Gold tip traditional destruction test

[Nativestranger]

Remember that video blog by Bearpaw testing a GT 3555 traditional against a concrete block? I didn't quite believe the results. In my previous experience all carbon arrows I had shattered when hitting anything hard. Well today I got to test it myself by accident. In a momentary lapse of concentration I missed the 10" wide target and hit floor tiling on the lower portion of a wall. The arrow bounced all the way back from 12 yards and missed me by inches. This is the result:

       

The arrow was a GT 1535 traditional. As you can see ceramic floor tiles are a lot harder than concrete. Trashed my tip and feather but no damage to the shaft.             Don't try this at home (Or anywhere) and merry Christmas!

[ronp]

Please make sure you check that shaft over real well before shooting it again!  We don't want to hear of any accidents from shooting a damaged shaft.

[Rustic]

I did the same thing and my GT3555 splintered down the shaft about 0.5 inch. They are not indestructble but very tough. So I cut another inch off and will use this shaft for stumping. But I will flex it often...Happy Holidays

[fivebears]

I must have bad luck with them because I bust(or splinter)the ends all the time.Think I'm going to start footing the ends.I also have trouble with the nock end splitting/cracking.....

Merry Christmas!!

[sticbow]

if you foot an inch on point an just a collar on nock i dont no how you can hurt them..'ive tried..
  i have hit rocks that broke the threads off my point inside the insert an nothing on the shaft.
  but do check them very well after an impact like that..

[nick straatmann]

I footed 6 3555 gt about two weeks ago and test fired them at a foundation from around 10 yards.
bows used:
turkey creek double carbon. 46@28
Grizzly recurve 56@28
custom longbow 72@28
The arrows held up great except for a nock popping off here and there but a lil super glue fixes that problem. P.S. easton 2116 fits gt 3555 perfectly.

[Possum Head]

Because of their toughness I'd say they are the best value out there.

[Nativestranger]

Originally posted by ronp:
Please make sure you check that shaft over real well before shooting it again!  We don't want to hear of any accidents from shooting a damaged shaft.

Yes. Checked real thoroughly by flex test.

[njloco]

I found, that most of the time, the reason the arrow splits, and or splinters is because the insert gets driven back into to the arrow. Try using some Loctite 380, Black Max on your inserts when assembling.

Good luck.

[McDave]

I always keep one judo and one plastic blunt in the quiver for stump shooting. After some number of impacts against a hard surface, they all begin to mushroom or split like a banana peel at the tip, even the plastic blunts.  The carbons last a lot longer than wood or aluminum, though.

[Nativestranger]

Originally posted by njloco:
I found, that most of the time, the reason the arrow splits, and or splinters is because the insert gets driven back into to the arrow. Try using some Loctite 380, Black Max on your inserts when assembling.

Good luck.

That's right. Those having problems with splintering most likely didn't get a good bond between insert and shaft. The recommended way is to rough the surfaces with sandpaper and clean with alcohol before gluing. Having a shaft that survives a direct hit on ceramic tile from a 47# bow gives good confidence about hitting hard wood when stumping.

[UrbanDeerSlayer]

Tough shafts. I have thousands of shots on a set of 5575 plain ole black shafts. Only busted one on a direct ground hit. Otherwise they really take some punishment for the price.

[Flying Dutchman]

No matter how I glue them, my shafts splinter when hitting something like concrete. The insert is driven back into the shaft.

[psychmonky]

Originally posted by Flying Dutchman:
No matter how I glue them, my shafts splinter when hitting something like concrete. The insert is driven back into the shaft.

The trick is to increase the surface area of the insert. I use the 100gr brass ones anyway, which are longer, but you can also glue a piece of dowel rod inside the shaft right behind the insert. The harder it is to push that insert back, the longer the arrow will last....Unless you lose em like me. You don't have to do it, but it sure helps with mushroomed shafts.

You should also remember that some glues just give out easier than others. As far as holding strength is concerned A GOOD EPOXY is the way to go, but its permanent.

[Forrest Halley]

Goat tuff and gorilla glue have proven very reliable for me as far as anchoring the insert in place.

I do believe that once a certain level of KE is achieved the arrow will always be a loss no matter the claim of the manufacturer or how good the insert is installed. PSE Black Mambas made similar claims and I've destroyed two of them on the first mistake. Eventually you will mushroom the shaft behind the insert with parallel shafts. I'd be interested to hear about experiences with tapered carbon shafts

[LookMomNoSights]

Haha.....looks like a tomato stake to me....
Can't say I'd chance it....flexing aside.  My thoughts are that you dont know whats going on with the inner wall of that shaft after....micro hairline fractures and such? I'd consider that extraordinary abuse to a very tuff shaft (Thats all I shoot!)and although it appears intact and would mostlikely would be if ever hitting any part of an animal as hard,  it would have certainly held up and done its job....but I would then retire it.  Not worth my well-being or $$$$ bow.  Maybe Im overly careful.