Carbon Arrows and Metal Frames

[Arthur P]

I had my recurve at the range yesterday doing some long range shooting with some year-old GoldTips. Our targets have metal frames (I think they were donated by the local archery shop to increase his arrow sales) and I clinked two arrows into the frame. Both got the insert and point driven up the shaft. Both nocks popped out. One snapped in half close to the fletching. But none of that was unexpected on that kind of hit.

What puzzled me is both arrows had spirals of carbon coming out of the nock end of the shaft. I can't figure out what could have caused that. Why did they unravel?

Arrows in question are Gold Tip Hunters, 7595, 32" long, feather fletched using Bohning fletching tape (no solvents used), shot from a 55 pound recurve at 125 yards.

[Len in Maryland]

This is exactly why I prefer another nocking system. If the nocks were not glued in, then you may have had the set screws too tight. This would cause extra internal pressure and possibly degrade the layering. You could also have some arrows that lacked enough adhesive between the layers. It's hard to say at this point.

Had you been using the 'skinny carbons', you more than likely would have only bent the point adapter (if that), and saved the arrow.

[Rangeball]

Failure of the adhesive holding the inner layer of weaves to the other layers due to the force applied by the point and insert in the backwards direction?

I believe those shafts have 5 layers, starting with spiral and then straight, spiral, straight then straight?

Been a long time since I've seen their diagram showing their construction...

[Arthur P]

Len, I didn't have the nocks torqued down, just barely snugged. I've seen what those expansion nocks can do on GoldTips. LOL

I think you and Rangeball are onto something. The bit about not enough adhesion, or adhesion failure makes sense. This was the last batch of GoldTips I bought, about a year ago last August and not only was I unimpressed with their quality, I was pretty miffed about it. Some of the shafts have voids in the outside surface layer, and I was concerned about shooting them at first. But they were just as crooked and spined just as inconsistently as the rest of the shafts, so I fletched 'em up and used them. But it was very obvious as soon as I opened the box that they are not well made shafts that probably should have gone to the scrap bin instead of to my dealer's shelf.

That's why I didn't spring any money on putting uni-bushings in these things, and it's why I use them for shooting long range. I don't care if they get busted or lost. I was just curious about something I hadn't seen before.

[JeffB]

The original Beman ICS (pre C2 composite process) did that all the time and I've had one CX 3DS and one Goldtip XT do that as well. The CX did that out the insert end..point/insert and all the "guts" spiraled right out as I pulled it out of the target.

I would agree with the adhesion layer theory. On that hard impact it just totally separates...it's kinda neat looking Kinda scary too. I would be willing to bet that is why Beman/Easton went w/ the composite construction as opposed to straight carbon wraps like Goldtip & CX...have some "filler" to help with adhesion...(and add some weight too)

[jsasker]

125 YARDS!!!!!!!!What kind of groups are you getting at that range?

[Arthur P]

Let's just say I had a couple more arrows in the grass than I had in the target.

[Olink]

When did Beman change the construction of their ICS Hunters? Is there a way to tell the difference between the old and new style? I must have been asleep at the wheel at some point, I don't ever remember reading about them changing the ICS construction.......

[bigbulls]

125 yards? He's trying to be the next Byron Furgeson (sp)!!!! Arthur, you need a pink baloon to shoot at. Your groups should improve then.