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Author Topic: How Heavy are your hunting Arrows  (Read 1955 times)

HarvestMaster

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How Heavy are your hunting Arrows
« on: December 27, 2011, 05:25:26 PM »
Hey all,
I personally shoot heavy arrows, but in saying that I shoot a longbow and I like the extra kinetic energy seeing how speed isn't really a variable for me. Now I'm sure there are some compound guys on here who can shed some light on this issue as I am planning to assist my brother with some arrows when he returns from the Philippines.  I would like to make him some heavy arrows because I have heard great things about combining heavy arrows with the power of a compound bow.

His draw length is 25-26 inches and he can only draw 55-60# due to a shoulder injury when he was delivered as a new born.

Now, what are your guys thoughts about the arrows? which arrow to buy and how heavy is to heavy or to light?
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Quote from Howard Hill.( Whenever he taught someone to shoot) "Son make up your mind right now if you want to target shoot or hunt as theres a world of differance between the two"

Hope this goes over well....

Weste

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Re: How Heavy are your hunting Arrows
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2012, 01:04:16 PM »
Personally I like an arrow that is a minimum of 400 grains with an FOC of 12% or higher.  I would combine this with a bow that can spit these arrows out at a minimum of 275 fps.  This arrow will have a kinetic energy of approximately 68 fpe (foot pounds of energy).  I have found this setup to be very successful in maintaining more than sufficient energy to take down north american big game animals out to 50 yards or more.  If you plan on hunting thicker skinned animals (pigs, warthogs) then you may want to increase the arrow weight but also limit your maximum yardages.  With my setup, I have been fortunate to harvest most of Canada big game animals.  Heavier arrows will only generate more kinetic energy if you are able to maintain the speed of the arrow.  For the stick shooter who likes a 550 grain arrow, they would have to shoot that arrow at 235 fps to get the same kinetic energy.  Personally I like more speed and a lighter arrow to extend my range of death.  LOL

I havent even touched on the loss of kinetic energy that results as the arrows begins to slow down.  LOL we will save that for another discussion.

My 2 cents anyway.
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Ibow

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Re: How Heavy are your hunting Arrows
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2012, 02:04:08 PM »
I've been shooting a 48 pound Black Widow recurve for years with 29" 2016's tipped with Zwickey 2 blade Deltas (135 gr). A finished arrow comes out to around 520 grains. Not sure what my arrow speed or KE is but it's been enough to get pass throughs the lungs of several black bears and many whitetails. It's the same set up I plan to use in Alberta this coming spring!  ;)

Sometimes I think it all boils down to where you hit the animal. If you put that arrow in the right place, you won't have a problem.
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Weste

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Re: How Heavy are your hunting Arrows
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2012, 03:18:08 PM »
Quote from: Ibow on January 13, 2012, 02:04:08 PM

Sometimes I think it all boils down to where you hit the animal. If you put that arrow in the right place, you won't have a problem.


You got that right!!  Shoot what gives you confidence.
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