kinetic energy test

[C-WOODS-SHOOT]

I made some changes this year in my arrow setup and after coming to the conclusion that the changes were successful I thought I might share the info to possibly help others. After years of deer hunting and rarely getting a pass through I decided to go with a heavier arrow and I also switched from expandables to fixed blade broadheads. I shoot 58 lbs and my completearrow weighed in at 460 grains. As I stated above, I have had a successful year. I took four deer this year with three shots being complete pass throughs, and the fourth not quite making it all the way through because of asharp quartering angle (arrow was buried to the fletchings). So I decided to figure the kinetic energy of my setup as compared to lighter arrows out of the same bow. I used three different arrows of different weight shot from the same bow all within minutes of each other with no changes toanything on the bow. Each arrow was shot three times througha chronograph and averaged. After recording the fps for each arrow I calculated the K.E. on another website (bowjackson.com). Here are the results:

arrow#1 - 365 grains
257 fps
53 ft.lbs. KE

arrow#2 - 420 grains
240 fps
54 ft.lbs. KE

arrow#3 - 460 grains
229fps
53 ft.lbs. KE

So the conclusion I have come to is that this KE formula doesn't mean much because there isn't much difference in the KE of the three arrows above but the heavier arrow clearly gave me better results. And of course we can't forget the fixed broadhead. Maybe it was a big help also.
I think alot of people are thinking of fps and nothing else and after this year I think that might be a mistake. There is 28 fps second difference between the fastest and slowest arrows above, but the pin gap to 35 yards hardly changed. And in todays high tech hunting world with pocket size laser rangefinders where there doesn't have to be any yardage guessing, I am going with the heavy arrow. I don't know if this is helpful or interesting at all, but I thought it was iteresting enough to share with everyone.

[walks with a gimp]

Yep, for hunting you're best to err on the "punch" side

[TerryM]

I don't know if this is helpful or interesting at all, but I thought it was iteresting enough to share with everyone.

Good post!

[gibblet]

its very interesting to me. momentum.

[TFOX]

The difference is most likely the heads and maybe tune.I really don't think there was enough weight difference to make much difference.


I also use a bow at 58#'s and only at 28 1/2" draw.I have used light arrows for the last 5-6 years and have had passthroughs on all the deer I shot with them.I also use mechanicals.I actually have the most ke I have had in several years at 56 ft lb's.[]


The key isthat I use small Rocket Steelheads with ACC arrows,(spined properly for my setup).Both do extremely well in the penetration department.381 grain total weight.




I really am not wanting to get into the light verses heavy debate and you need to use what you are comfortable with but there is usually more to the equation than just light verses heavy.


I shot a big doe this year at about 7 yards that was quartering away so hard that the arrow went in behind the lung area,pass through the heart and one lung and exited between the front shoulder blades,nicking the oppsite shoulder and then buring in the ground several inches.deer ran about 40 yards and expired.