I just recently purchased a Striker Slapstick off of the classifides(60" 50# @28"...I draw a true 28"). I first purchased a batch of 2016 gamegetters off the classifieds as well which measured 28" bop. I tipped them 125 field tips and they flew like darts. However, they proved to be a slightly too short when my broadheads made contact with my riser a hair before my draw was complete. I then found some Grizzly Stik Sitkas on classifieds that measured a half inch longer and made the purchase. I thought that surely the sitkas would fly just as good if not better than the aluminums but it has not been the case. Judging by arrow flight, they seem to be spined too weak with only an aluminum insert and a 125 point(and the more weight I put up front the wilder the flight). Has anyone had tuning issues with the Sitkas? Should I really go back to aluminum?

I like aluminum arrows and they are all I've shot for as long as I can remember. I like the ability to easily change out points and not having to add additional weights to them.

I have tried them in the past with fair results and still have a dozen or two laying around.  But I seem to always go back to my trusty old 1916s.

Another aluminumn man here.  

Consistent thats aluminum can't match it,my choice behind surewoods.But those carbons sure are tough. SURE IS NICE TO HAVE SO MANY GOOD SHAFT MATERIALS TO CHOOSE FROM!!! Never shot grizzly sticks but I'm sure if there like other carbons they shoot great when you get the right spine tuned to your bow, keep on shooting, good luck!!!

Nothing wrong with Aluminum......been around for a long tome. Yea they get bent now and then, if they work for you go for it!

Maybe try building out your strike plate area to make the carbons act stiffer. That's what I always do when I have an arrow that is too weak. Works every time for me, regardless of the arrow material.

No need to give up on carbon arrows just from one small experience.

Aluminums are the best deal right now.  They have been around for a long time.  They are cheap to produce.  Plenty of precise spines and weights to choose form.  They really are the best deal going considering you can find XX75's shaft's for $30/doz.  another great thing is that 10 years from now you need new arrows you can read the label on your current XX75's and order identicle ones and be back and business.

Same type of problem with sitkas I had, too, so I got rid of them. Arrow flight not length. anyhoo i use aluminums for the hunting. Aluminum and wood for play

Shoot though a piece of paper, build out the plate?

Rusty

Thanks for the input! I will be ordering some more gamegetters soon enough.

If you go back to aluminum your going to have to cut em at least an inch longer than your draw length. I have a 26" draw and cut mine to 28". There's nothing wrong with a little extra arrow sticking out. Your lucky you didn't cut your hand on the broadhead. 2016 should be good for your setup. Good luck to you and have fun.

More than likely, they were cut too short to start with. Big problem people have with carbon is that they treat them like wood or aluminium and try to tune the same. Won't work that way at least most of the time.

Carbon is easy to work with, just need to look at it differently.

BigJim

BigJim, how do you look at carbons differently?  I tried some Beeman classic MFX's and they seem to be much more critical of any form errors (release)than wood or aluminum.  I am not convinced on carbons yet. Any info would be appreciated since I just got a new longbow and have to decide on arrows for it.

QuoteOriginally posted by stickum:
BigJim, how do you look at carbons differently?  I tried some Beeman classic MFX's and they seem to be much more critical of any form errors (release)than wood or aluminum.  I am not convinced on carbons yet. Any info would be appreciated since I just got a new longbow and have to decide on arrows for it.

Carbons seem to be much stiffer when compared to an aluminum arrow of the same spine. They are sensitive to cutting shorter to make them stiffer at least, anyway.

Not gonna try to convince you to shoot carbons, don't care if you shoot them or not, but I don't notice that they're more critical of form errors any more than any other arrow material, at least not to me.

I love my Beman MFX Classics!  

I shoot POC, Easton Gamegetters , Western Larch and GT Blems.  Its a toss up in wood and aluminum for my favorite. The carbons just don't play nice with me, I wish they did, you can get some carbons cheap and they last a long time.
I vote for a resurgence of microflites!!!

Aluminum isn't better or worse than carbon it just means that the carbons you're shooting aren't matched to your bow.  If you want to shoot a carbon arrow then you need to spend some time tuning a carbon arrow. Sometimes you can get lucky and buy some off the classifieds that just happen to match your bow perfectly but that isn't likely.  Then again, if the aluminum set up works and you're happy with it then stick with it.  Nothing wrong with aluminum but since tuning some axis shafts I don't think I'd ever switch back.

I had some problems to tune those carbons when I started to use them some years ago,then I realised that not all the brand are consistent in spine and as good as AL;but they are different to tune than other materials,being more sensitive to the lenght than to the weight on the point.When you start to understand it you'll love it,more quiet,tough always straight you can have the finished weight you want.
I used some Alaskan Grizzlystick,some time ago,and I didn't like it because spine inconsistency.IMO.

I've been bowhunting with aluminum arrows for the past 48 years. I love their consistentcy in weight, consistentcy in straightness and they're inexpensive.      

What I don't like about aluminum shafts, since I have a 30" draw length and shoot 32" BOP arrows, the shorter shaft lengths against their stated catalogue length due the cost cutting moves of Easton's cheap CEO.    

I'm going back to aluminums. I've been shooting carbons and really had no issues, I just like hwo the aluminums shoot.

I started shootimg with wood in 1962,bought my first dozen aluminum in 1968. Though I've tried other shafts always seem to go back to aluminum. They are consistant, fairly easy to straighten, and are readily available for me.