Originally Posted by
2robinhood
Aluminum arrows generally weigh more then carbon arrows.
A heavier arrow will penetrate more, but does loose fps which will make it loose some penetration.
Usually you don't loose enough fps with an aluminum arrow to make less penetration.
If so, the arrow would have to weigh a ton.
A carbon arrow weighing 375 grains going 325 fps has 87.97 pounds of kinetic energy.
A aluminum arrow weighing 430 grains going 280 fps has 74.88 pounds of kinetic energy.
Sure there is less kinetic energy, but the heavier aluminum arrow is carrying more mass ( 55 grains more ) and will penetrate deeper down range.
Mass in motion wants to stay in motion.
Think of it this way,
A football player weighing 225lbs coming at you at 15mph or a 375lbs player coming at you at 10mph which do you think will hit you harder ?
The heavier player is coming slower, but is carrying more mass.
More mass is harder to stop, and with that heavier mass concentrated in the same area size ( arrow tip ) it will go deeper.
Don't get me wrong, I use carbon arrows ( Goldtip Velocity XT's ) and I love the fps, but there are guys killing animals with traditional archery that are below 200fps.
So as far as what penetrates deeper, carbon or aluminum ?
It the one that weighs more.
A heavier carbon arrow will penetrate deeper then a light aluminum arrow.
Sorry that was so long, I was on a roll.
Carbon is MUCH stiffer than aluminum, therefore it doesn't flex as much at contact. You must shoot a really thick walled aluminum to gain some of the stiffness back.
Nice thing about carbon is the fact that you can shoot the light stiff shaft for speed and add heavy points and increase foc and still have a lighter shaft with better penetration characteristics than its aluminum counterpart.
I have nothing against aluminum and my son has used them until this coming season. He used a 1716 out of a 40# bow and had great success .