Arrow Durability

[Grizz99G]

Was looking to get some opinions on arrow durability. I currently shoot 250 spine Black Eagle Carnivores and have been happy with the straightness and consistency but they seem a little fragile especially on the back end. I was looking at switching to the Rampages since they are thicker and a heavier GPI but wanted to see if anyone had experience with both and tell me if I’ll see a noticeable difference in durability. I’ve busted the back end of several arrows trying to tune my bow and thought I might be better off switching before I get everything dialed in.

 

[aaen]

How are you breaking the back end of the arrows tuning the bow? Are you getting arrow contact on the target? Robin hooding them? Glancing blows? Or is this from impact?

I shot some 0.204 arrows awhile back that were supposed hunting arrows, that turned out to be pure junk due to shaft wall thickness.

 

[Billy Goat]

I have shot both. I don't notice much difference in durability. I wonder what you are doing to break the carnivore. I replace nocks with consistency if I'm shooting the same spot. They aren't bulletproof, but I can ping arrows and replace a nock and keep going. Also for the price I can break a few and still be money ahead.

You center punch an arrow and it's done. Far as I know anyways.

 

[Grizz99G]

One was a Robin Hood which I understand but the others have been glancing blows or just slapped together in the target. I was just curious if there would be a noticeable difference between the two because there is roughly.006-.008 difference in wall thickness. Like I said I’m happy with the carnivores and for the price I can afford to bust a few but before I order more arrows just wanted to see if there was enough difference to justify switching.

 

[ZDR]

I use the nock bushings and G nocks in my carnivores and had no problems w the back end ever. Have mushroomed or split a few from hitting rocks or trees but so far it seems they are relatively tuff arrows on par w GT hunters etc.

 

[Wapiti1]

If you are having a lot of issues move to pin knocks or a bushing. That is about the best you can do.

Jeremy

 

[Pramo]

I personally don't shoot groups close in and only shoot them at 50+ yards, first few robin hoods are cool but they get old. Also shooting groups and busting nocks are a good way to have an arrow fail while shooting.

 

[Grizz99G]

Thanks for the insight guys. Ya I’ve been trying to get tuned with bareshafts and fletched and the farthest I can shoot in my yard is 30. I’ll look into some nock bushings and give those a try.

 

[MattB]

Nock bushings do a great job in protecting the back end of the arrow. Just make sure the back end of the shafts is square before you install them.

 

[406unltd]

Dude I hate black eagle. My x impacts are the weakest most brittle arrows I’ve ever owned and it’s not even close. I have GT arrows that have blasted a lot of things and are still going. Unfortunately they do not offer a veteran discount anymore so I will be going to victory vaps.

 

[Billy Goat]

Dude I hate black eagle. My x impacts are the weakest most brittle arrows I’ve ever owned and it’s not even close. I have GT arrows that have blasted a lot of things and are still going. Unfortunately they do not offer a veteran discount anymore so I will be going to victory vaps.

When did Gold Tip stop the military discount? I know up until a few months ago they still offered it.

Have you tried any arrows other than x-impacts from BE? I have shot a few of the other arrows from them and don't have a problem. Never messed with anything smaller than a rampage.

I have seen plenty of blown up victory arrows. Those were the velocity arrows, not going to judge the while line by them.

 

[406unltd]

Idk when exactly but I switched last year and that was because they didn’t offer that program anymore. Whether they brought it back sometime after that or not I wouldn’t know. I might email or call them again in the spring. As far as the arrows I am limited to 166 and am not concerned with the rest of the lineup. For me they are no good. I’m sure some victory arrows have blow up but they offer a discount and they have the same id/od as my old GTs so I’m going to try them as they are thicker which should translate into a tougher overall arrow.

 

[Billy Goat]

Idk when exactly but I switched last year and that was because they didn’t offer that program anymore. Whether they brought it back sometime after that or not I wouldn’t know. I might email or call them again in the spring. As far as the arrows I am limited to 166 and am not concerned with the rest of the lineup. For me they are no good. I’m sure some victory arrows have blow up but they offer a discount and they have the same id/od as my old GTs so I’m going to try them as they are thicker which should translate into a tougher overall arrow.

You are limited to 2 dozen arrows a year I believe. Could possibly be you used up what you got for the year, I don't know.

 

[hgian808]

I used to shoot black eagles a few years ago, shot great, but switched because noticed they were brittle. I could get a pass threw on goats and the arrow would hit dirt on the other end and be cracked.. switched back to victory and never had that problem. I could shoot 3 goats with the same arrow and still be good..

 

[406unltd]

No that’s not the case I was told on the phone and verified ExpertVoice they didn’t offer the program at the time. I emailed them last night so I’m waiting on a response

 

[5MilesBack]

I've heard a lot of people talk about how brittle the Carnivore's are, but that's not surprising for a thin-walled light weight arrow. Personally, I found the Rampages to be too brittle for my preferences, even in a 250 spine. My GT Kinetic XT 200's aren't all that durable either, I've had 18 of them snap in half well behind the insert. I'll be trying the Sirius Apollo's here shortly, but with a weaved carbon they should be tougher already.

 

[Ucsdryder]

5 miles, are you using their footer on the kinetic? So far I haven’t broken one in 8 months of shooting them, including one into a cinderblock. Brass hit with their aluminum footer.

 

[TheCougar]

Spartans have been okay for me. Not as durable as my old GT Pro Hunters, but not terrible either. On the other hand my buddy had VAP TKOs last year and they were breaking left and right - two different batches of arrows. Always wanted to try Axis. Been told they are very good arrows.

 

[5MilesBack]

5 miles, are you using their footer on the kinetic? So far I haven’t broken one in 8 months of shooting them, including one into a cinderblock. Brass hit with their aluminum footer.

I am not, but these have all broken well behind where the footer would be.

I have some Spartan's as well and have already broken one of those. My TR Crush arrows are pretty much my standard for toughness, but they are also a weaved carbon. So I'm pretty hopeful that the Apollo's will be a tough arrow.

 

[Grizz99G]

I seem to keep seeing everyone mention GT in relation to toughness. Do they seem to be the standard when comparing durability with arrows. I had originally started out chasing a higher FOC so that’s why I chose the light gpi arrow but I’m seeing that FOC isn’t the be all end all so looking at probably going to a higher gpi and thicker wall shaft and focusing More on overall weight and durability. I thought the rampages might be the ticket but having trouble deciding which way to go.