Wood or Ally

[hawkeye]

Does anybody have any advice on arrows for AFB's?

As in another thread of mine the wife uses her glittery wooden arrows with success but I was curious if ally arrows were the in thing for AFB's - or is it just personal preference??

[Macbow]

Use whatever arrow you want however for AFB competition shooting you must use wood. For accuracy, durability, forgiveness, cost effectiveness and a very convincing wood finish I prefer Carbon Express Heritage shafts which I get from the USA.

[Jumile]

I view AFB as being a modern upgrade to LB, so - if I were to shoot it - I wouldn't consider using anything other than wooden arrows.

And before anyone berates me for linking AFB and LB, have a read about how the modern AFB came about. See American flatbow (Wikipedia), for example.

[Macbow]

Originally Posted by Jumile

I view AFB as being a modern upgrade to LB, so - if I were to shoot it - I wouldn't consider using anything other than wooden arrows.

And before anyone berates me for linking AFB and LB, have a read about how the modern AFB came about. See American flatbow (Wikipedia), for example.

Respectfully, if you're OK with a modern upgrade to LB why not a modern upgrade to cedar? Today's AFBs have high tech carbon, fibreglass, plastic and "un-natural" woods like Diamondwood in their construction with limbs designed using computer programmes to determine the fastest possible limb profiles in order to produce the highest performance possible. They may share the traditional spirit of the longbow but that's about it. Carbon or aluminium shafts only help to make the most out of all these performance upgrades that you've paid for.
Personally I'd like to see a more progressive attitude to competitive AFB which recognises the difference between high performance modern bows (by allowing whatever arrows you shoot best with) and classic bows (non-glass backed) using wooden shafts.

[bkupris]

Sorry but I have to agree with Macbow on this one. I have a bunch of old hunter recurves circa 1960's - 1970's. Wood and glass limbs. I shoot woodies with them because GNAS bow style "recurve traditional" requires it. But...when these bows were developed aluminium and fibreglass arrows were available and widely used.

[Jumile]

Hawkeye,

These guys know far more about the topic than I do. Follow their advice - I will be, should I ever pick up an AFB.

[bkupris]

Originally Posted by Jumile

Hawkeye,

These guys know far more about the topic than I do. Follow their advice - I will be, should I ever pick up an AFB.

Matt

I think it all has to do with limiting the number of different bow styles/classifications for competitions.... you can imagine the amount of medals etc. that would have to be handed out if every sensible combination of bows/arrows etc. was covered

PS I'm no expert that's for sure..!

[Macbow]

Originally Posted by bkupris

Matt

I think it all has to do with limiting the number of different bow styles/classifications for competitions.... you can imagine the amount of medals etc. that would have to be handed out if every sensible combination of bows/arrows etc. was covered

Very true and even more shooting categories probably isn't a good thing. I just feel the field archery powers that be don't take a realistic view. On one hand high performance bow design and materials have become state-of-the-art yet the arrows remain in the middle ages. If the argument for the wooden arrow limitation is about keeping it trad then why allow bow designs that could not be achieved without these non-trad materials.
Contest shooting, however, is just one small part of archery. It always comes back to what you personally enjoy the most be it wood, carbon or aluminium. Try them all and appreciate what each has to offer.