My Carbon Arrows Fly Great...My Aluminum One...TERRIBLE. Why?

[Nala]

Hey all,

I got my longbow out today to start shooting.  I haven't shot for a few months.  I have a 45 pound Barta Longbow.  I have a couple different Carbon arrows, some that are 500 spine, and some from Bass Pro that are 4560.  I have 2 different kinds of Easton Gamegetter 2 arrows, some 500 and some 400.

Well the carbon arrows all flew really nice, straight as can be, pretty as you'd want.  Then I tried the aluminum arrows....boy did they suck.  I mean they were awful.  I couldn't see much of a difference in the 2 sizes, both looked really bad.  They were porpoising pretty severely.

I am braced a tad over 7 inches and my nock height is 1/2 inch above shelf.

Can you give me any suggestions as to what is causing this?  When I came in today I had it in my mind just to forget aluminum arrows and buy carbon for my longbow.  I hope I don't have to do that, but if I do, I guess I'll have to do it and live with it.

Any help you can give is appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

nalajr

[dhermon85]

Funny you say this, recently I've had better consistency with aluminums. My experience is for a certain bow as well.
Will be watching this...

[elknutz]

Sounds like the aluminums need some nock height adjustment. Not unreasonable to need some tinkering for different arrow and nock combinations.

[Diamond Paul]

Are the carbons much smaller diameter than the aluminums?  Are the lengths of the arrows the same?  Length can really affect arrow spine, more on carbons, it seems, than aluminums.  Same point weight on all of them?  These are just some things that come to mind offhand.

[M60gunner]

I would try nock height adjustment as well. Saw the same thing yesterday at range. Man had wood arrows and carbons his carbons were the issue. He adjusted and was good to go. By the way his carbons are longer than his woods.

[WildmanSC]

Are you shooting 3 under?  If so, I would say raise your nock point an 1/8" and try the aluminums again.  If not, I would say lower the nock point 1/8" and shoot the aluminums.  A nock point 1/2" high is normal for most of my bows and I shoot 3 under.  What size aluminum arrows are you shooting?

Bill

[Nala]

Yeah I shoot 3 under.  The nock height is 1/2 above now.  I am wanting to get a setup where all my arrows fly equally well.
The aluminums have the same points as the carbons and are the same length.  They are BIGGER in diameter though.

The size of the aluminums are 500 and 400 size.  I don't know what size that corresponds to right off hand.

I'll raise it another 1/8 and see how that goes and report back tonight.

Thanks

Nalajr

[Diamond Paul]

If the nock is right for the carbons, and the aluminums are larger in diameter, that could mean they are kicking off the shelf a bit and causing the porpoising.  You might not be able to shoot two different diameter arrows with the same nock height.  You would have to use the proper nock setting for the fatter ones and hope the skinny ones still shoot ok with that, I would think.

[hvyhitter]

Aluminum shafts too stiff........ try 1916/.600 shafts.........

[Diamond Paul]

That's what I shoot out of my 45lb recurve, but I barely hit 28"; he might draw longer.

[Nala]

Hey all,

Well I moved the nock up an 1/8 and it is now at 5/8 above and then went out to shoot and see what happened.

Right off I noticed a big improvement.  My carbons still flew very well and now the Al arrows were also flying good.  They were pretty close to being as good as the carbon arrows.

I looked and saw that I have 3 different sizes of aluminum arrows, all are Easton.  I have 2 Gamegetter 2 series arrows in 500 and 400, which are 2117 and 2016.  Then I have 3 XX75 arrows that I got somewhere along the way and those are 1916 lite.  I don't know what the LITE means.  These arrows flew much better than the other 2 aluminum arrows.  I might have to go with 1916 arrows instead of the lower cost Gamegetter 2 shafts in 500 size.

Thank you all though for the help.

Nalajr

[Diamond Paul]

Lite is just an Easton term; something like a 2012 will be an ultralite, or superlite, can't remember.  It has to do with the wall thickness of the arrow and overall weight for that spine.  You can get the same spine with a lighter total arrow weight, or vice-versa, in other words.

[M60gunner]

The 1916 should come in the XX75 platiumn (gray) or the camo hunters. Both are the same alloy and heat temper as the Legacy but at a lower price.
Usually the XX75 Gamegetters are not not the same temper thus a little softer (bends easier).
The Legacy look Trad ( you pay it ) but unless you have the Trad police near by no need to spend the extra.

[Diamond Paul]

I like the camo hunters myself.  They come with the uni bushing, which is much more precise than glue on nocks.  The Legacies do look cool, though.