Laminated birch or footed carbon for stumpin?

[Charlie Cole]

Went stumping today. After I re-straightened all my regular birch arrows (usually don't have to do that), I busted a whole bunch of them. No crazy shooting, no rocks here in eastern NC. Just old Cypress and half-rotten pine stumps. I guess I need some new arrows.

So which is tougher- footed carbon or lam birch?

I don't feel like re-straightening my arrows all the time, and I shoot 50-55 pound bows with medium-weight (9-12 GPP) arrows. So Ash or Maple is probably out.

Footed Carbon or Lam Birch?

Oh arrow gurus, let the enlightenment begin!

[Shakes.602]

Ramin for Me! I have  YET  to Break an Arrow, and believe me, I have made some Funky Shots!      

[Bodork]

I bought a dozen carbon wood grain gold tips well over a year ago. A few weeks ago I pulled out two old cedar shafts and shot them for the first time out of my latest longbow. I LOVED 'EM!  Decided to keep shooting them and had even been looking for someone who might possibly want to trade a dozen arrows for a knife or something.(I don't have the time to make them) Then, In a matter of two shots, I broke 'em both! That was a harsh reminder of why I went to carbon. The romance isn't there with carbon, but they are alot easier on my pocketbook. I'm sure I'll get another dozen cedars someday when I feel like I have some disposable income but until then, I'll keep punishing these carbons. Mike

[Steve P]

I've been shooting some lam. birch the last several months and I'm quite happy with them. I didn't have an opportunity on a deer but put a lot of arrows in stumps and they are impressive. I go all winter long and when it gets cold even the "good" stumps freeze and get tough. Even picked on some hardwoods just to see what they would take and they fared well. Lost a few points and popped off a couple nocks but broke no shafts. Stumping is my favorite shooting practice and because I enjoy it I accept the fact that broken arrows come with the territory, but these arrows came through well and stayed very straight. So I'd say yes, if your not afraid of the weight, get a set and "Fear no Stump." I can not comment on the carbons as I have never tried them.

Steve

[TJ Jones]

If you want durability, nothing is going to beat the right carbon shafts. I have hit and bounced mine off of more things. I've shot carbon express terminator hunters for alot of years and lost more than I ever broke. I've shot axis and I think they are very durable - haven't broke one yet. I think once they are footed that would eliminate their only weak point.

[Precurve]

Do the laminated birch and Ramin stay straight?  I love wood arrows but have never been happy with hardwood shafts because I haven't been able to find any that would stay put.  Haven't tried the two listed however.

[Charlie Cole]

keep this going. lots of experience going on here, but I bet there's more out there.

[Jaeger]

I've been shooting Easton Axis 500 shafts footed with 1.5" of xx75 1916 shaft. Epoxied in place with JB Weld.

They are the toughest arrows I have ever shot. I have shot them into rocks, direct hit on a concrete block wall, glacing bows off of pressure treated lumber, you name it. I have only broken 1 and that was a direct hit on a steel "no shoot" target. (oops!)

What usually happens with hard hits is I will blow out a nock. No other damage. I can't imagine anything being tougher than these shafts. The footing makes a big difference though. I have a few that are unfooted and they have a tendancy to mushroom out at the mouth of the shaft after repeated impacts. The footing cures that.

If you wanted to make them look more "traditional" you could use the Beman MFX wood grain shafts and foot them with Easton Legacy shafts.

[Ga.boy]

I use laminated birch for my stumpers, and have had no problems at all with them. Mine stay straight and they are as tough as nails. If I ever get the chance to hunt hogs, they will be the arrows in my quiver.

[bowdude]

Goldtips 5575 out of my recurves from 53 to 55 pounds.  I am in the 3rd year with a dozen.  None lost and broke 1 in the shoulder blade of my buck last fall.  Still have 11 going strong.  I do lots of stump shooting type stuff.  My own 3-D target and ball shooting with rubber blunts.  Pop in a lighted nock for the hunt and you don't have to worry about shooting bright fletching.   Do that with a woody.

[bjk]

A Beman (similar to the Axis) with a 2" piece of 2020 might be indestructable...bring nocks...you'll pop em, but you are gonna have to really work at breaking the arrow.

Be sure to glue the inserts with good 24hr epoxy...it makes a difference...inserts glued with epoxy, sleeved with 2020...I'd take anyones bet against shooting them straight into steel.

[Charlie Cole]

Guess the best solution is to get a dozen of both and test 'em out against each other. Sounds like it might take a while to bust 'em all up, though. Obviously this question needs to be answered!

Now here's the hard part- how 'bout one of you boys convince my wife I need MORE arrows (and that I'm gonna try to systematically destroy 'em).

Unless anybody here has already done that....