Carbon Bolts

Broadhead · Post by **Broadhead** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:52 am

X Gang,
I know this has been brought up before. Just a
safety check. Made a batch of venison Chili last night.
Second bite, something that felt like a little bone in the meat?
It was a sliver of the Carbon Bolt that broke/ split into pieces.
I was EXTRA careful about cutting around the impact area. Apparently not careful enough!
Any pointers/suggestions on a good quality Aluminum Bolt to use?
I like the Carbon Bolts performance, but the taste sucks...
Chew carefully.

ComfyBear · Post by **ComfyBear** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:52 pm

I've used Easton XX75 in 2216 with good success, but unlike carbon they tend to bend.

I've used GoldTips Laser II without incident, but feel that they are too light.

This year I bought some Carbon Express Crossbolts, which I find sturdier and more to my liking.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:26 am

I make my own arrows, so I can experiment some. I like easton 2215 aluminums with my Phoenix. A little lighter than 2216s, but still more durable than 2213s. I usually shop for bargains on eBay to get shafts.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:39 am

That scares the hell out of me. That's why I prefer aluminum.

buckeye · Post by **buckeye** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:31 am

We have seen these posts about carbon vs aluminum many times and the single most negative statement against aluminum is that they bend. So what. If I pay $60.00 for a dozen aluminum arrows and bend two a year they last 6 years which amounts to $10.00 a year, big deal. The other argument is that a carbon is either straight or broke. Not so. Carbons can have very small cracks in the interior walls, especially in or around the front insert that can go undetectable. I believe this is due to not pulling the arrow out straight from a foam target. We all are very careful about not bending aluminum arrows when pulling but we all seem to man handle carbons and inadvertently twist and bend the carbons in ways that they were not made to do. My friend who hunts with a Mathews Switchback had a carbon break on contact with on a decent buck. The arrow was laying a few yards off and only an 1 1/2" was missing. We trailed the buck with little blood but after 50 yards we actually found the broadhead which was a thunderhead with only half the shaft length wise left on the insert. We figured the broadhead only penatrated about 2" or less and the deer would recover. I know this is an exception rather than the rule but my point is that I believe carbons have more serious draw backs than aluminum and are not as failsafe as some believe. Now if your talking target shooting or 3D shooting only then by all means its carbon arrows hands down.

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:02 pm

buckeye wrote:We have seen these posts about carbon vs aluminum many times and the single most negative statement against aluminum is that they bend. So what. If I pay $60.00 for a dozen aluminum arrows and bend two a year they last 6 years which amounts to $10.00 a year, big deal. The other argument is that a carbon is either straight or broke. Not so. Carbons can have very small cracks in the interior walls, especially in or around the front insert that can go undetectable. I believe this is due to not pulling the arrow out straight from a foam target. We all are very careful about not bending aluminum arrows when pulling but we all seem to man handle carbons and inadvertently twist and bend the carbons in ways that they were not made to do. My friend who hunts with a Mathews Switchback had a carbon break on contact with on a decent buck. The arrow was laying a few yards off and only an 1 1/2" was missing. We trailed the buck with little blood but after 50 yards we actually found the broadhead which was a thunderhead with only half the shaft length wise left on the insert. We figured the broadhead only penatrated about 2" or less and the deer would recover. I know this is an exception rather than the rule but my point is that I believe carbons have more serious draw backs than aluminum and are not as failsafe as some believe. Now if your talking target shooting or 3D shooting only then by all means its carbon arrows hands down.

Good point.

tkstae · Post by **tkstae** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:31 pm

The big brown truck just dropped off a dozen Easton 2216's yesterday. I had my 2nd carbon shatter in a deer this year. Enough is enough.