Carbon or Aluminum Arrows

[Featherbuster]

I shoot arrow dynamics and have all cut at 30" and shoot bows from 55-61 pounds and broadheads from 125 to 220 grains.

[Mr.Magoo]

Aluminum is easy to tune, easy to cut, easy to glue, easy to 'un-glue' and cheap.  Durability depends on the size (2016's bend pretty regularly, 2018's don't).

Carbon is tough.  You'll need a high speed cutting wheel.  Can be fussy to tune and more expensive.  I don't like the idea of a carbon shaft breaking inside and animal an ruining meat, nor do I like the idea of it breaking on release and getting a handful of carbon fiber.

That said, I shoot both.  The spine calculator by Stu Miller already mentioned has been right on so far, so give it a look before you buy to get in the ballpark.

[freefeet]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
My STOCK carbons weigh more that the aluminums I use to use....so don't buy the broad brush statements that they are all light weight.

The other night after offering someone my carbons to try on his ELB i was told that you can't shoot carbons out of an ELB cause they're too light and it would damage the bow - too low GPP!

I then pointed out to the guy that my carbons weighed more than his wood arrows - he still refused to try them though.  There's lots of funny information out there.

But back to OP's question - i love carbons.  I started off shooting with wood and got fed up with breaking them and having to straighten them - whereas i haven't broke a carbon since i started shooting them in August and they don't need straightening.  Haven't tried aluminium and can't see any reason to as they bend and my carbons do not.

[BigJim]

A debate that will never end!! until they quit making aluminum arrows that is.
They are already difficult to find. I'm told so by everybody who calls me looking for them or the customers coming into our show tent at events looking for them.
I have to disagree(of course what we expect)about the difficulty of tuning arrow and weighting them down. I have absolutely no difficulty whatsoever tuning arrow for my customers or myself. Amongst most of the other advantages, there are usually only 4 spine groups to choose from. Unless there is something terribly wrong, with some effort, you can typically make two different groups shoot out of the same bow, although one will certainly tune easier and shoot better. How many differen't groups do you need to go throug with aluminums to find the "just right" one.
You can cut carbons with a dremmel, or there are other saws out there that can be purchase for as little as $35. In the rare event that a shaft were to break inside the deer and ruin any meat, it would be extremely minimal. Besides, shoot them in the ribs. Not much meat to ruin there.

I am a sucker, I get lured into these things all the time.

have fun, bigjim

[Rob DiStefano]

alums are fine for shooting into relatively soft butts and foamies, but from my experience they just can't cut it when roving afield with judos and field points - they bend far too easily.  

carbons are by far more durable and never need straightening.  

forget the carbon arrow sizing charts - go weaker than suggested.  

for a bow that's 51# @ 27", a 29" beman ics bowhunter 500 should do you well.  look to create an arrow around 10 gpp and load as much weight up front as possible.  

my 29.5" beman ics 500's weigh 255 grains (nock, 4" four fletch, alum insert) - if you were to use a 125 grain point (field, judo or broadhead) epoxied to a 125 grain steel adapter you'd have an excellent arrow setup that's real close to 10 gpp and with an efoc of around 25%.

for a heavier shaft and even higher foc, substitute a 100 grain brass insert instead of the 40 grain alum.

[Earl Jeff]

Nothing beats Carbon for durability, but make sure you flex them after you hit something hard or you might find out the hard way like some knuckle head I know very well how much those jagged pieces of carbon fiber hurt when you are pulling the out of you skin.  :eek:

[30coupe]

I'd second Rob's arrow setup. That is just about identical to mine. I wouldn't worry about a carbon arrow breaking in a critter. Mine shoot right through. The only deer I have shot with an aluminum arrow broke my arrow. The ones I shot with carbons didn't. I also couldn't get the high FOC I do with carbons. That said, my son shot right through a big old Iowa buck this year with his 1916s and 150 grain Woodsman.

The worst part of aluminum arrows, as far as I'm concerned is they can be loud, especially if they get bent just a little...not enough to really affect arrow flight visually.

The ICS Bowhunters that Rob mentioned are no more expensive than aluminum arrows. If you consider how much longer they last, they are much cheaper. I tried several other carbons, including Gold Tips, but these were the easiest to tune of all.

Carbon, aluminum or wood are all good arrow materials. All three have killed countless critters and will continue to do so. Beman ICS Bowhunter 500s work great for me, don't break the bank, and I haven't managed to break one yet...well, I did Robin Hood one, which messed up about 1/2" of the tail end. I just stripped the feathers off, turned it around, added a 100 grain brass insert and aluminum footing, refletched, and use it for stump shooting. Now it's virtually indestructible! It is kind of heavy though    :rolleyes: