JagMagMan

I went back to aluminum a couple of years ago and I am going to go back to carbon arrows this time around. Lost alot of FPS and ended up with 4 pins on my sight instead of 2! But its all up to what you want! I doubt that its the arrows fault. Yes aluminum is heavier, but the extra FPS should make up for the difference. Penitration should be close to the same either way.

TFOX

You most likely have a tuning issue. Be it spine or otherwise.

Ed McDonald

I switched to carbons a few years ago and gave away my aluminum arrows . I would never switch back .

MUZZY 100

What ?? you have an issue with you bow .there's no way a aluminum arrow will penetrate more that a carbon with a bow that is properly tuned

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.

2robinhood

Maybe rupypug was shooting to far for a light arrow to get good penetration.

rupypug, what is the arrow you are having trouble with ?
You never got around to telling us what it was.

If you don't know what you arrow weight is tell us the:

Make ?
Size ?
Length ?
Tip weight ?
Vane size ?

salukipv1

You couldn't give me free aluminum arrows to use. I'd still pay for carbon.

Do whatever you want. If you like a heavy arrow, I'd find some super heavy carbon.

IMO carbon wins hands down.

2robinhood

Yep, they don't bend.
Just need to check them for cracks.

TFOX

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 .

rupypug

I shoot Beaman ICS hunter 340. They are 28" long and I shoot slick trick or Thunderheads. Thanks for the help guys.