Oh boy, I almost dont want to enter this for fear of arguing.
So let me start off by saying, I dont guarantee to be right with everything I say, Im certainly no expert. However I do have a pretty good understanding of how bows work and all the other good stuff.
My thoughts on the matter are this;
From what I understand, NO bow is 100% efficient, no matter what size or weight arrow. But for the sake of simplicity we will pretend they are.
Infact all my numbers are going to be made up for the sake of simplicity.
So we take Bow A. and shoot arrows A through D out of it.
You will find that there will be several size and weight arrows that will allow you to get very close to 100% efficiency.
Because its a matter of give and take.
Arrow A weighs 500 grains and fires at 245 fps. This arrow receives 100% of the energy from the bow.
Arrow B weighs 450 grains and fires at 290 fps. This arrow receives 90% of the energy.
Arrow C weighs 900 grains and fires at 150 fps. Arrow A already received 100% of the bows energy, so this arrow can not receive any more. Therefore the KE will diminish, because while it may be receiving the full energy, the speed is much lower due to the extra mass (weight) that is there for no reason.
Arrow D weighs 200 grains and fires at 305 fps. This arrow only receives 60% of the bows energy, distributing the rest through your bows limbs and riser. Though it fires faster than arrows A and B....it receives less of the energy, thereby lowering its KE as well.
Basically what Im saying is, there will be a certain range of arrows slightly differing in size and weight that each bow will get the maximum amount of KE out of. They may not be EXACT, but they will be within tenths of a pound.
So then you have to decide what you need more of, KE or Speed?
There are going to be several options for you to decide from. Some will be pretty close to each other in KE but differ quite a bit in speed and weight.
If you're bowhunting African big game, I hope you use a cut on contact and choose the KE.
If you're bowhunting whitetails or mulies in open country, choose the speedier arrow, it will allow you some room to misjudge distance and still hit rather close to the intended spot. Without worries of missing high or low.
If you bowhunt whitetails in the East you have the pick of the litter. You dont need the speed because shots are normally VERY close. But the speed helps simplify if you want only one pin. You dont need very much KE because its just a whitetail, but if you want to use large cutting diameter broadheads or mechanicals, make sure you have enough KE to get the job done. If you want TONS of KE go for it...but you dont need it.
NO matter what! MAKE sure that you take the most ethical shots you can, and bring the quickest most humane end to the animals life that you can.
Finally, if you dont want to figure out all of this stuff you probably dont have to. If your shooting an avg set-up of between 55-65 pounds, with an avg draw of 28-30". Using an avg weight arrow of 400 grns. and a fixed blade or replaceable blade bh. You will have enough KE for whitetails and most game in N. America.
If you plan on using mechs though, or hunting larger game, run the numbers and do a check on what you're set-up will be getting as far as KE goes. You dont want to wound an animal because you dont like playing with numbers.
Have a good one---Matt
