would you use Carbon Express bolts ? Cheap Ones !!

[L. E. Carroll]

Today I was at Wallmart for some small green propane cylinders....

I decided to check out the clearance section I found 1 1/2 doz of Carbon Express Speed Freak 20 bolts with 2" Blazers and half moon nocks at 310 grains with aluminum inserts, as well as 20" Bloodsport crossbow arrows with 110 gn brass inserts Bohning 4" vanes with half moon noocks that come in at 328 grn. w/o points .. These are on clearance at $1.50 each.... I was thinking of rocky areas, rabbits and grouse arrows where high $ ones could be easilly lost or broken. ( there are right at 3 dozen available in total )

Should I cut these down to my standard 17" length and reuse the existing inserts they would come in @ 283 and 300 grains respectivally W/O points..

I would appreciate your thoughts and experience with these arrows, as well as advice to buy or pass them by.

Gene

[Dzohio]

I used carbon express only when I was shooting my Horton legend. Loved them! I was using Car Exp piledrivers. When I bought my Excalibur grizzly I went to get them cut down to try and reuse but they would be way to short for recommended weight/length. I was new at the time and still am now to the Excaliburs so was not risking my safety. So I sold all of my bolts. I shot CE with my bow as well. Never broke one! Ever! Once I figure out this Excalibur grizzly and mad max I may try them again.

[hankenhunter]

I would buy them all in a heartbeat. Nothing sucks more than seeing expensive arrows sail off into the sunset never to be seen again. All for a grouse or whistle pig. Aint no shame in buyin cheap for cheap shooting. Maybe pack along your spin tester and check em out? I say go for it Gene.
Hank

[L. E. Carroll]

I bought a dozen @ $1.50 each, of the C/E "Speed Freaks" while still at 20" , I brought total weight up to 408 gn with 100 gn field tips. That's very close to the weight of my 400 gn. Excal. Quills with 150 up front.

Calm but, but I had to hurry as rain was comming... 40 yards off my bench ( marked out and set up to 55 yards with a good 4' berm as a back stop ).

After checking at 20 yds. to confirm zero, I fired 4 arrows with the new 350 SE using a Crossbones and solid rifle rest and sand bag. 2 arrows were the new ones @ 408 gns and still 20" long, other 2 were quills as I described them. Using a 5/8" Pink florescent dot, I touched it solidly with 2 and the other 2 were so close, I was sure walking up that I had destroyed at least one..
NOPE ! a nice group not over 1 1/4" @ 40........I'm going back tomorrow and buy what's left (actually some are of better quality and $2.00 each but I'll "Splurge" a little ).

Gene

[Arrowflinger]

Good to know . Spent a lot of time lookin for an errant shot at $8-$10 an arrow

[paulaboutform]

Sounds like a great opportunity for small game at the right price Gene. I'd certainly keep one in my quiver with a blunt or grasshopper up front just for that. It wouldn't hurt my feelings to break a $2 arrow on a grouse or squirrel.
Great find!
Paul

[Hester0305]

I'd buy everyone of them also and just shoot them all and mark
Your best shooting ones to hunt with. Carbon Express has always made great arrows I'm sure they didn't skimp too much on their
Crossbolts either

[L. E. Carroll]

I hit a couple 2 nearby Wallmarts today, the one I hit yesterday and another today.

Both had arrows on "Clearance" and I bought all they had....comming up with a total of 5 1/2 dozen at $1.50 and $2.00 each

Looks like I, my cousin, and one of our new members "snowhunter", will have plenty of small game arrows for sometime into the future.

Gene

[snowhunter]

Looking forward to seeing the stash of arrows. Enjoy your Easter lunch.
See you soon, Dean

[Timbrhuntr]

I used to buy everyone I could find on sale in walmart etc. I have shot moose, bear, deer, turkey with them and never had an issue out of my exomax.

[xpert1111]

I'd be careful. every arrow I ever flexed from Walmart bends like a cheap hooker on a Saturday night. To me they are low quality and flimsy to be shooting from a crossbow!

[wildcatter]

Black Eagle only,,, Tapps and Zombies,, if I get a heck of a buy on Executioners I'll buy em,, but I have seen cheap arrow become expensive results,, more than once. They aint much good when they sit in a corner because I got arrows that shoot much better.

[L. E. Carroll]

W-Catter,

I only questioned these " close out " priced arrows in regards to their possible use as low cost small game and varmint arrows

I also am familiar with Black Eagles. However, not with the spinal tap verion, but do hunt with Z-slayers and have a few executioners on hand as well , and agree they are high quality shafts which do provide exceptional accuracy and durability. But at a much higher cost than what I spent on the CE's.

I did find the CE Speed Freaks to be very stiff with what I precieve a thicker wall thickness, when compared to some other's I'm familar with. I believe I was told they retail at Wallyworld in excess of $7.00 each, and felt very lucky to get them at only $1.50 each. When simply doing a spin test I can decern no visibly wabble nor irregularity.

When cut to 17" with the simple supplied plastic U shape nock and 125gn blunt or similar small game point such as a Judo of the same weight, they come in at or very near, 408 grains.. Just about perfect IMO, and for me they are very accurate and extremey stiff spine wise... ( as in I can not get them to bend in my hands at all ).

They have proven to me to be very accurate out to 40 yards with 125 gn field points ( as far as I have shot them to date .) Hopefully, they will be very usable as small game and varmint arrows which was my goal when buying them...

I cringe at the thought of launching one of my Black Eagles ( as I'm cheap that way ) at a small animal or possibly a small varmint which I would not choose to put in a cooking pot or skillet, when I feel even a good solid hit, which I know is right on the money, is most likely going to result in a lost arrow , thus the search for cheap innexpensive alternatives. :

Would I buy more of these "Cheap" $ 1.50 arrows should I find them ? Yes, especially if they were the Speed Freaks.
Gene