put me well north of where I want to be in terms of overall arrow weight, or significantly lower FOC and require the use of a lighter broadhead. This test makes me want to try an Injexion 330 along with the Pierce, X-Impact, and standard VAP if the spine will be enough.

 

[PathFinder]

Tested a Gold Tip Pierce 300 today. It performed most poorly out of the entire lot so far. The arrow broke in two places. Complete failure. I'm still going to try an Injexion 280 or 330 and a Black Eagle X-Impact 300.

 

[Pac8541]

Interested in hearing how the X-Impact fared. Any update on this?

 

[WJS23]

I can send you some 330 injections I don’t use them any more and I have two or three left just let me know what length you need and I’ll send them out to you

 

[PathFinder]

Tested a 280 injexion. The material is very different from the Zelors and other 100% carbon arrows I've tested. Like some others I had to sand it down a few thousandths to fit the size collars I have. They sanded down very easily, and felt pretty soft. There is a fiberglass layer in the middle just like an Axis. The arrow broke the brick completely in half, but didn't stick in the target. This is the only arrow to fail in front of the back of the center pin. Despite the collar it splintered outward and failed. Definitely won't be using these. I'm still planning to try 250 X Impacts and 250 VAPs. I'll probably go up to a 300 grain head on the X impact. If neither of them work out, I'll go to 300 Zelors. It will put me at 600 grains but with a completely fail proof system. I would rather be between 500 and 550.

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[DanZ]

Ever try those x-impacts?

 

[plentycoupe]

What are you hunting with the final product a concrete factory? Just kidding, but am curious what your extensive brick testing is telling you?

 

[PathFinder]

Nope, next week when I get home. I pushed one lengthwise through a mule deer though

 

[PathFinder]

It's basically gathering data for an FMEA (Failure Mode Effects Analysis). It's telling me what can go wrong, and what happens when it does. The idea is to create a frontal impact proof arrow, so that failure mode is eliminated. When stuff breaks, penetration ends. An arrow like that can be shot through shoulders, hips, etc. Not everything is as cookie cutter as the Outdoor Channel and internet police want to believe. Bones get hit. Poor components break and fail, resulting in wounded animals. People say it's dumb to shoot arrows at bricks. I say it's dumber to shoot an arrow & component system that can fail on impact.

 

[plentycoupe]

I hear you brother and appreciate the testing. I am a believer in FOC and shoot a 600 grain arrow with 300grn broadhead resulting in 25ish FOC from a 51@30 recurve. coincidentally had a muffed steeply quartering away shot that resulted in entering the right hq and pushing through to the left shoulder. That was a older single bevel VAP. NOW use my last 3 of those and recently bought the steelforce 300grn single bevel.
I like reading the data(on your dime!! Haha) and once you have it figured out I may switched to a better arrow.

 

[paulforward]

thank you!

This is awesome. Thank you! I had just started investing in the necessary stuff to do similar testing and here I find that you're well on the way. I'm definitely looking forward to the remainder of your results, particularly the X-impact (Reign). Thanks again!

 

[PathFinder]

I finally got around to testing the X Impacts. I fully expected it to shatter similarly to the Gold Tips and VAPs. Surprisingly, it survived without a single crack. One of two things is going on. Either Black Eagle's combination of carbon and resin is superior to the other manufacturers, or there are two thresholds for impact resistance. One on the high gpi end(Zelor/Day Six) , where the toughness of the material overcomes the additional mass. One on the light end (X Impact), where the mass is little enough that the arrow shaft's mass isn't driving itself apart. Either way, I'm really pleased with the X Impacts and the behavior of the high FOC setup overall. I'd trust them on a direct shoulder hit and I'll probably be shooting them for the foreseeable future. I'm shooting a 250 spine shaft, aluminum collar, Easton nock, 250 grain points, and a one piece plastic fletch. Total arrow weight is 545, FOC is 21%. I'm shooting both 250 Valkyrie Jaggers and glue on adapters with 120 grain Abowyer Bonehead Lites. Bow is a Prime Logic at 80#/27". I still get to 100 on my sight tape with a small Axcel housing.

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[JBivens]

Again, thank you for posting and your reviews. Curious what level of deviation of failure on impact you would expect going from to 250 to a 350 spine? All other factors being consistent. Being a shorter draw and power (27, 70lbs ) I am wondering about going to non typical stiffness (250) and tuning for accuracy, or running the 350@70lbs and adjusting for failure.

 

[PathFinder]

That's one variable I haven't tested, or held constant. The Zelor/Day Six shafts I had were 350s. They were weak spined for this setup but still survived every single impact. All other shafts were 250s, or whatever oddball spine the Easton shafts were. My hypothesis is that the lighter spined shafts would behave similarly. Ordering a test pack would be the way to go. To tune a 250 to your bow would require either 300+gr up front or cutting them long, which isn't ideal. A 300 spine with about what I have up front would probably work great.

Again, thank you for posting and your reviews. Curious what level of deviation of failure on impact you would expect going from to 250 to a 350 spine? All other factors being consistent. Being a shorter draw and power (27, 70lbs ) I am wondering about going to non typical stiffness (250) and tuning for accuracy, or running the 350@70lbs and adjusting for failure.

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[bulzeye11]

did you use the FOCOS system on the x impacts or another system up front?

 

[littlebrotherC]

I’ve never had a time that wasn’t happier either the stiffer spine. Im guessing you don’t want to give up foc. I think the weight and accuracy will make up for the 1.5% foc you’ll loose.

 

[PathFinder]

All of this testing was done with the Valkyrie component system.

did you use the FOCOS system on the x impacts or another system up front?

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