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Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts #6728667
01/14/20 12:12 PM
01/14/20 12:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
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Minnesota
330-Trapper Online content OP

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I know the mass majority of Archers will say carbon....but wouldn't an Easton Aluminum bolt be heavier and better for most Xbow shots from 0 to 35yds?

I was kind of shocked they still made them last night when I searched for bolt choices.


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6728677
01/14/20 12:20 PM
01/14/20 12:20 PM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 5,851
perry co.Pa
wetdog Offline
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perry co.Pa
Aluminum bolts are what I prefer. If your planning on shooting fixed broad heads, make sure they have a brass insert so you have a better weight foreword to pull the bolt to the target. Those light inserts are worthless to me in an aluminum bolt for holding a good group with fixed broad heads.

Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6728679
01/14/20 12:21 PM
01/14/20 12:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 6,634
Wabash, IN USA
Flipper 56 Offline
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Wabash, IN USA
Never had a crossbow but have bowhunted a lot and have shot a lot of arrows. Used to spend big bucks on the best aluminum shafts and if you practice, they get bent. When the carbon arrows came around I was amazed at how much tougher they were. I had a release issue one time and missed my backstop and buried a carbon arrow in the wood frame of a dog house. Didn't do anything to it, pulled the insert when I pulled it out so it had to be reglued, but it was straight and true. An aluminum shaft would have been bent or distroyed. So I say go carbon bolts.


"Where Can A Man Find Bear Beaver And Other Critters Worth Cash Money When Skinned?"

Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6728950
01/14/20 05:49 PM
01/14/20 05:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,657
Minnesota
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Carbons back in the day were single direction fibers. I shot a lot of Bemans when they firs appeared

Now they are wrapped multidirectional and are very tough.

But I shot a lot of Targets & Critters with Easton Aluminum arrows Too.

What Im getting at is weight. Which one is heavier The carbon 16.5" bolts that came with my xbow are really light.


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6728996
01/14/20 06:35 PM
01/14/20 06:35 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 673
Southern Wisconsin
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Fishdog One Offline
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Southern Wisconsin
I shoot some ACComplice from Cabelas that are carbon and aluminum core composite. Stock 20 inch were 390 grains then add the broadhead of 100 gr. so it is not light. Out to 45 yards I am good, 4 lines in scope, then it starts to drop a lot, about a foot more out to 60, but I want deer closer that that.


Born twice, die once
Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729039
01/14/20 07:06 PM
01/14/20 07:06 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,663
S.E. Ohio
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M.Magis Online content
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S.E. Ohio
Aluminum may or may not be heavier, depends on the shaft size. The difference in weight for a crossbow bolt is negligible, and its not going to make it shoot better. Some people prefer lighter arrows for flatter trajectory, some prefer heavier thinking they penetrate better. They don’t, but some people think so. I still like aluminum for my compound, but honestly carbon shoot just as good and no worries about bent arrows.

Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729068
01/14/20 07:27 PM
01/14/20 07:27 PM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,870
Mn
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nightlife Offline
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Mn
Carbon, while I personally have not had the issue I do have friends and people I trust tell me that aluminum crossbow shafts will often develop a bend just from the stress of shooting due to the higher draw weight

Like you say di have not t had an issue myself but then I went straight from wood shafts to carbon and have never shot aluminum one in a crossbow



�Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.�
― Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729124
01/14/20 08:25 PM
01/14/20 08:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,657
Minnesota
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Very interesting information...Thanks!

Carbon aluminum. Ill have to check them out.


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729129
01/14/20 08:33 PM
01/14/20 08:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 840
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
trapper234 Offline
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Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
I broke down at Christmas and bought myself a TenPoint Titan M1 crossbow along with a Big Dog hunting ladder stand and extra arrows, broad heads and practice tips. Years ago I hunted with a compound bow but both of my shoulders went bad so I sold everything. I am ready for the 2020 Wisconsin bow season.


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729138
01/14/20 08:42 PM
01/14/20 08:42 PM
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 146
West Central Mn
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Snare loop Offline
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West Central Mn
I use aluminum Easton xx75 I believe. Great arrow for the cost. I shot carbon for awhile but I'm back to the Easton xx75's. With a X bow the need to practice is about the same as a rifle after mastering the setup so bolts last.

I shot 5 deer and a turkey all with the same aluminum arrow and broadhead. The last deer fell on it and bent it enough where it had to be set aside.

2 cents

Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: trapper234] #6729150
01/14/20 08:51 PM
01/14/20 08:51 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,657
Minnesota
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Minnesota
Originally Posted by trapper234
I broke down at Christmas and bought myself a TenPoint Titan M1 crossbow along with a Big Dog hunting ladder stand and extra arrows, broad heads and practice tips. Years ago I hunted with a compound bow but both of my shoulders went bad so I sold everything. I am ready for the 2020 Wisconsin bow season.

Thats how I feel trapper234. ...I went through 7 dif. Compounds in a 30 years deer hunting.... Im ready to experience sept/ Oct stand time with my New Excaliber.

Snare loop...That Arrow needs mounted as much as any animal yoy took with it !!!


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729240
01/14/20 10:04 PM
01/14/20 10:04 PM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 873
west virginia
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wvmntnhick Offline
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Posts: 873
west virginia
Get some of the Easton FMJ’s. Then you’ll have the best of both worlds.


I keep desperately hoping that one day someone will call me "Sir" without adding "please calm down" or "you're causing a scene."
Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: wvmntnhick] #6729328
01/14/20 11:08 PM
01/14/20 11:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,657
Minnesota
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Originally Posted by wvmntnhick
Get some of the Easton FMJ’s. Then you’ll have the best of both worlds.

If they made them in Excaliber style flat nock
16.5"


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729409
01/15/20 12:19 AM
01/15/20 12:19 AM
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,482
Ne pa
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Jerry Jr. Offline
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Posts: 1,482
Ne pa
I bought the carbon express piledrivers for my Excalibur assassin. The speed was a bit slow at 302 fps. The quill bolts that came with it went 344 fps. With the piledrivers and the 150 bolt cuter broad heads it produced 102 ft/lbs. The quill with 100 gr tips was about 92 ft/lbs.

I was getting less than 2" groups at 60 yards with the piledrivers. I didn't shoot the quills much. One thing to note was I could not use the flat nocks.

Oh, the piledrivers weighed 347 grains with out a tip.

All this and I have not shot a thing with it.


Time is more precious than gold if you know how to spend it
.... but what do I know, I'm just a dumb farmer.~My Dad
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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729453
01/15/20 01:03 AM
01/15/20 01:03 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,657
Minnesota
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Jerry Jr. Why not the flat nocks?

And do they sell the piledriver s in 16.5" bolts?


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729476
01/15/20 01:34 AM
01/15/20 01:34 AM
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,482
Ne pa
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Jerry Jr. Offline
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Ne pa
Originally Posted by 330-Trapper
Jerry Jr. Why not the flat nocks?

And do they sell the piledriver s in 16.5" bolts?


For some reason the string skipped under the bolt. My first two shots with them with their 'flat' nocks just flopped the bolt out close to the target (after second shot I noticed the down fletching was ripped from the string hitting it). They had two other nocks, one was a very deep nock and the other was much shallower. I went with the shallower one. Bolts flew good after that.

I bought mine from midway and all I see them offering is 20".


Time is more precious than gold if you know how to spend it
.... but what do I know, I'm just a dumb farmer.~My Dad
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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: Jerry Jr.] #6729482
01/15/20 01:47 AM
01/15/20 01:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,657
Minnesota
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Minnesota
Originally Posted by Jerry Jr.
Originally Posted by 330-Trapper
Jerry Jr. Why not the flat nocks?

And do they sell the piledriver s in 16.5" bolts?


For some reason the string skipped under the bolt. My first two shots with them with their 'flat' nocks just flopped the bolt out close to the target (after second shot I noticed the down fletching was ripped from the string hitting it). They had two other nocks, one was a very deep nock and the other was much shallower. I went with the shallower one. Bolts flew good after that.

I bought mine from midway and all I see them offering is 20".

I can only see the 20" ers also.Thanks


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729557
01/15/20 07:53 AM
01/15/20 07:53 AM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,028
West Cent IL
illinideer Offline
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West Cent IL
For me it carbon in my opinion they're either straight/good or broke. I run the pile drivers off of my sniper 370 been very happy with them I have taken 5-6 deer with them so far. Mother in law shoots cabales carbon stalker extreme with her Excal Phoenix recurve, her brother shoots xx75 2219 off of his 10 point recurve.
Go over to Crossbow Nation they have a arrow/bolt forum lots of info and opinions. A lot of them have bolts made up from south shore archery. From what I have read on that site and others top notch customer service and Jerry is the guy to talk to if you have any questions
J




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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729569
01/15/20 08:19 AM
01/15/20 08:19 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,657
Minnesota
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Thanks illinideer for the site tip!


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Re: Aluminum vs Carbon Bolts [Re: 330-Trapper] #6729769
01/15/20 11:46 AM
01/15/20 11:46 AM
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 146
West Central Mn
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Snare loop Offline
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Posts: 146
West Central Mn
X Bow are so accurate that the best bolt advice I could give you is buy a target with several bullseye's on it. Shooting at the same spot twice will have you buying bolts often so you would be able to try many kinds.

Secondly get a mono, bi or tri shooting stick, X bows are front heavy typically and my modified $11 camera mono pod lets me wait animals out and still be rock solid to take advantage of the x bows greater range.

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