Hi back atcha, Phil. After the big aluminum vs carbon blowout some months ago, it became obvious I don't fit in with today's compound community so I went back to traditional. Been making selfbows, rescuing old recurves from yard sales and am just finishing up making my first glass laminated reflex/deflex longbow.

You're right. Velocity equals momentum just like weight equals momentum. A 600 gn cedar arrow flying out of my longbow at 180 fps carries 43 ft lbs of energy and has .4788 pound seconds of momentum. To equal that momentum a 350 gn arrow has to be flying 308 fps with 74 ft lbs.

That's 42% less arrow weight than I'm shooting, but taking 42% more speed and 42% more energy to get the same passthru I get with my slow ol' logs. So, Rack-attack is also correct when he says 'speed is a huge factor in penetration.' But he is also incorrect by forgetting to mention the fact that weight is also a huge factor. The less speed your bow is capable of generating, the huge-r role weight plays.

Just another comparison with momentum... My 580 gn aluminums fly 225 fps out of my round wheel ProTec. That's 65 ft lbs of energy and .5788 pound seconds for momentum. That 350 gn arrow would have to scream along at 373 fps and carry 108 ft lbs of energy to equal that much momentum.

Edited by - Arthur P on 01/14/2003 07:52:55