Hunting arrow weight

[growalot]

Again my comment was NOT a criticism..to the last statement...IMO and personal experience...practicing and how you practice affords one the knowledge of one's equipment, to help avoid any woundings. perhaps a woman's perspective..we just have to know it works,not how it works..

Edited July 17, 2016 by growalot

[nybuckboy]

Don't forget the correct FOC - Front of Center. Should be around 12 -13 % up to about 15%. My son and I both shoot 60# bows with about 460g total arrow weight with about 12 - 13% FOC.

[stoneam2006]

Don't forget the correct FOC - Front of Center. Should be around 12 -13 % up to about 15%. My son and I both shoot 60# bows with about 460g total arrow weight with about 12 - 13% FOC.

Still learning that been reading alot but online cals say I'm in the zone

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[ATbuckhunter]

I want to say that min is between 407-420. I don't think arrow weight is a huge factor, but it can help. Stay in the 420-450 range and you'll be alright. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

I like a heavy arrow to hunt. I've got somewhere around 30 archery deer and I bet my average distance is 15 yards, so for me quiet and KE is much more important than speed. For 3D I'm a tinkerer, trying to get to just 300 grains to make up for my crappy yardage calls

[stoneam2006]

I'm got the carbon express pile drivers they seem to shoot great broadheads and all.. 10.1 gpi 27 in long with 100 grain heads

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[fasteddie]

My arrows run about 430 grains using a 100 grain tip . I saw an article a while back that showed how to easily add weight to an arrow . The guy used string trimmer line . I had never heard of that before . 

[Jeremy K]

10 hours ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

I like a heavy arrow to hunt. I've got somewhere around 30 archery deer and I bet my average distance is 15 yards, so for me quiet and KE is much more important than speed. For 3D I'm a tinkerer, trying to get to just 300 grains to make up for my crappy yardage calls

What arrows are you shooting for 3D? I'm using the hexx this year and they are amazing,all 6 that I got shoot exactly the same everytime ,of course I'm superstitious, so when my first arrow scores an 11 ,I use that arrow the whole round.

[dbHunterNY]

I shot the Easton Hexx arrows last year for 3D.  My average was well over 300/330 for the season so I'm sure they were holding me back in anyway.  Before that I shot Lightspeed 3D's and they drove tacks too.  This year local shop didn't have what I was looking for so I'm trying out Carbon Express BLU Rz shafts.  people try to go so light that they're usually on the edge of being under spined for their setup.  if they don't shoot with good form and release gracefully versus plucking at the trigger then it really causes the arrow to flex.  for hunting it's a whole different scenario.  weight only helps prevent deflection in or on contact with the animal, quiets your setup, gives you a more durable arrow for reuse, and retains KE on impact (penetration).  light arrows have far more KE/kinetic energy than heavy arrows, but KE isn't what directly kills game.

[stoneam2006]

Yea there's a pretty good Calc on easton website I been using

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[dbHunterNY]

for a hunting arrow you just pick a straight, durable arrow, that you're confident in.  I've killed deer with the lightest arrows possible and heavier ones.  anything marketed as a hunting arrow won't do you much if any wrong.

[The_Real_TCIII]

What arrows are you shooting for 3D? I'm using the hexx this year and they are amazing,all 6 that I got shoot exactly the same everytime ,of course I'm superstitious, so when my first arrow scores an 11 ,I use that arrow the whole round.

Victory x ringer HV-1. Hold one in your hand it's like they're made out of potato chips but they are incredibly durable. I've shot four seasons of the winter league with the same arrows

[The_Real_TCIII]

What arrows are you shooting for 3D? I'm using the hexx this year and they are amazing,all 6 that I got shoot exactly the same everytime ,of course I'm superstitious, so when my first arrow scores an 11 ,I use that arrow the whole round.

Absolutely, I select a "winner" on the practice range but once an 8 gets posted, back of the line for that shaft lol

[Core]

I spent a couple of hours yesterday on online calculators.

This: http://archerycalculator.com/estimate-bow-speed/, this: http://archerycalculator.com/archery-kinetic-energy-and-momentum-calculator/ and this: http://www.bestcrossbowsource.com/crossbow-arrow-ballistics-calculator

It's quite neat to see how at close range (20 yards) even a very heavy arrow doesn't move point of impact much, but up to 40 it becomes very pronounced. Heavy arrows also shoot a little quieter, but going up to 30 yards the point of impact starts to change quite a lot when you compare something like a 350 grain total weight arrow to 450.

I personally shoot 400 total weight @ 50 lbs with a 315 ibo bow, but I'm hardly an experienced archer, though I am a decent shot in perfect conditions (i.e. range).

I confess I don't understand the emphasis on penetration. A through-and-through shot will definitely leave a much better blood trail, but how often does a person truly hit the vitals and the deer doesn't fall within 50-100 yards?

[Jeremy K]

I tried shooting my 400 spine (400g weight)Axis out of my impulse 31 and they sprayed like crazy . I'm waiting to get 6 easton hexx (330 spine) back from the shop ,I had 3 done with brass and 3 done with aluminum, I'll switch to either all brass or aluminum once I figure out which one I like better.

[Buckmaster7600]

I spent a couple of hours yesterday on online calculators.

This: http://archerycalculator.com/estimate-bow-speed/, this: http://archerycalculator.com/archery-kinetic-energy-and-momentum-calculator/ and this: http://www.bestcrossbowsource.com/crossbow-arrow-ballistics-calculator

It's quite neat to see how at close range (20 yards) even a very heavy arrow doesn't move point of impact much, but up to 40 it becomes very pronounced. Heavy arrows also shoot a little quieter, but going up to 30 yards the point of impact starts to change quite a lot when you compare something like a 350 grain total weight arrow to 450.

I personally shoot 400 total weight @ 50 lbs with a 315 ibo bow, but I'm hardly an experienced archer, though I am a decent shot in perfect conditions (i.e. range).

I confess I don't understand the emphasis on penetration. A through-and-through shot will definitely leave a much better blood trail, but how often does a person truly hit the vitals and the deer doesn't fall within 50-100 yards?

Penetration is 2nd behind accuracy in importance. Deer can do crazy things after have an arrow go through them, And 2 holes are better than 1! If every shot was perfect little of this would matter a field point through the heart will kill a deer very quickly. But if you hit a little forward and hit the shoulder you wanna have enough energy to make it through and into the vitals.


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[Core]

2 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Penetration is 2nd behind accuracy in importance. Deer can do crazy things after have an arrow go through them, And 2 holes are better than 1! If every shot was perfect little of this would matter a field point through the heart will kill a deer very quickly. But if you hit a little forward and hit the shoulder you wanna have enough energy to make it through and into the vitals.


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Does this happen much--getting through a shoulder with a bow? I can certainly see the benefit of it but can a heavy broadhead realistically get through bone on a shot that doesn't go where it's intended?

[chrisw]

Does this happen much--getting through a shoulder with a bow? I can certainly see the benefit of it but can a heavy broadhead realistically get through bone on a shot that doesn't go where it's intended?

Yes it can. Not ideal but a heavy arrow and fixed broadhead can certainly break leg bones and penetrate shoulder blades, whereas light arrows or big cut broadhead or even worse both paired together you wouldn't fair so well...

[The_Real_TCIII]

You can get through the shoulder blade, but if you hit the "knuckle" youre in trouble. Loud WHACK and deer running off with your fletching spiraling along side. Sorry to say I know that from experience

[Core]

That does sound compelling. I just ran the figures through those calcs and a 500 grain sure does drop a great deal out of a 50 lb bow compared to 400 grain!

Interestingly if I upped my bow from 50 lbs to 70 and increased from 400 to 500 grain the pins would stay darn near exactly where they are now, but I've got 30% more KE. 

Edited August 16, 2016 by Core

[Jeremy K]

I popped one in the shoulder knuckle last year . 65 pound bow shooting a 400g expandable. Luckily we had him on a camera a few weeks later with almost no sign of damage . I was sick for days after that shot.

[stoneam2006]

I stuck one in the front shoulder deflected out thru brisket luckily neighbor killed him the next day bc he would have died he was hurt bad

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[Buckmaster7600]

Does this happen much--getting through a shoulder with a bow? I can certainly see the benefit of it but can a heavy broadhead realistically get through bone on a shot that doesn't go where it's intended?

Yes it can and does happen. That's the exact reason why I don't use mechanicals and shoot a heavier draw. I want a broadhead that will penetrate and stay together and I want high Kinetic energy. Speed is at the bottom of the list but is a by product of kinetic energy.

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[moog5050]

23 minutes ago, Core said:

That does sound compelling. I just ran the figures through those calcs and a 500 grain sure does drop a great deal out of a 50 lb bow compared to 400 grain!

Interestingly if I upped my bow from 50 lbs to 70 and increased from 400 to 500 grain the pins would stay darn near exactly where they are now, but I've got 30% more KE. 

I shoot 520g from an 80lber.  I don't think I would go that heavy with 50lbs.  IMO

[Doewhacker]

It is super important to match the arrow to your set up, proper spine and about as heavy as you can go in that set up will work just fine for penetration with a good shot no matter the poundage you pull. 

 

When I shot 70# at 29' draw and a heavy arrow (100 grn BH,13.5 gpi) I broke the off shoulder on a doe I shot, I also had one were I shot at 30 and the arrow blew through and stuck in a log 10 yards beyond the deer. I had to use two hands and a foot to pull it out.