Arrow Weight
 

Over the weekend i went up to the local archery shop. I started looking into the selection of arrows that they carry. After talking to one of the workers about arrow weight, he mad it sound like i can be shooting a lighter arrow. The one that we were talking about is a 8.0 gpi vs. the 9.6 gpi that i am currently shooting. i pull 70 lbs at 30 in and shoot a 100gr tip thru last years drenalin. the worker said that i would gain about 20 fps and shoot 12 inches higher at 40 yards than the arrow i am shooting now.

What i am currious about is -

1 - would this arrow be to light for my setup?

2 - Is the employees statistics reasonable?

Your knowledge (or BS) will be appreciated.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

Yourtotal minimumarrow weight should be no less than 350 grains. You are going to have to do some simple math to figure this out.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

You will need to add the weights of your arrow length, nock, insert, fletching, wraps if any, and a little for glue.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

You could go to a lighter arrow as long as you dont go below 350gr and make sure the arrow is SPINED right for your set up.

I really hate all this x gr per inch people are going on aboutnow, as you can get an arrow down to desired weight and be the wrong spine for the bow, then they wonder why the get crappy flight and cant tune their bow.

But I am about to do a post of some testing I done over the week end about light V heavy and the KE difference at various yardages, it just might change your mind.;)

RE: Arrow Weight
 

Like Ausie said a lot of things go into making a great hunting arrow, spine, total weight, FOC, etc. For your setup 350 grains would be the minimum total arrow weight. Get an accurate arrow length 1st, then you can work on your spine. There will be many shafts of different weights to fit your spine. If you go with a lighter spine you can then use a slightly heavier broadhead to insure sufficient FOC. I usually suggest a minimum of 12% to 15% for broadheads.

Dan

RE: Arrow Weight
 

Last year I was shooting CX Maxima 3D selects, weighing in @ 355 grains. I shoot 70# on a 30" DL as well. They had absolutely no trouble blasting through the 2 deer I killed last year. They flew 318 fps.

I am really coming to the opinion that w/ today's equipment, the heavy/slow and light/fast argument isn't as important. I honestly don't think it matters much anymore. I mean, the numbers don't lie, heavy/slow does carry more momentum, but light/fast carries plenty of KE to get the job done.

Back in the day, you HAD to shoot a heavy arrow to get the KE. Today's equipment is so efficient you just don't need it to get the same numbers. Are there still advantages to heavy/slow? Sure, but there are advantages to light/fast as well.

Now....having said all that, I changed back to heavy/slow this year. My bow is quieter and the numbers are just downright impressive. When I hit a 3D target, it nearly knocks it over......LOL

RE: Arrow Weight
 

I knowsomeone can get into all the different media, ballistic gels and whatnot they want when it comes to penetration issues... but I had an experience this weekend that was eye-opening to me.

I shot Sunday's 3d shoot with Jeff Propst and his son Chris, longtime former teammates of Drury Outdoors and now with Ralph & Vicki at Archer's Choice (due to the Drury boys switching to PSE; Jeff's a Hoyt rep.) Jeff has been extremely successful as an elk hunter, being featured on several videos and having written about his sucesses as well. He was shooting his "elk setup" Sunday with me, while I had my "whitetail setup." We've worked a few shows together before, and we had a great time shooting together. A lapse of concentration on one target left me 5 points out of third place with nearly 70 bowhunters entering.:(Still, I was pleasedin only my fifth 3d shoot ever.

I was probably a hair faster in regards to fps, but he was shooting an arrow that was about 50 grains heavier than mine. His arrows sunk into every target a good 3-4 inches further than mine. Talk all the light arrow-speed stuff you want, it was clear that the mass centered behind those field points was driving deeper.

Chuck Adams writes a great column about this exact conundrum our sport at large is in in this month's Bowhunting World.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

Greg, Jeff is our Hoyt rep at the shop. Great guy, isn't he? I like him.

Anyway, you're 100% right, a heavy arrow will, does, and always will carry more KE and momentum. There's no question of that. Physics are physics, can't be changed. BUT, what I was getting @ in my previous post is.....How much is enough? I mean, yeah, my big heavy arrows hit like a hammer, but......All we're talking about now is how far in the ground you want it to sink in after blowing through a deer.

I can see, however, if we're talking about moose, bison, or the like, I would, w/out question, go heavy/slow. But for whitetailed deer.....I simply feel it really makes no difference.

There's another side to this I didn't mention earlier either. Slower will always be more forgiving as well. I thought I was shooting very well when I was shooting 318. Changed arrows, 500 grains flying 285 and suddenly, I wasn't shooting as well as I thought. I'm shooting much better now, having done nothing but changed arrows.

I know this sounds like I'm walking both sides of the fence, and in a way I suppose I am. But I'm an advocate of both, I simply feel that both are more than adequate to get the job done. When I'm posed w/ that question @ the shop, I give them the information and simply let the guy shooting make the decision.

When I was shooting my light arrows, my set up was producing almost 80 pounds of KE. Um, I'm not sure, but I think that's plenty. Yes, my heavy arrows are producing nearly 90....but...again, how far in the ground do you want the arrow sunk?

Anyway, I've shot both, killed deer w/ both, and may be completely out in left field, but that's my opinion on the matter. Take it for what it's worth.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

I guess what really interested me was that i would notice a difference of 12 inches of drop at 40 yds. Meaning that the lighter/faster arrow is going to shot quite a bit flatter.

Considering this - in the instance say that you misjudge a target at 40 yards with the heavier arrow. Yes, you would have the more powerful energy, but your shot could be 5 inches low. Now shooting the lighter setup i guess i would rather be 1/2 an inch low andnot as much energy, but plenty to take an animal ethically(deer specifically).

RE: Arrow Weight
 

You also have to consider how often you take 40 yd shots at deer and whether or not you use a rangefinder to do so.

A lighter arrows will more thna likely make your bow a little louder. A lighter arrow, although going faster to start....may slow down quicker than a heavier arrow at farther distances.

Is dropping the money on a new dozen arrows worth it?

RE: Arrow Weight
 

You make a good point, triggertrav... Aside from all the arguments that will arise about being able to judge yardage effectively, or you shouldn't even be taking a shot at 40 if you're not that adept at judging yardage, etc., etc. (I'm not sayng that, just pointing out what's likely to come ;))

What I WOULD be interested in though is for someone who's got one of the archery software programs such as On Target or Archer's Advantage or anything else out there to run those differences through that and VERIFY what the shop guy told you is accurate. I've been in sales a LOOONG time, and I know how easy a trap it is to just spout off numbers like that (12" drop at 40 yards) when you're engaged in a conversation... He might be right, but I'd like to see what someone with a program comes up with.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

Not necessarily. You may want to check the numbers on that. A heavy arrow will retain it's speed better downrange, and at some point the light arrow will drop right off the face of the earth. But to be honest, I'm not sure where that is.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

I shoot 60# hunting any more and I have hunting arrows weighing from 326 grains to 500 grains. Bow setups shooting from 308 fps down to 232 fps. I am not really Pro or Con either way. I try to pick the setup that I think best suits the game and area I'll be hunting. Honestly they both work well!

Dan

RE: Arrow Weight
 

I am seriously considering switching to the lighter arrow. There still should be plenty of KE - no-one has ever said that they didn't have enough(to my knowledge) just that they want more. I want more speed and a flatter arrow. Nothing wrong with whati am shooting, but it seems there is always something better.

Also, i think that i can sell my old arrows - that way i can tell my self that it is a reasonable desicion.

RE: Arrow Weight
 

See my post immediately prior to that... I think we're both thinking the same thing ;)

RE: Arrow Weight
 

Indeed we are Greg. Indeed we are. ;)