Carbon vs. Aluminum Performance with Light Bow

[Ibow]

I have a 40 pound A&H ACS longbow and will need to outfit myself with arrows for that bow in the near future. I've been looking at Stu Miller’s DSC and after entering my stats, I've found that my 2016 aluminums with the points I use are almost a perfect choice for the bow stats. Yet, I've been told in order to optimize the performance of this bow, I should probably consider carbon arrows (which I've never used) that are front loaded in order to aid in penetration etc..

My question is, if I stayed with the 2016’s, would I not be taking advantage of what this bow has to offer in terms of penetration/energy and so on? Or would I be better off making the transition?

This is of course assuming great arrow flight with either choice, I use a two blade broadhead and my "big game" hunting in the future is limited to bear, deer and turkeys.

[wtpops]

Arrow material by its self will not make a difference, Total arrow weight could. How much does your 2016 weigh completed and how much would the carbon weigh completed. IMO if that 2016 has the flight you want and hits where you look then you have a bird in the hand, let them fly.

Im guessing you are in the 450 to 500 grain range with that arrow. That bow will push the arrow very well

[Orion]

Your arrow as is is probably sufficient as is, however, you can add some punch/weight to the front end without switching to carbon.

You can front load an aluminum a bit.  In addition to the standard screw in insert (25 grins), you can use a steel adaptor (75-100 or 125 grains) and then your broadhead for as much as 275 grains up front with a 125 grain broadhead.  

Or, use a glue-in insert that is tapered to receive a glue-on point.  These weigh about 30 grains.  Can put put a glue-on head of 200 grains or more to achieve the same FOC. A 2016 is the same diameter as most carbons, about 5/16.  

However, front loaded as above, at least on the heavy side of the example, the 2016s may not be stiff enough for your ACS as is.  However, it's a simple matter to build out the side plate a little to accommodate the softer dynamic spine caused by the front loading.

Good luck.

[Zradix]

The best penetrating arrow will be the one you can get flying the straightest.

Like you lead to...Good flight trumps darn near everything.

Personally I see no reason to use Al arrows.
They just don't have much to offer over the other common materials.

I either like wood for beauty and nostalgia or carbon for "care free" shooting.

The carbon is so nice...it's either straight or broke..for the most part.

One nice thing in the penetration dept. for carbon is the slightly smaller dia compared to your choice of Al shaft. A beman 500 spine bowhunter is .28125" the Al is .3125".
Of course there are the micro dia carbons too.

The carbons will have a bit more foc...that'll help a bit, but not all that much.

In all honesty, if you end up with the same total weight arrows of either material I feel you'll be very hard pressed to see any real difference in penetration...as long they both fly straight..blah,blah,blah..lol

I'd go with carbon chiefly on the durability standpoint.

If you have the Al's already shooting good keep with em.

[Ibow]

Thanks for the advice. I know, like just about everyone else, I should get with the program and go to carbon but it's the "change" thing.    :eek:         Always kind of feel like if it ain't broke, why fix it.    :p    But now I'm being forced to change things up a bit on account of going to a lighter poundage bow and I want to do the right thing. I guess if nothing else, I know now that I can stick with the alums if I want to.

Using the aluminum arrow, it comes in at about 475 grains total. That's using a 29" arrow, 3 5 1/2" banana cut feathers, the 20 grain insert for glue on broadheads and 125 gr 2-blade glue on Zwickey broadheads.

Thanks for your advice! Chuck

[Ray Lyon]

Hey Chuck,

I've got a 44#@28" Super Shrew foam/carbon longbow that loves 600 series Easton Axis with 75 grain brass inserts and 145 grain 3 blade Kustom King Trailmaker heads.  I've got them cut to 29" BOP for my 28" draw. Total arrow weight is around 480 grains and they fly great and zip through deer.  They're skinny carbons and thus they penetrate better because of less resistance. If I end up going to Kzoo I'll get in touch with you and I'm happy to give you one to try out.  I like wood arrows, but the Axis is the best carbon I've used and I've used a bunch of the top end stuff.

[Ibow]

That would be great Ray - thanks. By that time I'm hoping to be ready to begin shooting a little bit. Right now I've got nothing to do all day but post on the TG as I'm home sitting on the couch recovering from last week's rotator cuff surgery. Getting a little nuts here.  

[Prairie Drifter]

With what your hunting , it doesn't matter, carbon or aluminum will work just fine.

[Zradix]

Originally posted by Ibow:
.....Always kind of feel like if it ain't broke, why fix it.     :p     ....

I hear ya bro.
I was a die hard wood arrow guy.
After trying the carbon though...it's going to be hard to go back.

[hvyhitter]

Killed several deer with about the identical arrow out of my daughters bow, a 45# Bob Lee recurve and using 160 snuffers for broadheads. 3 deer, 6 holes, and no trail more than 40 yds............I too dont try and fix anything that works so perfect.......

[DennyK]

Chuck, hope your mending is coming along the way it should. I have some full length 1918, 2018 and 2020 shafts if you want to play around with them. At your draw length and that bow the 2020 may surprize you.

[Bjorn]

My son and I only shoot wood and we use ACS CX bows. As long as the spine is right you can shoot any arrow material you like out of these bows-and any others for that matter.

[Roger Norris]

Hey Chuck.....I have lots of 2016's you can steal. Let me know, I will send you a 1/2 dozen to try out.

That said, I would go with carbons and a heavy front end...

[Ibow]

Thanks again for all the replies and suggestions.

Wood, carbon, aluminum - they are all great and I know I could find an arrow of each material to fly very nice out of that bow but my biggest concern in dropping down so far in poundage is to be able to get the most out of that lower poundage in terms of where the rubber meets the road.

Denny, Roger - thanks so much for your generous offers. It will be a few weeks, if not a month or so before I can begin even thinking about drawing back a bow and for now I've got a ton of 2016's here that I can mess with as that's what I shot out of my Widow. I was really surprised at how close they came to being a perfect setup using Stu Miller's DSC, plugging in the stats for that bow.


Then again, to get the most out of that bow, it may be time to come up with a front loaded carbon arrow set up.

Thanks again for all the advice and replies... VERY much appreciated!