Weight tubes - Good or Bad?

[EASTERNARCHER]

Looks like I'll be shooting 175gr heads this year, but I would like an arrow weight around 550-600gr. Wondering what the concenus is on using weight tubes in carbons is?????

[doeboy]

keep them full length. if you cut them short, sometimes they will pop the knock out on impact of the target.

[Jeff Strubberg]

They will pop the nock out regadless unless you take steps. Either glue the nock in or glue the tube in.  

I use weight tubes and just glue the nocks in place.

[Deff]

They work ok for me. I cut my weight tubes in half and use gorilla glue to glue them behind the insert. The inside of the arrow needs to be cleaned first. I use a .22 cal rifle cleaning brush. If they are used full length, they don't need to be glued but it helps to keep them from rattling if you flatten them in several places to tighten the fit. It is claimed that used full length they don't affect the spine. Mine, cut and glued in the front do weaken the arrow spine. I have had the tube come loose and pop off the nock. That was after hundreds of shots and I just reglued and pushed the tube back in and replaced the nock.

[Biggie Hoffman]

I use 'em. Full length. Adds 96 grains to my arrows. I also found if you leave any slack in there they will pop the nocks off on a solid hit

[breid]

I have a bunch laying around.  I use rope in mine.  Has more weight to it.  The braided cotton rope is pretty heavy.  I have some GT 35-55 trads that are 700+ grains with 175 gr. heads, same with some 2017's.  I also use the braided nylon in some 2018's that w/ 125 gr heads weigh in the neighborhood of 600 gr.
I haven't had problems with the weight tubes popping out, even when shot out of my compound.  But I really haven't shot them alot.
One good thing about the rope, is it quiets the arrow when you bang it or drop it out of a tree.  Plus its cheap and you can do a lot of arrows.  Only problem with the rope is you will get some variation with weight.  I think I have about 20 grains difference.  Its all in the cutting.

[aplehr]

i would glue the nocks in, not the tubes.  what if you want to remove them someday?  it's easier to remove a glued-in nock than a glued-in tube - i know from experience. i used weight tubes early on, but now i prefer adjusting arrow length and point weight to come up with the best spine/total arrow weight.

[EASTERNARCHER]

I agreee that point weight can be adjusted to a point. but that's limited by the available arrow length. my carbons are 1.5" past the riser, and I like it there to prevent contact with the broadheads.

What about the rope. is it in there loose or glues at the nock end? seems it might bunch up on release or even on impact if not attached....wrong???

[Charles Sorrells]

I have never experienced the nock popping as described.  I take a pair of pliers and crimp the tubed every three or four inches rotating the tube 90 degrees back and forth.  This swells the tube and not only retards any slippage it prevents it from slappnig the arrow walls and making noise.

Works for me and they can be removed if needed later.

Good hunting!

[fyrfyter43]

As long as I can get them tuned, I'd rather put that weight up front, where it will help even more with penetration, as well as give better arrow flight.

My arrows for tomorrow's opener are GT3555s weighing in around 650-660 grains, with no weight tubes or rope. But I have about 360 grains up front.

[EASTERNARCHER]

Originally posted by fyrfyter43:
As long as I can get them tuned, I'd rather put that weight up front, where it will help even more with penetration, as well as give better arrow flight.
My arrows for tomorrow's opener are GT3555s weighing in around 650-660 grains, with no weight tubes or rope. But I have about 360 grains up front.

Well that sounds like what I want to do, but what is your draw length-arrow length-bow weight etc?
With 300 gr. up front I'm getting 545gr. but the arrow flight is a bit more stable off the bow with 175gr heads versus 200gr. Ace's.
MAybe I should switch to 400 ST's and load it up front to get the spine where I need it??? I think that would give me about 650gr. total.

[James Wrenn]

Weight tubes work fine but will weaken the spine some so you might need to retune a little.Adding any weight to an arrow weakens the dynamic spine a little.Given you have arrows I would try some.No reason to buy new ones when you don't have too.The nocks popping out are seldom a problem unless you stump shoot or hit hard targets unless the nocks are worn a lot.When you put in the tubes replace the nocks with new ones if they start popping out on you.jmo

[EASTERNARCHER]

Thanks James. Yes, I do have 9 400 ST's that I can work with.

[fyrfyter43]

Originally posted by EASTERNARCHER:
 

Originally posted by fyrfyter43:
As long as I can get them tuned, I'd rather put that weight up front, where it will help even more with penetration, as well as give better arrow flight.
My arrows for tomorrow's opener are GT3555s weighing in around 650-660 grains, with no weight tubes or rope. But I have about 360 grains up front.

Well that sounds like what I want to do, but what is your draw length-arrow length-bow weight etc?
[/b]

My setup tunes well for me, but it isn't what most would recommend. I honestly don't know how such a weak-spined arrow flies so well out of my bow with that much weight up front, but it does.

My bow is a Turkey Creek LB. 50# @ my 28"draw length. My arrows are Gold Tip 3555s cut to 29.5" with a 50 grain brass insert and 190 grain Grizzlies on 125 grain steel adapters.

[Brent Hill]

bump your spine up and put more weight up front to avoid the tubs.  I used to shoot 35/55 with 250 upfront 29" long at 540 with trads and 490 with hunter finish.  After my first trip to africa, I realized that more weight would help for the next trip, so I experimented with tubes,    keeping them long, glueing them in and could never get 100 % rid of rhe rattle noise although the nock problem.  Since then, I started shooting GT 55/75 with 300 upfront, 30 inches in length for a total weight of 590 in the hunter finish with no noise what so ever.( I haven't tried trad finish but I think about 650 grains, too much for my 52 lb. bw and 50 lb. bob lee.)

[sweet old bill]

I alsos am using poly rope in the 1/8 inch size. I got 50 ft for a buck at the dollar store. I do cut it about a 1/2 inch long and then put in the nock. So far no nocks have come out from shooting and it does in my case about 75 grains to the total shaft weight. I would go with the brass 100 gr weight, but at a dollar a arrow it sure seems to be a rip off for the archer. Now if it was the same as buying a doz field points at under $ 4 bucks I would go that way..
I was told some guys are using fish tank tubing in there arrows...to also add weight..

Bill

[foxbo]

I'm using the Axis 400s cut to 29" bop with the 100 grain brass inserts, 100 grain steel broadhead adaptor, and 125 grain broadhead. My total arrow weight is 663 grains without any weight tubes. Don't see the need for them. The same setup with the stock aluminum inserts produces an arrow which weighs 571 grains.

[Chad R]

I'm giving up on them.  If I don't give up on carbons all together and go strictly wood.... I'll use weight up front only.  When I finally got them to not pop out the nocks they were noticeably nosier when you spun them.  Besides high FOC is good, right?