Aluminum Alloy Arrows
06-30-2010, 03:39 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 150
Aluminum Alloy Arrows
Are aluminum alloy arrows pretty much as good for hunting as carbon.
I know the bending thing is an issue. But when I was in the store I bent one on my knee and it bounced back and was still perfectly straight.
What is your opinion?
I know the bending thing is an issue. But when I was in the store I bent one on my knee and it bounced back and was still perfectly straight.
What is your opinion?
07-01-2010, 05:36 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Adirondacks
Posts: 1,305
They're not bad by any means however carbons generally are more accurate and give greater penetration.In the long run they work out to be less expensive so they're all I use with my compound and recurve.I also use them most of the time with the longbow but I still like using woods sometimes just for the trad thing.
07-01-2010, 08:19 PM
#5
Spike
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Naples Florida
Posts: 69
I shoot the best of both worlds. I shoot the easton ac super slims (alum, wrapped with carbon) arrows for great stiffness yet a little lighter from carbon. They're pretty expensive though $150 per dozen and up. Man are they great killing instruments though. Pass throughs everytime.
07-02-2010, 07:36 AM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 868
Both aluminum and carbon arrows have their particular virtues. Depending on what you are looking for out of your arrow will drive which is the best fit for you.
Aluminum generally tend to be initially straighter and more consistent in spine than their carbon counterparts. This will mean a more accurate arrow, however all but the top 1% could never tell the difference. Also after smacking them together in a target butt a couple of times or sending one into a tree or the ground, this will no longer be the case. Aluminums will bend and unless you have an arrow straightener and spend the time using it, will end up being less accurate in the long run.
What aluminum does offer is more weight and momentum than a lighter carbon. It will carry energy downrange better than a lighter carbon, however it will also be significantly slower due to it's higher weight.
Carbon arrows while generally not quite as straight as aluminums or as consistent in spine(unless you shell out for some of the upper end arrows) will be more accurate than you are likely to be able to shoot (especially with a hunting rig). They are generally lighter (faster) than their aluminum counterparts and tend to hold their straightness better. I have heard people say for carbon arrows "It's either straight or it's broken", and while that is not 100% correct, for most archers it is close enough to true.
What you do need to watch out for with carbon arrows is damaged ones. Check each and every arrow after you shoot it. Make sure it is in good condition, not cracked, chafed or starting to splinter. If you see anything that looks like it might be bad put that arrow in the arrow bucket and stop using it. The same can be said for all arrows, however carbon arrows tend to explode rather dramatically when they break during the shot.
There are those that will wave the flag violently for their particular arrow of choce (Aluminum or carbon) and say the other is crap but when it comes down to it, they are both good materials and each have their specific strong points. Pick the material that has the virtues that you most desire and go with that one.
I personally shoot carbons out of my hunting rig and use aluminum for my target bow.
Aluminum generally tend to be initially straighter and more consistent in spine than their carbon counterparts. This will mean a more accurate arrow, however all but the top 1% could never tell the difference. Also after smacking them together in a target butt a couple of times or sending one into a tree or the ground, this will no longer be the case. Aluminums will bend and unless you have an arrow straightener and spend the time using it, will end up being less accurate in the long run.
What aluminum does offer is more weight and momentum than a lighter carbon. It will carry energy downrange better than a lighter carbon, however it will also be significantly slower due to it's higher weight.
Carbon arrows while generally not quite as straight as aluminums or as consistent in spine(unless you shell out for some of the upper end arrows) will be more accurate than you are likely to be able to shoot (especially with a hunting rig). They are generally lighter (faster) than their aluminum counterparts and tend to hold their straightness better. I have heard people say for carbon arrows "It's either straight or it's broken", and while that is not 100% correct, for most archers it is close enough to true.
What you do need to watch out for with carbon arrows is damaged ones. Check each and every arrow after you shoot it. Make sure it is in good condition, not cracked, chafed or starting to splinter. If you see anything that looks like it might be bad put that arrow in the arrow bucket and stop using it. The same can be said for all arrows, however carbon arrows tend to explode rather dramatically when they break during the shot.
There are those that will wave the flag violently for their particular arrow of choce (Aluminum or carbon) and say the other is crap but when it comes down to it, they are both good materials and each have their specific strong points. Pick the material that has the virtues that you most desire and go with that one.
I personally shoot carbons out of my hunting rig and use aluminum for my target bow.
07-04-2010, 08:19 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,926
98Redline, good balanced explanation
Now I use aluminum, or alloy as I notice they are now called. For decades now. Over the last year or so, I scouted for carbon arrows, if a change was necessary. Individuals don't control the market.
I'm a hunter archer; a good lone practice archer over the years; not a competitive 3D archer. I look for good hunter accuracy; not minute competition accuracy. My budget is important.
Over the years I got good results; a lot of it due to my accuracy. You hit the target; you don't usually damage the arrow. Shoot poorly and your purchase bill on arrows can go up. My costs affect me; not what it costs someone else.
If a change comes I have two makes of carbon arrow noted. Not the high end cost, but ones made by a company for years. I heard of them years ago.
Would only have to watch the setup on my homemade targets, (average penetration, etc.) I'm sold on what I use; change if I have to change.
In the end I'm looking for hunter accuracy and not running up my bills by trying every new thing on the market.
I'm a hunter archer; a good lone practice archer over the years; not a competitive 3D archer. I look for good hunter accuracy; not minute competition accuracy. My budget is important.
Over the years I got good results; a lot of it due to my accuracy. You hit the target; you don't usually damage the arrow. Shoot poorly and your purchase bill on arrows can go up. My costs affect me; not what it costs someone else.
If a change comes I have two makes of carbon arrow noted. Not the high end cost, but ones made by a company for years. I heard of them years ago.
Would only have to watch the setup on my homemade targets, (average penetration, etc.) I'm sold on what I use; change if I have to change.
In the end I'm looking for hunter accuracy and not running up my bills by trying every new thing on the market.
07-04-2010, 11:28 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 150
Now I use aluminum, or alloy as I notice they are now called. For decades now. Over the last year or so, I scouted for carbon arrows, if a change was necessary. Individuals don't control the market.
I'm a hunter archer; a good lone practice archer over the years; not a competitive 3D archer. I look for good hunter accuracy; not minute competition accuracy. My budget is important.
Over the years I got good results; a lot of it due to my accuracy. You hit the target; you don't usually damage the arrow. Shoot poorly and your purchase bill on arrows can go up. My costs affect me; not what it costs someone else.
If a change comes I have two makes of carbon arrow noted. Not the high end cost, but ones made by a company for years. I heard of them years ago.
Would only have to watch the setup on my homemade targets, (average penetration, etc.) I'm sold on what I use; change if I have to change.
In the end I'm looking for hunter accuracy and not running up my bills by trying every new thing on the market.
I'm a hunter archer; a good lone practice archer over the years; not a competitive 3D archer. I look for good hunter accuracy; not minute competition accuracy. My budget is important.
Over the years I got good results; a lot of it due to my accuracy. You hit the target; you don't usually damage the arrow. Shoot poorly and your purchase bill on arrows can go up. My costs affect me; not what it costs someone else.
If a change comes I have two makes of carbon arrow noted. Not the high end cost, but ones made by a company for years. I heard of them years ago.
Would only have to watch the setup on my homemade targets, (average penetration, etc.) I'm sold on what I use; change if I have to change.
In the end I'm looking for hunter accuracy and not running up my bills by trying every new thing on the market.
07-04-2010, 02:31 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: canada
Posts: 257
i shoot alu but i also have a dozen carbons hidden away if i ever get a itch for speed. i cant ad much more to the above posts except for how much i am pleased with my easton super slam's. i have been shooting the same dozen for about a year now and i shoot them on a regular basis. i also am lucky enough to be a machinist working in a shop with lathes equipt very precise dial indicators (micrometer type tool designed to show runoff in straight shafts). every few weeks i have been checking my arrows for straightness because the super slam comes with a warrenty. well let me just say when i first got them they were all within 0.0005, i dont expect this with the next dozen but thats really mind boggling how something like that could be made that straight. well anyway i checked them last week, there was some runoff but the needle on the dial only showed 0.004 max. thats with arrows that have been well abused and hunted with. i have only good praise for modern aluminum but i still also give carbon high marks
