Aluminum arrow shooters.

[Tagsoup]

Aluminum arrow shooters, what's you're reasoning for sticking with them? I have to get some arrows for a new to me bow. I saw some aluminums and the price seemed good. And they reminded me of when I was a kid. Was thinking about trying them. Pros and cons?

[Jon Stewart]

Been shooting them for 50 years. I say if it ain't broke don't fix it. Besides I shoot good with them I guess would be the real reason.

[flntknp17]

I use all three common arrow types for sure and I enjoy them all for various reasons.  I do still shoot a lot of aluminums for general backyard shooting because I can shoot a couple dozen of them at a time before I go get arrows and they are durable enough to withstand that (more than woods are).  This is mostly selfbow shooting.  When I shoot my higher performance bows, I use carbons.  There is just a certain feeling that aluminums have with a lot of bows, especially older bows.  They feel a lot more like a wood arrow out of an older bow or a selfbow and they last forever.  I have a few that I still shoot that I bought new in the late 80s or early 90s.....a 2213 from 1990 is still a 2213 now, and thats an advantage too.  I'd love to shoot woods all the time, but to be honest, I'd just go through them too fast and then I send up with mismatched sets.  I suppose the way around that is to order the shafts in 100s rather than dozens.  I suppose the final answer is simply that I like how they feel out of certain bows.

Matt

[Alexander Traditional]

I like how straight they are,and the weight tolerance. I shoot a lot of carbons too though. I've got 2018,2016,and 1916. I find that 2016 is a pretty versatile shaft.

[Wudstix]

I shoot all of the three arrow types.  When I dust off the Aluminum arrows in my shop; 2020, 2215, 2117 they all flew well with the appropriate point weight.  I also find that all types of arrows matched to my bows end up very close to center no matter what they are made of.  But I'll always go home with the one that brought me to the dance.
                       

[SuperK]

Aluminum is THE most consistent in spine and probably weight too.  My spine tester confirmed this.  It also showed how much the spine varies on many popular carbon shafts, too!   Many aluminum shafts (2016 and weaker) you can find selling for less than wooden shafts.

[Steve D]

 Easy to work with ,consistent and haven't found them to be fragile as some say. Reasonable price also. I've been using them for over 45years.

[flntknp17]

One more thing I should have mentioned is that the aluminum shafts you buy today are a lot better than the ones I bought in the 80s or early 90s simply because manufacturing technology is better.  The new ones bend less readily because the metal is harder and the newer anodized coating lasts a lot longer.

[M60gunner]

I have many doz aluminums mostly 2114 for my 50-55# bows. I used to buy like 3 doz at a time. I doubt I will ever use them all up as I shoot woods and carbons as well. I like the no fuss approach to tuning them. Basically pick the weight point/broadhead I want to use and Cut the shaft until it flies right. Just like Ken Beck shows in his old video on tuning.
  The newer shafts even today's Gamegetters are stronger than the ones we had back in the late 60's, 70's and 80's. No, they still bend when I hit rock but woods break and carbons can break as well. Unfortunately not all sizes and colors are available anymore. Last ones I bought were the camo hunters. IMO the wood grain ones are to pricey for what they are.

[Wheels2]

Best consistency and tolerances.  Carbons always have a spine preference but it depends on which side for each arrow.  Victory arrows actually have a small arrow symbol on them indicating the side with the highest spine.  You can do an internet search on carbon spine consistency and get some interesting reading.  I was surprised how much they varied in spine within a group and especially against indicated spine.  An arrow marked as a .400 spine is rarely a .400 deflection.
Aluminum also has good weight for a hunting shaft.

[6feathers]

Been shooting them for 40+ years.  I like the price, i like the built in weight, I like the large assortment of spine selection and they simply work well for me.  I have seen no reason to switch over the years.

[Ari_Bonn]

Well aluminium arrows were designed for trad bows where as carbon were not. I mean for the price    strong straight and reliable what more could you want.    I like the weight of them unless you want an ultra heavy FoC build.

[swampbow2]

 Aluminum is easy to work with and I like the variety of weights available even in the lighter spines. For local use its my preference but when on any travel hunt I have to go with the much tougher carbons. I once fell on my bow with attached quiver and 3 of the five aluminums in the quiver were too bent for use. That won't happen with a heavy walled carbon.People argue about the toughness of aluminum vs carbon but carbon is either straight or broke. Take a 2018 aluminum and CX 150 ( I use them in 55llbs bows) carbon put them on soft ground and step on them..see which one will still fly straight.

[Wudstix]

As others have mentioned I like aluminum for it's added physical weight over carbon, and different gradients of spine available.  Personally, almost as good as a good matched set of woodies.

                                     

[Ulysseys]

1. The ease of cutting with a simple pipe cutter
2. The raw weight makes them easier to work with in terms of trying different lengths and point weights without worrying about making an arrow heavy enough
3. Reasonably priced, especially if you just use the standard inserts
4. Tight tolerances
5. Hold well in standard quiver grippers

[hvyhitter]

Havent drunk the carbon koolaid. I have over 2K shafts and arrows so all I do is grab the right size and go shoot(35# to 75#). I loose way more arrows than I ever bend or break. I can get most bent shafts straight enough to shoot . If I loose one its not a Ten dollar arrow. Still pick up a dozen shafts or arrows pretty regular for 40$ or less. No real reason to change. I do shoot woodies out of my HH just because its a HH..........YMMV

[matt steed]

I have just recently started back playing with aluminum. I had forgotten how nice they shoot. I can't explain it, but they have a different feel than carbon, they also have a different sound. They are very easy to tune and still have a good arrow weight. I have been shooting the Easton Camo Hunter 2117. One more thing that I like, they are made in the USA!

Three yellow five inch parobolic left wing with yellow cap wrap.

[Gerald Denley]

All my shafts are aluminium except for a dozen Sweetland Battleshafts.

I have dozens in different sizes. I just grab the spine and head weight that fits the bow I am shooting.

I like tin arrows because they tune very easily, weight is in the shaft, they fly well and they are tough. I use them for stumping, even in early winter in Canada and RARELY bend a shaft.

Plus, they won't split and go through your bow hand, one of the reasons I have never shot a carbon shaft and never will.

[attachment=1][attachment=2][attachment=3]

[Gerald Denley]

Havent drunk the carbon koolaid. I have over 2K shafts and arrows so all I do is grab the right size and go shoot(35# to 75#). I loose way more arrows than I ever bend or break. I can get most bent shafts straight enough to shoot . If I loose one its not a Ten dollar arrow. Still pick up a dozen shafts or arrows pretty regular for 40$ or less. No real reason to change. I do shoot woodies out of my HH just because its a HH..........YMMV

Fully agree...matches my experience!

[Doug S]

Agree with the accuracy with aluminum arrows. I like the looks of those yellow capped and feathered shafts. Only thing I don't like about aluminum is the sound they make. Because deer don't like it.. I sometimes put foam backer rod inside to deaden the sound. Works good