Trad Gang

Is anyone still shooting aluminum? If so why. Advantages vs disadvantages. Thanks.

I use Aluminum almost all the time....I like the Legacys for my Hill bow and the new Black Game getters for my Saxon....
   1. The reason I like them is my yard is Bermuda grass triangle that swallos up all kinds of stuff especialy arrows, My Electronic Arrow finder finds them real good....
   2. There cheaper than Woodys, If I buy some now and some a yr. from now they are the same....
   3. Aluminum shafts and wraps and fletching, how easy is that....
   4. I can use screw in or glue on Broadheads.
   5. The best and easyest place to get them is the Nocking point Inc....
   6. I just like them....

Mike, I have heard that they are spined better for Trad bows than carbon. Your thoughts? If they tune better than carbon would that result in better performance, overall?

I realy can't say that, I don't experiment all that much, for some reason I don't have that much trouble getting my arrows to fly good with or without Broadheads....
   Some bows are more finikey than others concerning spine....
   My Hill and Saxon are pretty good about that....

You can get closer to actual spine needed for your bow with less fiddling w/alum., w/carbons alot of the time it takes alot more weight up front to get them to fly right which in itself is good as it aids in penetration..I shoot 90 percent aluminum/10 carbon.

I have been using aluminums for over 25 years.  Shot well through my compound period and still shoot well now that I'm back to trad. If you take some time to match the arrow to the bow and the head weight to the arrow flight will never be a problem. Aluminums are so superior to wood that it is quite silly to even compare them.

Carbon vs aluminum.
Speed?penetration?

I just went back to shooting aluminums after 6 years of shooting carbons.  I picked up a new, to me, bow several months back that just tunes better with aluminums vs carbons.  I'd forgotten how much more simple aluminums were to tune and refletch when needed.

Easton Legacy 2219
I chose to shoot aluminums for several reasons.

1. Easy to tune
2. Low maintenance compared to wood (still love a handmade wood arrow though)
3. Price compared to carbon
4. Durability compared to wood
5. Penetration - At 13.9 gpi I made an arrow heavy enough for just about anything

Eason 2018's shoot well for me out of anything from 47# curve to 55# self bow.

Mike pretty much summed it up for me. Also with my short draw and lower poundage the alm's give me more grains to play with. They also shoot better in my bow. Easy to straighten and more versatile all around for me.    :goldtooth:    

Chort

Aluminum here also, for many of the reasons already given.

I still shoot aluminums out of a few bows,they are available in alot more spines.They seem alittle easier to tune to bows that are not cut to center and still be heavy enough for shooting without having to add alot of weight.Usally they cost less then carbons and the extra cost of heavy inserts or add-on weights.Some bows just seem to shoot them better then carbons and I think they are sometimes alittle more forgiving and can be easier to work with.I shoot carbons on some bows and aluminums on some bows also,which ever works better for the bow.

I shoot aluminums. 2016 Found the recover faster out of my tk recurve. I have shot carbons not so sold on them yet.

Love the info. May have to buy some.

I just like them, thats my reason.

To me, there is nothing more beautiful than Autumn Orange. I'm a sucker for 'em.

Besides, I don't like carbon splinters in my table food (my wrist either, for that matter).

I shot aluminums for years and love them.

I just got my ACS/CX and am trying my first set of carbons, jury still out.

Hey guys....I'm shooting my first longbow.  60" 48# @28.  As a gift, my uncle got me a set of Easton - XX75 2114's (Realtree camo) to get me started.  Are these arrows close to what I should be using?  They seem to shoot ok for me but again I'm new, so inconsistency, etc. comes with territory for me.  I do have a set of carbons that I don't really like.  They don't seem to be anywhere near as consistent as the aluminums.  I like the larger diameter on them much more than the carbons.  What specific things should I be focusing on to make sure these are right for my bow?

Any feedback would be helpful.  I was really thinking about ordering a set of wood so I could feel like I shot all three types and then make a decision.  After reading this though maybe I should stick where I am?  Sorry, didn't mean to ask a question.  Hope this is the right spot for this.

Thanks....CJ

use them for all the reason all ready stated.

Alright i am going to try. How about saving me some time. I am shooting 56# Fedora . I draw 28 inches . Some of the charts say 2016 or 2018. What is best?

I'd pick up one of each and see which fly's the best

I shoot all 3, wood, carbon and aluminums. Each shaft has a place for me. Woods are needed for some of the 3-D shoots I attend. Carbons are almost break proof. With a footing on them they really do bounce off of rocks. But I find myself going to aluminums more and more. After 30 years I know what size, length, weight, etc. I need for my bows. My 2020`s will work out of all my bows. I also like the idea of knowing that the shaft will be the same this year as it was 5 years ago and 5 years from know no matter where on earth I buy them.
Remember, arrows are expendable ammo and we will break them, bend them, or splinter them, that is part of our hobby/sport.

I think Aluminums are the last word.  Easy to spine and tune to the bow, and such a selection to pick from.  I definitely like the graphics on alum better then carbons and the weight factor fits the bill unlike carbons, having to build another arrow on the end of of them to get that heavy arrow everyone wants! The 9 grains per pound works good for me, and aluminums make it easy!   :thumbsup:

This is turning into a great thread. What do you prefer to cut alum with? Small pipe cutter??

High speed cutoff saw.

I DO!!!!! I DO!!!!!

I have about 2 dozen "Autumn Orange" 2016's that belong to my good friend Lew,who "made the journey" 2 years ago. I stipped the old plastic vanes and Joe Skipp crown dipped,crested,and re-fletched them for me.These are my hunting arrows.

For 3-D and "stumping" I like to use wood. I miss ALOT!!!!! and wood arrows are "biodegradable" LOL. I like the idea knowing that any of my "lost" arrows will turn to dirt over time.

I will NOT shoot a carbon arrow!!!!! Maybe it's just me,and just MAYBE I'm being "pigheaded" LOL. But I once saw an online picture of a man's hand that had a splintered carbon arrow through it. The arrow looked like a piece of flailed bamboo piercing his hand in about 5-6 places and his hand was swollen up the size of a football.

Also,all I could think about was.....What if that happened to one of my sons,with a carbon arrow that I bought for them and encouraged them to shoot.     :scared:

Saw that one two. Ouch .Got me thinking.

I still shoot aluminum and don't really want to change though I've tried a few carbons without success. They just seem to agree with my shooting style a little better and I like the weight and the fact I can cut them to my draw length and there isn't any noticable variation in weight and spine from year to year or batch to batch.                            Grant

I also tried carbons without success ! My 8.6 Bear metric magnums are swaged front and back, nothing to come loose, bare shaft perfectly without having to weigh the front end because they are over spined, which means more components...ad infinitum !

I have tried wood,carbon,and aluminum, and always seem to go back to aluminum. I guess it's just how easy it seems to tune them. It just seems like a pain to tune carbons. I have spent alot of time playing around with them and on occasion still haven't been able to get them to fly. Plus I always have to weight up the carbons to get them to the weight I want. I never have that problem with aluminum. For me it's aluminum, with wood as a close second.


Bill

Nope... Wanna buy some 2219's or 2018's?

Serge,
Please explain. I guess swaged front and back means that you would glue-on nock and tip. If so when you order swaged aluminims , do you order them cut to length ,then just experiment with different point weight? Sorry never used swaged. Havent shot aluminum since switching tocarbon out of my compound 9 yrs ago.

I'm shooting aluminum right now - mostly because I'm currently too lazy to build woodies.   That'll change at some point. :-D

Pat, you a have a pm./ I agree with all of the above, and with a long draw length the aluminums are easier than wood.

i shoot what ever flys good off my bows. i have 20-16 legacys and 35-55 trad carbons and 45-50 spined woods and they all shoot great off my bows.  :archer:

2117 's out of all mt Recurves and Woodies out of my Long bOws. Both are easy to tune...........

when I am not shootin cedar, its aluminums 2020 and 2216, never shot a carbon, just never saw the need, and I like the wide range of spine available in aluminum, the consistancy,tuneing is easy and ya can get a huntin weight arrow without stacking a bunch of weight in it. Carbons just always seemed too complicated to me after watchin buddies mess with them. I like simple stuff and a aluminum arrows is about as simple and dependable as it gets, even more than wood in my opinion.

I,ve shot a lot of alum. over the years an they tune easy but they don,t have any personality like wood does. Never shot carbon seems like to many parts an pieces for me. I like the Kiss method of archery. Later Bob

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.. I've been shooting aluminum for 30 years and haven't found a reason to change.. It wasn't too long ago these threads would turn into Carbon is tougher,, Now everyone is footing them so they don't break. got about 5 dozen of the AO's from 1918 to 2020's I should be fixed for a year or two.

Hi Chuck; I guess it's a little easier for me because i have my own arrow swager. but what i would recommend to make it easier to find the correct spine is to use an aluminum spine chart and find the 2 closest arrow spines for your Bow weight/draw length and order one of each from some one that sells swaged arrows , order them with uninocks , so that you can cut the back of the arrow until it spines right for the field point /broadhead weights that you want to use. then order your arrow shafts to the spine and length that shoots best for you swaged at both ends. if you have any other questions feel free to pm me.

I shoot aluminums, old Bear green heads and Bear bows; seems to work for me!  BTW, the shot placement wasn't as bad as it looks.  The broadhead exited between her front legs. The arrow backed out when she fell.

Thanks, Serge. Will do!

Trooper,
Obviously the shot placement worked. No penetration problems there! By the way , thats the exact spot i aim if i want to hit em' in the heart.LOL. Nice job.

Yep, been shootin 2018's and 2016's for years.
I also like and still shoot woodies just as much.
All for the same reasons so many others have stated.  However....I did purchase a couple doz. carbons this year to play around with.   I bought them in the spine range closest to what I normally shoot in wood and or aluminum and with just a LITTLE extra point weight I have them flying as good as my aluminums and woodies.

I was late to the alum party. I was making woodies and still like to but I think quality is hard to find. I bought a doz from srta for a deal. They were old alum color and a swaged nock end. I used some krylon camo and they are good to go. Mike from knocking point told me a buddy of his from MN. I think has a swager and does a lot of buisness.

Trooper,
I Bet she didnt go far..  :thumbsup:

I like the wood,don't care for carbons,expense
mainly,but at the end of January wally world always put the aluminum's for a buck a piece
for eastons so we use them for shooting the rabbits hiding in the rocks.

2117, 2018, 2314...and few hundered more  :)

aluminums are just to easy,no epoxy crap,weight tubes,etc... when im not shootin wood,i shoot 2020's, pretty nice shootin a 600+ grain 5/16 diameter arrow without having to do all that weighting mess.

When they discontinued the GGII's I bought 20 dz. but haven't done anything with them yet. I have a hard time giving up my POC. Hap

ok so ,far thanks for all the tips. However i have not heard anything about Foc,Xtreme foc,point loading etc... Is this because of the total weight of the arrow?

I am shooting 200gr up front. (2bl/steel adpt.)for a total of 600gr. I think it came to 16.5 or 18.5 foc cant rember now..that is a 2018

Once you bend one, (alum), how easy is it to fix?
(one bend, and mine are done, which is why I'm attracted to carbon, but hate the cost..)

extreme point weight on aluminums hasnt worked for me. the aluminum doesnt react to extreme point weight the way carbons are said to do.. I can easly get a 600 gr arrow with a unweighted aluminum.. I dont really worry about FOC and such..using common sense stuff ie: moderweight BH and long adapter usually equals a 175-200 gr broadhead wt. has worked VERY well on everything I hunt.

You don't need to front load them, they are usually heavy enough without doing so.  There are more spine variances in aluminum, and they are as consistent between shafts as arrow material can get.

I love my black GGII!

They're cheap, straighter and more consistent in spine than affordable carbons and in my opinion just as tough!

When fine-tuning you can use hotglue and heat the shaft as often as you want.

Also I can shot my favorite nocks (Bohning classics) and don't have to pay a fortune for those tiny carbon nocks where you can't even feel the indicator!

   :notworthy:

I use pieces of brass rod fo frontloading and getting FOC up.
There are no field points heavier than 125 gr. here in Germany.
My GG have an all in all front weight of 210 grain and a FOC about 18.