Most durable arrow--which one
08-10-2008, 08:42 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 69
Most durable arrow--which one
My son shoots the same bow (Mathews XT @29"; 60 to 70#), draw, weight, etc as I do so we are going to buy 2 dozens arrows for hunting mainly deer and an occasional elk. After talking to different knowledgeable hunters I have come to the conclusion and some confusionthat if you buy a good quality arrow you probably won't be too far from wrong.
I was thinking about Easton ACCthose but have had them get busted in half after hitting a deer. My son likes the Maxima and the Gold Tip. I also read that the XX78 super slam are a heck of an arrow with a strength of 100,000 psi and we also considered the FMJ.
Factoring in the cost of arrows it will be easy for me to spend close to $300 and would prefer to have them last as long as possible. Maybe I don't have to spend that much?
Is my thought reasonable to buy a high end arrow that is the most durable? What is the toughest arrow out there and is this the way to go? The XX78 lists a strength of 100,000 psi. How does that compare to the various carbons? (It sure would be nice if ALL arrows were rated the same so I could compare one against the other).
Can one of you take the mystery out of what is the toughest arrow?(I am not only looking for opinions but would like comparable data on arrowstrength.)Is the toughest arrow not necessarily a better penetrating arrow? Is the toughest arrow the way to go, if no, why not? What arrow has proven to be very durableto you?
Thanks for the help.
I was thinking about Easton ACCthose but have had them get busted in half after hitting a deer. My son likes the Maxima and the Gold Tip. I also read that the XX78 super slam are a heck of an arrow with a strength of 100,000 psi and we also considered the FMJ.
Factoring in the cost of arrows it will be easy for me to spend close to $300 and would prefer to have them last as long as possible. Maybe I don't have to spend that much?
Is my thought reasonable to buy a high end arrow that is the most durable? What is the toughest arrow out there and is this the way to go? The XX78 lists a strength of 100,000 psi. How does that compare to the various carbons? (It sure would be nice if ALL arrows were rated the same so I could compare one against the other).
Can one of you take the mystery out of what is the toughest arrow?(I am not only looking for opinions but would like comparable data on arrowstrength.)Is the toughest arrow not necessarily a better penetrating arrow? Is the toughest arrow the way to go, if no, why not? What arrow has proven to be very durableto you?
Thanks for the help.
08-10-2008, 07:28 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Middletown PA United States
Posts: 3,625
RE: Most durable arrow--which one
DD, see if I can ad a little insight without getting too confusing. I've shot a lot of years and have shot most of the arrows you mention. I know everybody asks about "what's the best", but there are no specific answers to this. Just as there is no real cut and dried answer to "what's the most durable arrow"?
You say these will be used for hunting, and I would suspect practice and an accosional 3D. Doing any of these things you are going to suffer some arrow losses. Maybe due to an occasional "miss', damage due to smacking arrows together, or whatever. And it makes no difference which arrow type you use. It happens and it's just part of the cost of participating in the sport.
Generally speaking, the most durable arrows are going to be those with the heavier wall thickness, thus heaviest weight. And as you suspect this might not be your best option.
Aluminum arrows have been around forever and are a good economical choice-----maybe. Aluminum can bend, and certainly can break. They can be straightened, at a cost. You have an arrow straightener? They aren't cheap.
Carbon has made big strides since the days of the first pultruded shafts. Different cross weaves in the material have made for more durable shafts and spine, weight, and staightness is much better today. Pretty much the equal of aluminum for the vast majority of shooters. They come in various grades and price tags from about 10 different manufacturers. Which ones are the best? Pick one---you'll most likely never be able to see a difference. Just ensure that you get the proper spined arrow for the setup. One specific advantage they have over aluminum is that one spine can cover about a 20# range of bow weight for a given length.
Carbon/aluminum composites? Kind of the best of both worlds. They have the straightness of the aluminum core and then add the strength of the carbon layers. They can be dinged, causing dents in the core, making them possiby unshootable (rare). They can be bent or broken just like the others.
I have found ACC's very durable over the years and very possibly the most consistently spined arrows you can buy for under $150 or there abouts. Easton FMJ is much the same as the ACC except the carbon is the core and aluminum on the outside. I have no personal experience with them as they are a heavier shaft than I prefer.
A less expensive aluminumcarbon arrow with very similar specs to the ACC i Gold Tip's ACA (aluminum carbon arrow). They are made by Blackhawk Archery, which Gold Tip acquired a few years ago. The spine sizes are the same, too. A very good value in arrows.
There is some of what I consider to be gimicks in the carbon arrows these days. One thing being "weight forward technology" brought out by Carbon Express. It might sound like a nice idea, but it costs money. If I want more weight on the front of the arrow I just shoot a heavier point. DUH!!!!!
Small or large diameter? Shooting over 60# up to 70#? Don't give penetration a thought. You'll have plenty.
This is just what I have found over the last 3 decades. You don't have to spend $150 for a dozen arrows, but you don't want the cheapest around either. You should probably be able to do well with some in the $75-$100 range.
I don't have all the answers, but I hope this helps some.
You say these will be used for hunting, and I would suspect practice and an accosional 3D. Doing any of these things you are going to suffer some arrow losses. Maybe due to an occasional "miss', damage due to smacking arrows together, or whatever. And it makes no difference which arrow type you use. It happens and it's just part of the cost of participating in the sport.
Generally speaking, the most durable arrows are going to be those with the heavier wall thickness, thus heaviest weight. And as you suspect this might not be your best option.
Aluminum arrows have been around forever and are a good economical choice-----maybe. Aluminum can bend, and certainly can break. They can be straightened, at a cost. You have an arrow straightener? They aren't cheap.
Carbon has made big strides since the days of the first pultruded shafts. Different cross weaves in the material have made for more durable shafts and spine, weight, and staightness is much better today. Pretty much the equal of aluminum for the vast majority of shooters. They come in various grades and price tags from about 10 different manufacturers. Which ones are the best? Pick one---you'll most likely never be able to see a difference. Just ensure that you get the proper spined arrow for the setup. One specific advantage they have over aluminum is that one spine can cover about a 20# range of bow weight for a given length.
Carbon/aluminum composites? Kind of the best of both worlds. They have the straightness of the aluminum core and then add the strength of the carbon layers. They can be dinged, causing dents in the core, making them possiby unshootable (rare). They can be bent or broken just like the others.
I have found ACC's very durable over the years and very possibly the most consistently spined arrows you can buy for under $150 or there abouts. Easton FMJ is much the same as the ACC except the carbon is the core and aluminum on the outside. I have no personal experience with them as they are a heavier shaft than I prefer.
A less expensive aluminumcarbon arrow with very similar specs to the ACC i Gold Tip's ACA (aluminum carbon arrow). They are made by Blackhawk Archery, which Gold Tip acquired a few years ago. The spine sizes are the same, too. A very good value in arrows.
There is some of what I consider to be gimicks in the carbon arrows these days. One thing being "weight forward technology" brought out by Carbon Express. It might sound like a nice idea, but it costs money. If I want more weight on the front of the arrow I just shoot a heavier point. DUH!!!!!
Small or large diameter? Shooting over 60# up to 70#? Don't give penetration a thought. You'll have plenty.
This is just what I have found over the last 3 decades. You don't have to spend $150 for a dozen arrows, but you don't want the cheapest around either. You should probably be able to do well with some in the $75-$100 range.
I don't have all the answers, but I hope this helps some.
