# Total arrow wgt v.s draw wgt



## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

Some questions to answer

1. What is your total arrow wgt?

2. What is your draw wgt?

3. Are you a bowhunter that will sacrifice arrow wgt for speed?


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## gunattic (Jan 9, 2005)

here's a thought too.. I chronographed the same arrows out of 2 different bows. The one with the heavier draw weight was slower than the other. I don't remember the exact numbers, but it was somewhere like 5-7lbs heavier draw weight and I think it was around 20 fps slower with the same arrow.

analyze it all you want, it's a well placed shot that does the job. Personally, I like speed.


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## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

i shoot 2218 easton arrows with 125gr tips. ok im sure i will piss people off by saying this but here goes the high poundage thing is just a bunch of crap i shoot 45lbs with this setup and will pass threw any game i shoot you do not need 70lbs to kill a deer i dont care what anybody tells me i can pull 70lbs and have shot with it before but WHY? when you can have more then enough power with 25lbs less? i have crushed ribs on whitetail with this setup and passed threw skulls of **** and possum with it so it will get the job done just fine and its "comfortable" to shoot it no strain whatso ever just a nice smooth pull. i would not give up this setup to gain speed i just use what works for me. like said above its all the shot placement that gets things done right


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

I'm not a fan of really light arrows and super fast bows. In my experience really fast setups are far less forgiving and if you are going to have a form error, it will be executing a hunting shot in the field. Also, shooting overly light arrows stresses the bow, makes for a noisier shot, and and if you shoot less than 6GPP (grains per pound), pretty much universally voids the warranty.

I shoot 7 grains per pound with my compounds and 10 grains per pound with my recurves. All my compounds are set at 62# and recurves are 52#-54# at my draw length. Compounds speed at 62# & 7GGP is around 240FPS, Recurves speed at 52# is around 185FPS.

The heavier arrow from the slower recurve, using a two blade broadhead, usually out penetrates the faster, lighter arrow, using a 3 blade, from the compound. Either will pass through medium game with ease, as well as break through a shoulder blade/leg bone to reach the vitals...


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

This conversation has come up quite a bit lately and I just wanted to know how many actually knew what their arrow weight ratio was to their draw weight. It seems that quite a few guys I have talked to do not know, they just know that they have good arrow flight and it is fast. Those are two good combinations to have when bow hunting, but with out proper penetration, you are doing the deer, elk, moose&#8230; no justice. Granted it should not take a whole lot to get a complete pass through on a deer at 20 or less yards with a sharp broad head. It is some of those same guys that say they would take a deer at 50 + yards that do not know their arrow weight. They just tell me that their bow is fast and they can make the shot. Then I ask them, what would you rather get hit with a ping-pong ball going 300 fps or a baseball going 300 fps? 
I am just curious, how many of you know the arrow wgt vs draw wgt of your set up?


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## ics400 (Oct 12, 2007)

I shoot a compound with carbons, 100 grain fixed blade, 398 gr finished arrow weight, 59 lb draw weight, for 6.7 gr/ lb of draw weight. Enough kinetic for pass through, enough speed to compensate for minor errors in range estimation. Know your equipment, know your limits, have confidence in your ability, and have a good season!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Mathews XT on 60 lb, Makima arrows 375 gr including 100 gr Thunderheads, for 6.25 gr per lb draw. Arrow speed 10 shots 385.3 fps.
Tolke Whip pulling 50 lb arrows weigh 500 gr. That's 10 gr per pound. I am using 3 gr per inch inserts that I purchased from 3Rivers Archery inside a carbon to bring up the weight. That and I still have 70 premium grade Port Oxford shafts that I purchased in 1982. They are 510 gr fletched and with a 100 gr head. I have not chronographed it, but I may have to step outside this morning and do that. I am guessing somewhere around 160 to 170 fps.

*Edit 8/27 11:00am. Arrow speed of longbow is 174 fps. *

I have shot compounds since the first year they came out. Old Allens, old Jennings, they have come a long way. Arrow weight I have played with for 36 years. I have shot into about 60 some deer, but every entry exit is different so it doesn't tell you much. I once purchased a cheap four inch thick foam target for kids bows. Arrows heads always passed through, but arrows didn't go all the way through in a new target. I had so much fun with that target I had to buy another two days later. I shot very light for bow weight arrows, medium weight, heavy weight etc. It was an over simplistic test I suppose, but I just measured arrow length out the back of the target. As soon as a few arrows hit the same spot I knew I had to go buy another target.

Anyway, arrow weight made a good difference in my recurve, but little with the compound. It appeared with the compound that nearly everything penetrated about the same if the arrow shaft diameter remained the same. I think speed made up for mass, and mass made up for speed. The smaller diameter arrow penetrated more even though the head was the same size. The recurve was different. Evidently the energy stored in the limbs is wasted on light arrows. I was shooting a 45 lb Bear Grizzly and once I reached about 500 gr penetration didn't increase. However jumping from 400 gr to 500 gr did increase penetration by about four inches of arrow. In the early 1970's it was hard to get a 400 gr arrow that had sufficient spine.

Today my preference is light arrows in my compound and heavy arrows in my longbow. My only current debate is whether I should shoot two blade or three blade in my longbow. Right now I am shooting some M-A 2 that I have from 1972. I don't even remember the brand, but they take a good edge and fly perfect.

Oh, I tried 50 gr and 100 gr brass inserts for added weight, but then my arrow was underspined. My son is shooting 580 gr, I think it is, in a 55 lb. Tolke Whip, and that is with the 100 gr inserts. He gets perfect flight, but he is shooting a heavier spined arrow.


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