Faster or Heavier arrow???

[nphunter]

Shoot whatever you want for hunting deer, they are super easy to kill, have thin skin and small bones. I would personally and do use rear deploying mechanical heads which rob less energy. I have had great luck with Trypans and also G5 dead meats, I'm currently shooting dead meatheads for everything and they have had great penetration and have held up great on elk. The Trypan was great too but I had a couple of collars come loose on the brush and didn't care for that much but they also worked great on elk.

 

[rachunter]

This is a good read if you want to check it out.

Understanding Kinetic Energy and Momentum in Arrows

Dive into the physics of archery. Understand the role of kinetic energy and momentum in choosing the right arrow for hunting.

blog.gritroutdoors.com

 

[Bump79]

I changed to heavier 2 years ago. I’m now going back to fast…

The trajectory of my 530 grain arrows I’m out of my traverse was hard to handle. Slight yardage miss judged and I could be way off. I never had this issue with faster arrows.

I’m going to a 450-475 grain setup and not looking back. Like others have said - get some additional point weight to bump your foc up for better arrow flight. Just pick your shaft accordingly. You’ll spine up and probably want to stay with a lighter gpi shaft.

This is a great weight range for most shooters.

 

[rachunter]

This is a great weight range for most shooters.

I am shooting Gold Tip Velocity XT 400, 28-inch shaft, 100-grain points, 12-grain insert, Stealth Max vanes, 5-inch wrap and a GT nock for a total arrow weight of 367 grains @ 55 pounds pull I am getting 275 fps.

I guess I was just thinking my arrow setup may be too light. It does come out to 6.6 grains per pound so maybe my setup is fine the way it is, I am not having any flight issues at all. I tried some 125-grain field tips and the arrows still fly great I just have more arrow drop.

The only reason I was considering a change is that I am getting ready to buy all new broadheads and I thought it was a good opportunity to add some weight if needed.

 

[mwh624]

At 55lbs you're going to be pretty limited on what you can do with an arrow.
I'd focus on finding 2 blade fixed broadhead that flies good for your setup and have at it.

 

[SoILSlocker]

For whitetail hunting I go middle of the road with my arrows. Shooting Black Eagle X Impacts. 300 spine. 450 grain TAW, 150 grain cutthroat up front.

 

[CoStick]

I am shooting Gold Tip Velocity XT 400, 28-inch shaft, 100-grain points, 12-grain insert, Stealth Max vanes, 5-inch wrap and a GT nock for a total arrow weight of 367 grains @ 55 pounds pull I am getting 275 fps.

I guess I was just thinking my arrow setup may be too light. It does come out to 6.6 grains per pound so maybe my setup is fine the way it is, I am not having any flight issues at all. I tried some 125-grain field tips and the arrows still fly great I just have more arrow drop.

The only reason I was considering a change is that I am getting ready to buy all new broadheads and I thought it was a good opportunity to add some weight if needed.

I shoot 53lbs 435 grain arrow for elk here in Colorado, figure around 240 fps. I limit my hunting range to 50 yards. I you shoot your lighter arrow at 30 yards and then a heavier one, the difference in POI will ease your mind if you want a heavier arrow.

 

[Beendare]

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[CoStick]

I didn’t see were you ever mentioned which Brodhead you were using.

Light arrows and large mech heads are a poor combo. A heavier arrow helps a large mech head work better.

An efficient BH- like a two blade for example- increases the penetration potential of any arrow.

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Agree, I use 2 blade.

 

[Bump79]

I didn’t see were you ever mentioned which Brodhead you were using.

Light arrows and large mech heads are a poor combo. A heavier arrow helps a large mech head work better.

An efficient BH- like a two blade for example- increases the penetration potential of any arrow.

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Ah fair point! Ashby's concepts are all true in my opinion. The weighting not necessarily for all items and vary per shooter/species.

For example a short draw low poundage shooter hunting a fixed distance animal should likely want to use all factors to maximize their odds.

Now one thing that isn't talked about is if you are a 31" draw 75# penetration might not really be a concern. You're pushing more momentum and KE than the short draw low pound ever will. So in this situation it might actually be a more lethal setup out west to shoot a small 2b broadhead moving at 295 fps and minimize room for error. As long as you can get it to fly that is.

Or that LD shooter can chose more blades and cutting area with a little more weight. No matter what people say as long as flight is not sacrificed more cut is better because it also maximizes forgiveness on a bad shot. As Aron Synder mentioned in a podcast not that long ago you are just as likely (or more) to hit back than front.

 

[BigCountry49]

Shot a two blade COC head and avoid the shoulder. Between either arrow your not gaining a lot of momentum or losing much trajectory so shoot the arrow that flies the best. The best thing you can do for yourself at this point is practice.

 

[rachunter]

I didn’t see were you ever mentioned which Brodhead you were using.

Light arrows and large mech heads are a poor combo. A heavier arrow helps a large mech head work better.

An efficient BH- like a two blade for example- increases the penetration potential of any arrow.

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My bow is a Mathews Chill X, 29" draw with 60 pound limbs (set at 55#). I am shooting Gold Tip Velocity XT 400 arrows cut to 28", I have been using AAE 4 inch vanes but will be switching to AAE Stealth Max vanes. Total arrow weight now is 367 with 100 field points/broadheads and it is shooting at 275fps. When I tried 125 grain broadheads the speed dropped to 265fps.

For the past 10 or 12 years I have been using the Wac'em Triton 3 blade broadhead (1 1/32" cut) with good results. I am switching broadheads for two reasons, the first reason is I feel like the quality of these broadheads has declined the last couple of years and at the same time I think the broadheads of today much like everything else have improved over the last 10 years. The second reason is they have become really hard to find.

I bought a new broadhead target and have been trying some of the new heads that I am interested in and have settled on Grim Reaper Micro Hades 3 blade fixed (1 1/16" cut). They fly like darts and have a smaller cutting diameter like the Wac'em broadheads I have been using. I have always shot 3 blade fixed broadheads but maybe I will also look at the Micro Hades 4 blade before I purchase anymore. I like the smaller size broadheads and think they work well for me with my lighter poundage. I put a premium on penetration and accuracy and not so much on cutting diameter. I have always thought you buy broadheads based on how your bow, arrow and broadhead setup will work on a bad shot. I think any broadhead on the market will easily kill a deer if you double lung it but If my shot is bad I do not think a large cut mechanical or fixed will work well on a bad hit for me. The Wac'em broadheads have served me well over the years but I think it is time to move on.

I will attach a picture of this years buck it was a 30 yard shot was and he went down within 40 yards and did not even know he was hit, I think this may be a benefit of smaller heads.

I have been bowhunting for 40 years and love it as much today as I did 40 years ago.

 

[Beendare]

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[Car_walk]

Wish I had a link, but there was an interview recently with Mathews lead engineer who said that he shoots with a 380 grain arrow for everything. Made me question my setup for sure!

 

[CoStick]

Wish I had a link, but there was an interview recently with Mathews lead engineer who said that he shoots with a 380 grain arrow for everything. Made me question my setup for sure!

Sounds like he is trying to get a matthews bow to hit advertised IBO…

 

[roosiebull]

in your situation, i would bump up your weight, though i'm sure your current arrow isn't bouncing off. the chill series were by far my favorite mathews to date... i shot a chill r for a few years, and loved that bow

 

[Car_walk]

Sounds like he is trying to get a matthews bow to hit advertised IBO…

I think it’s absurd that manufacturers across the board fudge all the numbers. I guess it is a “recreational” activity, but you would think that there would be some organization to fact check. Oh well. I don’t know what all the youtubers would talk about if they could do speed tests on each bow every year

 

[Joshk358]

I like to keep my hunting set up shooting 280-290 FPS. I shoot as heavy an arrow as I can get away with and keep it in that FPS range. 510ish grains (give or take a few) is around where I am at now. No idea about the FOC, but its heavy/fast enough for about any situation I could be in without sacrificing to much trajectory.

My 2 cents....

 

[muchhuntin]

Foc is way overrated. There is a certain point if foc gets too low that the arrow will lose accuracy due to low foc. And a heavy arrow does not necessarily mean better or more penetration. Due to the ranch fairy and his screaming about super heavy arrows it a been tested alot in the past few years and most all seem to come out with about the same conclusion, while a heavier arrow CAN increase penetration in an animal, when shot side by side with a faster and lighter arrow, the amount of penetration difference is next to none. As long as a hunting arrow stays around the 375-425 grains range for a 70lb bow, you will have a great combination of penetration and speed. shot placement and accuracy of the arrow is much more important. If a lighter arrow flies better that's what should be shot by you and your setup.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[Billy Goat]

Wish I had a link, but there was an interview recently with Mathews lead engineer who said that he shoots with a 380 grain arrow for everything. Made me question my setup for sure!

His view was that a heavy arrow cost you 25% trajectory, while gaining you 3% penetration. Or something close to that. I agree with him to a large extent. Once you have adequate penetration, I'd rather gain trajectory.

But I don't hunt over feeders and I shoot past 25 yards.