Thinking of going back to aluminum shafts....

[805Bowhunter]

I think there is room to fiddle if you want to go carbon. If you were shooting even a 300 axis, 50gr of brass, 4 fletch, 100gr head plus wraps and a lighted knock...you'd likely be right at 500-515. I would encourage you however to really look at what flies best out of your setup. Build bows tune arrows. You may have a heavier arrow but does that work best with your setup?

 

[MattB]

I can understand wanting a heavier arrow. I cannot understand wanting to go back to aluminum as a means to achieve that. I would stay all carbon, maybe go to the next stiffer shaft size and add a heavier insert.

 

[WakePraySlay]

Have you ever put them all on an arrow spinner and checked how true they spin? That was my problem with FMJ's, the last 6-8" on the point end would wobble like crazy........and it didn't take much shooting at all to get to that point. You couldn't see the problem "until" spinning them. They started out great, but when the groups started opening up I knew there was a problem.

I do check my arrow straightness. I have two arrow spinners. Yes I’m kind of OCD. I change up my fletchings and wraps almost yearly and I usually check them then. Unless i suspect one maybe bent or I miss the target on a arrow. Mixed emotions about fmj’s for a lot of people but I throughly enjoy shooting them.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

I like to use the 2413's for my recurve and another bow I have to play around with. For actually hunting and target/3D shooting I use Axis 300's. I got them on Lancaster for $4/arrow and loaded up on them. At 27'', 175g head, 75g insert and 6 fletch I am right around 650g and they fly fantastic.

The aluminums have their place and if they made a standard .246 aluminum that was cheaper I would be all over it, but the xx75 are too fat for 3D shooting, since the wind drift will throw you around and the FMJ are too expensive. I've gone through almost 2dz arrows since December, so I like being able to afford a new dozen when I need them.

 

[5MilesBack]

For actually hunting and target/3D shooting I use Axis 300's. I got them on Lancaster for $4/arrow and loaded up on them. At 27'', 175g head, 75g insert and 6 fletch I am right around 650g and they fly fantastic.

I've gone through almost 2dz arrows since December, so I like being able to afford a new dozen when I need them.

2dz arrows since December? They may fly fantastic, but they sure don't appear to be very durable. I haven't gone through 2dz arrows in the last 10 years, and I shoot a lot. Maybe it's all that weight up front??????

 

[Ian Ketterman]

2dz arrows since December? They may fly fantastic, but they sure don't appear to be very durable. I haven't gone through 2dz arrows in the last 10 years, and I shoot a lot. Maybe it's all that weight up front??????

I shoot a lot, I am also extremely stupid.

I've had a few blow through my bag in the basement into the wall and get ruined
Few stuck in fences/target frames and be destroyed
Few more I've hit with another arrow and splintered
1 or 2 in the pasture behind my house buried in cow poo after blowing through my cheapass 3D

My only true concern with these, is to use a half/out or a collar for them or the end will start to split with the HIT.

 

[5MilesBack]

My only true concern with these, is to use a half/out or a collar for them or the end will start to split with the HIT.

I've been using HIT's in several different arrows for over 12 years now and I've never had a problem with the ends splitting.......except on one GT Kinetic XT 200 that hit a rock under the surface of the ground when I misjudged yardage and shot under a bull. That arrow looked like an umbrella frame when I picked it up and all the carbon strips fell down to the level of my hand. Never seen anything like that before.

But I've used other .204" ID arrows with HIT's and hit rocks and steel t-posts and shot through 2x6's without any issues.

 

[Wapiti1]

To clarify, this isn't about wanting a heavier arrow. I don't have a choice, the rules say a 525 grain min arrow to be legal in Greenland. I'm perfectly happy with my current setup, but it doesn't meet the rule.

Will they weigh my arrows? No, they won't. But I have no issue following the rules they wrote. Doesn't hurt anything but my pocketbook.

Aluminum shafts are just an easy way to get there without chasing components. So far, the cons are diameter, bending and wind deflection. Pros are weight per inch and cost.

Jeremy

 

[MattB]

To clarify, this isn't about wanting a heavier arrow. I don't have a choice, the rules say a 525 grain min arrow to be legal in Greenland. I'm perfectly happy with my current setup, but it doesn't meet the rule.

Will they weigh my arrows? No, they won't. But I have no issue following the rules they wrote. Doesn't hurt anything but my pocketbook.

Aluminum shafts are just an easy way to get there without chasing components. So far, the cons are diameter, bending and wind deflection. Pros are weight per inch and cost.

Jeremy

What is your current arrow combination? I bet there is an easier way. The weight thing isn't a pro for aluminum as you can get there with carbon. Cost could be. From my view they are inferior in every other way.

 

[waggoner85]

A need for a 525gr arrow just appeared in my hunting plans. My current arrow comes in at 480grains. I'm not a huge fan of adding component after component to a light arrow to make it heavy. It seems like that usually ends up with some instability issue.

Any reason not to just go old school with a 2317 aluminum shaft plus a 150gr broadhead and other accoutrements?

Jeremy

Like others have said, aluminum will bend even if over carbon. Also, I can see you’re looking for weight which tells me you care about penetration. I would look at some of Dr Ed Ashby’s research on building arrows. I run Easton Axis 5mm and with only a 75 grain insert and 125 grain heads I’m well over 500 grains easy. I’ve found that using the brass inserts which weigh 75 grains whole are the easiest way to go. You can snap off the end piece and you’re left with 50 grains. This allows me to have good FOC, smaller than standard diameter, durability of carbon and a good overall weight.

This may not matter to you, but my wife and son both hunt as well. We all shoot Easton Axis 5mm’s, but with a different spine. It makes my life easier running the same arrows that use the same components and aren’t super expensive.

 

[waggoner85]

I re-read the initial post, you have to have a minimum weight, not necessarily a choice. Either way, Easton Axis 5mm or Easton FMJ 5mm is a great arrow. The smaller diameter should fair better in winds and hold up better than a straight aluminum shaft. I shot FMJ’s for a long time and rarely did they bend unless you missed and hit something hard.

 

[Wapiti1]

What is your current arrow combination? I bet there is an easier way. The weight thing isn't a pro for aluminum as you can get there with carbon. Cost could be. From my view they are inferior in every other way.

Beman ICS 300, 60gr insert, 125gr broadhead, 3 fletch, standard nock ends up at 480 grains. I could add weight to this setup. Filler in the shaft, or screw in weights.

What made me ask, I was looking at the arrow that I killed my first elk with and thought, maybe go back to aluminum. That arrow is a 29" 2315 with a 160gr Bear Razorhead for 573 grains. It broke the offside shoulder on that elk on a 30 yard shot. I doubt it was travelling 200fps from my old bow.

Jeremy

 

[5MilesBack]

What made me ask, I was looking at the arrow that I killed my first elk with and thought, maybe go back to aluminum. That arrow is a 29" 2315 with a 160gr Bear Razorhead for 573 grains. It broke the offside shoulder on that elk on a 30 yard shot. I doubt it was travelling 200fps from my old bow.

That would work, but have you asked the outfitter what the normal shooting distance would be in Greenland? There's not much cover there. You could have some long shots.

 

[Wapiti1]

20 to 40 yards is typical. It isn't as flat as you think, and it is very rocky. Could be calm or windy as hell. It's a March or April 2021 hunt, so it will be -30F and snowy. Figured I'd get set up now and shoot whatever I choose this year.

I used to shoot Axis 340's and forgot that they were heavier shafts. With a 75gr insert those in a 260 or 300 spine might be the ticket.

Jeremy

 

[MattB]

20 to 40 yards is typical. It isn't as flat as you think, and it is very rocky. Could be calm or windy as hell. It's a March or April 2021 hunt, so it will be -30F and snowy. Figured I'd get set up now and shoot whatever I choose this year.

I used to shoot Axis 340's and forgot that they were heavier shafts. With a 75gr insert those in a 260 or 300 spine might be the ticket.

Jeremy

Exactly what I was thinking. Not sure how it would spine out, but a .300 with the full brass insert and a 125. gr. BH puts you right there.