Since Kinetic Energy is determined by the formulaMass x Velocity = Force or kinetic energy what is the difference? I mean I understand shooting fast, light arrows for 3D but those same arrows produce almost = amounts of KEwhen compared toheavyier, slower arrows. Now consider the fact that it takes about 25-30 of kinetic energy to pass through a whitetail, unless you are dicussing hunting heavieranimals with thicker skins and bigger bones or you are a child/women or in some other way limited in your draw weight kinetic energy is important only if you are worried about how far your arrow sticks in the dirt after it passes through the deer you shot.

For example some numbers::
330 grains at 310 fps=70.44 ft lbs. of ke
450 grains at 270 fps = 72.86 ft lbs. of ke

I'm not seeing the difference as being very significant, both are close and well above what you would need to kill a whitetail.

Here is a KE calculator from Easton:
Bowhunting Info Kinetic Energy Calculator

And another with an article I found interesting:
Arrow Penetration - much ado about nothing?

You, are NOT allowed to have an opinion here.

I'm a big fan of mid-heavy arrows for all of the afore mentioned reasons. Personally, I shoot my same 410gr. Easton Axis for 3D as I do for killing stuff and still been very competitive. It's all about what YOU want to do and not anybody else.

For the record, I do like a fast shooting bow but I also believe the "forgiveness" I get out of it doesn't amount to much as far as if I misjudged the distance(rangefinder eliminates this). Also bows I have set up in the past for speed/flat shooting were definitely on the louder side so I guess that is another disadvantage.

That has been my experience as well mobow. I live and hunt out west and I'll shoot at 40 yards but don't think the heavy arrows handicap me at that distance. In the past I used a different set up for antelope, if you have ever shot one they are like hitting a piece of tissue paper. I went with light, small diameter carbons and expandable heads. When I was sighting in I found that I really didn't need to move my sight. Shooting at a 4 inch spot both the heavy and light arrows were in the spot. The difference was only a couple of inches. I've since went back to my heavier arrows for all hunting. I shoot around 485 grains. If my yardage is off by 10 yards either way I'll still be in the kill zone.

Hm, ok.....well, here are some real world numbers for you.....This is from my set up, nothing changed except the arrow. Draw weight and length remained static....

355 grain arrow flying 318 = 79.7 ft pounds

490 grain arrow flying 282 = 84.8 ft pounds

That's over 5 pounds, which is a significant increase. That's almost an 11% gain in KE. Does that matter a whole lot in THIS case? No, not really.Not when figuring KE alone, but all the other benefits make it worth it.

A 10% gain in KE on a lighter set up though, say a youth bow, is significant, and could make a tremendous difference.

And dubbya, that's not opinion brotha....that's GOSPEL!

I still have nothing against light/fast by the way. It's just not for me anymore is all......I'm married, I'm allowed to change my mind.....You'll see soon enough if you keep up the way you are....

Am I understanding this correctly? You have a 40 yard shot and you guess it 30 or 50 yards and you are still in the Kill zone?[&:]

Dan

Here's some numbers from my Guardian Same Draw weight and length. Same grain scale and Chrono.

326 grain arrow 280 fps 56.77# KE

497 grain arrow 232 fps 59.41# KE

171 grain heavier arrow lost 48fps and gained 2.64# KE If I use the heavy arrow Iwillbe pretty sure my shoots are gonna be close range.

Dan

Please don't think that I am doing anything beyond discussing here and not arguing with you as I KNOW you are more knowledgeable than I in this arena. With that said, if all of my shots were 25 yards or less, then you are 100% correct and I would have a heavier arrow. However, what is the difference at 40? 50? With my set up, if I am dead on at 50, then at 51 I am right at 1" low. 52 yards 2" low. 53, 3" you get the idea. So, would I have that kind of range estimation forgiveness with a 490 grain arrow?

I once killed a cow elk, my first elk, at 34 yards. I forgot to adjust for the distance beyond 30, but because of the "forgiveness" of the faster arrow I sliced her heart. Same with a mule deer buck that I originally ranged at 40 and he moved between then and when I was ready to shoot, and after I took the shot I ranged where he had been standing at 43 yards and the arrow was barely low at allon impact. Also, my only non pass-thrus have been on whitetails and those both buried in the opposite shoulder.

I'm not saying my reasoning is flawless, I am just telling you what it is. I am always open to changing my mind.

Those numbers are definitely not from a youth bow setup and I'm sure you know a youth set up while the percentage may increase you are stillonly talking about acouple ofpounds of kebut I can definitely understand tweeking to maximize any bows potentialand even though I would agree that 84 is 5 more than 79, both numbers are about 3x what you actually need. Not sure what other benefits you gained but my main point was most modern compound set ups produce plenty of KE, how you tweek them is nothing more than personal preference. imho

10% of 79 is 7.9lbs so I am not sure how gaining only 5 lbs turned into an 11% gain (an 11% gain would have actually been a gain of 8.69 lbs. real world numbers) A 5 lb gain from 79 is about 6% on my calculator but I do get what you are saying.

New, you make a good point. I was watching some lady bowhunt elephant on TV the other week and I think her bow had 80 ft-lbs of KE. I know that some countries demand a higher KE, but obviously not the one she was in. That might have been a case where $ talks, but I don't know.

On a side note, I think that lady could have easily benchpressed me[&:]