bigtbird

I have been very successful using aluminum and carbon arrows. Presently, I am using carbon. My biggest reason for changing is the convience of seeing if the arrow is slightly kinked or straight. I realize that it is difficult with the naked eye to actually ascertain if the arrow is straight or not. My question..........I'm hearing more and more hunters say "I would never release a carbon arrow across my rest". I do realize that the aluninum arrow has more kinetic energy because of their weight, but what have you other archers have to say?
Thanks in advance for reading this thread. Happy hunting!!!!!!!!!

Bigpapascout

weight has nothing to do with maintaining that kenetic energy
aluminum arrowsloose KE faster because they flex more each time an arrow flexes it looses KE and upon impact of the target as it fleses as it penetrates it looses even more KE out the back of the arrow

Carbon arrows are stiffer so they flex less thus maintaining more KE both in flight and on impact of the target

some archers feel that Carbon arrows are unsafe therefore will not shoot them
I can respect that judgement on the otherhand an underspined aluminum arrow can be just as unsafe every coin has 2 sides.

Arthur P

I have a strong preference for aluminum over carbon. That is, with the caveat that we're discussing the aluminums that have a wall thickness of .015" or more. For me, the heavier aluminums last a lot longer than carbons. Right now, I'm shooting a set of 2315's that I've used on my compound, recurve and longbow for the past five years. Some of them have been straightened several times, certainly, but they still shoot great, even with broadheads. On the other hand, I've never had a set of carbons last more than one summer before they're worn out.

I can be practically certain to get a dozen aluminum arrows that will shoot perfectly well with broadheads. I'm pretty certain NOT to get more than one or two out of a dozen carbons that will carry broadheads worth a flip.

I don't have to replace the teflon prong silencers on my rest nearly as often with aluminum as I have to with carbon. Aluminum is smoother and less abrasive than carbons, even the carbons with the camo coating.

Associated with that, aluminum arrows are much easier to pull out of targets, even without resorting to rubbing the arrow with waxes, lotions, potions, oils or unguents. This is very important to me and the degenerating discs in my back. If I shoot a round of 3D with carbon, I always keep score so the other poor sods in my group have to pull my arrows.

You mentioned more KE due to aluminum's weight. That's only part of the story. They also absorb more energy from the bow, so there is less energy left in the bow to cause shock, noise and vibration. Which means I don't have to spend a bunch of extra money on rubber anti-vibration gizmos and my bow will still be shooting like new, many years from now. (I've got a 1990 vintage Hoyt that has never shot anything butaluminum arrows and it still shoots like a new bow.)

I like the larger diameter of aluminum, so I can apply more fletching helical and still have plenty of rest clearance. Although, there are some fat shaft carbons on the market now that are just as large. One of the reasonsdropaway rests have gotten so popular is they eliminate the problem of fletching clearance with carbons. Or some guys just pitch it all and go with the whisker bisquit so they get total fletching contact.

Cost. To get a carbon arrow with relatively the same straightness and spine consistency of even low end Gamegetter II's, I'd have to spend roughly double the price. And, like I said, the aluminums will last me several years while the carbons will be worn out in less than 4 months, as much as I shoot. To get equal service to the 2315's I've been shooting for the past five years,for whichI paid $45 a dozen, I would'vegone through 15 dozen carbons (One dozen every 4 months=three dozen a year = 15 dozen over five years) and spent roughly $1500. $45 vs $1500?That's fairly significant savings, I'd say.

Aluminum arrows are much eaiser to work with. I can use plain ol' Fletchtite for fletching them and hot melt for inserts.Being able to use hotmelt means I can turn the insert if it needs adjusting to make a broadhead spin true. And I don't have to worry about ruining the aluminum shaft while I'm melting the glue. With carbons, I have to epoxy the inserts in place so I'm outta luck if the insert doesn't wind up perfectly aligned with the shaft when it's first installed. Even if you use hotmelt with a low melting point forcarbons, you still run therisk of getting it too hot and melting the shaft.

Aluminum arrows' inside diameters are perfectly consistent, which is a big help when installing inserts. ID's on carbons (at least, all the ones I've measured)are highly inconsistent, which is a nightmare when trying to get inserts installed correctly.

If I use a carbon arrow, I'd save roughly 100 grains of arrow weight and gain about 20 fps. To me, a paltry 20 fps is not worth all the extra stuff I have to go through to get them to shoot, and the extra cost... not to mention the extra "WHAT?!!? You need arrows AGAIN?!!?" bargaining rounds I'd have to endure with the wife.[8D]

edit: BPS posted whilst I was typing. After reading his post I realized I forgot mentioning the safety issue.

Carbons are exactly like old cedar arrows. You have to check them for cracks every time you shoot them, for safety's sake. And you can still miss a crack. Maybe if you shoot an aluminum that's 40 pounds underspined for a bow, you'll have safety issues. It takes someone really stupid to do that, but most Darwin Award winners remove themselves from the gene pool before they get around to shooting bows.

mauser06

im pretty wet behind the ears in the archery world.....but why on earth would you go through a dozen carbons every 4 months arthur?? you mentioned it..but not why unless i missed that and im sorry if i did miss the reasoning...just curious. ill take a stab in the dark....because the spine has been shot out right??? just curious..im new to it all...i need another dozen...only because i shot too many of mine!! all i got left now is my "hunting arrows" i kept in the best shape and had refletched..shot a few times and put away to ensure i had them for this season in great shape..next year ill be shooting AC superslims. expensive as all get out...but i get the best of the carbon world and best of the alumanum world. think they will make a GREAT hunting arrow. if i quit shooting more then 1 arrow at a target i wont have any broken arrows! havent lost any...mainly because if i miss my backstop my bow musta blew up..but curious as to why you think youd go through 3 dozen carbons a year.....i got atleast 2000 shots on my carbons and they all group tight enough to keep crackin each other!! after 4 or so i got smart and started shooting 1 at a time. when shooting the bag i shoot 5 spot but now that the season is in i practice on the deer...

Arthur P

Yes.

mauser06

figured that was going to be the reason..i was just curious. in all honesty it makes alot of sense..from the carbon fibers always flexing during every shot i can see how carbon could loose its spine..and even become dangerous to shoot after so long...some swear it happens...some swear it doesnt. i dont know. im more then convinced my "practice arrows" were loosing their spine...im almost posative they flexed more/easier then the ones i didnt shoot nearly as many times. wish i had a spine checker...but then again most of them arrows were shot. they all still shot really well.

also i wonder is the AC, FMJ, and ACC type arrows will loose their spine??

and also wonder if anyones actually done testing??

and also wonder if BETTER (better tolerances..better made...more expensive) carbons loose their spine? and if so would they last any longer then the cheaper ones??

just some things to think about.....i think the search for the best arrow material is still being searched for...and itll be one of them things noone will ever find. everything comes with its ups and downs.

Bigpapascout

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Oneshot7

i am using the Easton Axis Full Metal Jacket to get the best of both worlds i dont shoot that much i jsut make sure my Bhs are on and the sight and rest and i dont get weak over time lol so i dont go through that many carbons so a set will last mea while

Sniper151

Bigpapascout: here is an excerpt from a fell that probably know more about this subject than either of us:

But carbon-arrow buffs still insist that a skinny arrow penetrates better than a larger-diameter arrow because it supposedly drags less through flesh. This is nonsense. The broadhead cuts a very large hole in an animal—much larger than any shaft—and the shaft slides along behind with next to no friction. Fat, blood and other body fluid in the wound channel helps to lubricate the hole. Every carbon versus aluminum penetration test I’ve seen has been conducted in dense foam, ballistic gelatin or another material that clamps around the shaft as it passes through. Of course a skinny shaft penetrates better in such material. But flesh does exactly the opposite. It springs away from the shaft as the broadhead cuts. Shaft diameter is beside the point in penetrating animals.
Chuck Adams

Bigpapascout

why would he know more?
because he gets paid to hunt?

I have done a few years studies of this subject for archery equipment manufacturers in fact a whole lot more than Mr Adams has I am sure
and have shared and debatedmy findings on the subject right here many times before
I simply choose to stay out of the debate this time around

I have also found in my years of stdys that you can drag a horse to water but you cant get him to drink.

some people have different preferences so who am I to try to change their minds if folks like shooting aluminum arrows more power to them

I will stick with my carbons for hunting

and keep using the fat aluminums for indoor spots.