Arrow speed

[Fidelios]

Hello all! I have recently ben training longer shots but I'm not sure if the arrows fly fast enough. I don't have a chrony and I think I am pulling at 52#. Can you guys have a look at give me some feedback? I hope I'm not off topic...I am waiting to get some money in from tax refund to get some GT arrows in the hope that they will be faster and more consistent. Thak you
Ah, I send the link from youtube if I may..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv5L6GPQZVQ

[moebow]

Fidelios,  With most recurve bows, you will be getting around 170 to 190 feet per second.  This is pretty standard.  You won't be able to increase arrow speed significantly in my opinion.   You can go to lighter arrows but if they get too light, you start to jeopardize your bow.  You could try thin strings too but again only if your bow is built to use Fast flight string material.  But again any arrow speed improvements will be marginal to small at best.

Your arrows do not appear to be excessively slow but that is hard to judge from a video.  For what it is worth, most hunting shots here in the U.S. are 20 yards (18 meters) or less for most folks shooting recurve or long bow.

You show good shooting at 30m and the arrow will take as long as it takes to reach the target.  The only real way to get a substantial speed increase is to consider (GASP!!!) a compound bow.

[Fidelios]

Thank you for your reply, moebow!     Somehow I got this impression that with GT it will be faster. But then again, carbon isn't that much lighter than wood I reckon..I break far too many arrows so maybe it will be better with GT. I only wish I could be a hunter like my father and grandfather...

[gringol]

If you are hunting, speed is not the holy grail; weight is much more important.  Like Moe said trad bows generally have a pretty small variation in speed.  Speed doesn't increase much with decreasing arrow mass, but inertia does decrease significantly with decreasing mass.  Mathematically the equation is:

inertia = mass x velocity

If you decrease mass but velocity doesn't change much, inertia will actually go down. Conversely, if you increase mass and velocity doesn't change much inertia will actually go up.

IMO switching to carbon to increase speed isn't worth it.  Having said that, switching to carbon to get more durable arrows is certainly worth considering.

[Bjorn]

I would not change anything you are doing great!

[awbowman]

Think you are fine also.  Either way, it is what it is.  Get those broadheads SHARP and let your experiences be the judge.

Good luck.

[Night Wing]

Speed does have one thing going for it and that is a flatter trajectory.

[Fidelios]

Thank you sooo much for your comments, guys!! They  made my day. God bless.

[awbowman]

BTW, 52#s with a well tuned arrow will kill anything in U.S.

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by awbowman:
BTW, 52#s with a well tuned arrow will kill anything in U.S.

Exactly!

[Friend]

Our minds have a habit of tormenting us.

You are doing quite well!

[JamesKerr]

I think your arrow speed is fine. Just make sure your broadheads are sharp and you won't have any problems.

[stiknstringer]

There's a lot to be said for a quiet bow. I have a friend who when he first started shooting trad bows was probably like most of us and not the best shot you ever saw but who's bow was so quiet, he would shoot at a deer and kill it with the 4th or 5th arrow the deer not knowing it was even being shot at! He used a 50# longbow.