Arrow weight

[Bligneel]

Hey guys just getting your take on arrow weights wondering if I should go heavier. Heading to Colorado elk hunting and I've always used lighter arrows just for whitetail hunting. My arrows right now are 405 and I shoot a mathews vxr 29" draw 70lb. Just want some of your takes on whether I should go heavier for the elk hunting or if you think I'll be fine with what I use now.

 

[Sarcazmo]

You'll get a lot of opinions on this... I try to keep my weights around 460-520 for elk.

 

[Bump79]

You'll get a lot of opinions on this... I try to keep my weights around 460-520 for elk.

Seconded, opinions galore. I like 280-295 FPS for my setup of 335 IBO, 70#, 30". I like forgiveness in range.

 

[MattB]

That is lighter than I prefer but I have short arms. With the right broadhead (cut on contact preferably) you should do fine.

 

[Luked]

My arrows are the same for Whitetail that I'll be using for Elk this year. Mine weigh 510. With a Slick Trick Viper Trick on the front.

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[5MilesBack]

I like ~7 grains per pound of draw weight........for everything. I've been shooting 500-525gr arrows for the past several years.

 

[JasonWi]

That arrow weight will work — it’s lighter than I personally prefer but it’s definitely capable of the job. With that said I wouldn’t use a mechanical and that light of arrow for elk

 

[packmule74]

Not to say that weight wont work but I think your better served with something a bit heavier. I have run a 475g-525g. IMO I really like 485-515ish with a sharp cut on contact fixed blade. Good luck out there.

 

[Bligneel]

Thanks guys! Yeah I used fixed blad montec g5's. I'm gonna go a little heavier I think. Somewhere around 500... thanks for the info!

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Buy a quality arrow shaft. They are not all created equal. Heavier doesn't automatically mean durable.

 

[Kbhillhunter]

Shooting 525g at 275fps. Has worked on both elk and deer perfectly for me.

 

[2Stamp]

Mine are 480ish and are used for Muledeer, whitetail, elk, and pronghorn.

 

[ahlgringo]

Not a koolaid drinking Ashby disciple, but… I prefer a heavier arrow. Current set up is 72lb, 30” dl 606g with decent foc. I find they just tune so much easier (and noticeably quieter). I am in the 265ish range fps. Bareshaft with fletched to 60 was mind boggling simple.


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[nphunter]

Placement is key, shoot what flys well, I used to shoot light 4mm arrows for elk, 390-420gr at about 315fps. The only fixed heads I could get to fly well out to 80 yards were solid legend and kudu 100’s, the solids flew better.
These worked excellent on deer and elk, Oregon switched to allow mechanical heads and I wanted to try them so I switched to a heavier arrow. I’m shooting mechanicals now with 500gr arrows right at 280fps. They work just as well but fly better at long distances and leave better blood trails which is important to me because I’m color blind.

I often contemplate going to a lighter arrow, if I continue to blow through elk with mine I may slowly back my weight down until I feel like I am at a happy medium. I don’t see any sense in wasting energy in the dirt behind an animal, I’ll take the added trajectory or larger cut any day. I have been staying around 280fps because I’ve always hunted ID too which required fixed heads and they are easier to deal with under 280fps. Now that ID is going to allow mechanicals I will most likely adjust my weight to allow for a little more speed.

I’ve killed elk with a pass through with a 27” draw, 60lbs, shuttle T lock at 58 yards with a 330gr carbon tech cheetah. I’ve also lost elk shooting them under 20 yards by hitting them square in the shoulder where no arrow would pass through even with heavy arrows and fixed heads.

I try to let my experience and results decide for me and help tune my setup. Currently I’m shooting 73lbs, 28” draw, 500gr RIP TKO’s with IW 100gr inserts and 25gr collars and 100gr dead meat or Trypans. They are wicked on anything they hit but my 3D scores have went down since going 500gr which means I’m less accurate. I still have over a dozen good arrows so I will shoot these until they are used up and then go slightly lighter, I also deer and antelope hunt with the same bow so I’d like to be more confident in estimating yardage.

My point is almost anything will work if your confident and hitting the right spot, IMO holding tight to the shoulder on and elk it is only a matter of time before you hit bone and lose and animism. They have huge lungs and are giant animals, I hold 3” behind the shoulder center mass and have had great luck. My kids are shooting 40lb, 25” draw with 440gr arrows and 50lbs, 29” draw with 430gr arrows for elk, both with COC fixed heads.

My advice would be to use what you are shooting. Hunting season is close and even though you can resight easily for heavy arrow your mind takes a while to learn trajectory. If your really worried about penetration ditch the G5s and go to a kudu point or similar for this season.

 

[Jbxl20]

I’m shooting the same setup. Vxr 28 at 29” draw and 70lbs. With Easton axis 300 spine at just under 500gr. Chronograph says 277fps. I practice Shooting 100gr annihilator heads out to 60 on a regular Basis. I also shot my buddies axis 340 spine 460gr arrow through the chrono and it read 286fps

 

[Abergman0404]

Lots of good info here!!

 

[TheArdentOutdoorsman]

405gr is a very light arrow for 70lb draw. Personally I'd go 475-550. I prefer 500-510gr

 

[WMag338]

My 515gr arrow tipped with an iron will going 275fps zipped through an elk and moose with ease.

 

[Super 91]

I'll be shooting a new arrow I put together this year. Victory RIP XV 250 spine. I put Gold Tip 300 spine Airstrike stainless steel halfouts up front with 50 and 20 grains of Victory back weights screwed into the halfout for 142 grains up front. Fletched with 3 Max Stealth vanes with max helical from the mini max jig and running Firenocks and 125 grain Strickland Helix heads for a TAW of 554. These are shooting 267 out of my 70 pound PSE Mach 1. This gives me .656 slugs of momentum which should be awesome on elk. These shafts are the most extreme FOC I've build for hunting an are in the 18% range and fun to shoot.

My second option for elk are my 200 spine Gold Tip Kinetics with a Gold Tip 400 series trad stainless halfout and 125 grains up front for 590 grain arrow and about 12.5% FOC. These shafts are going about 257 fps and have .672 slugs of momentum. Same vanes as above.

Both fly like lasers and tune well and will deadly medicine for any elk. Asking the question you did is a pretty individual thing. Each person has to find what they are confident in and what works for them. I would suggest going heavier than what you are now, but do what is right for you because each person on here is going to give you what they think you should do, but in the end, you need to feel good about the choice you make.

 

[GatorGar247]

I prefer to set my arrow weight by the speed / trajectory I want. My number one criteria is a durable shaft that Won't shatter on impact. The second is a good fixed blade . I prefer hand sharpened Exodus . With a 29.5 inch draw I can reach that speed at around 450 grains. There's not a critter in north America I won't kill with that arrow.. Don't get caught up in expensive components and ranch fairy bs.

Shot placement is key with any arrow weight. You aren't shooting through the thick part of an elk scapula or the leg bone with much success on killing the animal.. every animal I've ever shot if they move the move away not toward the shot.. 90 percent of misses are back when they wheel to run .

Shooting practice is what most of us need not some gimmick or overly heavy arrow..