"Best" wood finish CARBON arrows???

[cajuntec]

All things condidered - spine and weight consistancy, length, finish, durability, and general overall "happiness" with the shaft... which would you choose?

[Apex Predator]

CE all the way!

[JBiorn]

Gold tip trads.

[Jwilliam]

Carbon Express Heritage!!!


Bill

[Gatekeeper]

Carbon Express Heritage is #1 for me.

[cajuntec]

Thanks for the responses so far everyone!  If you don't mind... could you also elaborate after you vote?  I'd like to know what you like about the one you voted for.  THANKS!!!!
All the best,
Glenn

[robtattoo]

Beman MFX for me. Toughest of the bunch, skinny, heavy, really well matched per dozen. Only downside is the availbility of inserts. CX heritage would have to be second equal to GT trads. But only for the reason that I prefer the skinnys!

[dino]

Rob is right, MFX are probably the best matched per dozen.    CX and GT shafts I don't think are close in this catagory.  But I've had the best luck with CX shafts as far a durability and tunability.  I have busted too many MFX and GT shafts on things that wouldn't scar CX shaft. dino

[cajuntec]

Thanks for the detailed response robtattoo.  That's really what I was looking for - goods and bads of the arrow.  I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Wow!  I'm actually suprised.  I didn't know Carbon Express had such a huge following.  I thought GT or Beman would have at least been competitive, but so far it looks like Carbon Express is blowing it away.

The bad part is - I really dislike the arrow selection chart from most all of the listed manufacturers - simply because I'm always right on the borderline, and hate wasting money on dozens of arrows.

I'm currently shooting GT 3555 Trads out of my Chek-Mate Hunter.  I'm pulling it to 47/48 pounds at my draw length, and the shortest arrow I can shoot without getting myself into danger with the broadhead is 28.5".  Right now, I have the GT3555's weighted up front to boost the weight, and cut to 28.5 to stiffen the spine... but I'm showing a bit weak.  I don't want to remove the weight, as they are already "borderline" at 9 grains per pound of bow weight.  Everybody has been telling me that the 3555's should "work" for those numbers.... but I'm still showing nock left on the bareshaft testing with a weighted shaft.  Kind of stuck - need a stiffer spine... but also need a heavier arrow - and this combo won't give me both.

So... looking at CX's chart - they aren't much better for helping me choose!  Ha!  I have to use their "adjusting" chart... but that still puts me right on the borderline of 150 / 250.

Recommendations????

Anyone got a few of each they want to sell???      

All the best,
Glenn

[cajuntec]

dino,
Thanks for the response.  I have recently busted some GT's on things I didn't think would ever bust a GT.  Odd.  I've always considered my GT's to be tougher than most, but this latest batch seems a bit less tolerant of objects.     Maybe it's just the batch I have.  

I've very interested in the Beman's but have been shying away from the HIT inserts - kind of not setting well with me... I'm still not convinced of their superiority.

All the best,
Glenn

[robtattoo]

Glenn, the H.I.T. inserts are fantastic! They spread the impact over a huge surface area compared to te standard inserts. If you think about it, a standard insert puts all the pressure right on the end of the arrow, this can lead to the insert being pushed in & splitting the shaft. The HIT insert won't let that happen because it's fully enclosed by the shaft. This lets the impact be taken along it's length rather than just on it's tip.

I would say that you'd be too light for the CX250s. I'm drawing 60#ish at my 30" draw & even at full length with 100gn inserts & 200gn heads thay're verging on the stiff side.

The MFX 500s should be perfect for you, cut to 29" with 100gn inserts & 125-150 heads.

[Voodoofire1]

With my hunting/shooting setup - 536gr. 76@30, my arrows fly 205-208 fps, rocks, trees, car tires, concrete blocks, and a .120 stainless steel BS stopper with a cutout of a four leaf clover are not strangers to my arrows, went through 3 doz. Gt's in two mos. CE Heritage 350's are pretty tough , still have seven of my original dozen bought a year and a half ago, but are not my go to arrow, the toughest I have found are the mfx/axis 340's, I foot them with a bit of 2018, and these babies are dang near indestructable, still have 10 of the original dozen I bought a year ago, I shoot them every day,and the two that broke were hit by other arrows, the consistancy is there too, all my arrows weigh exactly 536gr......Steve

[jeff / sc]

Glenn, I'm pulling about same as you and using 150's cut 28.5" with a total of 300 gr up front (brass insert, steel BH adapter and BH).  You could lengthen shaft and lower wt up front if this combo is too heavy to your liking. Also depends depends on center shot of bow, fast flight verses dacron, etc, etc.

[bayoulongbowman]

When you order GT 's in Dozen box from the factory they never have enough nocks in the box, that is upsetting if ur the store...they fly good however....I have some of all the ones mention , but love Easton ST. Epics as well...marco#78...another carbon arrow Im test is the Easton Full Metal Jacket's...out of 54-60 plus poundage bows...these are looking good...

[cajuntec]

robtattoo,
Thank you again.  I appreciate the input.  I'm still not fully understanding the HIT insert concept though.  Do your broadheads / points still rest the shoulder up against the end of the carbon?  If they do, doesn't that defeat the purpose of getting rid of the collar up top, as the tip is still resting against the arrow shaft end?  I was thinking the same thing in regards to the CX's - going to lighter.  I've heard people with heavier bows than mine saying the 150's are even fairly stiff too... so I may have to go lighter - they have the 90 size, but the spine may be too light at .530.  9.4gpi sounds decent though.  Thanks again!

Voodoofire1,
Thanks for the reply.  I'm hoping that my findings with the lighter spined shafts will mimic your findings with the heavier ones.  Wish I could pull that kind of weight consistantly!  Thanks again!

jeff / sc,
Thank you.  Your response gave me a really good picture at what to expect from that setup.  300 grains up front is a bit more than I'm comfortable with.  I'd probaly leave them much longer to help weaken the spine, as I seldom go heavier than about 200 / 220 up front to keep my FOC at decent numbers.  I find anything heavier does a pretty bad nose dive at anything further than 15 yards out of my bows.  Although that is close to my comfort zone, I've been practicing at 20 and 25 yards lately, and I'm kinda disappointed in the flight drop of my current arrows with heavy tips.  I'll check it out though.  My bow is rated for FF, but I prefer dacron - my bow seems to like it better too - no noticable loss in speed, but it quietened it down a bit more.

bayoulongbowman,
I've never experienced that with Gold Tip.  Every dozen I've ordered and received have always had a little pack in the box with the exact amount of inserts / nocks that are needed to put a dozen together.  I've shot GT's for several years - and it's all I normally carry in my quivers.  But with this new bow, I'm looking for something different, as it just doesn't seem to like what I'm feeding it currently.  I shot the older version of the Epics, before they made them the small shaft HIT type arrows.  They were "ok", but then again, they werent' the newer offerings.  

All the best,
Glenn

[bayoulongbowman]

cajun...at my store we order factory direct, that is what I was refering to, and the last couple I mentioned wern't wood grain , opps sorry my bad...when ya find the ones that fly great with ur BH wood grain or not stick to em...

[cajuntec]

Thanks bayoulongbowman.  I appreciate it.  Keep things runnin' smooth down in La. while I'm still gone, will ya?     :D      Man I miss hunting in La.  I haven't shot down there since I left for the Navy back in '87.  Retireing in '08... headed back down south, but just a tad bit to the west - San Antonio TX.  Planning on coming back to La. to my parents home for duck hunting and rabbit hunting in my fathers sugar cane fields.  Really kinda sucks that I'm going to have to buy a out of state licence to hunt in my "home town".        

Thanks again!
All the best,
Glenn

[cajuntec]

Well,
From the results so far, it looks like CX has a much stronger following.  I've heard stories of stiffness, even in their 150's.  Shooting a Chek-Mate Hunter 56, approx 27" draw at 47#'s (28 1/2" minimum length arrow), 145 grain screw in points... weighted if necessary,

.... would you go with the 150's, or 90's ???

All the best,
Glenn

[Bowhunter4life]

Don't know if they are the "best", but I put Gold Tips.  I've used them for quite a while and have had zero problems with them.