Can you shoot carbon arrows from a recurve bow?

You can shoot carbon arrows from a recurve bow. Among different arrow types that you can use for recurve bows, carbon arrows are an excellent choice for hunting, competitions, or target shooting.

Best known for target shooting and tournaments, recurve bow is an archery bow type with curved tips at either end. In addition, some archers use it for bowhunting, field, and 3D archery.

You can use many arrows to shoot from a recurve bow, including carbon arrows. They are the most popular arrow type and can be expensive compared to other arrows.

Despite their costliness, carbon arrows are fast and lightweight, which suits recurve bows. They are also powerful and penetrate better than aluminum arrows. Aside from its ideal weight and speed, it also offers archers custom sizes and spine options.

Since carbon arrows tend to be durable, accurate, and safer than other arrows like fiberglass ones, they are the best choice to shoot from recurve bows, whether for hunting, competition, or target shooting purposes.

What are the best carbon arrows for recurve bows?

Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrows, Tiger Archery 30-inch carbon arrows, and Pointdo 30-inch carbon hunting and targeting arrows are the best carbon arrows to use for recurve bows.

Nowadays, most archers use carbon arrows for their bows, especially recurve bows and compound bows. Indeed, carbon arrows are great to start with if you are still a novice in using recurve bows.

Finding the best quality carbon arrows for your recurve bow can be tricky since hundreds or even more are available in the market, considering the rapid advancements in archery. Hence, below are the best carbon arrows for recurve bows that made into our list:

1. Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrows

Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrow is the highly recommended carbon arrow among most recurve bow archers. It is ideal for recurve bows with a draw weight ranging from 35 to 50 pounds.

Its brand, Pandarus, is a professional archery equipment manufacturer that dedicates its work to creating the perfect archery equipment for its consumers.

The key features of Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrows are as follows:

• 31 inches arrow length
• Arrow shaft size: 6.2mm inner diameter; 7.8 mm outer diameter
• Spine: 500
• Straightness: +/-0.006 inches
• 4″ Shield Turkey Feather
• Has a replaceable 100 Grain Screw-In Field Points
• Suitable for traditional and recurve Bows weighing 35 to 50 pounds
• Adjustable nocks

Besides its stylish Turkey feathers, the Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrow is also known for its sturdiness and shoots very well. Not only does it have adjustable nocks, but it is also a powerful feature that fits perfectly on a fast flemish bowstring.

The Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrow has been available since July 16, 2018, and has earned 4.4 out of 5 stars customer reviews on Amazon, priced at $49.99.

2. Tiger Archery 30-inch carbon arrows

Another great carbon arrow to buy in the market is the Tiger Archery 30-inch carbon arrow. Compared to Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrows, this one is only $36.99.

The Tiger Archery 30-inch carbon arrow, made of 100% carbon material, is not only a reasonable purchase but is also perfect for long-lasting target practice.

Below are its key features you might want to take a look at:

• 30 inches arrow length
• Arrow shaft size: 6.2mm inner diameter; 7.85 mm outer diameter
• Spine: 500
• Weight: about 35 grams for each arrow
• Has a replaceable 100 Grain Screw-In Field Points
• It is perfect for long bows, recurve bows, and compound bows weighing from 40 to 64 pounds
• Free nocks included in the package

The Tiger Archery 30-inch carbon arrows also feature an aluminum seat convertible with various-inch thread arrows. Moreover, they are also solid, well-constructed, and made for extended durability.

Its arrows also have colored plastic fletching with nickel-painted stainless steel tips, perfect for outdoor shooting and indoor target practice.

Sold since April 6, 2017, the Tiger Archery 30-inch carbon arrows have 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

3. Pointdo 30-inch carbon hunting and targeting arrows

If you are not a fan of vintage-looking arrows, this following carbon arrow product may be the right one. The Pointdo 30-inch carbon hunting and targeting arrows are perfect for those who want futuristic, modern-looking arrows to shoot.

With its fluorescent shaft and fletching parts, you won’t have a hard time looking for it which means you can easily find it even in the dark.

To know more about why Pointdo 30-inch carbon hunting and targeting arrows is an excellent choice, kindly refer to its features below:

• 30 inches arrow length
• Arrow shaft size: 6.2mm inner diameter; 7.85 mm outer diameter
• Spine: 500
• Weight: about 35 grams for each arrow
• Vanes: 3inch Peltate Vanes 2 Green and 1 White
• Bohning Double Lock nocks that are rotatable and without glue
• 100Grains With O-ring for locking the screw tip
• Works well with recurve and compound bows weighing 25 to 60 pounds

Well-made and flying straight, Pointdo 30-inch carbon hunting and targeting arrows are perfect for target shooting and hunting. Compared to the other two carbon arrow models above, Pointdo 30-inch carbon hunting and targeting arrows are cheaper at only $32.99.

Furthermore, it earned 4.5 out of 5 stars in customer reviews on Amazon, surpassing the Pandarus Archery 31-inch carbon hunting arrow’s 4.4 stars.

Either of these three is an excellent choice if you want to shoot carbon arrows from your recurve bow. Based on the customer reviews and their features, using these carbon arrows assures you that they are high quality and well-tested among users.

How do I choose arrows for a recurve bow?

When choosing arrows for a recurve bow, you must identify your draw length first, then the arrow’s weight, diameter, and spine come after.

Finally, you purchased the recurve bow that suits your needs best. The next step is to choose the arrows you will use with your recurve bow. Unfortunately, your bow will only shoot as good as its arrows. For this reason, you should find the right ones to hit.

There are a variety of arrows to choose from, which makes it difficult for you to spot the right ones to buy. It can be exhausting enough; thus, below is a guide to aid you in narrowing down your options:

1. Draw length

First and foremost, before proceeding to identify the arrow’s spine, diameter, and weight, you must first measure your draw length. It pertains to how far back you draw or pull your bowstring.

Archery shops can help you precisely measure your draw length using tools. Nevertheless, you can also do it at home by following either or both ways:

First method

1. Spread your arms wide and keep them parallel to the floor.
2. Do not pull in your shoulder blades.
3. Ask someone to help you measure the precise distance (in inches) from the tip of one middle finger to the other.
4. Then, divide the value by 2.5; the result is your draw length.

Second method

1. This time, face the wall sideways.
2. Then, raise your bow arm while making a fist with your hand.
3. Next, place your arms parallel to the floor and gently rest your fist against the wall.
4. Ask someone to measure from your anchor point to your closed fist, mimicking a drawing of a bowstring pose.
5. The measurement you arrived at is your draw length.

Either method works well, but if you want to make sure you got it precisely correct, perform both ways and compare them. If you arrived at similar measurements, you could rest assured that you got your draw length right.

If both are different, you must repeat the process until they match up. After doing so, you must add two inches to your draw length to get your arrow length.

2. Weight

In determining the arrow weight you need, remember that the weight correlates to the poundage or weight of your recurve bow. You should typically use approximately 10 grains of arrow for every pound of draw weight.

For example, if your recurve bow weighs 50 pounds, the weight of your arrows should be about 500 grains. You can also go heavier than 500 grains if you desire to maximize your potential for penetration.

You can also go lighter than 500 grains. However, remember not to go lower than seven grains for every pound, estimated 350 grains with a 50-pound recurve bow.

It is important to remember that arrow weights change based on different elements, such as thickness and shaft length. Additionally, the material composition is crucial. So a carbon fiber or aluminum arrow may weigh more than a wood arrow.

Another factor is where you’ll be using your recurve bow, whether for hunting or target shooting.

• Hunting

If you plan to join bow hunting, you would need arrows that are heavy enough to penetrate the target when using recurve bows successfully.

Remember that in hunting, you should kill your target ethically, which means you must not let it suffer more before entirely killing it.

With enough kinetic energy, it would be better to end its suffering more quickly by hitting its bullseye rather than letting it escape with an injury resulting in an unethical kill.

Hence, explaining the need for using heavy arrows when hunting using recurve bows to ensure instant and deep penetration.

• Target shooting

Compared to hunting, target shooting doesn’t require you to use heavy arrows. In target shooting, deep penetration is not necessary to fully hit the target. Thus, lighter-weight arrows are enough to do the trick.

You can still successfully pierce the target without the risk of harming the objects for it to last a few more shots.

3. Diameter

Your arrow’s diameter depends on the purpose of your shooting, similar to determining arrow weight. In short, target shooting and hunting using recurve bows require different arrow diameters.

Archers usually prefer thicker diameter arrows when using recurve bows for competitions or target shooting since they are likelier to strike the lines of particular point scoring areas.

On the other hand, smaller diameter arrows are better for hunting using recurve bows because a narrower surface area is less wind-sensitive. Additionally, smaller diameter arrows penetrate the game more effectively.

Therefore, identifying your arrow’s diameter depends on the purpose of your shooting. If you plan to join hunting and target shooting activities, you would need different arrows.

4. Spine

The arrow’s “spine” pertains to its capacity to wiggle or bend around your recurve bow and towards the target.

Choosing the appropriate arrow with the correct spine for your recurve bow depends on the factors that affect it: its draw weight, arrow weight, arrowhead’s weight, and the arrow length.

The higher the measurements you have in those factors, the stiffer your arrows must be to prevent them from having an excessive amount of spine.

For example, if your arrows are long and heaver and your recurve bow have a high draw weight, you would need to use stiffer arrows.

It may be pretty confusing as you try to remember and familiarize yourself with the points explained above; hopefully, you will be able to find the right and perfect arrows for your recurve bow.

Determining the right and suitable arrows for your recurve bow is tricky and confusing, especially for newbies. However, there are specific ways you can follow to help you identify the right arrow to buy.

If you have decided to use carbon arrows, rest assured that they are an excellent choice because of their features and design that can be compatible even with recurve bows.