Weight tube inserts?

[sweeney3]

Hey folks,
I haven't run into trouble yet, but I wonder about it.  I use Gold Tip 55-75s with a Bear Kodiak Hunter recurve, and I added the 5 grain per inch weight tubes inside the shafts to increase weight.  I like they way they shoot, and they penetrate fine in softer targets.  However, when I shoot something hard, such as a stump or tree trunk, etc, the tube bounces off the ferrle and pops out the back of the shaft.  I'm wondering what would happen if I happened to hit a rib or a scapula on a deer?  I don't want to have the arrow's momentum reversed because of these things.  Has anyone run into this issue yet?  Any input would be appriciated.  If this seems like it will be a problem, I'll take the tubes out and use the shafts as is or use some spruce shafts I have that work really well out of the same recurve.
Thanks!

[Jim Picarelli]

Try nock inserts and glue the nocks in. You'll never have another tube pop out again.

http://www.3riversarchery.com/product.asp?i=0149X

[sweeney3]

Handy.  Thanks!  

Something else I just thought of (duh, me.): What if I glued in the weight tubes?  Hot melt of even an epoxy?  That would keep them from shifting around at all, seems to me.  I may test a couple arrows and see...

[metsastaja]

Have you tried pinching the tubes with needle nose pliers is a few places so then snug up to the arrow?

[sweeney3]

Not yet.  Good idea.  I'll give it a shot too.

[carpenter]

I glue the nocks in on my hunting arrows, and i pinch the tubes with needle nose pliers on my practice arrows.

[bicster]

I use the CX brand of weight tubes @3grains/inch. I also have the same problem when hitting something hard. However, I have killed three deer this year, and it was not a problem at all. Two of the hits were into hard bone (shoulders).
Good Luck,
Bic

[Rob DiStefano]

i make short weighted footings using cx 3gr tube sections and 16d nails.

they MUST fit tight or they'll bang out the nock end.  
i just use a wrap of masking tape for a real snug fit before pushing the weighted footing down to kiss the insert ...

[Biggie Hoffman]

I'll give a nock for a deer........

[Barney]

I've had nocks come flying back with solid contact before using weight tubes. A drop of fletching cement fixed it.

I'd have to agree with Mr. Hoffman....any shot I take at an animal, I expect a 50/50 chance of a fully intact arrow.

[sweeney3]

Sounds good.  Yeah, I'm not worried at all about losing the nock.  That wouldn't bother me a bit.  Shoot, I'll punt a stack of arrows for a nice deer.  I just want to be sure that the action of that weight tube bouncing off the ferrle and going backwards won't hinder penetration.  That's the main reason I'm trying to figure a way to keep it secured in the shaft.  It sounds like it won't be a problem though, so that is good.

[jwingman]

I used weight tubes and weed wacker line and all kinds of addititives. Now I just put a 100 grain brass insert in the front and use heavier points and I don't have to deal with the knocks popping out anymore. I will admit, glueing them in did solve the problem but I like eliminating it better. 55-75 Gold Tips with 100 grain brass insert and a 175 grain Ace broadhead gave me nice penetration through a big moose. They work good!

[Hoof]

I also use the 100 gr brass insert along with the 8gr/in. tubes. I used some holtmelt glue once I was ready for final insertion.

[Rob DiStefano]

for me, initially the idea was to load as much weight as far foward as possible - 100 grain brass insert, 125 grain broadhead + 125 grain steel adapter.  adding another 155 grains of inside tube foward weight not only upped the foc a bunch but also stiffened up the shaft area most likely to snap on a bad hit.

[Bowmania]

Here's a quote from David Soza in TradArchers' World Magazine on tuning...

"I also tested the effect of weight tubes on spine, again using the .500's.  The weight tubes fit the shafts perfectly and added 225 grain to the arrow weight.  With 125gr points, the total arrow weight was 625grains.  Surprisingly, the additional weights appeared to have zero affect on spine, but the arrows did hit 8-10inches low a 20 yards."

You have to be one hell of a shot to put up with the extra drop in arrow.  Depending on how good you are it's going to affect you a 15, 20, 25, 30 yards.  I surely don't see the point if your hunting whitetail size animals.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Bowmania:
Here's a quote from David Soza in TradArchers' World Magazine on tuning...

"I also tested the effect of weight tubes on spine, again using the .500's.  The weight tubes fit the shafts perfectly and added 225 grain to the arrow weight.  With 125gr points, the total arrow weight was 625grains.  Surprisingly, the additional weights appeared to have zero affect on spine, but the arrows did hit 8-10inches low a 20 yards."

You have to be one hell of a shot to put up with the extra drop in arrow.  Depending on how good you are it's going to affect you a 15, 20, 25, 30 yards.  I surely don't see the point if your hunting whitetail size animals.

ya know, all the chit chat and jabber in the world ain't worth squat when it comes to a subjectively technical matter such as arrow weight and arrow flight trajectory at specific distances.

with my 55# longbow, i perceive very little difference in trajectory with either 500 or 665 grain arrows at up to 23 yards.  over that, yeah, i gotta think a bit where the bow arm needs to go.

ya need to see for yerself how much arrow weight you and yer bow can handle before trajectory becomes an issue ... for you.

[sweeney3]

Well, I just got a little button buck with the tubes in this evening, but didn't hit anything hard.  Didn't have any trouble though.  He went about thirty yards and crashed.  I do like the brass insterts upfront though.  The tubes I've had in aren't real heavy, so those inserts would replace most of the weight of the tube, plus have it all up front.  That may be what I do in the future just to be safe.  But, it worked fine today.