Carbon Express or Gold Tips for bowhunting

[dkoutdoors]

I am currently shooting Carbon Express but I am seriously thinking of going back to Gold Tip's, because for one where they are made, and I also think they are little more durable and consistent. Call me crazy.

CRAZY D

[Tejas Raz]

I'll see your Gold Tips and raise you a Carbon Tech!

I'm using Carbon Express too, but thinking of going to Carbon Tech's. I like their idea on spine! Read what their Pres says about it.

But I voted GT for ya for the same reasons you noted.

[ALL12S]

I like my Gold Tips for hunting because I also use the 100 grain GT Gladiator broad heads.* I can tell you that they work on hogs, deer, and turkey.* But I do use the Carbon Express CXL 250S for target, they are 9mm which is the largest you can shoot at the NFAA sanctioned events, not to mention they are light and really fast out of my LX. :D :D :D

[trkyhntr]

Gold Tip

Korean Express are junk..they breack/crack/split like it's their job

[dkoutdoors]

I agree with everyone on this one.

[Africanbowhunter]

Gold tips are tougher and better made & made in the US of UTAH!!!!


Tink

[CHAMPION2]

I used the Carbon Tech cheetah hunter 55/80 for hunting this year and I was very impressed. Very tough shaft, good spine consistency and weight tolerances between shafts. I will be using them for hunting again in 2005.

Champion2
Full Draw Outdoors Video productions
Richwood/CSS ND Rep.

[fishslayer1963]

Goldtips for target and hunting Great arrows IMHO

[Jeff in SC]

I just bought some Gold Tip Pro Hunters for this coming season.

[mo_bowhunter]

My goldtips are tough as nails. Been shooting the same dozen for a year and a half now.

[Trumbull Archer]

I used Carbon Express this year Gold Tips last year. Not sure what I'll use next year,as I like to play around with different set ups every year.
T.A.

[Oldaro]

Some people say there's too much of a risk having carbon arrows crack or split within the venison... so it is safer to use aluminum for bowhunting.
One of the best arrows ever, to me, perfect for the strong, aggressive bows, are the Easton's 2613s, illegal at competitions, granted, but otherwise 1A ! I usually used 2314 in the metal arrows, love the allround workhorse of the 2219, but am completely sold on 2613.

But for 3-D, Field and other non-hunting events, the carbon arrows are great. I use Beman Hunter 340s, and combined with the Mathews BlackMax @ 66-70#, they zip out pretty fast. And there's this "glass walking stick" logic in the carbon. You know the joke, if you dropped the glass cane, you don't have to bother picking it up again. Same with carbon arrows, sort of. They're either perfect or broken. Aluminum arrows, to the contrary, can be whole AND yet unusable...

[Africanbowhunter]

Tell me more about this" Other people say* about Carbon arrows"?

Have you ever seen one splinter in game? Explain?Have you killed anything with them?

In my opinion the 2613 is the worst penetrating arrow i have ever shot. I have never once heard of anyone hunting with a 2613. Advise* where you getting this information.* Thanks

Did you find the Brush buttons? :D

[Tejas Raz]

Tink, could you explain why you think the 2613's don't penetrate the way you would like? Why only the 2613 as opposed to any other size or is it a particular model of Easton arrow?

I have to say, I've seen very few carbons break unless abused... like smacking a rock! I have bent aluminum and broken wood for sure.

[Africanbowhunter]

EASY the huge diameter has the most friction of any arrow made bar none

Indoors they hardly poke into the bale

They fly poorly IMHO and are made as linecutters for target shooters


In Africa we used dead Buffalo and skinned waterbuck and the larger the diameter of arrow the less penetration Too deep to cover onthe net but the carbons eat the Easton Alum for penetration in real game animals big time


TINK

[Tejas Raz]

Appreciate it Tink. Thought that was where you were going, but wanted to clear it up... and for any other readers following later on.

Thanks
Scott

[Oldaro]

AfricanBowhunter, I have to admit that I have never shot anything alive with the 2613, and I fuly understand the friction principle. On the other hand, the size of the cut and the energy of the shot will drive that arrow trough very tough materials. Also, granted, the shooting distance shouldn't be too big. My use of 2613 was on targets until they got forbidden, later on only in 3D, where these are still okay. I hear that nears its end as well, but we'll see. For a very fast and aggressive bow, such as Mathews BlackMax @ 70#, the 2613s behaved excellently and endured many a miss ending up in gravel, hard roots and earth. Compared to 2314s, the 2613s were durable.

As to the carbon arrows splintering, I (test) hit once the bone in the leg of the cow carcass (at the local meat factory) and the impact drove the (plastic) insert into the shaft causing it to spread-separate umbrella-like into million needles. Same thing happened another time when the arrow hit the knot in the frame wood, the effect looking exactly alike.

Anyway, didn't you see the warnings to the very effect? I can't recall the exact addresses in the internet, but I did read about that thing more than once, several years ago, and it made sense. Even the carbon arrow manufacturers warn about this kind of risk. I found somewhere (maybe it was in the Beman catalog or at thier site) a text that suggested caution when dressing the kill; like if there's been any chance that the (carbon) arrow was damaged, cracked or 'whittled' during the penetration, one should cut generously around the entry - to - exit place, and discard that meat in a manner that excludes any possible consumption; either by men or the animals, because the needlelike carbon splinters can be deadly in the digestion tract.

I think these warnings make sense. I'm glad that your arrows didn't break during the shot, but to me, the logic says (against all advantages of carbon arrows) that the use of aluminum shafts helps you reduce one serious risk.

By the way, I'm interested in your evaluation of the biological risks in venison. How do you guard agains trichinelosis (spelling) and similar threats? Hi-temp cooking? Regular vet controls? This might be worth another thread in the Forum...

[Tejas Raz]

Carbon is something that I know a fair amount about. Since I work in an aircraft factory's Test Lab, I get to work with the stuff all the time... breaking it. Been doing it for 20+ years now. You are right about the splinters. They are sharp as can be and the small ones cannot be seen easily. It's the small fibers that you have to worry about. I just picked a small 1/64" sized splinter out of my finger the other day. I had to use a magnifying loupe to see it, but I sure felt it!

I would suggest to anyone who has an arrow break in their game, to just cut out the entire area around the break and be generous about it. Don't think that you can pull the splinters out. You can't get them all! And they won't go away since they don't break down at all like wood does.

But oh boy is the stuff strong! Amazing properties. It takes a lot to make it break. Very good material for making arrows. The hi-speed film of shooting an arrow compared to aluminum tells why it works so good. It flexes much less and what it does, it dampens out quicker also. The film of the impact tells even more. The stiffness really allows the arrow's energy to be focused straight into the target or animal which is why it penetrates better. It's like the difference between a bow that's been tuned and one that launches it's arrow with huge occillations causing it to impact the target literally sideways, thus slowing it'd entry dramatically.

Great stuff. But do take the time to inspect your arrows often. When they break, there is little warning!

[Oldaro]

The new Beman catalog just came in, and I found the original warning about carbon arrows used in hunting consumable game. So here it is...

[titleist_03]

I've shot both and IMO they are both excellent arrows. But I have to go with GT because they're a little easier on the pocket book.

[TMB]

Carbon Express Terminator Select are the best arrows with a resonable price. I have not yet managed to break one yet. Rocks hit in full thrust, one robinhood survived. They even outlast judo heads. I am afraid that soon they might be relaced by another shaft. If so, do you have any recommendations?

All hints appreciated

[Panzer]

When I ran the club in Iraq the bulk of our arrows were Carbon Express and Gold tip with some Eastons, Beemans, Carbon Tech, PSE and other brands mixed in. I had a lot of new shooters and they would often miss the bag which would result in the arrow smacking concrete.

The GoldTips had a MUCH higher survival rate than any other carbon shaft.

That's all I shoot now because of their durability. They shoot great too, they fly better than I can shoot them.

[Bowhunter]

I shoot both and i hate to be the person that deliverers the bad news to all of you that won't shoot carbon Express because there not made hear in America because since gold tip bought blackhawk they are moving to Mexico the arrows will be Assembled here but made in Mexico so I guess i will have to just shoot what fly the best off my bow and not worry where there made seems like all company's are moving out of this country

[rkinney11]

goldtips for me. i am shooting the entradas and have my 3555's on the way as we speak. they are good arrows and will do a great job for you
rob k

[Vtecfan]

I have used GT' 5575's for deer, elk, and 3D. I am very happy with their performance.

[Tejas Raz]

I have used GT' 5575's for deer, elk, and 3D. I am very happy with their performance.


By the way... Thank you for contributing and ..... :PDT_Armataz_56:

Welcome aboard!

[Denfore]

I use neither.....Used to shoot exclusively Gold Tip, but since their move to MEXICO (thats right, not made in the good ol' USA anymore, folks) I refuse to support them. (although, I must admit, they DID make a superior product for a fair price).....I am now in the process of weeding through several different arrows; and so far I like the Super Carbon Magnums for the price and durability, and have bought half a dozen Beman BlackMax and half a dozen Easton Epic's. I never had to change a thing when switching to the Magnums from the GT's, and get consistent 1-1 1/2 groups at 20 yards and 30 yards.

[vTEX]

I love my goldtip pro's however for things like deer, hogs, elk and blackbear a good aluminum arrow will work too

[truk]

I have a wisker bisquit and the CX seem to have stiffer vanes which remain unfazed after passing through the WB many,many times.

[hansel]

Both are good arrows, and I've shot both brands, but I'm currently using Gold Tip XT5575's and they are awesome.