Oldguy

I have been shooting the wrong arrow size. That said, I am going to my pro-shop for a new set-up. He wants me to switch to carbon arrows. I really have mixed feelings about this... the speed sounds good, but I am not a good shooter and need all the edge I can get, plus I am comfortable refletching aluminum. Also, I have been using a tm style rest, the pro-shop showed me his bow with a Bodoodle rest, which really appealed to me as I have trouble currently keeping the arrow on the rest.
What do you hunters think??

DavidPaul007

I use aluminium simply because I can cut them myself...and I can buy cheap practice arrows at wal-mart that are close to what i hunt with. Other than that, I dont' really have much of a reason to choose AL over the Carbon.

hunter9022

Do what you want. I was against carbons also, till i switched. Now i really like them. The speed will get you though if you have bad form because they will magnify your mistakes. In other words, you'll miss bigger with a fubared shot than you would with an aluminum. But, the way they're built now, they're great.

Oldguy

Thanks for the info! Now I have to decide?? I really appreciate your advice!

Oldguy

Red Hawk

I have been using carbon arrows but never aluminum. Is there really a difference performance wise? If so can someone tell me please?

tabby

I have shot carbon for a year now. I am getting some new arrows, and they are aluminum. I like the thicker arrow, easier to get my fletchings through. Although carbons are more durable.

I personaly don't think there is a difference in accuracy between carbon and al, but I am not that good of a shot either.

bronko22000

I don't know why I'm doing it, but I'm switching to carbons. Hunted with Alum for years and I don't think the deer will get any deader. Carbons have pros and cons. I can get my alum straighter on my arrow straightener, can't straighten carbon. Carbon doesn't oscillate as much as alum for quicker stabilization and deeper penetration. Who knows what's better. I think it is whatever your more comfortable with. Heck, I guess whatever trips your trigger!

robinhood11x

Carbon after i shot threw cronograph.Why cause speed helped create more conetic energy.In stead of you lobbing a 125 grain broad head at 200fps with alums. 240 with Carbon.
You can'tjust shoot 2 weeks before season and hit a thing.
The speed is not goin to make you less accurate it is goin to make you more accurate.300 fps is fast that would make a small mistake big.
I shoot 100 to 160 arrows on weekends inthe summer alums bend and shooting that much i would be straighting arrows for weeks.
Try a carbon see for your self .

c903

Careful, Old Guy!

Sounds as though you could be vulnerable to being sold gear that you do not need or is not for you. Before you make any decisions, you need to (first) tell more about the history of your shooting ability and what your present setup is. You might be having problems, or you are presently at a skill level, that new gear will not correct and could possibly make matters worse for you.

Arthur P

Unless an arrow is way too heavy for the bow, switching to a lighter arrow will yield more speed, but slightly less kinetic energy and a good bit less momentum. Since the lighter arrow does not absorb as much energy from the bow, that leaves more energy in the bow to turn into noise, shock and vibration. It usually leads to shorter service life for the string, cables, and for the bow itself. Light arrows is the reason vibration absorbing technology has gotten so hot in the past few years.

The lightest carbons you can find will cost you more money in the long run, just to keep the bow up and running. I have found high speed arrows to be a good bit tougher to tune the bow to, especially with broadheads, and not as accurate.

The smart move is to select a medium weight arrow (8 or 9 grains of arrow weight per pound of draw weight), one that will give you decent trajectory and maximize energy and momentum, which will also maximize penetration. Most carbon arrow manufacturers offer a medium weight shaft and they would be the better choice for hunting, IMO. That goes double for lighter draw weight bows, say under 60 pounds, or a bow that yields low energy levels like a longbow or recurve.

I still like aluminum arrows best, as long as the wall diameters are .015" thick or better. They're hefty, but plenty durable and trajectory within 30 yards is plenty good. I also believe heavier arrows are more stable and more accurate. My 2315's run 570 grains, which is 9.5 grains per pound for my 60 pound compound. They also shoot good out of my 50 pound longbow for 11.4 grains per pound.

Choose a broadhead weight that keeps your arrow's front of center balance at least 10%. And practice, practice, practice at both shooting and judging distance. The more confident you are in your shooting and range estimation ability, the less you will worry about trajectory.