Prefer Aluminum shafts over carbon? Tell me why.....

[Roger Norris]

Like the title says......I am interested in your opinion.

[Kirkll]

Aluminum shafts are hands down the most accurate in spine consistency of any shafts built…. But with that being said, they are the least durable when used a lot. Once they are bent, they are spent….  Oh sure…. You’ll hear of guys saying different, and that they can be straightened easily, and this is somewhat true …. What they do not realize is after they have been bent and straightened, they will never shoot the same again because it changes the spine deflection.


The guys that say it doesn’t matter do not shoot well enough, or accurately enough to tell the difference.   But there ya have it….    .02 cents worth.

[Bowsey Wails]

I find it kind of sad that "Traditional Only Autumn Orange XX75" shafts are called Traditional Only when they don't come with the nock end swaged. I prefer Bohning classic nocks on all my arrows. Woodies for deer, my old 2018's for bunnies and squirrels.

[Wudstix]

I shoot fairly stout bows and it is much easier to get the arrow weight needed with 2219's than with carbon shafts.  I don't bend allot of 2219 arrows.
 

[STICKBENDER98]

A bit of nostalgia, I have always loved the autumn orange shafts, but I also find it easier to get my total mass weight easier with aluminum shafts.  I also think my bows shoot a bit quieter with aluminum over carbon, just as woodies make my bows seem quieter than other shafts.  As far as durability, I think that is a moot point, if you hit something hard, a shafts is going to bend break or splinter.


Jason

[Wudstix]

I think that is a moot point, if you hit something hard, a shafts is going to bend break or splinter. 

My feelings.

[Stringwacker]

I think the only reason the aluminum arrow doesn't still reign supreme in the arrow world  today is largely in part due to its durability. Nothing beats the consistency of aluminum in terms of spine and weight. The fact that 'cheap' aluminum arrows are still more consistent than the highest priced carbon is a little more than ironic as it goes against the grain of 'you get what you pay for'.

Aluminum arrows have been shot out of bows since the late 30's in archery competition. That's pretty 'traditional' by a lot of definitions.

You can do anything with an aluminum arrow that you can with a carbon; durability aside.

[stagetek]

I shoot both. But, much prefer aluminum's. I have a ton of sizes to choose from. I can cut them to length. I don't need to put, or play with weight up front. My personal choice for my 47 - 53 lb. bows are 31.5" 2018's. 125gr. heads and 3, 5" shield cut feathers. Fly like darts !!
By comparison, my carbons are 400 Easton Legacy's. Cut to 32", 100gr brass insert w/125gr. heads and 3 5" shield cut feathers.

[Wudstix]

Personally, I have found that all the carbons I've tried, Beman 400, 340; AD; CE Heritage 250, 350; Warriors 340; Gold Tip 400, 340, have all needed 100 grain brass broadhead adapters behind the broadheads 160-250 grains.  Aluminums just need an aluminum broadhead adapter and a broadhead.  The aluminums can be cut to length, and carbons usually need to be a bit longer than I like.
 

[Sojurn]

Aluminum is cheaper, straighter and easier to tune than carbon. But it's heavier, more fragile, and has less foc becauseof the mass distribution (let's not start the foc debate).
  I didn't mind Aluminum anywhere near as much as I thought I would, but I still prefer carbon.

[Wudstix]

Tapered and footed POC gives me plenty of FOC!
 

[Maclean]

I find it kind of sad that "Traditional Only Autumn Orange XX75" shafts are called Traditional Only when they don't come with the nock end swaged. I prefer Bohning classic nocks on all my arrows. Woodies for deer, my old 2018's for bunnies and squirrels.

I agree completely. I've been a hardcore woodies only shooter for 30 plus years. Very recently I've decided to add another shaft material to my arsenal and have pretty much decided on aluminum. Just today recieved a test kit of Autumn Orange shafts which comes with Easton Super nocks installed. I've always used Bohning Classic nocks on my woodies and the strings for my bows are built accordingly. The Easton Super nocks are way too tight. I don't want to have two sets of strings for all of my bows, it would be a lot easier to just use the same nocks for all of my arrows. It would be nice to have the option to get swaged nock ends instead.

[Undomesticated]

For those that like the Autumn Orange arrows, Easton makes the 5mm FMJ arrows in autumn orange.

The FMJ is a carbon core fused to an aluminum jacket. I’ve shot them in the past and am a fan. I think they are a good arrow for single-string hunters. Heavy, penetrate like the dickens, and the easton hiit insert is good. They pull nicely from targets.
My favorite part about aluminum arrows, however? Re-fletching. You can scrape them almost carelessly compared to re-fletching carbon arrows!

[RIVERWOLF]

Honestly, not a lot of experience with carbon...I did (after shooting several different types of carbon)purchase a dozen of the toughest / straightest Carbon made "then" and likely still if they were still being made (without throwing the manufacture under the Bus ....but I have shot aluminum -fiberglass-wood since the late 60's . Mostly last 30+ yrs.   I have "never" had an aluminum arrow break at the shot nor on impact. I have had many bend on impact or shortly after.  With that matched dozen $$$ Carbon , I had one glance off a chainlink fence (as I have had MANY aluminums do over the years per
 pre backstop days)  That carbon snapped 1/3 back of the point as it went to flex around the wire it struck. Clean break.  Though it matched my 2018 aluminum shaft setup near perfectly in weight and flight , that clean "break" had me selling them and never looking back. *Did any of my 2018 aluminum get damaged on that same fence? O yea...slight bends,NEVER a break. Breaks kinda creep me out ;^)  So I'll take a shaft with the least likelyhood to Break every time.


For glancing blows like mentioned above , and to survive with the least damage....My vote would be a good wood shaft . ..followed by aluminum (though it may bend)...All this is very dependent upon material-gauge-wall thickness-etc....etc...


Kirk....I do bend some of my easton 2018's while stumping , or a critter might bend one that manages to "not" get a complete pass--through...but if that happens , more times than not I will hand straighten them and they are used for roving/small game shafts once they spin true.
Yes , the integrity of the original product has been forever compromised , hand straightened 2018's are plenty tough after a light bend to be straightened and utilized once again for lesser chores      Some of your lesser aluminum material or thinner walled aluminum....more than likely are toast after a bend. .....and even then they can be recycled into something useful ;^)

So that is the extent of "my experience-opinion" with carbon shafts...though I did my homework pre purchase to have the toughest-straightest-carbon shafts,and properly tuned to my rig..

Aluminum arrow shafts have treated me VERY WELL over a LOT of years. For me they are an excellent arrow shaft that has stood the test of time . They fill many an archers quivers, and many a hunters freezers and have so for a VERY long time. I have no cause to change that which is proven..You asked for our preference and why ...... You just got it ;^))

[Wudstix]

Ralph;
You just saved me a bunch of typing, Thanks!
 

[Archie]

I grew up with aluminum, and have a lifetime supply of various shafts.  As for carbons... I don't like the fact they can become structurally unstable and fail, depending on the kind of impacts that they have sustained.  If you google "carbon arrow injury", select "images", and scroll through those images... you'll see one of the reasons that I avoid carbons.

[M60gunner]

I like the idea that basically one company makes aluminum shafts. I am not including any ChiCom stuff off Amazon. If I bought a dozen 2016’s in 1979 I can replace them with today’s 2016 shafts and not have to fuss with tuning again. Carbon’s vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and year to year. What is 500 spine range for a GT maybe different than a Victory500 spine. Then CE had a different number system for its trad shafts. Then there’s these add on’s like heavy inserts, collars, outserts, and on and on. Durability is a good point and my outside, hunting arrows are mostly carbon. But I also realize arrows ain’t forever, if one breaks or goes AWOL I don’t cry about it

[TGbow]

I've shot mostly aluminum and wood for the last 48 years.
Started shooting carbon some about 10 yrs  ago.
Aluminium is the most consistent shaft material..period.
If you shoot a heavier aluminum shaft like 1916,2016, 2018, they are pretty tuff.
Honestly I've broke as many carbons as I've bent aluminum since I started shooting carbons some.
Aluminum shafts are hard to beat.

[Bowsey Wails]

Does anyone have experience with Beiter nocks as opposed to Easton nocks for the newer unswaged aluminums? Is there a nock that has a throat diameter the same as the Classic nock?  As Maclean said requiring different strings for different arrows is a pain.

[soap creek]

I'm an aluminum fan as well. For all the reasons mentioned above. They are reasonably priced by comparison with wood or carbon. Easy for to tune. I get the weight I want, without doing anything special. Cut to length, install inserts and head, and your ready. I like things easy. Works for me.