carbon vs. aluminum

[Mike in Virginia]

I always shot XX75's in my traditional bows.  They lasted and lasted.  My new crossbow came with aluminum bolts, 2216's I think. Along with that package I picked up some fat carbons.  Sighted in with the aluminum's 125 grain points.  Nice groups and dead on at 20 yards, but high at 30 and 40 with the 3 red dots scope.   Did some plinking around the yard, shooting at grass clumps and an old rubber garbage can.  Nothing with a hard surface. 
 
Got the bow out yesterday and tried the carbons for zero, and found them dead on at all 20, 30 and 40.  Well, just a tad high at 40, nt enough to miss vitals.  Same weight point.  So, I thought maybe the cheap red dot had gone out of alignment.  Picked up the aluminums.  Two of the four, the two I used Judo's on for plinking, were bent! 
 
I enjoy shooting at random stuff in the yard and lower lot, guessing at the distance.  I had no idea aluminums were so weak, having used them all my life in recurves, but the xbow really zings them along, so I suppose whatever they hit, there is a lot of shock to the shaft. 
 
I think I'll stay with carbon.  Anyone with similar results?  Or opposite results?     

[Lloyd Smale]

I like aluminum in a crossbow. There a bit heavier and that tends to make your bow a bit quieter and aids in penetration. they do seem to bend eaiser out of a crossbow though and youd think it would be the other way and the longer arrows out of a standard bow would bend eaiser.

[pastorp]

Mike,

You need to match your shaft stiffness to the length & bow. Sounds like you need to visit a proshop that sells crossbows and get their advise on the right shaft....... Generally though I believe a shaft used in a traditional or even compound bow will not be stiff enough for a crossbow.

Look at a chart for the bow you have. They will have one at a archery pro shop. 

[Bugflipper]

I won't buy aluminum anymore. It's just a waste of money having different degrees of crooked practice arrows. And soon to be crooked good arrows. 
I don't buy any arrows as a matter of fact. Just use fat carbons with weighted inserts to get the FOC up. They are more accurate than aluminum because of the weight forward and also are as heavy for energy. My practice arrows are my small game, stump shooting and big game arrows. No more holding back $75 xx78s for deer only and getting 1 shot each with them.

[Lloyd Smale]

the other side of the argument is aluminum arrows the get bent can be straightened and at least used again as practice arrows. Before i did the crossbow thing and was using a compound i too just had to have carbons and found that in many cases they ended up being broke when shooting a deer anyway and when there broke theres no fixing them. That and the fact that carbon arrows are more expensive to begin with kind of washes the economic argument out.

[Bugflipper]

Lloyd I tried carbons with a regular bow and wasn't happy with them either. They were the skinny diameter ones. I only tried a 3 pack and it wasn't long until all were broken. That was the end of it and I went back to mending the aluminum ones.
With carbons you can get different diameters. Most folks want the lightest they can get to have the highest velocity. They are thin and easier to break. Also judo points break carbons pretty quick if a fellow doesn't put a small washer behind them to protect the shaft from the arms.

With the price the carbons are maybe a dollar or 2 per arrow more expensive. Victory archery x-bolts are $30 per 6. I've had 6 for 5 years. Shot thousands of shots with them. Hundreds of stumps with bludgeons. An elk, several deer, along with small game here and there.
You might want to look into them.
Have a good one.

[Lloyd Smale]

i probably would bugflipper but high point recomends aluminum for my bow. Why? i dont really know but when i bought it i bought 3 dozen arrows for it so it will be a while before i need to switch to something else.

[KIMBER45]

I was using the aluminium bolts that came with my Tenpoint. I found nothing wrong with them except I was told they will bend sooner or later. I just purchased 6 Easton Bloodline Bolts. They are extremely accurate carbon bolts. The jury is still out on durability.

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess the main reason i use the alum. is that 10 point recomends it. they claim there alot easier on the equiptment.