carbons stuck in target

Bulzeye · 09-04-2002, 11:42 AM

I've been shooting a bow for 22 years, but I'm relatively new to using carbons.
I've got a nice PSE compound set at about 55lbs.
Got it tuned pretty good and can keep good groups, but the carbon arrows seem to be much harder to pull out of foam targets like 3-D deer than my old aluminums used to be. I mean like having to use a wrench and a foot on most arrows.

Anybody else notice this?
Is there a brand or type of carbon that doesn't have this property?
If I can't find a way to make arrow retrieval less of a pain, I'll probably go back to aluminums.

Keep 'em all in the Bull.

Shortdraw · 09-04-2002, 11:48 AM

Goes with the terrain. YUP, they're a bear to pull out of the foam targets. People do a couple things that help. First, buy a good quality arrow puller. You know, one of those grippers. Get one of the fat ones that you can get ahold of. Second... you can buy some commercial arrow lube. It comes in these little tubes with a slit cut in the top. Every couple shots run the arrow in the lube a couple times. Others just use a bar of soap. It makes it easier to get out. What happens is the friction caused by the arrows actually heats up and fuses the target foam to the arrow. You'll notice it stuck on the arrows and you'll have to scrape it off with your finger nails.

Slo-bo · 09-04-2002, 01:03 PM

...or three, buy some points made just for the problem, a lot less fuss and mess than soaps, powders, etc.. Cabela's carries Pig Points by Game Tracker, and Gold Tip makes some also, Ez Pull or something like that. A 1/2 dozen of us have been using them for the last two years and love them. They basically are a slightly over-sized point that tapers back to the shaft, I wouldn't shoot carbons without them.

P.S. Just wanted to note, be aware that the last time we ordered the Pig Points from Cabelas, (several months ago), the 125gr points wieghed 101grs, and were not oversized. This was a manufacturers problem, I'm sure, and not Cabela's, and of course our money was refunded when we sent them back. If we had never used them before, and didn't know what to expect, we might not have caught this and would have thought the Pig Points were worthless.

Edited by - Slo-bo on 09/05/2002 09:10:03

ChiefHeadhunter · 09-04-2002, 01:39 PM

I like armor all and gold tip ez pull points, the ones slo-bo mentioned.

BobCo19-65 · 09-04-2002, 02:10 PM

Bulseye, that's one of the reasons I won't use carbons. I practice too much on 3-d targets. I used to have to put the target flat on the ground put a foot on the target and pull them out. What a pain.

Bulzeye · 09-05-2002, 11:25 AM

So the bigger diameter point just make a larger hole and keeps the arrow shaft from getting fused to the foam?
My first thought was that a bigger point would stay wedged into the foam worse that a proper sized one, but if you've had success, I'll have to take your word for it.

The arrows I've got have camo graphics, but it sounds like ALL carbons get stuck like this, eh?

Keep 'em all in the Bull.

Slo-bo · 09-05-2002, 01:03 PM

Yes, that's it, essentially. Believe me, you can take my word for it. The first time one of the guys I shoot with tried carbons last year, (a bunch of us shoot our own 3-D targets in the woods all summer),I was laughing at one of the other guys trying to pull out an arrow. I was calling him "grandma" and telling him to eat his Wheaties, then I grabed one with one hand, then two hands, then put my butt against the target and put both shoulders into it, then started swearing at the guy who had bought the arrows. I finally got it out, but almost wrenched my shoulder out of place, (didnt help any that he was shooting about 280fps!), and told him if he was going to shoot carbons, he would be pulling out his OWN arrows! Long story short, he got the Pig Points, we all wound up going to carbons,(and Pig Points!), and lived happily ever after. We are all sold on them, and absolutely wouldn't shoot carbons without them.