Full diameter vs skinny carbons

[LA Trapper]

Full Diameter vs Skinny carbon

Anyone have experience in both?  I realized Gold Tips allow you to front load with weight and such,  and skinny carbons will have less drag, but can anyone give me their preferences and why you like what you are shooting?

Do you shoot parabolic or shield with your carbon?

What works best for you and what brand and size of carbon do you shoot?

I am attempted to shorten my learning curve and save a few dollars.  

I am creating my own personal stimulus package!    :D  


Thanks;

Billy

[Whip]

I use Gold Tip Traditionals more because that's what I started with than for any particular reason.  I've heard it argued that the skinny carbons offer better penetration, and that does seem logical to me.  I've also heard others say it doesn't matter much in flesh and bone.  But if there is any difference to be had, the skinnys would get the nod.  I do think it is easier to fletch helical with a standard size shaft.  I personally use shield cut feathers.

The Gold Tips have worked well for me, and now I have nocks, inserts, etc. for them so will stick with them.  I do enough economic stimulating the way it is.     :rolleyes:

[Jesse Peltan]

I thought gold tip was skinny at 5/16in.

[30coupe]

Beman ICS Bowhunter 500. They are 9/32" and are about as cheap as you can get for carbons. They shoot better for me than anything else I have tried. I can get EFOC without having to go above 10 grains per pound.

Without knowing what you are planning to shoot them with, it's hard to say what spine, weight, etc. might work for you. I shoot these with my 52# Kanati, but they also work just fine from my 46# Kanati (they aren't real picky on spine).

[M60gunner]

I have and shoot both size carbons. CX 150's, CX250's and ST Axis. I have not killed anything with them as yet. I do know the Axis are easier for me to tune in my bows. I use the 100 grain inserts and go from there. My arrows are between 9 and 10 grains per pound of draw weight.
The Axis arrows always penatrate in the bales and 3-d's more. I also foot my carbon arrows. So far I have only broke 3 carbons in 4 years.

[Mike Byrge]

Hi Billy,  Hope y'all are doing good down in Natchitoches...looks like rain again here today.

I've only shot a few animals (pigs) with carbon arrows and penetration was good.  I've used both Gold Tips and Carbon Xpress and also Beeman MFX skinny arrows.  The skinny shafts were harder to tune for me.

My favorite is the Carbon Xpress Heritage.  I can tune them withoout having to front-load with a lot of weight and still end up with a decent total-weight arrow and they are tough and consistent.

I know that a front-loaded (efoc) arrow should penetrate better but I've had mixed results tuning them.

I pretty much use 5" feathers and shape doesn't matter.  I have fletched some using four 4" feathers also and they fly good and look cool.

I've pretty much went back to shooting aluminum arrows though.  Just about the perfect spine to weight ratio for me and I've shot enough animals with them to know they work.

[James Wrenn]

I use carbons ranging from the old pultruded 15/64th shafts to the 23/64th linecutters.I mostly shoot 3 or 4" feathers on everything but the fat shafts.I have 5" on them.I have seen no benifit in shooting larger feathers on skinny or light weight shafting.Skinny is good for hunting.Nothing penitrates as well as the older pultruded shafts.I don't hunt with any of the fat shafts.

[Bill Carlsen]

I've been shooting for 55 years or so and I am primarily a bowhunter. The options you have today are mind  boggeling if you are a newbie. In reality you can't really go wrong if you can find someone to mentor you. Most of the carbon arrows today are just great. I personally use the Axis or Beman MFX shafts when I make my arrows. With about 200-225 grains up front they have made the best hunting arrows I have ever used. Footing them with a i" piece of aluminum shaft makes them almost unbreakable. I like four four inch feathers on my arrows.

[Don Stokes]

I've shot game with shafts ranging from 5/16 to 25/64, and I haven't noticed a difference in penetration. A good, sharp broadhead and blood for lubricant makes for good penetration, regardless of shaft diameter. You can push a lot through a big hole!

[wihill]

IMHO, nothing can beat the AXIS style arrows from Easton/Beman when it comes to penetration on dense targets.  The carbon walls are thicker, the overall diameter is smaller than a traditional carbon arrow,  and they can be weighted at the tip just like the others with either a brass insert or by weighting up the broadheads.

I just foot the non-FMJ style AXIS for a little security, but I've never had a better hunting arrow.