carbon vs. aluminium

[austrian archer]

I have been using alum. shafts for a very long time and am considering carbon shafts. What are the pros and cons of using carbons for hunting?

[oldtimer]

They don't get bent.!!! Mike

[Sideofabarn]

Biggest Pro of carbons, as oldtimer said they don't get bent. As was once remarked to me, "they're either straight or they're broken".
Biggest Con: still has to be the price... not the sort of arrow to be flinging if you're chasing rabbits, and it gets lost or broken. Assuming you're concerned about that sort of thing

[swamper]

The price difference is not so great any more. I used that price excuse for a long time, but now it is definitely more cost efficient to shoot carbons. At least they have a life span. And if you do happen to damage one, there is a very good chance that you can cut it down for someone who may be "draw length challenged."

[huntwriter]

I have shot both carbon and aluminum and see not much difference. As has been said aluminum shafts bend but they can be straightened easy. Carbons have come a bit down in the price but they still breake and splinter if you hit anything else than the soft target or meat. For hunting I still use exclusively aluminum. I prefer the heft and weight they have. That’s just my personal preference and not based on field tests or science.

[Bow Walker]

I have shot both carbon and aluminum and see not much difference. As has been said aluminum shafts bend but they can be straightened easy. Carbons have come a bit down in the price but they still breake and splinter if you hit anything else than the soft target or meat. For hunting I still use exclusively aluminum. I prefer the heft and weight they have. That’s just my personal preference and not based on field tests or science.

Sorry huntwriter - not true. Carbons are tough. They will blow completely through an animal without damaging themselves or breaking.

I have shot carbons into 4 X 4 posts and they have still been good to go after retrieval and inspection.

[Onesock]

As for the weight, all you have to do is stuff the arrow with 1/4 poly rope to gain 100grs. The pro's are in favor of the carbon's.

[oldtimer]

Dan I wasn't aware there was a season on 4X4's on the rock !! what did it score ?? LOL
I must admit I have done the same thing to pine trees, fir stumps etc. with nothing more than a damaged ego.
Mike

[Kirby]

I have shot both carbon and aluminum and see not much difference. As has been said aluminum shafts bend but they can be straightened easy. Carbons have come a bit down in the price but they still breake and splinter if you hit anything else than the soft target or meat. For hunting I still use exclusively aluminum.

Have you shot carbons lately? I've shot aluminum for years hunting, competition, I tried carbons and didn't like them when they first came out, but after 18 years of shooting aluminums I switched to Carbons 2 years ago, without a doubt the best decision I made. They are WAY stronger than aluminums and anybody who says you can straighten aluminums I gotta meet, I did it lots but VERY rarely did I get it straight enough to shoot at anything other than stumps and ground squirrels.

Go Carbons, if you worried about the weight, get http://www.goldtip.com/products/prod...&rnd=192997551

Kirby

[Tinney]

Depends on what your bow likes as well....Mine doesn't like carbon arrows. I like them cause they're faster (tighter pins = less room for error) and they don't get bent, but I HATE how they shoot....I can't seem to find a carbon that my bow will tolerate....I never seem to get consistent groups much past 30m......so I stick with my 2315 aluminums, because I can consistently put them in a 4" circle at 50m....they just fly great.....moral of the story: Just cause everyone has carbons doesn't mean they perform any better....