RE: Importance of speed?
yards
time
drop
6[/size][/font]7
0.047923
0.443354
1213
0.095847
1.773414
1819
0.14377
3.990182
2425
0.191693
7.093656
3031
0.239617
11.08384
3637
0.28754
15.96073
4243
0.335463
21.72432
4849
0.383387
28.37462
5455
0.43131
35.91163
60[font=arial][size=2]61
0.479233
44.33535
This is my table for a 313 fps arrow assuming a perfect parabola and an arrow that doesn't slow down. This shows an arrow zeroed at 25 about 5 inches high at 20 yards and 6 inches low at 30 yards. [Maybe a person could do better with some kind of planing? of the arrow. ]
At any rate, even with this very fast arrow, range estimation is critical even with fairly close targets.
But I think that Arthur P is right on! heavy has a lot of advantages. Speed just has this one (or two, I suppose, less time to jump the string). And penetration is generally much better with heavy, all else being equal.