Here's the situation. I've shot a few times with my friend and I know he shoots a much faster bow than mine. He just picked up the top of the line Browning (I know very few of you shoot this brand), anyway I've got a 6 yr old Browning. He shoots carbon and I shoot aluminum so it's obvious that he shoots a much faster arrow. I'll admit that and it is obvious. When we shoot, we shoot into a burlap sack stuffed with plastic bags, hung inside a pvc frame. He made this and seems like a great target. Anyway, I'll quit rambling and get on with the question. His arrows penetrate quit a bit further into this target than mine and my question is "Does this mean his arrows will penetrate deer better than my arrows?" or does this mean nothing? My bow is heavier, like 75 lbs and I think his is aprox 62 lbs. I looked up my kinetic enery with my bow. I shoot at 240 ft/sec and with a 520 grain arrow, I got 66 ft.lbs kinetic. I have no idea what my friends bow's kinetic is so would I get the answer to my question above by finding out his kinetic energy? Or do we say...since his arrow is penetrating this burlap with stuff plastic target better than mine, his arrows would penetrate an animal better? I might add that he shoots mechanicals and I shoot a fixed broadhead. I have heard mechanicals decrease your kinetic a little. Let me know which bow you think would penetrate an animal better. If I need more information to answer my question, like my friends kinetic energy or what not, I can get that for you but just give me your opinions knowing what you know from my post.

From what you stated about both of your equipment, depending on how much ke & momentum he has going for him if its anywhere near eachother I would be you would get more penetration due soley on your broadhead choice! There is a ton of factors on penetration! Arrow speed, arrow weight, arrow diameter, broadhead design, how well your equipment is tuned as a wobbly arrow wont penetrate for crap! Ke is kinda a biased figure speedxspeedxarrowewight div 450240. Obviously speed is going to influence it more! Take 2 balls say a golf ball and a pingpong ball, both traveling..oh say 30mph, what one would you say would hurt more? BOTH ya right LOL! The golf ball is going to hurt more and also cause more damage, why? It sure aint speed is it as they are both traveling the same! Also carbons seem to penetrate more then alums...I think it has some to do with how they flex. Yuppers, as the arrow hits it will bend, I think GT's concrete block test proved that enuf, also the arrows straightn out much quicker then alums not to mention there smaller diameter then alums! What do you think will penetrate farther all else being equal. Still after all that I would say your bow. Why? Those Mech heads take a lot more then a little of ENERGY to open and KEEP ON CUTTING! Obviously a deer (whitetail) isnt going to need as much as a elk or moose. With your set up as long as you put the arrow behind the shoulder blade, using those fixed heads, you could kill efficently anything on north america!

Quite frankly, if either of you hit a deer in the sweet spot, you'll both be pulling your arrows out of the mud on the other side of it. My preference is for the weight and momentum of a heavy arrow.

There was a long, drawn out thread about arrow penetration on the Technical board not too long ago. Look it up and you'll get more answer than you want. Guaranteed!

Thats plenty of energy.

I would tend to agree with Arthur on this one. If you don't hit the shoulder bone then I would be more worried about what is on the other side of the deer....<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

A pass through is a pass through is a pass through. I like the heavier arrow because of it's momentum too. Put a broadhead on and it don't matter what the diameter of the shaft is. Just make sure that your arrow flies true and you won't have trouble killing any of N. America's big game.

Take A look at this video and you can see way there is a difference between the aluminum and carbon. KE come from the full length of the arrow
http://www.goldtip.com/video/videoexplorer.html

I wonder if the same amount of flex would be seen in the aluminum arrow if it were shot off a muzzy rest from a well tuned bow where there is no pressure point to impart that intial wobble. I've shot my carbons and aluminums from the same bow and didn't get the tremendous difference in penetration they did. My aluminums are tent pole sized and my carbons ICS Hunters. Where is 5Shot when you need him.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Lilhunter, Arthur P, and others...Thanks for your quick reply on this question. My friend seems to think he's got the best bow in the state because it's fast, but I do know that speed isn't everything. My friend is into his bow over $700, about double mine. He bought the latest red dot scope, latest arrow rest, release, but he still has a lot more practicing to do. I bought his old cobra fibre optic sight which was only a couple months old when he sold it to me. I'm not knocking my friends equipment, but I think it doesn't matter what you have as long as you can hit the animal and make a clean kill. Once again, this has been an awesome site to come to for help and like someone said to me on here...You feel like the hunt never ends. C/ya

sounds like waht you have is fine. your KE is plenty for most big game in No.America.