Blood Sport Arrows

[Soonerlongbow]

A hunting partner, predominately uses training wheels, recently moved to a new hunting show that has Blood Sport Arrows as a sponsor. He was very excited about these shafts and they looked nice. Unfortunately, when he arrived a decent sized Oklahoma does in the shoulder 2 days ago the shaft partially broke at the insert/outsert joint. He's big into heavyweight Arrows but couldn't get these as high as he likes, normally over 650. These finished out just under 500. His Griz Stick Momentums are a shade over 700 (as are my Grizz Stick Alaskans) and I have no doubt that they would have blown through her scapula with ease.

So not only did the light arrow fail to produce a pass through upon contact with "heavy" bone, but the ultra skinny shaft broke on contact, even shearing off the thin blades.

[DanielB89]

IF you think about it, you sacrifice durability by going light.  The wall of the carbon arrow's HAVE to be thinner to make them lighter.  Even if they're a stiffer carbon, they still have to be thinner.

[Soonerlongbow]

That's kinda how I feel also. There are good skinny arrows but it was really telling that it broke so easily on what I consider a fairly lightly boned animal at relatively close distance. I'd post the picture but can't. There's a noticeable bend right behind the outsert. I had been looking at testing some for my bow, knowing that Fred Eichler likes a skinny shaft & I do like that these have the portion of the shaft to help distinguish the shot placement. But after seeing the type of performance on a marginal hit I'm not convinced they are strong enough. Maybe from my slower velocity it wouldn't have broken, similar to how heavy super magnum rifles can be out penetrated by their slower relatives due to the bullet coming apart. But I'm not taking that chance.

[Doc Nock]

as I moved to heavier front weight, I went to what I call "over-footing" the front 2" bop with easton alum pieces cut to fit snug and then hot melted in place with tapers on both ends...

[M60gunner]

I know some wheel guys that have had same issues with the outsert. Victory shafts not blood sport. Same idea. Now I hear they can be had made from titanium. But as Danial said thin walled shafts break easy when they hit hard objects. A lesson learned from thin walled alum shafts as well.
I foot all my carbons with 2 inches of alum shafting. Not absolute but it has saved many a arrow for me.

[TexasTrad]

I really like the blood sport arrows but use the Firenock outserts.  The outserts serve as a type of footing.

I do not like the stainless insert/outsert because I had a couple break.

[Michael Arnette]

I've shot a lot of deer with a similar set up 500-550 gr. except using gold tips  and have had great penetration on bone with single bevels. I'm sure that could have been remedied by footing a shaft?
...thanks for posting, I just went down to the local archery shop and bought some aluminum shaft for footing my carbons.

[nineworlds9]

Anybody try Widowmaker shafts from Australia yet?  

TGer Damascusdave has been using them with good feedback and he recently sent me a 1/2 dozen to try.  They come with neat outserts.  I have to get em fletched up but I'm excited, they are even skinnier than an Axis Trad and allow you to shoot a stiffer shaft.

[katman]

Currently shooting the widowmakers and blew thru a 150# hog last week, 48#@29.5" 560gr total. Have yet to break one stumping and hitting hard objects as the target in back yard likes to get out of the way and I hit a tree.