Aluminum vs carbon

[wabi]

Check for straightness frequently

how do you check that?

A quick check while shooting is to remove the point and look through the inserts toward a light source (like looking through a telescope). If the shaft is relatively straight you will see a "bullseye" type pattern of light/dark rings on the interior walls. If the rings are off center it is not straight!

[paulaboutform]

Indeed, thanks for the mug idea, always learn something here.
There was another arginst fg/carbon, they used to shatter occasionally at the moment of release , I have no idea if it is still a concern, but some people were badly injured in the past.

You're absolutely correct. I've seen it first hand at a 3D shoot (all vertical bows) where a guy inadvertently shot a damaged arrow and had to go get the carbon fibres removed from his arm and hand. Especially with carbon shafts, if you're silly enough to shoot for groups, like me at times, or shooting 3D, you MUST inspect the shaft by holding it in two hands by each end and flex and twist simultaneously looking for stress fractures or cracks or splinters. I just pulled a carbon splinter I got from my own arrow at my last 3D shoot. Shooting with top level shooters your arrows can take a real beating. If you actually check your arrows there are no worries though.

Paul

[DuckHunt]

I've broken at least a half dozen carbon arrows with my ExoMax, but I wouldn't shoot anything else due to the durability. It buries them so deep in a target sometimes that you learn creative ways to pull them out. I'd never get very many shots from an aluminum shaft without bending it.

One thing I've never had an issue with is splintering. All of the carbon shafts I have messed up (not counting robin hoods) have outright snapped. The rocks around here are very unforgiving once the arrow reached the ground. They also tend to snap if they ricochet off a tree or two. I've managed to snap them in multiple places on one shot with the 4" vanes holding the pieces together. Aluminum wouldn't have fared any better but is more likely to be found in one piece. I've never had a carbon break in an animal. Come to think of it, I've never had a carbon stop in an animal except for an intentional neck bone shish kabob.

For shooting critters, I don't think it matters much. Carbon is much more durable for pulling out of targets in my opinion.

DuckHunt