Choosing Tungsten Darts

Tungsten darts are not cheap, in fact they can be very expensive the more tungsten you get.  However if you are looking to work on your dart game, these are the best darts to purchase.  They are the choice of professional darters and are the logical choice for the most effective shooting.  This article will help you identify what the advantages are to buying tungsten darts, what you should think about before purchase, and what you should expect to pay.

What is Tungsten?
Tungsten is a naturally occurring mineral that appears grayish in color and is always found combined with other minerals when mined from the Earth.  The compounds mined the most are wolframite and scheelite.  On its own tungsten is a very dense mineral with a high melting point, this density is what makes it ideal for darts.  Over 75% of the mining production occurs in China.

Why Pros throw Tungsten Darts
The dense material allows the dart to be the same weight as other darts, but up to half the size.  This allows the darter to throw tighter groupings with all three darts.  So, it is easier to throw a ton80 (three triple twenties) with tungsten darts then it would be with wooden, brass, or nickel darts.
 
How is the Knurling?
Knurling is the grip on the barrel of the dart.  The coarser the knurling the better grip the darter will have in their throw.  Because tungsten is so dense, it does not wear down from use as quickly, allowing the thrower a consistent release.  I tend to have sweaty hands during competition and really like a coarse knurling to prevent the darts from slipping in my throwing motion.  The best I have found from over 10 years of throwing is Bottelsen’s steel-tip Gorilla Grip Hammer Head Darts with 90% tungsten.  I have used these darts for over 4 years and they seem to retain their knurling on the barrel quite well.  I am sure that there are many other brands that have similar techniques to a raised grip point and the best advice I can give is to feel a few at sporting goods store or at a tournament with a vendor displaying darts.  However, before you purchase you should continue reading.
 
How much Tungsten in the darts?
Tungsten darts come in many different varieties and percentages.  You will see the most common being 70%, which usually means 70% tungsten, 30% nickel.  In older sets tungsten was sometimes mixed with copper; however those are very unusual to find anymore.  However, you can find darts with a trace of tungsten up to about 98% tungsten in the more expensive sets.  Remember the more tungsten you buy, the darts will hold up better, last longer, and be thinner, which will help your shooting.

Pricing of Darts
The big consideration that most people will be making when considering how much to spend on darts is what is their goal?  If the goal of the shooter is to learn the game and determine if they want to shoot on a regular basis, then I would expect that shooter to pick up a $20 set at their local sporting goods store and go out to shoot.  I had a friend from work that we needed to substitute on our winter dart team.  He proceeded to borrow a spare set of darts from one of our regulars and shoot for the evening.  He found that he really enjoyed the game and at our next tournament he spent $40 on a decent set of 80% tungsten darts and discovered a long-term love for the game.  He went on to shoot on our summer team and has been shooting ever since.  However, if you already are an experienced shooter you may have more concern for cost over life of the darts.  Myself, I spent $80 on a good set of Bottleson’s 90% Tungsten and they have lasted four years and counting, showing no signs of wear.  So far, they have cost me $20 a year, and I expect that cost to continue shrinking.

50-70% Tungsten - will usually cost less than $40 and will be sold at larger chain stores and sporting goods stores.  You really have to watch out for cheaper, mass produced imports in this category.  These will be very common, but not the best darts for the long haul.

80% Tungsten – will usually cost $20-$50 and I would consider these the most common darts sold to league players.  Many of the players in our lower conferences (newer, inexperienced, shooters) use these darts.  You can find these online, vendors at dart tournaments, and occasionally at a sporting goods store with a larger selection of dart supplies.

90% Tungsten – will usually cost $50-$100 and can be found online from numerous retailers.  These darts are most common with guys in the league that I would consider regulars.  They have worked on their game some and have slipped into a pretty consistent way of shooting.  There are numerous manufacturers to choose from with a wide variety of models, this is where an individuals feel will come into play.  You really need to pick a few of these up and see what is the most comfortable for you.

95-98% Tungsten – will usually cost more than $100 to purchase, not running more than $200 on a consistent basis.  These darts will be extremely thin and if you have real potential for developing your game into an elite shooter I recommend these.  When I say elite shooter, which means local for your area also, not just the professionals.  If I could find the time to shoot every night to really work on my game, then I would definitely consider investing in these darts, because they will really help with groupings of the darts.
Conclusion

Depending on your level of interests in darts, there is a large variety of tungsten darts to purchase, remember to read the packaging carefully to find out exactly the amount of tungsten you are getting for your money.

Tungsten Alloy Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.tungsten-alloy.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, WML Version: http://m.chinatungsten.com

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