i dont know any one shooting aluminum arrows anymore, carbon arrows are so much tougher than aluminum and so much more spline forgiving. i would bet carbon sales are 100 to 1 over aluminum? and i have never seen a carbon blow up yet. just my 2 cents
carbon composite damage Warnings and Use Arrow BreakageWARNING - Follow These Instructions To Avoid Personal Injury An arrow shaft can become damaged from impacts with hard objects or other arrows or after being shot into a game animal. A damaged arrow could break upon release and injure you or a bystander. You must carefully inspect each arrow shaft, nock, and other components before each shot to see that they have not been damaged. Before shooting, place the arrow between your thumb and fingers, and, using your other hand to slowly rotate the shaft, run your fingertips along the entire arrow length, feeling and looking closely for nicks, cracks, splits, dents, or other marks that could indicate the shaft has been damaged. When checking carbon arrows, perform the following additional tests: Grasp the shaft just above the point and below the nock, then flex the arrow in an arc (bending it away from you and others) with a deflection of 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm), and listen for cracking noises. Perform this test four to six times, rotating the arrow slightly between each flex until you have gone around the entire arrow. If you hear or feel cracking, the carbon has been damaged. While still holding the point and fletching ends, twist the shaft in both directions. If the arrow “relaxes” or twists easily, the carbon has been damaged. If an arrow has been damaged, or if you believe it has been damaged, do not shoot it again as it could break on release, and sharp arrow pieces could hit and injure you or someone nearby. For the record, I have seen both types of shafts (no experience with wood) collapse on the point end and crack side walls. The carbons will also splinter. Maybe I'm just hard on the poor little guys. P.S. I shoot alloys (Eclipse X7) now but my next ammo will be made with the GrizzlyStik Alaskans (carbon, tapered to nock-end, finished arrow weight of 10 grains per pound of draw weight).
I don't think this is true at all. The cost alone will get people to buy aluminum over carbon. Specially with people just getting into the sport. When i got started, my first 2 sets of arrows were aluminum, and the local places were ussualy sold out or low on inventory of aluminum arrows. I agree that carbon arrows are a "better" arrow, but i wouldn't say aluminum is obsoete yet.
Alum is obsolete for hunting Aluminum arrows will bend carbon will not. When you miss a nice deer with a aluminum arrow since it was bent and you did not notice it. You will then use carbon arrows.
If, after practicing for a year, purchasing tags, leasing land, travelling to the site while using your vacation time and you are in a position to shoot big game with a bent arrow, you deserve to miss.
