Need Arrows- Aluminum or Carbon?

[bscman]

Growing up, my father was always using aluminum arrows...so, I did the same. They've seemed to work very well over the years, and have seemed plenty durable for target/hunting situations.
He has always been the "more weight is better" kind of shooter (rifles and bows). "A heavier object carries more energy down range" and "heavier objects hit hard, penetrate deeper" are phrases I've heard ALL TOO MANY TIMES. Then of course, he always told me carbon arrows were bad for your health. (lung/stomach damage from splinters, ruining meat with carbon splinters, disintegrating on the string, etc)

BUT, nearly everyone at my range is shooting carbon arrows...and they swear by them... But I find more broken carbon arrows throughout the course than I do aluminum ones. The worst thing I see, is they are all broken in different manners...Some cracked, some cleanly broken in half, some splintered, and some completely disintegrated.

The benefits of a lighter, flatter shooting arrows are obvious...but will a lighter arrow and a faster speed REALLY reduce penetration all that much? FWIW, I limit my shooting distance to ~40 yards.

I want the facts of carbon vs. aluminum, and I want recommendations. I'm shooting an inexpensive PSE Nova, whiskerbiscuit rest, maxed at 60#'s and a 29" draw. Don't laugh--it shoots well for me, and has cleanly taken 6 deer!
My last 1/2doz. arrows were Easton Fall Stalker's in 2219 size using 125gr tips....that's 13.8 grains per inch for a 400 grain shaft + 125 tip. Hunting reg's require 6 grains of weight per # of draw weight, so I MUST use at least a 360gr arrow (weight includes tip).

Also, I'm not looking to spend an arm and a leg for 1/2doz. arrows. My fall stalkers were <$3 each.
Thanks in advance!

[dukkillr]

the answer is simpler.  shoot carbons because they are invincible.  performance is similar but carbons never bend.  there is no advantage to aluminum anymore.

[Cheesehead]

My hunting buddie has used carbons for years and i have always used aluminum. I have seen advantages to carbons. For example he killed 5 deer with same arrow, he called it his lucky arrow, seemingly indestructible. I have never seen an aluminum arrow survive to take 2 deer. I am running low on aluminum arrows and will switch to carbons.

Cheese

[GRIMJIM]

This post is bound to start a lively discussion. I use carbons and would not go back to aluminum. Too many warped or dented shafts.

[bscman]

. I have never seen an aluminum arrow survive to take 2 deer. I am running low on aluminum arrows and will switch to carbons.

FWIW, I have an arrow that was used to take two dear (consecutive seasons). It too, was my lucky arrow. In fact, when I took my second deer with said arrow, it still had blood residue on the fletching from the first deer.

This post is bound to start a lively discussion.

That was pretty much my intent. I want to hear both sides.

I'm leaning towards a heavier, thin shaft carbon.....something along the lines of the Bemans Max 4 or Eastons Axis Obession.
My current aluminum arrows are a bit over 550gr fully set for hunting...I'm looking to drop that down to ~425-450, and the said carbons look like a good choice.

Keep the comments/advice coming!

[jgalar]

I still shoot aluminum and have no desire to change. The Fall Stalkers are not very good and I would not buy them again. The GameGetters are very durable and inexpensive. I have a few that are at least 20 years old. The GameGetters are very heavy, but don't bend easily. I buy the shafts uncut and install the insert and a point and shoot them unfletched. I cut a 1/2" off at a time until I get the arrow to hit straight unfletched. Then I cut the rest to the same length and fletch. I can get the aluminums perfectly matched to the bow. I can use a tubing cutter to cut aluminum shafts and use solvents like acetone to clean. I can scrape off battered fletching with a razor scraper without damaging the shaft. I'm sure the carbons would work well for me also, but I am satisfied with aluminum.

[Grumulkin]

I prefer carbon arrows but, there is a guy who was shooting carbon arrows in his crossbow.  One splintered as he fired it sending carbon splinters deep into his hand.  This wouldn't have happened with an aluminum arrow.

The moral; carbon arrows must have a limited lifespan even if they appear good.  I don't know what that life span would be but it would seem prudent not to use carbon arrows forever even if they look good.  Of course, a 200 lb. crossbow will put more stress on an arrow/bolt than will a 70 lb. compound bow.

[mg66]

I always used aluminum and switched to carbon shafts 2 seasons ago. I bought a dozen Gold Tips and still use the same dozen shafts after 2 seasons. The durability of the carbon shafts is evident from the fact I shoot all year round and lord knows how many 1000s of times I have shot them including taking several deer and still like the day I bought them.

Another reason is that the aluminum arrows I use to shoot weigh in at a total weight of 490 grains using a 65# draw weight. The Gold Tip XTs weigh in at 375 grains and I also increased my draw weight to 70#. With a 5# increase in draw weight and a 115 grain reduction in arrow weight increased my arrow speed, through a chrongraph, from 247fps to 283fps.

These days carbons aren't that much more expensive than aluminum so are great value for money. Also advances in manufactoring have made a stronger shaft with less likelyhood of splintering and I am on the 3rd season with the same dozen. Give me carbon shafts ever day of the week and twice on Sundays 

[dakotashooter2]

I'll stick with aluminums for now. mainly for the price. I picked up 95 Bear shafts a couple of years ago for .50 each at some back in the corner hardware store and suspect they will last me at least another 10 years.

Some of the aluminum shafts can be tough as nails too. My brother bought a dozen easons back about 30 years ago and still has 4 of those left. It got to the point he was trying to destroy them. He never did bend one.

FWIW any arrow that passes through can likely be used again. I'd be leary about using any shaft that was pulled out of an animal then used again. The structure of carbon arrows can be damaged without showing any evidence of it.

Trajectory isn't a big issue for me because I don't use sights and have been shooting long enough that instinct just takes over.

The biggest thing I don't like about aluminum is the chatter when I drag them through the brush.

[horseman308]

Like most people have said, advantages to carbon are that they are generally a little lighter (if you want that) and they are nearly indestructible. Yes, you can break them, but I've only been able to do it by shooting one arrow into another or having it strike a hard object like a rock. Even tree trunks haven't done anything to mine. Your concern about splintering and messing up the meat is/was valid: I know that when carbons were first introduced they had that problem. Now days, they all seem to have some kind of coating on them that prevents that, for the most part. I have gotten small splinters when removing one arrow that had been cracked, so nothing is foolproof. So all that being the case, I shoot carbons because they really do last significantly longer than any aluminum I've ever used and are not really anymore expensive anymore. I shoot Beman ICS Hunters for hunting and practicing hunting shots and Vantages for regular practice and have shot 1000s of shots, breaking only 2 arrows out of the last 2 doz (I shot really well those days  )

Aluminums of course seem to come in a wider variety of weight options. You can obviously get thick/heavy enough arrows and shoot well enough that they don't bend, but that doesn't work as well in every bow. You'll see more broken carbons than aluminum b/c of differences in the material. I'm not a physicist, but basically aluminum bends and carbon breaks. Therefore, people can take their bent aluminum arrows home and try to straighten them. Once a carbon cracks/breaks its done. So find what works best in your bow with your shooting style. Aluminum and carbon are both great in the right bow, and crappy in the wrong one.

[kb]

Oddly, Ive reused my alum arrows but NONE of my carbon ones.  My carbon all seem to go half way through the deer, and get broken when they fall or get twisted in a shoulder.  Almost all of my alum arrows (XX78's) were pass throughs....More weight and therefore more kinetic energy.  I Also switched to mechanical broadheads which take energy to open, so....

I cant imagine a fixed head not passing through.


This year Im shooting the Axis arrows, and they seem to be shooting OK.  2 deer down, but still no reuseable arrows afterwards..

kb

[tscott]

My wife gave me a dozen aluminum for my 50th 10 years ago. I've shot a number of deer with them. I have 7 left.  I didn't break or lose 5. The fletching is falling off after time. The arrow I shot the deer with this year is perfect. Don't know if I'll clean it up. Reminds me of the hunt as it rests on the antlers. No sights, no releases, 25 year old Browning Mirage, original string, with those little rubber band thingys that break off each time I fire. Easton xx75 2117 uncut from 34". You guys got me thinkin'. I'm gonna buy a carbon and practice with it... Good growth for me!!! 

[a45gunslinger]

Ok, here it goes... I have used  Alum, carbon, and alum and carbon (a/c/c) . and have killed deer with all of them and would not hesitate to hunt with any of them as long as they matched my set up. What I have found is most arrows can be had in all weights. I preffer a lighter hunting arrow but do not make this a law.  If you shoot alot of 3-d leagues carbons are the only way to go,  they do not dent and they take a pretty good beating before they crack or splinter. However nothing saves either of them from a "robin hood". If you only intend to hunt, go with alum., during practice always shoot a different bull and they should last till the anodizing wears off. - Kevin

[gt2003]

I used to shoot aluminums but ran into dented and bent arrows quite frequently.  So, on the advice of my pro shop, I switched to GoldTip 5575's.  These arrows are indestructible.  I think I've shot trees, rocks, small children etc. and these things are incredible.  Gold Tip has a new lighter weight arrow out now but I've still got over a dozen of my original ones left so i don't want to change yet.  Durability is the main advantage i have noticed, at least in the gold tips.  Good luck finding an arrow you like.  Greg