Arrow speed or weight for shorter draw lengths

[cpalm9]

For those of you like me with a DL on the shorter side (27.5” for me), do you focus more on arrow speed or arrow weight?

 

[gelton]

I have an average DL 28.5 but the two are intimately related. I would go with speed and end up where you end up on weight. You should be able to get 275 fps with ~445-450 grains depending on the bow.

 

[Insomnia]

Are you hunting plains antelope, or tree stand whitetail, or something in between? What's your poundage? You shooting mechanicals or fixed, or both? Draw length is one variable mixed into a whole lot of variables.

 

[Wilderlife]

Depends on the bow and the game you want to chase.

I draw 27.5-28in depending on the bow. Currently shooting a Z1S at 71.5# and 28in. Launching a 490gn arrow at 273fps. Can't argue with that at all.
I like to be in the 270fps range but that's also because I compete a little bit with my bow. In the future I may go from 125gn to 150gn broadheads and get in the 515gn range. I imagine I'd be struggling to make 265fps but I'd sail through some game a little easier, but I don't want for penetration at the moment anyway.

 

[khavok]

For those of you like me with a DL on the shorter side (27.5” for me), do you focus more on arrow speed or arrow weight?

I focus on speed and tune ability. For a shorter draw a micro diameter arrow would be best. Gold tip or Victory Archery are some of the best. Victory makes the Extreme Velocity (EV), they would help increase your speed for sure. I run the Victory RIP TKOs and have for 8 years. I get about 287fps at 72lbs with a 28.5in draw.

 

[Billy Goat]

Beings that I have never had an issue with penetration, I focus on speed over weight. I like to maintain a minimum of 280 fps. 28.25" DL here.


Tune your setup well, good arrow flight has a lot to do with penetration. Put a good broadhead on the front. Killed all kinds of stuff with standard arrows and inserts before knew anything about needing heavier inserts or 200 gr broadheads.

 

[cpalm9]

Are you hunting plains antelope, or tree stand whitetail, or something in between? What's your poundage? You shooting mechanicals or fixed, or both? Draw length is one variable mixed into a whole lot of variables.

Hunting elk and deer although I did apply for the Montana antelope archery tag.

I just bought a Prime Inline 5 and it’s getting setup by the shop at ~65lbs. I was shooting an older mission ballistic at 70lbs with a 465 grain arrow including 100g exodus or slick trick vipertrick broadheads

 

[Kyle C]

I go with the heaviest arrow I can while staying around 280fps. If I'm at 300 fps and 450 grains I'll up my weight until I get around 280fps. Currently running a 28" draw and with shorter arms I've always tried to shoot a faster bow and stay in the 75-80lb range. Currently I'm at around 507 grains and 278 last time I ran it through a chrono. Had to fletch TAC vanes rather then AAE to cut about 12 grains off the back of the arrow with a 4° offset to stay around that speed. 4° offset and the extra 12.6 grains cut my speed alot between the two.

 

[sodaksooner]

Hunting elk and deer although I did apply for the Montana antelope archery tag.

I just bought a Prime Inline 5 and it’s getting setup by the shop at ~65lbs. I was shooting an older mission ballistic at 70lbs with a 465 grain arrow including 100g exodus or slick trick vipertrick broadheads

My inline 5 at 60 shoots a 400 grain arrow at 275 give or take. In the 250's with my 460 grain FMJ's. 28" draw. I am ok with either setup, just need a different sight tape of course.

 

[5MilesBack]

I got a buddy started into archery this year and he has a 27" draw. We settled on an arrow right around 420-425gr and we'll see what the speed is as he works up to 70lbs. He just started about a week ago and last night sent me a pic of his first 70 yard group yesterday into his 18-1 target. That was me 17 years ago. I knew he'd take to this obsession like a fish to water.

 

[Dennis]

For target shooting or hunting?

Target shooting lighter for hunting heavier is my suggestion.

 

[cpalm9]

For target shooting or hunting?

Target shooting lighter for hunting heavier is my suggestion.

Its for hunting. I figure keeping my arrow around the 450 range is sufficient for what I do and the new bow should be much faster than the old one

 

[BullsDeep]

28" draw here. I shoot a micro diameter victory arrow loaded up with 195 grains up front (including broadhead). 436gr total arrow weight. 65# draw and getting 265 fps. To me that's about as good as I'm going to get speed wise but yet have high foc for penetrating elk

 

[Bump79]

Beings that I have never had an issue with penetration, I focus on speed over weight.

Exactly... I'm always wondering about the obsession with penetration as it's never really been an issue for me. 98% of problems losing animals that I see from friends, my experience, online forums, YouTube, etc. are not from penetration. It's from hitting the animal back - Liver, diaphragm & gut shots. Or a bad range. Not hitting bone where "theoretically" that 200 grain broadhead helps out.

I've played around with many arrow weights and for me with my desired effective elk range at 50-55 yds - I want as much forgiveness in range as possible. It's not insignificant - for example a 5 yds. misjudgment in range at 40 yds between my brothers setup (275 FPS) and my lighter (294 FPS) is ~1". An entire broadhead higher or lower! I figure a well designed fixed head will get the penetration needed so I shoot as fast as get get a solid 1"+ 3b or 4b fixed head to fly reliably.

I'm not saying that more mass doesn't equal more penetration but in my opinion if that 125 grain 3b/4b blade didn't make it through - most likely the 200 wouldn't have either. It just isn't practical to plan on getting through an elk knuckle.

 

[bojangles808]

speed bc flatter trajectory means I'm more likely to hit where I'm aiming. if i was in a stand or blind hunting whitetails at 20 30 yards it's more of a toss up take your pick as ranging that close if you're a couple yards off it makes less of a difference, but for spot n stalk definitely speed