I had Paul make me up two dozen arrows for Africa. One set was for the cape buffalo I hoped to get and the other was for lighter game. Both sets were from the AD Hammerheads with brass inserts, aluminum collars, and uni-bushings with g-nocks. the difference was that the heavier arrows used screw-in weights behind the brass inserts to increase weight. Both sets of arrows are 4 fletch with 4 inch feathers. The heavier set weighs 600 grains without points and the lighter set weighs 530 grains without points. Add 315 grains for the ABS Ashby broadheads and you get some real weight in the arrows. In practicing with the heavier arrows before I left for Africa, the screw-in weights started coming loose and rattling in some of the arrows. So, I pulled all the inserts and weights, cleaned off the old glue, and re-glued everything with lots of slow cure marine epoxy in all the threads and around the entire group of inserts and weights being glued into the shafts. I can tell you that I abused some of those arrows terribly while I was in Africa, shooting them at anything and everything to practice my shooting in anticipation of taking a buffalo. Aside from a few minor scratches and a little damage to some of the fletching, the arrows are as good as new. I am now a huge believer in the aluminum collars and the unibushings for preserving the strength of the ends of the shafts, although the Hammerheads are undoubtedly one of the toughest shafts on the market, if not the toughest. To say I am impressed with the arrows and with Paul's work is a huge understatement. Although I am a big fan of various other shafts, it will be difficult for me to shoot anything other than AD's in the future. They are amazing, especially the Hammerheads, and I have the Trad Lites and the Trad "Heavies" too. I definitely will be trying the Hammerhead Lites to get the EFOC in a lighter arrow. Of course, Paul has all of these and does a great job of putting everything together just the way you order them. The only things Paul and I learned from experimenting with my heavy arrows is the need for a more extensive glue job on the inserts and weights and the ability to use wraps on the AD shafts without any problem. Paul dipped my arrows and they are beautiful -- much nicer looking than the wraps -- but fletching can get damaged in hunting and field shooting situations, and refletching with wraps is much easier than it is with dipped shafts.
Allan
Topic: Badger Arrow (Read 364 times)
