Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Carbon or aluminum traditional arrows.

I just recently have new, lighter limbs for my Shafer Silvertip recurve. I used to shoot 65# at 29” out of the 62” recurve. Now it’s 54# at 29”. My old arrows were 2117 Easton Legacy which worked well with the heavier draw. Now I’m trying 2018 Legacy’s, I’m not super happy with the way they fly off the bow, so I’m thinking of trying a couple other arrows. I just saw the wood pattern carbon arrows in a local archery shop. Has anybody tried these off a recurve or longbow? How do you like them?

2117 should work well if they are fast flight limbs. If not either .400 or .340 carbon should work fine depending on how much you want them to weigh.

Carbons work great. figure out the total wt. of broadhead, inserts, etc. to get your rough spine # and then bare shaft tune before you glue up feathers. The carbon will outlast aluminum by far over a season of practice pulling out targets, misses, stump shooting etc. When I used to shoot recurves more I beat the living hell of carbon arrows and only broke them hitting rocks on misses, and even then a few escaped that.

Carbon is more durable for sure if you get heavier hunting rather than target arrows. You will likely shoot something in the .400 range. Do not cut carbons to length and expect them to shoot perfect. Youu need to start full length and bare shaft tune cutting as little as 1/4" at a time.

Aluminum seems to be more forgiving over the range, but I also have some bows that shoot a variety of spines fairly well.

I've shot recurves and longbows since the 1970's and always preferred wood to aluminum shafts. Aluminum were always noisier and harsher shooting than wood. 10 or so years ago I tackled the learning curve of making carbons work - extra tip weight to achieve correct spine, tuning, etc.

I still like the idea of wood, but carbons are what I mostly shoot now due to consistency and durability.

I have used 2117 aluminum shafts with my recurves in those similar draw weight ranges and then shoot fine.

I would think 2018s would be a little weak potentially depending on point weight.

I have also used .400 spine carbons (Carbon Express piledriver 250-they have their own number system but this is a .400 spine) . The .400s I experimented by adding brass inserts and settled on 50 grain brass with 150 broad heads. With 4" feathers and a wrap total arrow weight is around 550 grains or so. Carbons are much quieter than aluminum in the woods and on the bow if incidental contact is made with shelf etc.

Long way of saying that 2117s should be fine and if you want to develop carbons .400’s would be a good place to start.

I would try to shoot the flattest shooting ones that were grouping.


( for deer)

As a side note I had a heeler dog that would find my lost aluminum arrows. She often would bring them back. She was no where close to being able to find the carbon ones.

I’ve shot traditional for a long time and I shoot all three shaft types but wood is my favorite for hunting. What I like is that they are simple and no inserts to replace, feathers stay on even in extreme cold. But if you buy wood shafts, buy them from an arrow place like Footed shaft or Twig archery where they have some nice shafts. I do like the tapered shafts with the weight forward and both of these shops offer them. So the front of the shaft is 11/32 or 23/64 up front and tapered to 5/16 in the nock. They just fly super straight.

I wish this site had “like” buttons. Lots of super helpful comments.

How about Three Rivers Archery? Are they a good source? That’s who I’ve used in the past.

Three Rivers is the Midway USA of archery. If you need something, they usually have it, but someone else will always have the same thing cheaper.

I can’t remember but I don’t think 3 Rivers weight matches their shafts. Some of the arrow companies weight match their shafts to within 5-10 grains.

Assume you're talking wood shafts and agree larger places like 3 Rivers (as well as most trad suppliers) don't weight match shafts. A couple of the better wood shaft suppliers have been mentioned above and I'd add Ted Fry of Raptor Archery for top quality wood shafts.

I've gotten so anal about good wood shafting, I actually started making my own a number of years back. Best wood shafts I've ever used, but way to much work and good/consistent materials are near impossible to get.

Carbon, if you like wood, get the wood veneered ones. Shooting Trad is tough enough without having to shoot inconsistent arrows.

Carbon. It straight or it’s broken.

^^^THIS^^^

But I'm not a recurve guy, so you guys might think differently. I didn't even realize that they still made aluminum. I know with a compound, Carbon fly substantially faster than aluminum. There's nothing worse than a bent aluminum arrow.

I run Goldtips in everything.
Have various weights and inserts to get beautiful papertune/ flight.


Most carbon charts suck.

Better to use the 3 Rivers calculator

I made woods for my first Blackwidow around 88.
Got em from 3 Rivers....when it was a shop in a basement of a house down from a relatives

I still buy wood shafts. They aren't cheap, but I find them more forgiving. I've got a bunch of carbon arrows that work well, but you have to be very consistent in your draw or the spine will "stiffen" on you. Wood doesn't do that, and they sound much more natural coming off the bow if you're hunting skittish animals.

And I gotta be close. I'm not one of these guys that is confident shooting deer at 30 yards with a longbow.

Another place to go for trad stuff is Kustom King Archery

Carbon, and Gold Tip traditional arrows @Lancaster.

https://footedshaft.com/collections

Good knowledgeable source for all things traditional.

Footed carbon shafts are nearly bombproof from a recurve/longbow. My footed Goldtips shoot as good as any aluminum I've tried. I think you'll like 'em.

If you want the straightest and most consistent arrow, then aluminum. XX75 have the best weight consistency, shaft to shaft, and they spine at what Easton lists them. Carbon are seldom the spine indicated and vary even within a dozen. Which is fine but remember that changing brand means a bit of difference in spine.

Have been shooting traditional for almost 30 years.

Started with aluminum, then on to wood, cane, and bamboo. I love the romance of wood, but with todays prices and quality....yowsa!

Have been shooting carbons for many years now, got serious when I could get the weights up to the 10gr per pound with the heavier inserts, points, and broadheads.

Consistency, durability, and flexibility make them an easy choice.

I still shoot some wood arrows, but aluminum have been gone for a very long time. Majority of my serious shooting and hunting are with carbons.

Can not beat carbon. A tuned bow flinging port orford is a thing of beauty, but consistency and durability, and allowing you to tune to an exact weight, carbon is the answer. Aluminum? You don't need that in your life.

Thank you! I would have cut them to length if you wouldn't give us the warning. What kind of cutting tool do I need to cut them to length/to let them shoot perfectly?

Thank you! I would have cut them to length if you wouldn't give us the warning. What kind of cutting tool do I need to cut them to length/to let them shoot perfectly?[/quote

I always had use of a professional arrow cutting tool but I've been told a Dremel would work. I always bare shaft tuned, cutting from the nock end.

One other thing. Shoot lots of bare shafts only using the average as an indicator. Any inconsistency will affect them so much you don't need to cut after just a couple shots. Also always confirm your evaluation by adding or taking away tip weight, this will prevent a false reading from an arrow bouncing off the riser.

When I was shooting competition no one cared if they had an inch or three inches of arrow sticking off the shelf at full draw.

Exactly. Shoot them full length and go from there. If you have the correct spine, you can tune with points or washers. Video your arrow flight from behind with your phone and watch it in slow mo. It will be a game changer and you'll be throwing darts.

How well you can bare shaft tune will depend on your shooting form. If you are really good, you can shoot them as far as 60 yards and really see what's happening. I've seen guys try bare shafting that thought they had the correct spine. Some spines were so far off they would slap a target sideways at 10 yards. I will shoot 20-30 shots though before cutting because everything has to be perfect with release and form or it will really show.

One caution. Don't try bare shafting broadheads at long distances. Some designs can catch wind and do exciting things. I've tuned my target bow so that you couldn't tell the difference between feathered and bares shafts at 60 yards. You have to be really on your game though. I was shooting over 100 arrows every day back then while competing. It would take me a while to get back to that level..

RHClark is spot on. Has been my experience as well.

That is why I like carbon, can tune them to perfect bare shaft flight. I have shot bare shaft carbons out to about 40 yards. It is pretty cool when one can stack bare shafts on top of each other at that distance.

If you want heavier arrows, cut them a little shorter and increase insert/point weight. Likewise, you can leave them longer and go with lighter inserts/points to decrease arrow weight.

Have never had any luck trying the same tuning procedure with wood arrows, in fact, pretty dismal results. Have never messed with aluminum.

Good luck guys. Just cut small amounts at a time. I've been able to tell the difference with just 1/4" cut. If I had cut a half inch, it would have been too much.

I find aluminum easier to tune. Less effect on trimming than carbon.
I shoot both, but for hunting, I go with aluminum. The carbon arrows that most guys shoot just don't have the straightness and consistency of weight and spine found on the XX75. If you can find them in your size, the X7 is fantastic. Same specs as XX75 but a harder alloy that resists bending more than the XX75.
There are some very good carbons but the price is a reflection of their quality control

I’m a KISS guy when I tune carbon. I cut them to length to remove that variable then tune with point weight…hasn’t failed me yet. Plus I’m not fighting with arrows longer than they need to be….YMMV

I would hope there wouldn't be much of a fight with an arrow an inch too long. Your approach will possibly work if you don't care how heavy your arrows are. I prefer picking the point weight I want to shoot. When you find the correct length, all are cut that length.

Your approach likely won't work at all for someone with a short draw. Let's say someone buys arrows spined for a 50 lb bow but has a 26" draw. Cut those arrows that short and it might take 300 grains to get them shooting. Personally, I prefer not to shoot boat anchors.

I agree with RHClark. I like to build for weight vs length. Only downside might be different length arrows could mess up gap shooters.

Too heavy, they drop too fast. Too light, not good for bow longevity.

When down to final tuning, I have even gone to cutting an 1/8 of an inch off.

I want to make sure everyone understands that once you get the correct length for spine,all the arrows will be the same. You don't have to tune each one to the extent that they will be different lengths. Sometimes gap shooters like arrows a certain length but I've shot with a couple world champion gap shooters that just tuned their arrows to whatever length worked and shot them. They just figured their new gap if it was any different than their old one.

The good gap shooters I've shot with didn't really consciously put their arrow tip in a calculated way over, on, or under a target. Now they might know their point on is 40 yards and if they miss that target once they will have a much better estimate next shot if the target is very close to their point on either way. They just have an awareness of their arrow tip in relation to the target and through repetition know what the sight picture needs to look like. They always shot just as swiftly as anyone else. One I know was an excellent wing shot on foam discs with flu flu arrows and he made videos on his gap shooting technique.

54 pounder at 29/30. Get a 400 spine and a 175 grainish point and shoot your bow. You'll have 450 grains of arrow. Forget cutting anything. Just shoot. I have nailed about 20 deer with a black widow kb 3 pulling 52 at 30". All pass throughs but 2, which hit the opposite shoulder on one, and the spine of another. I've used about a dozen different points, 2 blade, 3 blade, 4 blade, with carbon. Your arrow fish tailing (side to side) out of your bow will tell you what needs to be done. If the arrow fletching kicks right, it's too weak, cut arrow or use lighter point. If fletching kicks left, your arrow is too stout. Look up the archer's paradox, may explain it better. Tune for what your bow likes. I like a fast arrow, but I'm a deer guy. An elk or bear guy may want heavy. But I'll bet you money, marbles, and chalk your bow will shoot darts with a full length 400 and a 150 to 175 grain point.

Might want to look at the 3 Rivers arrow spine calculator.
Its pretty good.
If you enter in the correct data.

30.5" GT 400s, w 100gr insert and 125 gr tip bare shaft fine out of my Blackwidow PSA2 at 46#.
Came out perfect on the calculator, once I fudged it by changing shaft length input by .5" since the brass 100gr insert is longer than the reg aluminum one.
Form factor was zero.

Not that I have great form, but am average size/build and consistent. Consistently bad or good or mediocre? LOL

I did have some 340s from my compound and I got them to fly decent, but the tip weight was a lot, and even when calculator and shooting proved them good, I found excessive frontal weight made the arrows slooooooooooooow, and not as forgiving of release.

My 400s fly faster, shoot great and are forgiving. Currently am running the regular Hunter series. Have shot the Pros before, in compound and recurve and like em. But for popping deer under 25 yards (no more 3 D shoots for anything other than fun)..........I just don't need to run the more expensive shafts.
Would go Hunter XT if a shop has em.

FWIW, will broadhead test each shaft, before hunting with it, in case one is outta whack.

I have a longbow that I shoot both 400's and 340's out of.

Weight difference is about 90gr of weight. 540 vs 630.

Hunt targets, deer and antelope with 400's, and elk with 340's

Well chit. Been using GT carbons since 2002 and put inserts in w hot gun glue. Works great. Am careful about heating tip w insert attached, (propane torch). Glue that and then slide into shaft ( tip and insert assembly held by pliers ).

Have done it hundreds of times, even remove and replace. Think I damaged one. One.

New batch of lower end GTs, damaged 3 out of 6. Scrapped em all, tossed my 100gr brass inserts in trash too. Not worth my time to remove adhesive.

Must have gotten a less than ideal batch.

With the hybrid longbows I build, I cut the sight windows 3/16" past center. With 55# @ 28" draw, a 340 spine carbon cut at 29.5" with brass insert and 160 gr point shoots great for me. Arrows have a total weight of +/- 500 gr. The 3 Rivers spine calculator is a very useful tool that I use for every new combo I put together.

Switch to that cheap Walmart 2 part 15 min epoxy. I've used it and never had an insert come out with it. I do clean the inside of the shaft with a Q tip dipped in acetone or high percentage alcohol.

Yup. Pick up some GT Pros on way back from wrist dr this week. Epoxy will work as theres no need for experimentation.

FWIW I clean my arrows for insert install too

You mention experimentation. When I tune my bare shafts I always epoxy the insert in and cut for tuning from the nock end. I only play with about 3-4 arrows though before I decide the length to cut them all.

I cut from the front, and used hot melt glue, done it for decades.
Exp and tune for a dozen plus diff recurves, no probs............til this batch LOL

But I have arrows already done for this bow.
Was just making another half doz, the way I always do.

No experimentation needed.
So will just epoxy the next batch. Its my last recurve anyway.

Gave away my Magnus Stingers to somebody in a pinch a couple seasons ago.
Need to get some more.

I haven't fooled with archery in a while. I was into trad stuff and target recurves very heavy about 10 years ago. I injured my shoulder and didn't shoot for a year and just got out of it. Shoulder is fine now. I need to find a good 3D shoot locally and take my 14 year old boy.

Ordered GT Pro 400s.
Supposed to rain this weekend.
Arrow buildin/ beer drinkin is the plan.