Arrow shafts

[Scubadogs]

Well I am looking for some new shafts to get other than wood for my recurves.  I would like to hear what opinions are on Aluminum or Carbon, which is preferred.  I'll use these for hunting.  I am leaning towards some xx75 1916.   Thoughts??

[Wudstix]

Personally, if I was moving from Woodies I would go to Easton aluminum.  In my experience easier to tune.
 

[rustyspike]

I shoot the 1916's. Bow's 45 @ 26" (recurve and longbow's)  draw 26" cut to 27.25. These shafts are pretty flexible. I can shot a 50# bow with the same arrows. I am not good enough to notice the difference.

Rich K.

[McDave]

I believe carbon shafts are the overwhelming favorite these days.  They are tougher and lighter than aluminum or wood. Tougher is always an advantage.  Lighter is also advantageous in two ways: in target shooting, a lighter overall arrow weight is desirable, whereas for hunting, a lighter shaft weight allows for heavier weight up front for a given total arrow weight.  The narrower carbon shafts offer greater penetration on animals than aluminum or wood.

Aluminum edges carbon out in lower cost and higher overall consistency between batches in weight, spine, and straightness.  The straightness factor diminishes over time, as aluminum shafts have a tendency to bend and are not easy to straighten.  It is possible to get carbon shafts as consistent in weight, spine, and straightness as aluminum, but they are pricy.  Aluminum arrows can be noisy and rattle around, so precautions have to be taken to prevent that.

[MnFn]

what weight bow and what weight heads?
And length of arrows?
i am shooting 29” 2016 with 160 to heads  for 47# to 50#.
if lighter probably 1916.

But with my heavier bows, i do really like Full Metal Jackets, but they are kind of pricey.
And i like Surewoods a lot. I guess i like them all!

i probably have over a hundred arrows in the garage.

[Stringwacker]

I have a lifetime supply of wood, aluminum, and carbon arrows. I shoot them all at some point or the other. Though not being able to pick just 'one' is likely a mental flaw; it does give me a lot of perspective.

Aluminum is straight, weight, spine consistent, fairly cheap, and easier to tune. Aluminums are cut easily with a tube cutter and you can apply heat to the tube to precision align broadheads, remove inserts, etc etc. They can bend, but they are more durable on a glancing blow than likely your woodie's...at least for me. I really don't have a bending problem on the 2018's I shoot.... though I admit I have bent a few over the last 5 decades. For the nostalgic among us, Easton starting producing them in the 1930's so they have a solid background in our sport. Lastly, they do the job from the range to the field.

Carbons are durable and manufacturing components, such as tuning weights, are easy to get. The shafts are the mainstay of the compound and crossbow user so they are at every archery store. They can be front loaded for better FOC and penetration. However, they aren't as consistent as aluminum. I spine test each one and have found a more variation than I would like...in one instance 7 pounds!  I cull out as many carbons on account of spine as I throw away with bent arrows with aluminum....so I think of it as a wash.

To answer your question...I've been on an aluminum kick for a while now. I think most people will lose more arrows than they bend. In that case, a strong case for aluminum can be made due to less cost. That is especially true given aluminum is straighter and more consistent.

[Wudstix]

For me, with my recent experience trying to get a set of Carbon Express Heritage shafts to fly right, I would say carbons are a bit more labor intensive.  The spine weight is a bit more finicky.  Getting a dozen trimmed and fletched about choked me.  Aluminum work well and I can trim with a pipe cutter, fletch easily and they are durable.  For me tapered, footed shafts are my go to.  I can work with them, stain, crest, and fletch them.  In the blink of an eye that I have been playing with bows and arrows I have found there is not a statistically significant difference in which one of the three I can destroy the fastest.  Woodies are a bit easier to get weight 10-12 gpp than the others for my bows.  Plus, there is just something about a longbow with wood arrows that touches me.
 

 

[M60gunner]

Both Carbon and aluminum shafts have pluses and minuses. Aluminums IME are easier to tune, cut and install inserts. Hot melt and a flame. I hacksaw or tubing cutter to cut. BUT, they bend if they hit solid objects like those CA rocks. It takes usually some sort of straighting tool and skill to get them straight agian. Carbons, especially footed with a 1”-2” piece of aluminum shaft will withstand most of those hard hits. But it takes some knowledge and some frustration to tune them . There are a lot of resources here and on the internet to help. Biggest mistake I see is starting with overspined shafts then adding so much weight the arrows fly like logs. Maybe OK for close up but limiting the arrows usefulness if you do more than hunt.

[Scubadogs]

Great info from all!  Thanks.  I have a 27 inch draw, shoot 37 to 55 pound vintage recurve and long bows, 100, 125 gr, heads.  Like most of you I have a shed full of arrows but a majority of them were included when purchasing my bows. So, they are usually not the correct arrows, length or spine. I am amazed at the amount of compound shafts people have with their recurve bow.
Seems Aluminum shafts by most are the best value, and better at tuning. Which is the route I am going to take but I am going to get a set of 6 Carbon in 500 just to mess with.  

[Scubadogs]

For me, with my recent experience trying to get a set of Carbon Express Heritage shafts to fly right, I would say carbons are a bit more labor intensive.  The spine weight is a bit more finicky.  Getting a dozen trimmed and fletched about choked me.  Aluminum work well and I can trim with a pipe cutter, fletch easily and they are durable.  For me tapered, footed shafts are my go to.  I can work with them, stain, crest, and fletch them.  In the blink of an eye that I have been playing with bows and arrows I have found there is not a statistically significant difference in which one of the three I can destroy the fastest.  Woodies are a bit easier to get weight 10-12 gpp than the others for my bows.  Plus, there is just something about a longbow with wood arrows that touches me.
 

 

I have the same feeling even with my recurves.  Something about wood that brings them both together.

[Wudstix]

I'm more willing to shoot Aluminum and/or carbon out of my recurves, even though woodies do fly so good!!!
 

[Scubadogs]

I'm getting there.  My favorite Longbow that I have is by Howatt "the Stick"  62"  55#  and writing this reminds me that I have not shot this in awhile so that's what I am go to do now! Usually shot wood on this but I'll try some others today.

[Steelhead]

37 to 55 pounds is a pretty broad range of poundges.

I think with aluminum I would be looking at 2016 and 1916.They should both be toward the middle of the range of poundages of the bows you have.

You can vary the lengths of your shafts and get points from like 100 to 175 and get a good fit on mutiple poundages.

At your low end of the poundages you shoot ay your draw length I would say 1816.moving up the ladder to 1916,2016 and 2018 for your heaviest bows

[Wild Bill MCP 808]

I love them all they all will shoot great if tuned and set up for your form and style of shooting.

[Wudstix]

Wild Bill is right, it just depends on your likes and dislikes.  They will all fly, and put game on the pole.