Carbon Arrow Failed on Release

[rappstar]

I purchased some of the inexpensive Beaman arrows from 3Rivers a few months ago and I've been dinking around with them.  I was down in the basement shooting a few minutes ago.  I drew the arrow and released...then the lower limb jumped up, the arrow went about 8 feet over the target into a concrete wall and there was a very noticeable TWANG after my arrow had left the bow.

I picked the arrow up and it was missing the nock.  I've looked my bow over and didn't see any noticeable damage.  I finally found the nock and it wasn't cracked either.  I then put the nock back into the arrow and noticed that the shaft cracked at the nock.

The black easton nocks that came with these arrows fit VERY tight into the shaft.  So tight that its difficult to rotate the nock to get the cock feather where I want it.  

Would the nock fitting too tight into the arrow be the cause of the shaft cracking?  Has this happened to anyone else?

Thanks for your input!

[George D. Stout]

It maybe cracked with they put the nock in and didn't get noticed.  Crap happens.  Any carbon or fiberglass arrow can get a split in it and that can cause issues.  Examine them all as best you can before shooting.

[xtrema312]

I shoot Beman arrows.  My nocks fit tighter than the ones in my GT's.  They make a lot of noise when I rotate them and I need a tool.  I have never had a problem.  The Beman nocks I use are very durable. They will take a hard hit and not break.  Are you sure you didn't get a hard hit and crack the shaft at the nock? Like George said, check them out and keep an eye on them.

BTW what cheap shafts are they?

[rappstar]

Thanks guys...the shafts are the ICS Bowhunter shafts.  

I'll keep my eye on them!

[sdpeb1]

Could of the string come off the nock a little and when you realeased this caused the damage? What's the poundage of your bow? -Steve

[Earl Jeff]

Make sure you flex them before shooting. I had a very bad experience while stump shooting last year with Beman ISC Hunter shafts that required the removal of four slivers of carbon shaft from my hand.

[rappstar]

sdpeb1,

I guess anything is possible, but those nocks fit so tight that I doubt it came off/loose prior to release.

I could have also came off after impact with the concrete wall....Don't know for sure when the nock left the shaft.  

All I know is the shaft is has several small cracks at the nock end on one side of it.  

I'm shooting a BW that draws around 72-75lbs.

[George D. Stout]

Well I would really hate to hit a concrete wall travelling at probably 180+ feet per second.  I reckon I would get a few more splits in my rearend as well 8^).

[Jim Picarelli]

A 29" Beman Bowhunter shaft only weighs out to around 410gr w/125gr point...pretty lite arrow(about 6 gpp) for that kind of draw weight

[rappstar]

No doubt George!

Jim - The arrow weighs 690gr.  The shaft alone is over 8gr per inch.

[xtrema312]

Good shaft for the $.  I have shot them for years.  I have broken a few.  Just blew one up a couple days ago in the frozen ground.  Also had one with a little splinter on the side.  I caught that only because it was dragging on my rest.  All my breaks have been way down the arrow.  Never at the nock unless hit by another arrow.

What Beman bow hunter shaft is 8 gpi and can take a 70+ # bow?  I think that is the weight of the 400.  I wouldn't think a 400 would take what you are shooting.  You are probably shooting a 300 at over 9 gpi.

Any chance you could have bounced a nock part way out and they slammed it back in on the shot?  Are you using weight tubes to get all that weight.

[rappstar]

xtrema312 - No weight tubes, just brass insert & steel adapter and 160gr point.  

I'm shooting the 300...I thought it was just north of 8 gpi.

Anyways, something happened that wasn't good.  I un-strung my bow and really looked it over.  It looks fine.  

So I guess I don't know whether the shaft was cracked prior to the shot or if it cracked on release.  Either way, it was pretty spooky.  I guess the good news is that I didn't totally dry fire my bow.

I don't shoot groups so another arrow didn't hit this one.  

I'll keep my eye on the shafts.  I always flex the shaft after each shot but never thought to flex the nock around a bit to see if the nock end is cracked.

[wingnut]

My guess is the shaft was cracked.  You need to examine the carbons and flex them.  Also give them a slight twist to make sure it hasn't cracked.  The older bemans were bad for that.

I've seen defective carbon shafts shatter in bows.  Usually not a good outcome.

Mike

[bentpole]

I had a half dozen Beman classics  that came with bad nocks. Seems a whole batch from the factory was bad after 2 near dry fires I replaced them. Problem solved. If I remember they were lime green?

[dpowers311]

When shooting carbons you should check for cracks before every shot I was always told. It is usually at the nock that you will find there is a small crack. The crack you found after hitting the wall could have been caused by hitting the wall. Not sure what happend with your shot.

Dave

[Deadsmple]

I'm a little confused why most replies are focused on the arrow. I know we all want to be helpful, but sometimes we can do more damage by jumping to conclusions without getting the full story. I saw nothing in the original description that would indicate any problem with the arrow. Actually the description sounded more like there was a problem with the shot.  

Originally posted by rappstar:
  I drew the arrow and released...then the lower limb jumped up

Why did the lower limb jump? Did the string catch some clothing or some other object to interfere with the shot? Have you shot this bow again since the incident?
Carbons are not indestructible. Hitting a concrete wall at those speeds never results in much good.

[TSP]

I've had problems with carbons of various brands...cracked shafts at both the nock end and behind the insert, nocks coming completely off the shaft during flight, nocks breaking on release, feathers coming off (I don't use wraps), etc.  It's happened often enough that I have little confidence in them.  Aluminum and wood might break or bend with a hard hit but at least they don't self-destruct in flight, lol.  There's more to arrow reliability than just impact resistence.

[foxbo]

I epoxy a small piece, 3/8", of aluminum shafting over the carbon at the nock end and foot the front end with another piece of aluminum shafting, 1 1/2". Makes the shaft much stronger. I use the Axis 500s and 400s mostly and never had a problem.

[huntindad]

I think Deadsmple is on it! The description on first post sounds like the string or the limb caught something at the shot which sometimes affects the sound and feel of the shot as well as its impact.JMHO. Bill

[NDTerminator]

Had a Browning Graphlex blow up upon release with a compound back in the mid 80's.  Not much left of the bow and it was an interesting trip to the ER...

That really colored my view of carbons even to this day.  I consider them sneaky, disingenuous projectiles that will not warn you before they go south on you.

I much prefer alums, particularly with my recurves.  Alums at least have the common decency to visibly bend, kink, or crack, thus giving some warning...