About 7 days ago I noticed my shooting was falling off. I was getting frustrated as hell and starting to get pissed!!! I couldn't figure out what the hell I was doing wrong. For the most part my arrow was still going where It was suppose to but the fletching end was kicking to the left and my shots were generally a tad low too. I only shoot one arrow when practicing. I checked the arrow for straightness and It was perfect. I remembered reading somewhere that carbon arrows can still be straight but yet will fly weird If there's problem with the carbon. For the heck of It I shot one of my hunting arrows and sure enough It flew perfect. I shot It another 20 times just to make sure and still It flew perfect. The practice arrow I've been using I've used for 2 years now. If this Is going to be the norm I'll be done with arrows that have carbon In them. Aluminum's treated me well and I'll go back to them In a heartbeat If this problem keeps up. I was skeptical about carbons to begin with so It won't take no convincing for me to go back to my trusty and much cheaper aluminum arrows. Hopefully this Isn't the norm and It doesn't happen too often. I can live with It happening once In a while.
Is it possible that any practice arrow shot for 2 years could get nicked or slightly bent, even aluminum. I would think so anyway. I've been shooting the FMJ's and have been very happy.
I would think so too. I have carbon arrows that I have been shooting for over two years. Some of them have even buried into the dirt. They still fly true and, the last time I checked their spine maybe 6 months ago, were still within spec. I have some other carbon arrows with rear bushings that I shoot in groups and you can tell by the dents on the rear bushing there have been some rearend impacts and those still fly true. To make a blanket statement about all carbon arrows based on an experience with one practice arrow does not seem realistic.
I had similar problems with the A/C Superslims becoming inconsistent as they aged but it was because the aluminum was allowing them to bend slightly. I solved that by going to a pure carbon shaft.
Once In a great while one of my 2216 practice arrows would bend but hardly was that ever the case. If this Is the case with these FMJ's I can easily live with that. 2216's are a log of an arrow and really their not comparable to the lighter spined aluminum arrows. I'm hoping It's just some bad luck as I really love the flight and thump of these arrows. I really like my 700 grain arrow set up. Hard to do with aluminum's. Huh????? I NEVER said this was the norm. I said If this becomes the norm I'm done with arrows that have carbon. The guy that set me up with these told me to watch for this and when It happens to **** can the arrow being the carbon Is coming apart Inside the arrow. How many arrows do you all shoot through out the year practicing? I shoot allot and I mean allot.
You shoot one arrow. You might shoot that one arrow a lot. But, I'm just following your lead. A couple question for you.... Do FMJ's have a coating on them? How many times have you shot (each) your "hunting" arrows.
Or, as KodiakArcher experienced, it was the aluminum causing them to bend. Then you would have to be done with arrows that have aluminum .
As far as I know FMJ's don't have a coating but I could easily be wrong on that one. As for my hunting arrows, each hunting arrow gets spin tested and shot a few times to make sure everything Is good. After that they never get shot unless It's game on at an animal.
I have shot some ACC's for years without issue and they were still within spec when I bought my Prohunters. That being said,traditional equipment is more finicky to spine than a compound shot over a rest and with a release and d-loop.
If the FMJ's have the coating on the exterior (i.e. if they're anything like the CX Heritage arrows), it takes several shots to get the correct spine dialed in (they'll read stiffer, out of the package). I was told 30 shots or so - each. So, if you have that many shots on your practice arrow (singular) - and far less than that, each, on your hunting arrows.....I can't comprehend how you have confidence in either (becuase, there's no way you could tell anything about one of them, from shooting the other). I'm not saying you don't have confidence in your hunting arrows. I'm just curious what your thinking is in only using one practice arrow? Is that better than using 6 practice arrows and alternating shooting them? Is that better than alternating practice and hunting arrows? Just curious.
My guess Is that these do not have any coating on them now that I think about It. I'm thinking their no different then an aluminum arrow with the letters XX75 stamped on them. I don't like to abuse my hunting arrows. With practicing with just one arrow at a time I concentrate harder. I think about the shot allot more. Just like a hunting situation.
Steve, I shoot a LOT as well, and I've never had issues with carbons acting "finicky." In my experience, a Carbon is either STRAIGHT, or it's BROKE!!! I did draw my bow back a couple years ago with one that had been nicked, and it defragmented at about 3/4 draw, and I damn near had a mess on my hands (hand), but that was my fault for not checking the arrow when I heard that funny sound of an arrow hitting another arrow, but when I pull them, none were really that close. Upon closer inspection AFTER the fact, I could see exactly where the arrow had hit, damaged the first arrow, then almost bounced out and stuck in the target about an inch away. I generally shoot about 3 shots and pull. That experience taught me a lesson, that's for sure!!!
i read somewhere in a magazine that after 400 or 500 shots with a carbon arrow the shaft will become weak because it sarts to seperate or somethin like that. u figure an arrow isnt cast its weaved so sooner or later its gonna come apart even the smallest bit it will throw and arrow off. so if this info helps at all good. Ill try and find something about the article online and post a link.
I have some arrows that are over 5yrs old and have been likely shot a few thousand times, and are still just as straigth and true as the ones I have that have only been shot a few times. I think the quality of what we have now vs. 15 yrs. ago is phenomenal, and these Carbons are a LOT less likely to be problematic vs. the original Bemans that were made in France when they first showed up over here.
