I've just made the switch from XX75's to G/T XT hunter , will let you all know the result next week . I was going to get the XX78 super slams , but i heard great things about the XT's .

Dave

Sniper, Why do you choose the XX 78's of all the aluminums available? Because it's the best most prooven aluminum shaft available? It would be my choice in aluminum too. I've shot and shattered a lot of different cheap carbon arrows. I'm A firm believer in if it works don't fix it. I don't think I'd choose an ACC carbon shaft over a XX either. Not A Game Tracker, PSE Carbon Force or any other of these cheap broken arrows I got in this box. I would however choose a Easton Axis or better carbon arrow over the XX's. The full metal jacket's I've heard are awesome, but I can't seem to get rid of my ST Axis arrows I have. My bow hunting mentor sounded just like you guys, and finally this year he got a new bow. His XX's worked great with his old bow, not so well with this new bow. He tried my arrows and shot the best 3D round of his life. Just emagine what he could do if his bow was actually tuned for the small diameter arrow and his pins were set up for them! Then he says, yea, but are they tough enough?" and shot my arrow into a cement brick, the brick shattered and my arrow is fine, minus the Thunderhead, it's toast. I don't know what your bow situation is, but I was reading some of the authors posts and believe he's switching to a light weight , light draw bow. When switching bows, it's a good time to experiment and find out what's going to work best for him. Arrows made for 70 lbs draw, aren't made for 30-40 lbs draw at the same draw length. I'd try the XXand use them as a base line to compare different cabons too. I in know way endorse using cheap carbons though. Personally I'd start with Axis or Beeman and go up from there.

Bigcountry, yea a whole 7 years. I'm a fast learner with great teachers. I've also been hunting for at least 31 years unless you count sling shots, kiddy bow, bb guns, and pellet gun? Then it's more like 35 years. 4 deer a year is my actual archery average. Had A real bad year last year, had nearly every piece of hunting equipment and weapons stolen just before rut, all was scent free and packed into my hunting trailer. A trailer small enough to pull behind my motorcycle, car or truck, big enough to hold everything from tent, bow, guns, cloths, boots, climber, tags, maps....everything, trailer and all, gone. I still managed to get 1 deer last year and a couple durring gun season. I'M not here to offend or impress anyone. I'm here to learn, laugh and share what I've learned with others and maybe make a friend or two. Is that OK with you? I might learn something from you anyways wether you like it or not. lol
Now I can appreciate quality wood arrows. I am a master wood worker by trade. I know nothing about building wood arrows and long bows but can appreciate the skill it takes. Maybe someday I'll give that A whirl.

What I am getting out is and I sure don't mean any offense, 7 years is not long enough to understand why we all left aluminums in the 80's in the first place, and went to the carbons. How it evolved into people believing aluminums were so fragile they would bend by dropping them, and then coming back after forgetting about them for so many years, and seeing we really didn't come far at all. Andactually carbons in many ways are not as good as aluminums. If your mentor shot better with carbons than his alums, then obviously, his bow was not matched properly. If one's spine is matched properly, and your spine is consistent, and arrows straight, there is no reason in the world, he should have shot better with your carbons. I know you will come back with he's been doin this this long, and he's the greatest since slice bread. Carbons are not magic, and improve your score just because they are carbon. There has to be other factors at work. With carbons we do not have near the selection as alums.

I am very frustrated these days with carbons. I always find 10%-20% out of a dozen that have very inconsistent spines or not straight enought to put a broadhead on.

And also experience has showed me, that you can get much better, and quieter performance from a 500gr arrow. So here I am the last several years only buying heavy carbons at 11gr/in.

So just in the last few months, it dawned on me. I am back where I started in 1982.

I still shoot my old reliable XX75s.I've NEVER had a problem with one of them. The only time I might wind up with a bent arrow isafter shooting a deer. I love aluminums.

I loves my XX78 2315's with 125gr. Thunderheads.

I have always used alum and two years ago i switched to carbons. i bought cheaper ones from bass pro i believe they were their brand and i could not shoot good groups at all even at 20 yards(didn't have this problem before i switched). I was told that i needed a better quality carbon shaft and i bought xxxx xxx xx hunters. I shot a little better groups but still nothing like with alum. I figured it would take some getting used to. i took them hunting in 2005 and shot a decent doe with one of the xxxx xxxx and hit forward in shoulder and shattered arrow upon impact. xxxx xxx stated that the shaft was cracked or broken and should have exploded before impact but at shot. i don't know about you but that scares me a little. I don't want a carbon shaft to explode in my face. when the deer was butchered, they found lots of carbon frags in meat and had to dispose of entire shoulders worth of meat. I have broken off alum arrows inside deer and just pulled broken half out while field dressing. None the less i switched back to alum and have no desire to ever use carbon again. p.s. i always checked my arrows for bends, cracks, etc before using them and i never saw anything wrong with the carbon shaft the exploded. just my 2 cents

I switched from Carbon to XX78 2216's this year, love em.

Wack, I chose the ACC's because there is little chance of total arrow failure as with an all carbon arrow. I instructed the J.O.A.D youth team for many years at our club. The ultra lite aluminums were the ticket indoors, but for outdoor yardage the kids needed the advantage of the light weight carbon arrow. Intermediate female archers shoot 70 meters and male shooters are out to 80 meters shooting recurve bows. We tested many carbon arrows and the ACC's or if the family could afford them, the ACE's were found to be the best and safest to gain the an advantage. We did have some damaged arrows, but all the damage was on the outer carbon wrap and was visible unlike an all carbon or carbon wrap arrows that often fracture inside. In my opinion the carbon wrapped aluminum arrows are the safest and most reliable arrows on the market whether for hunting or Olympic class targetshooting. Check out Lancaster Archery Supply's web page. Rob, the owner, has helped disign a new carbon arrow called the Nano XR. Are you ready for the price? You can havea dozen of this new carbonbare shaft for $500. [:-] I'm sure someone will bite, not me. And we wonder why the price of our gear is getting out of hand.

Funny how aluminum won't shoot on today's bows huh? It magically became junk because it bends. There ain't a carbon made for under $120 a dozen that can come close to the tolerances used to construct an xx78. But yet for $120 a dozen, 2 or 3, maybe 4 of those shafts still end up flying like a punted football. It is frustrated, they have come a long way, hopefully they'll get better, but unfortunately,by then the price will be $200 a dozen. The most accurate carbon based arrow I've shot in 20 years of playing with bows is the ACC easton, and they are to expensive to blow through a deer for me. The Axis shoot well for hunting, the FMJ's will get a try next year.

I personally have never gotten the aluminum shafts to fly as well the ST Axis shafts now in my quiver.