Crossbow Bolts: Aluminum and Carbon Crossbow Bolts

Crossbow bolts are made by a variety of leading manufacturers in several different styles and sizes. When buying crossbow bolts for use with your crossbow, it is important to determine what specifications, such as bolt length and nock type, are required for your particular crossbow model. At Hunting Camping Deals, we supply discount aluminum and carbon crossbow bolts in a variety of sizes from some of the leading manufacturers. If you are looking to buy the best crossbow arrow for your bow at discount prices, shop our selection of crossbow bolts for sale online.

Aluminum Crossbow Bolts vs. Carbon Crossbow Bolts

Whether you decide to buy aluminum or carbon crossbow bolts is generally a decision that crossbow hunters can make regardless of their crossbow model or manufacturer. These two types of arrows have a number of similarities in style and design so the choice of one over another is generally due to personal preference.

While carbon arrows are generally much more expensive than aluminum crossbow bolts, some advantages include that they are more durable staying straighter than aluminum bolts over time. In addition, carbon crossbow bolts generally fly faster and straighter at longer distances allowing them to penetrate a target slightly better than aluminum bolts.

Buying the Best Crossbow Bolts for Your Crossbow

When buying crossbow bolts it is important to buy a crossbow bolt that properly matches the specifications for your particular bow. While there are a number of crossbow manufacturers that make quality crossbow bolts from aluminum and carbon, properly matching your crossbow bolt to your crossbow manufacturer's recommended specs will prevent personal injury or damage to the bow during shooting. All crossbow manufacturers provide information regarding which types of bolts are recommended for use with their crossbows. They will provide information such as recommended length and total grain weight. A brief overview of some major crossbow manufacturer's recommended arrow types is provided below. If you have further questions about what type of bolt to use with your particular crossbow, please contact your crossbow manufacture or feel free to contact us at Hunting Camping Deals for assistance.

The following are some specific differences and specifications to note when buying crossbow bolts or arrows.

Flat or Half Moon Nock: The most important difference in crossbow arrows to look at is the nock pattern. Arrows can have either flat nocks or half moon nocks. Excalibur and TenPoint Crossbows typically use flat nock bolts, while Horton and Barnett use bolts with half moon nocks as they believe these provide better string contact.
Arrow Length: Crossbow bolts can range from 16" to 22" in length. It is important to buy crossbow bolts that are the correct length for your particular crossbow model.
Grain Weight: Crossbow arrows can have different finished weights based on your chosen broad head and bold combination. It is important to maintain a proper finished weight for an arrow, usually above a set minimum, in order to achieve superior performance.

TenPoint Recommended Crossbow Bolts

TenPoint recommends using Easton aluminum 20 inch bolts, any TenPoint Crossbow arrows with a flat nock, or the Pro Elite Carbon Crossbow arrows that are available at discount prices from Hunting Camping Deals. These TenPoint Pro Elite Carbon Bright Bolts are 20 - inch arrows made from 22/64ths carbon fiber with plastic vanes and super bright end caps. TenPoint recommends that the finished arrow weight should be at least 415 grains for optimal performance.

Barnett Recommended Crossbow Bolts

According to the Barnett website, Barnett recommends the following crossbow and bolt combinations:

For a Predator, Revolution XS, Revolution, and Quad 400 crossbow, Barnett recommends using a 22" bolt with a carbon shaft and half moon nock. The total grain weight of the arrow should be about 450 for maximum performance.
When using the Quad 300, Rhino Quad, Rhino Sport Magnum, and Wildcat C5, in general, it is recommended to use a 20" carbon shaft with half moon nock and total grain weight of about 425.
When shooting a Panzer V, RX-150, RC-150, Wildcat III, Wildcat XL, Ranger, Rhino Recurve or Commando II Recurve, Barnett recommends a 16" shaft with half moon nock that has a total grain weight of about 372.

Excalibur Recommended Crossbow Bolts

Excalibur recommends using only crossbow bolts with flat nocks with all Excalibur crossbows. They say that you can use either carbon or aluminum bolts as long as the total mass weight is above the minimum recommended weight for your crossbow model and the outside diameter is the proper size, 22/64".