alumium? how many

I'm shooting gold tip 5575's right now but am having tuning problems. So I was wondering how many people shoot aluminum arrows? I know a shop that sells them for a pretty decent price! P.S I believe my tuning problems is my spine

 

Newb question:

what are the pros/cons of aluminum vs. carbon.

I bought my bow used and the guy gave me a dozen carbon arrows and they seem to work great.

 

well the pros of carbon is that you can get a stiffer spined arrow in a smaller diameter arrow shaft. The cons of carbon is the straightness tolerence from each arrow batch from what I'm told isn't very consistent. The pros of aluminum is that the straightness tolerence is alot better. The cons with aluminum is that if your arrow glances off of a object and gets bent it stays bent while carbon will straighten itself back. I'm sure theres alot more to it but this is from my limited knowledge.

 

Carbon composite can be very straight and light for the shaft diameter (higher projectile velocity) which translates into flatter shooting and less drop compensation (shorter time of flight). This can be very beneficial when shooting at extended distances as most folks have difficulty in judging drop between 40 and 60 yards.

This begs the question: If most deer are killed at 20 yards, why is flatter shooting so important when the kill zone is an 8 to 10 inch diameter circle? It is common knowledge that pass-through (complete arrow penetration) is nearly a given when using a stoutly constructed, sharp broadhead at 20 yards with any arrow material shot at modern compound speeds.

The very best carbon shafts have a high initial purchase price and it is true that they will return to their original shape well after making a glancing blow. However, they are susceptible to filler/binder cracking and fiber separation from tip/side impact and nock end damage. Manufacturers of carbon shafts suggest flexing and rolling of the shaft under tension after every shot to reveal fiber/binding filler damage and prevent shaft explosion upon the next firing. It is doubtful many archers practice this precaution but, none the less, this reflects manufacture’s concerns about prevention of injury to archers and standers by (read that lawsuits). Carbon composite shafts may also become abraded at the point end from being shot into rough targets such as hay. Abrasion can, over time, weaken both shaft strength and spine quality. Today’s hard anodizing of alloy shafts just polishes to a high gloss.

I have used wood, carbon and alloys in archery. I would never consider carbon again without some sort of nock protection (here we are again with the $$$). I have damaged a number of shafts due to both nock and point end damage.
For me, nock end damage is more tolerable (it means I’m doing something right, consistently) rather than worrying about shafts collapsing on the point end or being eroded from target friction. That’s it, laugh…hay will do it!

I now use Easton premium alloy shafts with nock end protection i.e. Easton Super Uni Bushing. The Super Slam shafts are spine retention and straightness guaranteed for 2 years and the X-7’s straightness is unparalleled in carbon unless you are prepared to spend more than twice the money. Those who tout alloy “loosing its spine” should think carefully about metallurgy. Flexing metals get harder with time, not more soft. Logic says those alloy shafts should be gaining stiffness not loosing and Easton Technical confirms my theory. They, by the way, sell a lot of carbon shafts.

It is my contention that the technology needed for composite shaft production is much easier to obtain than for alloy shafts. Therefore more companies are now in the market. Archers are no more resistant to advertising than any other group and so the perceived need to “upgrade” to composite shafts seems imperative. I also believe carbon technology should produce less expensive arrows but advertising hype and archer’s herd mentality has pushed pricing (and profit margins) higher.

Now I see advertisements for “higher grains per inch” weight carbon shafts to “maximize penetration”. Wait a minute…I thought the whole reason for carbon technology was light construction and speed.
Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

I guess if I had corporate sponsorship or was independently wealthy, I would have the most expensive of everything and not be concerned with replacement price. But I still have to work for a living.

Meanwhile, I will content myself with a little longer time of flight, a quieter shot, greater durability and lower replacement cost.

Besides, I like shooting the straightest, cheapest arrow on the firing line!
Alloys for me…

 

Konrad,

I understand most of your post, but I am not sure what you mean by "nock end damage". Can you explain that a little more? What should I be looking for?

I have heard that I should flex the carbon shafts, especially after a missed shot.

 

When you are shooting well and put too many arrows into the same target, one point will hit a previously shot arrow and destroy the “nock end” of that arrow. Some folks refer to this as a “Robin Hood”. A near miss on a carbon shaft can be as disastrous (throw that one away) as a true Robin Hood. The arrows I have, all have marks indicating the deflection of the other point away from the body of the shaft. In other words, I still sustain damage on a direct hit but the near misses aren’t nearly as expensive.

Carbon Express is the only company I know of that offers a protective device (their Bulldog Nock Collar) on carbon composite shafts.

Mountain Archery Supply has a cross reference for using Easton Technical’s Uni-Bushing and Super Uni-Bushings on Easton’s and other manufacturer’s carbon shafts. http://www.mountain-archery.com/

Almost all of Easton’s alloy shafts, except the swaged end shafts, now use a bushing. I would believe the aluminum ones are the best. It seems to me some of the low cost Easton alloys have used a carbon bushing in the past. I have no experience with the carbon type; however, I can’t believe they work nearly as well as the aluminum when hit with another point.

The additional cost and weight to the shaft is well worth every grain and/or penny and you can replace the bushings. Once a carbon composite shaft has been hit, it is as they say; it’s all over but the cry’n.

I now do 99% of my practice at 50 yards and still get nock-end damage.