Swaging brass collars onto arrow shafts

[Nelsdou]

If anyone is interested, I developed a procedure using spent 30 caliber cases, reloading press with resizing die and bullet sizing die to swags brass collars onto the shaft heads of some arrows for reinforcement. Composite/carbon shafts that use a screw in insert behind the point often break or mushroom from hard impact hits driving the screw in insert down the shaft. A brass can reinforcement this joint and possibly prevent failure.

[gitano]

Keenly interested!

Paul

[Nelsdou]

Paul, is the making stuff a more appropriate location?  Meanwhile I'll get my photos arranged.

[gitano]

6 of one, half a dozen of the other, Nels.  People will probably see it sooner here.

Paul

[Nelsdou]

I acquired some bamboo shafts to make into arrows. Tonkin River Reed shafts I received are known to have minimal node "bumps", straight tapers from head to nock, and tough. Bamboo has a hard shell with very soft inner center, so I anticipated that they would be susceptible to shattering or mushrooming on the head end if shot into something very hard like rocks, wood, or bone. Very similar to my experiences with carbon arrows that have a hollow core.

While musing about how I could reinforce the bamboo shaft head, I discovered that the shafts I received measured approximately .308 inches diameter, the inner diameter of some Schmidt-Ruben cases I had in a bag, fired but never reloaded as they configured with berdan primers.

Long story short, I developed a way to utilize the brass case necks to swage collars onto the bamboo shafts.

In addition when it comes to other types of shafting, like wood or carbon, the brass collars applied by swaging could definitively be advantageous.

So in the follow on photos, shown will be collar fabrication on bamboo shafts that would also be applicable to wood shafts using tang type inserts.  Since carbon shafts typically are supplied with matching inserts, one can skip ahead to the swaging steps. A "Pile Driver" model carbon shaft supplied by Carbon Express  with a .304 inch diameter is shown below with a swaged brass collar. Finished diameter of the collar is .329 inches.

[Nelsdou]

Tools needed:

• Reloading press
  
• Spent brass cases (preferably longer the necks the better) that slip onto the shaft in a fairly close fit
  
• Cartridge resizing die
  
• Bullet sizing die (for final OD of brass collar)
  
• Case lube
  
• Hacksaw
  
• File, grinder, sander or optional Lee case trimmer
  
• 4mm bamboo skewers
  
• Arrow-Fix jig for drilling 5/16 or 11/32 shafts (wood or bamboo only)
  
• Arrow-Fix Break-off field point/broadhead adapter 5/16 or 11/32 (wood or bamboo only)
  
• Portable drill or drill press (wood or bamboo only)
  

Arrow Shaft Collar Swaging Procedure

• (Wood or bamboo only) Square up the shaft end by sanding or filing
  
• (Wood or bamboo only) Drill a 4mm diameter hole in the shaft end using the Arrow-Fix jig and drill motor
  

more to follow:

[gitano]

Izzat a Zwickey point in the first post? I have some that are 50 years old.

Paul

[Nelsdou]

Nope, it's a Grizzly. Although being 11/32 it fits a 5/16 shaft as the ferral taper is the same. Just has a step down at the shaft head junction due the differing diameters.


The only 5/16 glue on broadheads I could find were the Zwickey Eskilite shown below. Similar spotweld construction except the Eskilite ferrals were not consistently concentric out of the 3-pack I purchased.



With that said I shot two of them into 3/4 plywood and had to pound them out from the backside with a hammer. Very minimal damage to the broadhead tip and no bend over. I could have restored the tip with a file in minutes and re-used them.

[gitano]

Wow! I knew Zwickeys were tough, but...!

Paul

[Nelsdou]

For the wood and bamboo shafts, the key component used is the Arrow-Fix point, available from Three Rivers Archery. It is a precision machined tapered point that appears to be stainless, as it does not appear to be magnetic. The tang comes with a break notch so one can change the 125 grain version to 100 grain.


One can use the Arrow-Fix point for target shooting as supplied or glue on a matching tapered field point or broadhead.

[Nelsdou]

Continuing with the procedure-

• (Wood and bamboo only) Check fit of the shaft with the Arrow-Fix tanged point. Point base should fit squarely to the shaft fully seated
  
• (Wood and bamboo only) Remove the Arrow-Fix tanged point from the shaft
  
• (All shafting) Select the brass cartridge that fits the shaft point end by slipping the case neck over the shaft end. Should slip on and fit snug but not be excessively loose.
  

I may have been lucky, but my bamboo shafts were running ~.306 to 308 and carbon shaft was .304, 30 caliber cases were used for the collar material.

• If the cartridge neck has been previously crimped, you may need to trim it slightly with a case trimmer tool to remove any small cracks left by the original crimp machinery. A slight bevel will result with the finished collar having clean edge finish on the shaft.
  
• Clean the inner side of the case neck with a copper brush and wipe clean with alcohol or similar solvent to remove any carbon residue.
  
• Place the brass case neck next to the shaft end and compare the brass case neck length against the shaft. Measure or mark the shaft equivalent to the length of the case neck on the shaft taking into account the width of your cutting tool (hacksaw blade). Wrap masking tape around the shaft where the case neck should stop when the case is slipped onto the shaft for swaging. The tape prevents the shaft from slipping down into the case when setting up for the initial swage operation.
  

[Nelsdou]

• Place a length of 4mm bamboo skewer or dowel in the shaft end with enough length to enable extraction after swaging on the brass collar. The skewer is a preventative measure to to the swaging operation crushing or cracking the shaft. This step is not necessary for carbon shafts that already have an aluminum insert installed in the shaft head.
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[Nelsdou]

• Take a 30 caliber cartridge resizing die and remove the decapper pin
  
• Place the appropriate cartridge base shell holder onto the reloading press ram
  
• Slip the brass case onto the shaft up to the masking tape and from the nock end of the shaft slip on the resizing die.
  
• As an assembly, place the shaft/brass case/resizing die into the reloading press and secure the resizing die by screwing it into the press. Ensure the brass case rim is placed into the shell holder on the ram and the shaft is in the case neck no deeper than the masking tape edge.
  
• Lightly lube the case neck with case lube.
  

[Nelsdou]

• Stroke the press bringing the brass case into the resizing die. Ensure the stroke is complete to the shoulder of the case to the point you feel resistance that you are bumping the case shoulder back. This action sets the initial bite of the brass at the aft end of the brass collar onto the shaft.
  

[Nelsdou]

• Reverse the stroke and remove the shaft/case from the press by unscrewing the resizing die from the press, then the shaft from the resizing die.
  
• Cut the brass case from the shaft by sawing at the case neck to case shoulder junction.