Arrow weight

[countryboy2441]

Shooting a 40 lb longbow and 45lb recurve. What weight arrow should I try to shoot? Really looking for passthroughs on deer. Haven't hunted with a traditional bow for a few years and trying to get back into it.

[bowmaster12]

I asked a similar question not long ago.  Most where in that 10 to 12 grains per pound range.  With arrow flight and sharp broadheads the main concern.  I am a believer in foc as well so im going to try and keep the majority of my overall arrow weight up by the point one my new lighter bow setup

[The Whittler]

8-10 grains will get the job done.

[Sojurn]

Unless I'm mistaken,  shooting 8 grains/pound will void the warranty on some bows.   
  As was previously stated,  SHARP broadheads, flying perfectly, on an arrow in the 10 to 12 grains per pond range is the commonly accepted norm. 

[Cory Mattson]

435 grains or one ounce was a legal minimum when I started bowhunting. I guess this stuck in my head because we never used an arrow that weighed less than that when our kids were little shooting light bows 40# 45#. I realize laws have probably changed. We use 10 gpi as a minimum.

Pass Throughs: A lot going on there. How straight the arrow is flying on impact. The deers reaction to the hit or lack of reaction. Shot placement. Ive seen a few pass throughs but seen a lot of broadheads stuck in the off shoulder.

<><
<-----------------<<<<<

[Wudstix]

Good advice above.  10 gpi is a good target, but fiddle around with combos and get what flies well with appropriate speed and Kinetic Energy.  I shot stout bows and for aluminum arrows sometimes get as low as 9.3ish gpi and for Hickory arrows get up over 13 gpi.  As long as flight is good and arrows are fast enough don't worry.
 

[The Whittler]

If 8 grains voids the warranty on a bow I wouldn't want it, not a very well made bow and I would question about the bowyer.

[the rifleman]

40# bows are all i use for whitetail.  I don't even use 8 gpp for 3d.  Just don't like the feel of a lighter arrow and 10-11 gpp just works well for my style of shooting so this is what i use now.  I have killed deer with as little as 9.5 gpp up to 15 gpp and everything in between, and got two holes with these set ups.
Got a buddy who worked up an arrow around 6.5 gpp fo a 65# bow for an antelope hunt.  It shot very flat and he took a nice antelope at over 50 yards.  The bow, however is now a wallhanger with multiple stress cracks.  It was a Bear Super Kodiak,  btw.

[PennDude]

There's an entire podcast dedicated to this subject. https://lethalpodcast.com/


If you want pass through shots, you should follow the Dr. Ashby principles


1. STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY: OVERALL DURABILITY OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. IF ANY COMPONENT FAILS, PENETRATION IS MINIMIZED OR STOPS.

2. Perfect arrow flight: Perfect arrow flight allows maximum energy retention for maximum penetration.

3. Arrow’s Forward of Center (FOC) balance point: With higher FOC percentages: Penetration is increased, accuracy is enhanced, flight is more consistent, and wind-drift is minimized. The first threshold for a substantial increase in penetration is 19% FOC. The higher the FOC the higher the increase of benefit in all these areas.

4. Mechanical Advantage: Or, how steep the angle is on the blade of the broadhead. Narrow and long broadheads with a low angle of attack (High Mechanical Advantage) do more work with less energy expended. Short, steep angled broadheads require more force to penetrate any medium.

5. Shaft-Diameter: There is a substantial INCREASE in penetration when the shaft of an arrow is at least 5% smaller in diameter than the back of the broadhead’s ferrule. Likewise, there is a substantial LOSS in penetration when the shaft diameter is larger than the back of the broadhead’s ferrule.

6. Arrow Mass: The higher the total mass weight of the arrow and broadhead combination, the greater the penetration. Also, higher arrow mass weight increases bow efficiency because it absorbs more of the bow’s stored energy when fired.

7. Blade Edge Finish: Smooth, honed, stropped razor sharp edges increase penetration, allow more massive bleeding, and simply put - outperform all other types of edge finishes.

8. Shaft profile: Tapered shafts outperform and out penetrate all other shaft profiles. Parallel shafts have a penetration advantage over barrel-tapered shafts.

9. Broadhead/Arrow Profile: Smooth ferrule transitions into the main blade of the broadhead provides the ultimate in penetration. Avoid rough, irregular surfaces and any abrupt bumps or ridges where the ferrule meets the main blade. Smooth silhouettes penetrate with less effort.

10. Type of Edge Bevel: Single bevel broadheads are crucial when bone is encountered. Only the single bevel, with its rotational force, can actually split bone, allowing the arrow a clear path to the vitals.

11. Tip Design: The Tanto tip is proven to be the most effective for a non-skip tip, and for initiating the splitting action when impacting bone.

12. Arrow-Mass above Heavy Bone threshold: Arrows with a total arrow weight (TAW), including the single bevel broadhead - of 650 grains or more were 100% successful in breaching the heavy bone threshold in all of Dr. Ed Ashby’s testing. If you're wanting pass throughs you should follow the

[Paul Fithian]

All three of the deer I bagged with a 45# trad bow have been pass throughs with a 546 grain arrow, 12.1 grains/# draw. Broadheads were 250 grain.

[Tom1958]

There's an entire podcast dedicated to this subject. https://lethalpodcast.com/


If you want pass through shots, you should follow the Dr. Ashby principles


1. STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY: OVERALL DURABILITY OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. IF ANY COMPONENT FAILS, PENETRATION IS MINIMIZED OR STOPS.

2. Perfect arrow flight: Perfect arrow flight allows maximum energy retention for maximum penetration.

3. Arrow’s Forward of Center (FOC) balance point: With higher FOC percentages: Penetration is increased, accuracy is enhanced, flight is more consistent, and wind-drift is minimized. The first threshold for a substantial increase in penetration is 19% FOC. The higher the FOC the higher the increase of benefit in all these areas.

4. Mechanical Advantage: Or, how steep the angle is on the blade of the broadhead. Narrow and long broadheads with a low angle of attack (High Mechanical Advantage) do more work with less energy expended. Short, steep angled broadheads require more force to penetrate any medium.

5. Shaft-Diameter: There is a substantial INCREASE in penetration when the shaft of an arrow is at least 5% smaller in diameter than the back of the broadhead’s ferrule. Likewise, there is a substantial LOSS in penetration when the shaft diameter is larger than the back of the broadhead’s ferrule.

6. Arrow Mass: The higher the total mass weight of the arrow and broadhead combination, the greater the penetration. Also, higher arrow mass weight increases bow efficiency because it absorbs more of the bow’s stored energy when fired.

7. Blade Edge Finish: Smooth, honed, stropped razor sharp edges increase penetration, allow more massive bleeding, and simply put - outperform all other types of edge finishes.

8. Shaft profile: Tapered shafts outperform and out penetrate all other shaft profiles. Parallel shafts have a penetration advantage over barrel-tapered shafts.

9. Broadhead/Arrow Profile: Smooth ferrule transitions into the main blade of the broadhead provides the ultimate in penetration. Avoid rough, irregular surfaces and any abrupt bumps or ridges where the ferrule meets the main blade. Smooth silhouettes penetrate with less effort.

10. Type of Edge Bevel: Single bevel broadheads are crucial when bone is encountered. Only the single bevel, with its rotational force, can actually split bone, allowing the arrow a clear path to the vitals.

11. Tip Design: The Tanto tip is proven to be the most effective for a non-skip tip, and for initiating the splitting action when impacting bone.

12. Arrow-Mass above Heavy Bone threshold: Arrows with a total arrow weight (TAW), including the single bevel broadhead - of 650 grains or more were 100% successful in breaching the heavy bone threshold in all of Dr. Ed Ashby’s testing. If you're wanting pass throughs you should follow the

Best post of the thread ^^^