Nocks and inserts

Nocks and inserts are the small parts that make or break a hunt arrow build. A nock is the plastic clip on the back of the shaft that snaps onto the bowstring. An insert is the metal (aluminium, brass, or stainless) sleeve glued or press-fit into the front of the shaft that accepts a broadhead thread. Neither of these gets much attention, and both are the failure points on a poorly-tuned hunt arrow.

Nock types

Pin nocks (Beiter, Easton G Nock) index into a fixed pin that glues into the shaft, letting the archer rotate the nock without a re-glue. Bushings-and-nock systems (Easton X Nock, Victory IP) run a metal bushing in the shaft and a snap-on nock. The pin system is more precise; the bushing system is more field-servicable.

Insert weight

Standard aluminium inserts weigh 12 to 20 gr. Brass upgrades weigh 50 to 100 gr and shift arrow FOC forward for heavy-shaft elk builds. Stainless-steel outserts (half-outs) add 50 to 75 gr and reinforce the shaft against wall damage on shoulder-bone hits. Insert weight is the cheapest way to move FOC up 4 to 6 points.

Insert glue

Hot-melt (Bohning Ferr-L-Tite) is the standard for inserts. It sets fast, holds under normal hunt conditions, and releases with heat if you want to re-index. Slow-cure epoxy is stronger for stainless outserts. Never use CA glue on inserts.

Related reading

See the arrows pillar, arrow tuning, and fletching.