I have read a lot on this site and others about heavy arrows, EFOC etc and penetration. I'm gettingback into trad shooting after returning to compound shoting. My last attempt at trad was trying to tune carbons with heavy point weight. It was very frustrating and costly.
So, my penetration question is, and I realize this is very subjective, will their be a signifcant penteration difference between, let's say a 540 grain 2018 aluminum shaft compared to a carbon with EFOC of equal weight, both well tuned and shot out of the same bow.
I shooot about 53#@29" and hunt elk/deer.
Peter: On deer size animals, it probably wouldn't make much difference. They would both penetrate very well and likely pass through. On elk, the EFOC of the carbons, which may also be thinner diameter shafts, will have the edge. That being said, I shoot wood.
I shoot cedars with 160gr. BH's and penetration hasn't been a problem on deer. I would probably make up some hardwood shafts if I were going after elk.
I my opinion, from what I have seen and learned about carbon vs other shaft materials, carbon will out penetrate all of them. Add a high F.O.C., and the increased penetration is enhanced even more.
Maximum penetration is the name of the game, regardless of the game.
Stay with the aluminum. Try 2020, the weight you will have to put up front to get it to tune will make it high FOC and the 2020 is about 2 gpi heaver than the 2018 if i remember. this will give you say off the top of my head 650 to 675 grain arrow, check this i could be off, and it will blow through just about anything.
Just a thought and worth a try.
What is F.O.C. How heavy a tip would I need on a 30 inch 2020 arrow shooting 50 lbs? I normally shoot a 2016 with a 125 grn broadhead.
My 465gr carbons penetrate about 1/3 deeper than my 525gr cedars out of two 54# recurves, when shot into compressed pastic or foam. I'm sold on carbon penetration. I like wood for looks and tradition. My woodies do penetrate deep enough for anything I hunt.
Joe
F.O.C. is "Forward Of Center" which expresses the condition of having more weight forward of the actual center of the arrow. A typical illustration is a rock in a sock. This helps in arrow penetration in obvious ways. The (relatively) narrow diameter of carbon shafts promotes their better penetration, as would a head and ferrule properly matched to and centered on the longitudinal axis of the shaft.