arrow penetration

[3Feathers]

Is there any difference in penetration with a
wood arrow vs carbon arrow with both of equal
weight?Does one penetrate beter than the other?
what is your choice??

[Earl Jeff]

Carbon. smaller diameter. quicker to stabilize in flight. My opinion

[Orion]

A smaller shaft penetrates better than a thicker shaft, all other things being equal.  Most carbons are 5/16 or smaller, most woods are 11/32 or larger.  Thus, a skinnier carbon will penetrate better than a fatter wood shaft.

Not sure that carbon is quicker to stabilize.  If the arrow is properly spine matched to the bow, recovery should be equal, regardless of the arrow material. That's if all other things are equal, but they usually aren't when comparing carbons to wood.

Lots of other things affect penetration, and a well flying arrow is at the top of the list.  It's more important than arrow material IMO.

My choice is wood.

[Don Stokes]

I don't care if carbon arrows penetrate a little better or not. Any difference is negligible in the real world. Your broadhead cuts a big enough hole for any diameter arrow shaft, and blood is an excellent lubricant.    

I use barreled woods with center diameters of up to 25/64, and penetration has never been a problem.

[Onehair]

You could shoot a broom handle through those skinny deer in North MS.

[Ragnarok Forge]

The smaller diameter shafts will penetrate better.  Animal flesh does not stay expanded after the head enters, it drags along the shaft.  Ashby covered this in his reports.  The increase in penetration of a smaller shaft is significant enough to be measured in a study.

[Don Stokes]

Onehair, are they that much bigger down in Clower land?      

Clay, with all due respect to Dr. Ashby, I'll stick with my fat shafts and keep shooting through these skinny deer in the real world. Dan Quillian shot one of my shafts tipped with a big Snuffer completely through a record-class grizzly, with a quartering shot. Good enough for me.

[Bonebuster]

I have no doubt a carbon arrow will out penetrate a wood arrow of the same weight.

Luckily, it really makes no difference.

Wood arrows will never be beaten in the pure fun and enjoyment that comes from making and using them.

[30coupe]

As mentioned, carbon arrows have an advantage in penetration due to smaller diameter. They also have the advantage in that it is much easier to achieve high FOC. That said, critters of all sizes have been getting pretty dead for eons due to wooden arrows, even with some pretty crude points. There is more to hunting than penetration.

Carbons win the penetration competition, but it probably doesn't matter in the real world.

[Bjorn]

I am strictly a wood shooter and have shot other materials in the past. Skinny wins the penetration test on animals all other things being equal.

[legends1]

Dont worry about penetration with either.Just put a sharp broadhead on,both well work very well.

[Fischman]

C'mon guys as long as your broadhead is razor sharp, 2 blade in my opinion, your splitting hairs, as far as which penetrates better! Couldn't resist that one! LOL

[Biggie Hoffman]

Originally posted by Don Stokes:
I don't care if carbon arrows penetrate a little better or not. Any difference is negligible in the real world. Your broadhead cuts a big enough hole for any diameter arrow shaft, and blood is an excellent lubricant.        

I use barreled woods with center diameters of up to 25/64, and penetration has never been a problem.

That's been my experience as well. I've shot through hundreds of animals with parellel cedar shafts. Oddly enough, only when I went to carbons did I START having penetration issues!
All things being equal, I haven't seen the "extraordinary penetrating power" of carbons.

Me thinks it's a marketing deal made for the compound shooters. The same one that told them they can't shoot wood arrows from a compound device.

[Rob DiStefano]

imho, no matter what, it still boils down to a well flying arrow, a very sharp c-o-c broadhead and accurate placement on the critter.  anything else is ancillary.  

[YORNOC]

I agree with the proper flying arrow. I shoot carbons but would shoot a good woodie any day properly tuned. Carbons are just easier for me, but that isnt really what traditional is about is it?
Once you get into big dangerous game like moose and buffalo with tough thick hides, you have to start REALLY paying attention. The arrow will flex when it hits its target if it is not stiff enough, and even with a razor in front of it, the bending shaft slows it down. Then you've got thick fur,sticky fat, big tendons, possible bone,etc.  On big game, it definitely becomes an issue. Even here, a woodie properly spined from a heavy bow will do fine. BUT you have to test plenty before sticking one of these guys!

[Don Stokes]

"splitting hairs"- I like that one!

It's easy to get distracted by small details and miss the big picture. Hard to argue with experience like Biggie's.