Is Cedar that Bad ???

[NoCams]

Mason and I went stump shooting yesterday and he broke two cedars. Both shots were in the 30-35 yd range on rotten stumps. He only pulls about 42lbs too. I could see it if it was a close shot and he was shooting over 60lbs or something like that.

Should we try some doug fir or sitka spruce maybe ? I love cedar, but man it sure seems awful weak sometimes.


nocams  

[LONGBOWKID]

Probably the angle Nocams...I had two cedar arrows break shooting into a mountain dew bottle, from the side, with a 35# bow, from 25 and 30 yards...

And I have had cedars hit trees shot from 60# bows that didnt break.

Its tricky sometimes.

[James Wrenn]

Stump shooting is hard on any arrows.If you use a hardwood for stumpers they will hold up better but nothing is stump proof all the time.

[George D. Stout]

You will break a few, but if they break on what you call rotten stumps, then that would make me wonder about their quality.  I have shot for hours on stumps, rotten and not, and haven't broken two cedar arrows on the outing.  I'm shooting a 55 pound longbow too.  

I hear folks talk about breaking a dozen in a week.  I sure don't know what they are shooting into but that's either horrible shooting or terrible shafting.

[Steve Clandinin]

I agree with George. Years ago I use to purchase shafts from a local shop and they were constantly breaking. After much research I found out the grain was running out the side of the shaft. Now I specify straight grain only or there coming back. I think alot of shops are realizing this and the shafts seam to be a lot better. I just lately tried some laminated birch from 3Rivers, heavy as heck but realy tough.Great stumpin arrows,605 grains for a 50# spine and only 5/16ths.

[Orion]

George said it.  Enough said.

[Arwin]

Funny thing.... my daughter and I were shooting at the iron bunny Saturday. I dinged it and my arrow was fine upon inspection pulling 51@27. My daughter shoots 40@25 and shattered the same arrow. Go figure......

[joe skipp]

I'd recommend ash for toughness. Have to tweak them a little but they are a very tough arrow.

[Chris Surtees]

I would be concerned...check them shafts for grain run out like mentioned above.

Nothing against cedar but my favorite shafting is Sitka Spurce from Raptor Archery.

[CheapShot]

Yeah, what George said. I have some cedars that I've shot hundreds of times that I can't seem to break no matter what. I have had some break that I didn't think they should.
I have pretty much given up shooting at stumps, instead I shoot at leaves or clumps of grass. Sometimes the leaf turns out to be a rock, and once again I have out- smarted myself.  

[Reg Darling]

What kind of points were you using? I break lots more arrows with Ace hex heads than anything else, but with Judo's I've often shot all day without breaking an arrow. Anyway, I like making arrows, so sometimes I have to bust a few up to make room for more! I also like laminated birch, but manage to break a few of them from time to time too...

[NightHawk]

I agree with the concensus. I have cedar shafts that have lasted for years being shot at everything and anything, I also have cedars that have broken in the foam on a 3-d target...go figure

[csdqm2]

I broke every arrow in my first dozen cedar. But they sure smell nice when they do. I'll second the ash. A bit heavier but tough as hell.

[NoCams]

Reg Daring we were using judos. I agree that some cedars are tougher than others. Mason was at a shoot last year and bounced two cedars off some small saplings on purpose on a 3D javelina. I told him he would break them before he shot, but he shot anyway and did not break them ???

I do think I may try a dozen doug firs and maybe some sitka spruce just to see if they last a little longer ? I know to buy my spruce from Hildebrand, but where do you guys buy fir ?

nocams  

[Brently]

Raptor Archery has matched fir shafts.

[Charlie Cole]

Hardwood. Or carbon. I think Birch may be tougher, though.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I think it depends on angle and distance along with tuning.  If your arrow isn't flying straight when it hits because say it's improperly tuned or if it hasn't had time to return from parodox it will cause the nock end of the arrow to whip violently upon impact causing it to break.  Same thing if the angle of the shot is awkward or the arrow glances.

[Crimson mist]

I've been making shafting from some reclaimed old growth fir boards and it's a lot tougher and shoots very well but I haven't found anything tougher than ash. It withstands hits on rocks and tree trunks that would destroy any other wood that I have tried including hard maple which one vender told me was the toughest wood shaft available

[KentuckyTJ]

Depends on how many hard shots they took before you hit the soft one. Just like a boxer in a ring. The first 25 shots to the head doesn't knock him out its the last one.

[Bear]

Jimmy,

You know I'm a cedar guy. Carbon is just tougher, no doubt. But I'd bet Mason's arrows weren't flying just right. If the nock aint behind the point, they might break.

I shoot the highest quality cedar I know of. It costs nearly as much as carbon blems. I shoot at anything I would shoot carbon at. I have nicks, deep gouges, you name it, but almost never a break.

In fact, the only problems I have with straightness relate more to how people pull them out of the target than anything else. One round of 3D is harder on my arrows than a day of stumping. I thought about getting some carbons just so I wouldn't have rush to the target before somebody starts yanking on my arrow.  :D