Ok, I think I've had with the Axis. Tonight, after shooting pretty badly, I spun the 5 that I've been shooting and only one of them didn't have a wobble in it.[:@] Man, I really got had on this deal. I can only imagine how badly they will shoot after screwing a broadhead into them.
Anyway, here is my real question.
I'm thinking of going back to Gold Tips again, but this time with the Pro Hunters. Matt, I know you stated you are pretty pleased with them. I shot the XT's for a couple of years and could not complain a bit with them. Do the Pro Hunters have any issues with loosing straightness?
I'm just really leary now of flopping down another 80.00 for shafts and they turn out like these Axis shafts did.
Ok, I think I've had with the Axis. Tonight, after shooting pretty badly, I spun the 5 that I've been shooting and only one of them didn't have a wobble in it.[:@] Man, I really got had on this deal. I can only imagine how badly they will shoot after screwing a broadhead into them.
Just a matter of time. More & more folks unfortunately are finding this to be the case.
Quote:
Matt, I know you stated you are pretty pleased with them. I shot the XT's for a couple of years and could not complain a bit with them. Do the Pro Hunters have any issues with loosing straightness?
I believe you meant me Matt is shooting A/C/Cs and CXLs. Though that is soon to change I believe after discussing with him some other options.
The Pro Hunters from GoldTip are not without issues (all carbons have issues, IME). They have some spine inconstencyaround the shaft, and from shaft to shaft. Moreso than any of the "Big 3" (Easton, Carbon Express and GoldTip). However with some nock fiddling you can pull most or all of them into a group. I've got a set of 55/75 3D Pros, that I've pounded pretty hard for the past 6 months and they still are rolling well on the spinner. Goldtips have the least shaft "memory" of the IC carbons that I've tried, so they tend to last longer (it's an easy test to do by yourself to see). Weights are excellent and straightness is very good too...you'll get one or two that have a slight wobble and if you cannot cut it out, GoldTip will replace them for you. The recent Pro Hunter 75/95s I bought (the 3D pros renamed), are extremely straight. And the GoldTips are the toughest shaft I've tried. They can take alot of abuse.
In my testing the best overall (non-A/C/C) arrows for consistency are the Carbon Express shafts. Spine consistency is very good around the shaft, from shaft to shaft, and from dozen to dozen. Weights are very good too. The standard CX models have straightness runout like all the rest, but the 3D Selects are very straight like the Pro Hunters from GoldTip. Cons are the Buff-Tuff finish is noisier ( a non issue if your launcher/prongs are silenced), and they are susceptible to dings and whatnot (be very careful re-fletching..it's quite easy to scrape off the Buff-Tuff , or slice into the carbon if your blade is too sharp). I highly recommend using uni-bushings in them. They are not as durable as the AXIS or Goldtips, but the consistency is there. They fall somewhere between the GoldTips and the Easton/Beman offerings for longevity of straightness.
BTW..PSE's dominator camo shafts (the low grade shaft) tested the same as the CX for spine consistency...they are nearly identical to the CX shafts, so I supect the PSE Pro grade shafts would be a good investment as well. Though for me, Using PSE shafts in a Hoyt bow is an atrocity
IMO your best bet would be the GoldTip Pro Hunter (or even the Ultralight) series, or CX 3D Selects. You can get away with stock nocks on the GoldTips, but I would highly recommend the unibushings for the CX shafts. Both shafts can be had for roughly $80 a dozen online w/ components if $ is an issue.
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Do the Gold Tip Pro Hunters offer enough increased durability to give them an edge over ACC"s for a hunting arrow? I am down to 10 ACCs after a couple of bonehead mistakes in the last 2 days. Some of the others are pretty dinged up. I should probably get another 1/2 doz., or get another high quality arrow. Just wondering. You hear so much conflicting info on Gold tips.[&:]
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Jeff, sorry, I did mean you. It was a long day yesterday and I was a little scatter-brained. I think I am going to end up back with the GT's. They served me very well in the past.
I just really bummed about the Axis, man I couldn't wait to zip one of them through the chest of a deer this fall. I still could, but now I have a confience issue with them and probably would miss the shot anyway.
Yeah you would miss the shot Chris, I've seen you shoot!!! JK
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Do the Gold Tip Pro Hunters offer enough increased durability to give them an edge over ACC"s for a hunting arrow? I am down to 10 ACCs after a couple of bonehead mistakes in the last 2 days. Some of the others are pretty dinged up. I should probably get another 1/2 doz., or get another high quality arrow. Just wondering. You hear so much conflicting info on Gold tips.[&:]
If by "durability" you mean from smacking a tree, sailing one through the garage etc..then yes, GoldTips are tougher than A/C/Cs
If you mean "durability" in the regard to retaining straightness over time, eh...hard to say...Any all-carbon arrow is a crapshoot for longevity of straightness, but I think GoldTips are better than most. As I said the real prob with GoldTips is spine consistency.., The XTs and Expeditions still have horrible straightness run-out, but the Pro series are very straight arrow.
I stuck a racoon who got a little too big for his britches 10 days or so ago, and both my A/C/Cs (clipped his back the first shot), went into the ground and hit rock. My Steelhead 100s had bent tips and blades, but the arrows spun perfectly. A/C/Cs can take more abuse than most people think. As I've said before, many of the folks who've I've seen complain about their durability are the same guys yanking on them trying to get them out of 3D targets like they were a baseball bat, or the 3D target fell over on them. My Bro-in law ran into my target with his mower and bent a few of mine last month. Last time I leave arrows in my target outside...my fault though..not the arrows...then again, I had a 3-49 that took 8 or 9 serious nock end hits (unibushing dinged all to Hell), and killed a deer with it before it finally gave up the ghost :shrug:
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Hi again Jeff, one other quick question. On the Gold Tips, do you feel the price of the Pro Hunters are worth the extra money over the XT hunters? I used the XT hunters and have a lot of confidence in them, in fact I arrowed my biggest buck, a 10 ptr with one. Arrow is perfect yet, though I retired it for sentimental reasons.
I don't mind paying for the Pro Hunters if the added straightness is going to make a big impact on accuracy but if the XT's are going to perform as well at hunting ranges I'd sooner use them. I'm using these for hunting, and fun 3D shooting, nothing else.
Hi again Jeff, one other quick question. On the Gold Tips, do you feel the price of the Pro Hunters are worth the extra money over the XT hunters?
I personally won't use the XT hunters while I can still afford something better. All the Goldtips are the same arrow, but the straightness issues on the XT's and Expeditions are still prevalent. I bought a dozen new XT hunters in February (after speaking with GoldTip at the ATA show and hearing about thier "improvements"), and yield after end cutting (28"shaft length) out of the dozen would have been 4 arrows I would have confidence enough to screw a broadhead on to come hunting season. FOUR arrows. Now sometimes you get more than that..the dozen XTs I bought before I got 7 or 8 good ones after cutting. Matt sent me a dozen Xts last year that 9 or 10 were very good. But it's always a crapshoot. It's worth the extra $25 bucks to me to know I'm going to be able to use each and every arrow out of a dozen by the time I cut them, and to know that I'm going to get all arrows straight as they can be for good broadhead flight. If I can eliminate a variable for poor accuracy, I do so..too bad I cannot eliminate myself on occasion
If you shoot mechs out to 30 yards or so max, ensure nock and point are squared for proper component alignment, and don't mind culling a few then the XTs will probably suffice. Even moreso if you have a short arrow and cut out all the wobble. At my arrow length it's rare..but if you shoot 27" or shorter shafts (just shaft length, not including components) then you can probably get extremely good straightness out of them (as good as the Pros in many cases) with proper end cutting.
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Shoot what you like and have confidence in - don't get wrapped up in popularity contests
As far as toughness goes, I don't think you can beat an ACC. The all carbons are OK, but not to the same extent I don't believe, all depends on what you are shooting into I guess.... The aluminum core of an ACC keeps things more consistent, and more durable IMO. I have shot through deer and other game with ACC's, Beman ICSCH, Goldtips, and others, and all came through well enough at one time or another to be able to shoot the same arrow again! I also did this with the old AFC pultruded carbons some years ago. I have yet to do that with an aluminum. Just my two cents on that.
Funny, we are also finding the axis arrows to be somewhat less than satisfactory, and I will now only sell them special order only. Hard to beat an ACC or a Beman ICSCH or a Goldtip---even the Carbon Tech shafts and new Supercarbon Supremes are decent. I'm not a huge fan of CX shafts, but some like them as well. Good shooting, Pinwheel 12
Hey I'm an arrow expert! (Far from it........I just pirate info from the real experts)
In any event......I have pretty much used every make or model internal component carbon or carbon aluminum, and still like A/C/C's. I had good success with the Carbon Express CX's, and for a few seasons my Carbon impact Fat Shaft "Orange 6500's". Shot a ton of deer with those.
I was all set to drop some coin on the Easton Axis shafts, but just like waiting to buy a first model year vehicle, I hid in the weeds and let the EXPERTS do the dirty work. I want the benefits of penetration and durability that the Axis promised, but an arrow that actually stays straight and tough as well, so you know what I'm gonna shoot? I'm getting some good ol' pultruded Beman Carbon hunters. If I can't get any due to availability I'm gonna beg Len for some of his remaining AFC's.
I've heard Len saying it for years.........but I never HEARD it until now.
I just need to figure out the exact right combination of shaft length /spine to compliment my set up with 100gr heads and still try to keep the weight around 410grs +/- which is what I want to shoot.
? for Matt and other arrow experts
Matt is shooting A/C/Cs and CXLs. Though that is soon to change I believe after discussing with him some other options.
I think I am going to end up back with the GT's. They served me very well in the past.
