should i bother with carbons??

[speedball]

Just wondering how you guys feel about me switching to carbons, since my dad took my 200 exocet and i have the tenpoint x-2 we both shoot aluminum bolts but he junked two bolts already on two deer, i know its a matter of choice but will we get a little longer life out of carbons?, what should i shoot? the tenpoint has to have a minimum grain of 420 and an optimum weight of 430 to 440- come on guys help out, my dad's been bugging me to death about it ya know those wonderful retired people only kiddin speedball..................

[GaryL]

Just my .25 cent's worth, but it depends on what you are after. Some for example have been talking about the chance of a carbon splintering and messing up some meat. With carbons it is either good or busted so they say...However be aware of hair line cracks you can't see.

Aluminum is either good or bent, you have to check them with a simple spin test, they won't splinter.... but can split

Light or heavy can be reached with either, so as you stated it is a matter of choice....

[Digger]

I too am one of those wonderful retired people, but Ilove carbon. I have probably over 200 arrows and bolts in my archery closet, no more than a dozen to 20 shafts are aluminum. If you want a heavier bolt as I need for my Paradox (at least 410 gr) I use 450gr with Beman Thunderbolts, at about 340gr for just the bolt and vanes, then add your choice of head.
I've been using carbon in my xbows for 5 years, if you go carbon you won't go back.

[Woody Williams]

Carbons?

In a word... YEP.

I'll never go back to aluminums and I have a life time supply of them..

[wabi]

Carbons are definately tough! They are cheaper in the long run as they will outlast aluminums many times over, unless you loose them, they both disappear if you aren't careful about where you shoot.

[GaryM]

I was sawing some limbs to climb a pin oak and had put my crossbow on the ground. When I turned, I stepped hard right on the shafts of all 4 arrows in the quiver. If those had been aluminum, I'd have probably been finished for the day. I have carbon, and I knew they weren't bent or damaged. Like Woody, I'll never use aluminum arrows again.

[speedball]

thanx guys, i still dont know which ones to try do ya think the bemans or the carbon express or i dont know?, whats your guys opinions on brands?? what have you had good luck with???? speedball.............

[BryanOney]

I switched to carbon bolts this year. I like them very much. I went with 18 inch gold tip Laser 2s with a brass insert in the front and an aluminum insert in the rear. I shoot these in my Vixen. Many people at this site recommended them. I have seen 2 big advantages with the carbon bolts.

1. Noticably better accuracy. I had been shooting old aluminum shafts. Some had been refletched 4 or 5 times. I have read that with aluminun shafts you often get very small bends that cannot be seen very easily with the naked eye when you pull them out of a target. This hurts their accuracy. I think my old shafts had some small bends in them so they were not as accurateas the new carbons. I also bought THE BLOCK for crossbows. It is easy to pull bolts out of it.

2. Big increase in speed. I went from a 150 gr. broadhead to a 100gr wasp with the lightest carbon arrow I could safely use with this head. With my old aluminum shafts I could see a blur from the blot when I shot. With the new arrow and head I cannot see it at all. This should get me flatter arrow flight and less string jumping if a deer sees the motion of my crossbow limbs when I shoot.

I take an aluminum bolt with me to the woods to shoot at squirrel or wood chucks if the opportunity arises. The switch to carbon for me has been a good change for me. I especially like the better accuracy. To me putting the arrow in the right spot is the most important thing. Have not unleashed a carbon bolt on a deer yet, but I do not think it will be long till it happens the way the corn is coming off, the leaves are falling, and the rut is starting to kick in in northern Ohio. Have a good one.

[Beaver]

As said above, it is a matter of personal opinion. The only way I would use carbons is if there were no aluminums available, and that day may come soon.

I get noticeably better accuracy with aluminum shafts and I have MUCH better broadhead alighnment with aluminum. I think this is because I can super tune them and can't carbons. I can easily refletch aluminum.

I HAVE NOT tried every brand of carbons by any means, but I have tried 3 and did not like them. I gave them to my boy, he shoots them in an Exomax and loves them :

[speedball]

beaver, what size aluminum are ya shootin?, i do shoot a tenpoint so the bolt might be a different animal coming out of my bow, but i just dont like trashing bolts every time i shoot a deer, twice for my dad and once for me i dont have the extra cash to spend on bolts!!!! they told me at the pro-shop that the ten-point carbons(that are real expensive), will fly great out of her, my problem is i got a 10-point thats gonna be ready from the taxadermist end of january-beginning of feb!!

[Beaver]

I shoot a 20 inch, XX-75, 2219 shaft, inserts in each end, 4 3/4 inch AAE vanes, and Muzzy 100 grain head. Total arow weight is 460 grains.

Before I cut the shafts, I use a converted cartridge case trimmer and square the open end. I then use a case neck turner, converted, and square the back sholder of the insert. I then install the insert with low temp hot melt glue. I cut the shaft just a little long. The cut end then gets the exact same treatment as the open end. I polish the shafts with 0000 steel wool. After that I clean the shafts with 90% alcohol. Next I square the inserts and make sure they are perefectly flat. I put on 2 coats of Meguires NXT auto wax down to the foreward end of the fletch. I fletch every arrow with the same Bitzenburger jig and clamp, one arrow at a time. Finally, I put 2 coats of NXT between the vanes and on the back 1/2 inch of the arrow.



I use a ceramic stick on the trocar tips of my Muzzy's. I have a home brew jig that lets me screw them onto and holds them squarely in place. I strop the blades by putting them into an X-acto knife handle and I treat a 18 inch mounted leather with baseball glove oil and Jackson #5 red rouge.

I do all of this because it is what I did when I made compound and recurve arrows. Everything else exists for the puropse of launching an arrow at a game animal. I want that arrow to be, in my opinion, as perfect as I can make it for the best possible flight and terminal performance. Also, it is part of the total experience that I greatly enjoy