RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

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I got this info off of this website.....makes sense to me.
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corey006,

Good data. Thanks. This is one piece I was worried about, but it is consistent with what I used, that the initial kinetic energy is about 10% higher with the heavier arrow.

But, if I am shooting a light arrow, it is presumably because I am worried about arrow drop at longer distances. So what I am concerned with is the KE (or I would prefer momentum) at 30 yards or longer, not the initial KE. My point being that a light arrow has NO advantage at short range.

At 30 yards the heavier arrow has half again the momentum of the lighter arrow as the light arrow doesn't bore through the air as well. It slows down more. It also has significantly more KE.

beprepn

RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>But, if I am shooting a light arrow, it is presumably because I am worried about arrow drop at longer distances. So what I am concerned with is the KE (or I would prefer momentum) at 30 yards or longer, not the initial KE. My point being that a light arrow has NO advantage at short range <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

don't you mean that a heavier arrow has no advantage at a short range? because a heavier arrow definately has an advantage by losing less KE at longer ranges. but then we have to look at our effective shooting range in the field. if there is no advantage from 30 yards in, which is most bowhunters comfortable effective range then.....light, heavy arrow doesn't make a difference. i don't know of many bowhunters that take shots over 30 yards, and usually in the field because of terrain the opportunity to take a 40 yard or farther shot is slim to say the least.

RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

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<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>But, if I am shooting a light arrow, it is presumably because I am worried about arrow drop at longer distances. So what I am concerned with is the KE (or I would prefer momentum) at 30 yards or longer, not the initial KE. My point being that a light arrow has NO advantage at short range <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

don't you mean that a heavier arrow has no advantage at a short range? because a heavier arrow definately has an advantage by losing less KE at longer ranges. but then we have to look at our effective shooting range in the field. if there is no advantage from 30 yards in, which is most bowhunters comfortable effective range then.....light, heavy arrow doesn't make a difference. i don't know of many bowhunters that take shots over 30 yards, and usually in the field because of terrain the opportunity to take a 40 yard or farther shot is slim to say the least.
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nodose,

Yeah, I said it poorly.

At short distances arrow drop isn't an issue and the light arrow has no advantage in any area. The light arrow has less KE and less momentum at all ranges. And, you are right that this disadvantage increases with distance. At longer distances the lighter, faster arrow drops less giving it an advantage in that one thing.

beprepn

RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>an average sized caribou isnt that much larger then an average sized caribou!<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

what were you drinkin last night? <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

That bow was a POS, it was pieced together by K-Mart. That bow was crap, it was discontinued by the manufacturer within the first year of being produced, and all the stock sold to K-Marts and Wal-Marts around the world so they could become Pro Shops. That was my great introduction to archery, and is why I just about quit bowhunting all together. I got my new bow and immediately started grouping better, then switched to carbons and started grouping even better. Maybe that first bow was out of tune, but I, like 99% of other bow owners, aren't capable of finely tuning a bow. Del worked his magic on it and still couldn't get paper tears less than 2&quot; long out of it. There is crap equipment on the market in archery, and it will result in wounded critters. Just look at mechanical broadeads, there are some brands that just plane suck, and others that perform better than fixed blades.

From the charts that corey posted, I would lose .92 lbs of KE if I were forced to switch to 600 grain aluminums, which is what is proposed for bigger game in Alaska come spring 2004, from my 450 grain carbons. I find it funny that the state would spend so much time and money to make a change like that, yet they whine and fuss about us putting any funding into the education programs that we proposed to them.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

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RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

as I said before...all this talk of speed and energy is really irrelevant since any modern bow has PLENTY of both.

but just to throw another wrench in the works....now apply the differences between feathers and plastic vanes into all your calculations. Feathers are lighter and therefore faster out of the bow....plastic vanes are heavier but have much less wind drag and therefore are slower out of the bow but will catch and pass a feathered arrow (all else equal) at around 30 yards.

so make your choice of heavy or light arrows

now decide what to fletch them with

happy calculating !! :-P

** I almost got him but I refuse to take a marginal shot **

RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

Hehehe, I bet very similar &quot;discussions&quot; have raged ever since the 30s, when those 'dim-witted upstarts' first started making arrows out of Mr. Eastons newfangled aluminum tube thingys...METAL ARROWS??? An abomination I tell ya!!! Hehehe..you guys crack me up.

RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

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If the question of light vs heavy arrow tradeoffs at longer distances is the question, then would not the KE equasion support the use of lighter arrow weights, or at least dismiss the idea that heavier is better? In the KE equasion, the velocity value is squared, therefore carries a greater(squared)impact on the KE at longer ranges.
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The initial KE of the bow is the bow efficiency times the peak draw weight. Bows are usually about 10% more efficient at 9 grains per pound of draw than at 5. Once you have this initial KE you can use the formula to calculate the speeds. v * v = K.E. * 2 / mass. Since the mass is less for the light arrow...

RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

Hey Krisken...Remember the a$$ chewin' you gave me about head and neck shots on coyotes?????? I'm just a little curious about those 100 yard head shots on ground hogs......I believe you described me as a &quot;psychotic, unethical SOB&quot; and how &quot;I should have more respect for ANY animal than to take head and neck shots&quot;.....very interesting......Sorry to get off topic guys but I found this rather humorous.....FWIW I shoot 454 grains @ 70 lbs and have blown through 5 elk and 3 mulies with this set-up. Seems to me to be a good compromise of speed and weight.....IMHO of course.....

&quot;What we do in this life echos an eternity&quot;

RE: Light arrows bad choice for hunting
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I'm just a little curious about those 100 yard head shots on ground hogs...... <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

yeah i was wondering about that myself...LOL