Broken bolts

[End of the road]

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking in the background for a while and finally decided to register. I’m a middle aged newbie that has wanted to get in to archery and hunting since high school. I felt it was about time, did a lot of research and bought an Exocet 200 earlier this year. Also took my hunter classes, joined my local rod and gun club and worked a bit with their instructor, and got my first hunting license. I have lots to learn and hope you all can answer a few questions from time to time.

I have been shooting the Firebolt carbons that came with the bow with 125 grain field points for sighting in and target work. I have been having some thoughts about staying with the carbons or going with aluminum for hunting. All the vertical bow hunters I know use aluminum, maybe because of the cost difference, but I have read about carbon bolts splintering. I have splintered a bolt but admit that it was my fault and it hit a rock. Otherwise I have had no real problems.

I know that a lot of bolt selection is personal preference but has anyone experienced a broken carbon inside an animal and should a newbie stay with the Firebolt or make a switch to aluminum? If I switch, what would you recommend switching to? I am pretty comfortable shooting to about 25 yards but not too much beyond at this point.

Thanks for your help

[RichJ]

I would stay with carbon 100% over Aluminum. They are either straight or broken. The only guys I see running aluminum on a vertical bow are the ones who are set in their ways and fear change. Goto any archery shop across the country and they will prob ALL agree that carbon arrows make up about 80% of arrow sales.
Carbon bolts will outlast aluminum several times around.

[wabi]

I would stay with aluminum 100% over carbon. I've had a carbon break when shot through a deer.

I was brave enough to change to carbon, but I've seen too any break, so I fearlessly went back to aluminum!
I even had one carbon break while I was carrying it in my hip quiver.

The dozen carbons I built lasted about 2 years, the 2215 aluminums I replaced them with have gone 4 years now with only 1 bent from hitting a tree. (I have lost a few, though. )

It's all up to you. I'd say the carbon I picked up in two pieces (actually only found the back half) after it went through a deer probably broke after it was through the deer.
Carbon can be severely weakened by small scratches or minor damage to the surface. Just ask any person who fishes and uses carbon rods. My son snapped the tip off a 4wt fly rod a couple weeks ago when he pulled on the tippet. I broke a carbon rod this spring when I set the hook on a bluegill!
I still use carbon fishing rods, but they can (and will) break. You have to be careful to avoid damaging them!

With aluminum arrows the most common way to bend one is removing it from a target! Pull a bit sideways and the arrow can be bent. I am very careful when target shooting and use a "Danny Miller" arrow puller to get them out of a foam target. (Even prefer to just push them through and remove them from behind the target when I use broadheads in foam.)

[gerald strine]

1ST off welcome to the forum and the world of hunting it is great to here of a middle aged person taking up the sport on their own
You will find the journey of bow hunting a very personal experience that is hard to explain but it gives you a connection to nature that is very deep that works into your soul . You will value wild places and the time you spend in them more than you ever have before which will make you a better person to the planet,
Also you will realize your place in the food chain and how you effect it and how their are better ways to eat than from the store.
All that said shoot what you like I have shoot Aluminum for 30 years and they have been wonderful .
I like to make my own arrows and Aluminum are easier to work with I use a low temp hot melt for inserts which with heat come out if you shoot a tree or other wood object or when it is time to replace the arrow you can put it in a different arrow. carbons get glued and are a pain when you want to make changes.
on my vert bow I like feather fletching and carbons all seem to be plastic.
How ever this is my 1st year shooting a crossbow and I am shooting fire bolts also, But wish I had aluminum raw shafts to make them the way I would prefer them.
Florescent or lighted nock, paint dipped and crested I could play with insert weight with out the hassles glued carbons present and I may even save some weight on the back end with feather fletching .

[secret]

Only time my GOLDTIPS break is when i split them myself..or when there is not a completely pass through shot , as the deer runs off and hits a tree and snaps the last 8" off.

[vixenmaster]

I actually use both alum. & carbon. I haven't any carbon arrows break while target practicing or splinter. I have had couple of them break after pass-throughs on deer & hit a rock i have around here in abundance. I like both & will continue to use both types.

[Boo]

Welcome to the forum!
I've had a number of Gold Tips break in deer and targets. I've only had aluminums become unuseable after either dinging them or when not being careful when taking them out of a target. Danny Miller's puller would have saved me lots of shafts! In my opinion Gold Tips are great for accuracy but not tough enough for my abuse. I am presently using Carbon Express Maximas for their toughness but the arrows you are using are made from very tough C2 carbon. Either way you'll not go wrong with either arrows, it's a matter of personal choice. Try some aluminums, they are cheap enough to experiment with.

[TYE]

I used Beman Thunderbolts with amazing accuracy and never once broke one when I had my Phoenix. My dad shoots aluminums from the Vixen I have him because he's too cheap to buy carbons. I even have a half dozen Bemans left over and he still uses the 2219's.

Ive always shot carbons since I started shooting a vert compound bow and I don't plan on going to aluminums. I shoot Carbon Express arrows too like Boo, except I just bought the Mayhems to try out.

[Boo]

I used Beman Thunderbolts with amazing accuracy and never once broke one when I had my Phoenix. My dad shoots aluminums from the Vixen I have him because he's too cheap to buy carbons. I even have a half dozen Bemans left over and he still uses the 2219's.

Ive always shot carbons since I started shooting a vert compound bow and I don't plan on going to aluminums. I shoot Carbon Express arrows too like Boo, except I just bought the Mayhems to try out.

How do you like them Tye? I use the Maxima Hunters in my compounds and love them. I'm shooting the Aramid KVs in my Scorpyds.

[Cossack]

Have used a number of different brands of carbons, settled on Gold Tip Lazer IIs. I can make a dozen for less than $50, ALL costs included. I'm shooting 4 or 5 dozen from 3 bows. They hold up well, only ones that broke were those where arrow 2 hit arrow 1 and trying to remove one from a tree (long story). They fletch easily, don't bend and stay bent and give me the weight and FOC I prefer. Contrary to previous statement, one small scratch does not weaken them. Some of mine have been through targets, woven wire fence and brush (and deer) with no ill effect and were re-fletched several times..
There may be tougher arrows than GT's, but not at that price.

[Tenn. Equinox]

Aluminum arrows fly better for me than carbons. I think they fletchbetter also.
I use 110 brass inserts in 2117 aluminum shafts and Blazer vanes with100 grain
broadheads. Total weight 500 grs. I've bent one arrow this year and that was with another arrow. Tenn.

[Big Pard]

Does carbon express make crossbow bolts or do you all cut down the regular arrows?

[BUS314]

Does carbon express make crossbow bolts or do you all cut down the regular arrows?

"BOLT" is a four letter word-----we use arrows, lol

[Boo]

Does carbon express make crossbow bolts or do you all cut down the regular arrows?

"BOLT" is a four letter word-----we use arrows, lol

LOL! That's a whole new subject!
Carbon Express sell complete arrows for crossbows.

[End of the road]

Thanks everyone for your welcome and thoughts. I think it is good advice to try aluminum and see what I like better. Boo’s comment that the C2 carbon is pretty tough is also reassuring. By the way Boo your web site has a lot of good info for newbies, thanks for sharing in that way.

I also learned they are called arrows. So much wisdom here