Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???


LifeNRA

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

My opinion is that this is a freak thing and if there was much of a chance of it happening, there would be a lot more stories like this out there, along with warnings. I think this arrow was probably severely damaged or who knows if he was screwing around or what. Probably never know either. Someone should email that pic to a carbon arrow manufacturer and see what they say about it. Then post the email an a response to it on here.

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

Yes, there are a few things to watch out for...especially new archers, who don't really know much about archery.

! - The first and most important thing, is to make sure you are shooting the proper spined arrow for your set-up ( draw weight ) a weakly spined arrow can cause the arrow to explode on you and it can wreck your bow (breaking limbs)

2 - Second thing you might consider is not buying cheap arrows at some department store. I'm not saying cheap arrows alone caused that horrible accident, but if those cheap arrows were also slightly under-spined for the bow, it is a recipe for disaster. When it comes to arrows, I'd get a top brand name, just for that extra assurance. You can always find good deals on top brand names if you look for them.

3 - Good idea to check your arrow out real good after shooting an animal with it or accidently shooting into something that is more solid than a regular archery bag or block, just to make sure it hasn't got any hair-line cracks, which would most likely show up at either end of the arrow.

Maybe someone else could add to this list.

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

The whole incident could have been avoided! Buckee pretty much summed everything up. Make sure the arrow is spined right. If you are right on the edge, go with the heavier spine. Invest in good, quality carbon arrows, like Gold Tip and Carbon Express. And check each arrow before each shot. A good rule on the Gold Tips site is to "flex it first." Flex the arrow and make sure there are no cracks or broken fibers.

Take the right steps, care and inspection and carbon arrows are just as safe as aluminum. No way is that accident going to make me switch. I take all the correct steps and have nothing to worry about. If I find a tiny defect in an arrow, no matter how small, it won't get shot.

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

I have always from day one visually checked over my new bow and each carbon arrow before and after each practice session, never thought of flexing the shafts to check for defects.

After reading these post I flexed all 12 of my new Goldtip Expidetion 5575 and found that 2 of them had slight cracks at the insert end of the shaft needless to say these two are history.

This has become distrubing to me since I only have a 62lb. draw weight and haven't hit anything solid with these shafts and they are only a couple of months old. YIKES time to be a little more dilagent about inspecting my arrows. Thanks guys for the flexing tip.

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

Its hard to add to what Buckee had written, but you know me, I will... LOL

He is correct to make sure, and make sure again, especially if your new to buying carbons or archery all together, that your arrows are spined correctly for your bow AND how you intend to use them.

If your buying arrows for 3D shooting and thats it you may need something different from a hunting arrow that sports heavier broadheads, or and arrow intended for stump shooting, where real hard targets will be encountered.

If you miss a target of any kind give a real good visual inspection 1st before you try and flex it.

Then Flex it slowly and listen for sounds of seperation which can be heard before they can be seen, and then look for cracks.

Cracks will be linear or length-wise to the shaft not across the shaft in most cases so they can be hard to detect with a quick once over.

As Buckee stated, do not grab the extreme ends and do this flex test. And do the flex test from many different "sides" of the arrow not just one flex and its good.

Furthermore if your a real tight group shooter, slight side impacts or dents on the sides of the shaft from field tips can cause and start linear cracking.

Thats about all I can add.. LOL

Be safe.

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

Well this post made me think about what I can do to advoid this mishap. But I am also new to archery. I bought my first bow back in 1979. Still in high school, never went hunting with it! frown.gif

So I recently bought a new one, and it has carbon arrows with it. I will still use carbons arrows, but from what I learned from here and where I got my bow. My guess is that arrow that blew up must of had something wrong with it. The shooter never checked for cracks! As far as price is concerned, the carbon arrow from cabela's called the Carbon Hunter. Are $40 per dozen, and they have been shooting great! I destroyed one arrow because I hit the target frame and it broke the field tip off! When I flexed it I heard it crack, so I broke it in half and threw it in the burn barrel.

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

Im not sure but do you think the arrow could have been too short?? and might of fell off the rest when released??? I have never heard of a carbon just exploding from being released?? just my 2 cents

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

I've shot carbons for years without any problems. Some things I do are:

- when a nock gets hit, check for cracks

- if the arrow hits a solid target, check it real good

- flex it like others mentioned. Some arrows will have a twisting motion when they are flexed

- any time I smack arrows together, give'm a good inspection. Carbons are tough when shot head-on into a target. But any contact applied on the side can cause them to crack. The thin-walled wide diameter carbons are really susceptible to that.

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Re: Avoiding Exploding Carbon Arrows???

[ QUOTE ]

i believe after seeing that picture and the arrow, those are the types i shoot, i am going back to alumininum

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't go back to alluminum because of this pic. No one knows the whole story. This is the first and probably one of the last times we here of this. Just checkyour equipment and you should have nothing to worry about!!!!

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