carbon arrow broke upon release

[ChumpMcgee]

#3343

I have been shooting carbons for the past couple of months and have loved them so far. I have seen a couple of them kick and even corkscrew but majority of the time they fly amazing. Today while I was shooting I had one explode on me. It broke in 3 pieces right after the fletching then just past the half way mark. It my sting slapped my arm so hard I honestly thought I shot myself. Has anyone ever had this happen to them before? I am wondering what went wrong if it was the arrow if it was broke and I didn’t notice it? Just a freak accident or if the arrow is to light for the bow.

I am using some Gold Tip Hunters with 100 grain inserts plus 125 grain field points and my bow weight is flirting right around 50lbs.

[Ireland]

#18885

tkohlhorst wrote: I have been shooting carbons for the past couple of months and have loved them so far. I have seen a couple of them kick and even corkscrew but majority of the time they fly amazing. Today while I was shooting I had one explode on me. It broke in 3 pieces right after the fletching then just past the half way mark. It my sting slapped my arm so hard I honestly thought I shot myself. Has anyone ever had this happen to them before? I am wondering what went wrong if it was the arrow if it was broke and I didn’t notice it? Just a freak accident or if the arrow is to light for the bow.

I am using some Gold Tip Hunters with 100 grain inserts plus 125 grain field points and my bow weight is flirting right around 50lbs.

Contact Gold Tip ASAP and let them know what happened…

Ireland

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#19041

Is it possible that the arrow had taken any hard hits, weird deflections, etc. previously?

[David Petersen]

#19054

Both Ireland and Smithhammer offer good advice that I hope you take. In the early days of carbon arrows reports like this were not uncommon. But the product has been greatly improved and it’s quite rare now … except in cases where shafts have been nicked or otherwise damaged and weakened. I’d suggest that you send the pieces to the mfgr. so that they can closely inspect them. If this happened with any regularity I’d throw all my carbons out and return to woods (never like alums). I’ve had two CE250s break off, very clean breaks with no threads, etc., inside animals, in both cases when most of the arrow was sticking out the far side and the animal ran past a tree. This is unusual today (except maybe with compound arrow launchers) and scary. We’ll all be waiting to learn what you find out.

[Raymond Coffman]

#19062

I am in the PA medical journal for having a wooden arrow explode and pieces of it penetrate my thumb! I did not shoot wood for many years believing that they were at fault!

The reality is I did not constantly check my arrows ESPECIALLY on a miss or odd hit in practice. I have since that time [ 1970 ]had a carbon come apart at the fletch[a couple years ago ].this was right after a backstop miss which caused the arrow to deflect and I did not check it thoroughly. I believe it was damaged and came apart on the next shot [ luckily just a B&B mark on my arm].I now look at each arrow carefully after any miss or stump shot.IF, I have discovered cracks at either end – I retire the arrow.

Modern carbons are very tough [ I shoot gold tip a lot]and last a long time –BUT here in the SWest – a lot a rock beats them up eventually.

simple fix – if the shot is not in the backing — inspect the arrow —

Scout

PS — look closely along the entire shaft AND — bend it at all sections to check for cracks/breaks

[ChumpMcgee]

#19691

So I went and contact Gold Tip about what happened. I basically said that I was not blaming them for anything that happened but questioned why it did happen. They pretty much said what everyone is saying, inspect your arrows after every shot. They left me a number in which I plan on calling later today and see what other information I can gather and will pass on to everyone.

I cannot find all of the pieces of the arrow that broke only the front portion and the back portion the middle part is gone. Looking at where it did break its not splintering like i thought it wood. It looks more or less like what happens to a old dry branch when you snap it in two. I will let you all know what else I find out today when I call them up.

[ChumpMcgee]

#19898

So talked to a gent there at Gold Tip and he told me that it is a freak accident but it does happen from time to time. He said I could shoot the rest of my arrows and get them in a tight bunch and it may never happen again. He also said that when it does happen you have to hit the arrow at the right spot for it to break. Well I guess I either have a good grouping of arrows or else I am just a freak 🙂

[Ralph]

#20204

Hey, I had a wood shaft break in the middle of the fletching, the nock turned going forward and left nasty wound from my thumb joint to the end of my thumb. The scars are proof today. It’s obvious which way the nock was turned by the appearance of the scars. It freaked me out so good groups or not, “freak” is OK by me!

I never considered a bad spot in that area but since then, about 20 yrs. ago, when I inspect a shaft it’s the whole shaft I look at.

Glad you didn’t get hurt. I hear shards of carbon shaft ain’t too cool inside the body.

I have my first dozen (now 11 of twelve :))so my interest in your experience is peaked.

[Raymond Coffman]

#20266

tkohlhorst-

You are not a freak —

just check your arrows, I practice from all angles — I have a small canyon for a back yard- I place tgts in differing positions and rarely shoot{ more than 2 arrows} from the same place twice { teaching my mind to automatically compensate for the different ranges/ angles – what folks like to call “instinctive”}this causes the arrows to strike the tgts at differ- angles etc{ shoot 5-6 before pulling] and i hit arrows at odd places on the shaft [ when I am in trim or miss the backing when not]- It is best to check, whenever you are not sure—

If your trng is realistic and “pushing the envelope” you will damage arrows—[or starting out and developing your accuracy]

Scout

[wildschwein]

#20273

Yikes!!! Glad your’e ok.

[Ripforce]

#21027

Wow never had a carbon do it but I am just now recovering from a wood arrow incident! Day before Good friday I was shooting 3Ds at the neighbors, was on the last target loosed the arrow it made a funny sound coming off the riser, looked at my left hand and there was a 3 inch shard of Douglas fir with a half of feather sticking out of my hand just below the knuckle in fact my knuckle took all the impact! Injury didn’t look too bad at first, however I was on antibiotics for 2 weeks and my index finger was stiff and sore until about last week last week, couldn’t even hardly hold abow not alone shoot one!Scared the daylights out of me, now I am a fanatic about checking arrows when I shoot, if they even look little suspect they go to the non-shoot bin!

[Raymond Coffman]

#21151

Ripforce-

I am in total agreement !—

Always check your arrows –especially if they strike the tgt oddly — any kind of deflection. I have noted -that the nock area is easily damaged when the arrow is “kicked sideways” or turned where it strikes something hard at an angle—–

Scout

[ChumpMcgee]

#24411

I went into the archery shop last weekend and asked one of the shop guys if he has ever had a carbon break on him. His response…”All the time. Did you get any fiber stuck in your arm?” I could not believe this, if this happens to be again I think I might switch back to the old aluminum’s. They way he said it seems like its happens quite a bit with those arrows. I have found myself flinching every time I shoot the carbons now. Not a good feeling at all, I will from now on thou check bend twist every arrow that comes in contact with something other than the target.

The good news is that the Gold Tip people told me is there arrows will not splinter they specialize in that so I guess even if it were to happen and go thru my arm I will only feel the pain on the shaft and not bits of shrapnel from the rest of the fibers.

I am happy that I am not the only person this has happened to but at the same time makes me nervous by the amount of people that have had similar experiences with it.

[Raymond Coffman]

#24537

Tkohlhorst-

I think as long as you check you will be fine.

I shot only aluminums for a long time after my wood arrow injury,because I was spooked by it. I eventually learned, what we have passed on to you. when in doubt – check em out!

I shoot every type today – though mostly Carbon [ for EFOC ]and sometimes wood for their Beauty/tradition- depends on the bow and its purpose. The good thing about aluminum arrows is when they quit it is usually pretty obvious.

Scout

[ChumpMcgee]

#24563

I did shoot wood arrows for a short time. One day I will step up and start shooting them again but I first want to figure out what grain spine and all that stuff I need to use for my bow instead of buying a dozen arrows to find out that they are the wrong kind. I know I just have to get over the fear of shooting, and this is the first time that it has ever happened to me in 15 years that I have been shooting archery. I think the odds are in my favor.

[handirifle]

#29229

I have carbons for my wheel bow, but not for the recurve. But I have to say, I have forever been a fan of aluminum arrows, for many reasons. I can say I have never had one break on me while shooting. Maybe it’s like someone posted, they bend way before they break, and you see it and do not shoot. I know they do not seem to be as durable as carbons, but if they go that easy when nicked….well I dunno.

That is the same issue the old Bear fiberglass arrows used to have. Old problem, new material.

[Author]

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