When do you decide its too heavy?

[Hoosierarcher88]

Im going to be setting up some new arrows soon and im trying to decide if i want to go as heavy as what i have planned or not. I usually shoot around 600-640 grains out of my 50# bows. The arrow setup im really considering will be 720 grains and almost 28% foc. I keep my hunting shots 25 yards and in so i dont really forsee this being any issue but wondering what you guys think.

[Red Beastmaster]

I shot 9gr/lb for 30 years. The arc I saw before and during the shot was deeply ingrained in my brain.

I got a wild hair two years ago and put together a 12gr/lb set up for my hog arrows. I absolutely could not hit the mark. Always low. Every shot.

The only way I could get on was to purposely think about the log I was lobbing to the target. That, as you know is counterproductive to instinctive shooting. Can't think, just do.

I switched back to my normal set up before bad mental things took over and really messed me up. Accuracy trumps a heavier arrow every time.

[Wheels2]

720 grain and 28% foc seem unnecessarily heavy

[Pat B]

Why go heavier if you can do well with 600-640 grs. from a 50# bow? You could drop 100grs. and still have a very effective hunting weight arrow for your set up. An arrow going 6" into a deer's chest will kill just as well as one sticking in the ground on the other side of the deer.
Try it and see. Now is the time to decide while hunting season is still 6 months off to get familiar with your new set up if you decide to go that route.

[BAK]

Sounds pretty excessive.   

[Sam McMichael]

I have never cared to try to achieve great FOC, but, I would figure as long as it shoots with an acceptable accuracy and trajectory, it's not too heavy. That breaking point will vary from one shooter to the next, so only you can decide when it has been reached. Personally, I prefer to balance arrow weight with flatter trajectory. Since I hunt deer almost exclusively, FOC is less an issue for me than it might be for those who regularly hunt much bigger and tougher animals.

[Wudstix]

I have never cared to try to achieve great FOC, but, I would figure as long as it shoots with an acceptable accuracy and trajectory, it's not too heavy. That breaking point will vary from one shooter to the next, so only you can decide when it has been reached.

This, above.
I like heavy arrows that don't even hesitate, as they pass through, hogs or deer.

[wingnut]

I'd say if you are shooting 15 yds from a treestand and that's it, no problem.  But the additional time in the air at 25 yds and the dramatic drop in speed will most likely result in a miss or a wound thanks to a jumped string.

IMHO  I've shot 10-12 gpp for ever on game up to and including Alaska Moose.

Mike

[Steelhead]

I think your 600 to 640 grain arrow sounds plenty heavy if you want to shoot a heavy arrow and you could still put good point weight on that heavy of arrow and use a very strong broadhead.Thats 12-13 grains per pound.That sounds like a fine weight for a hunting arrow and will make your bow quieter shooting.

Even at 20 to 25 yards I think your gonna get more arrow drop than is good and cause potential misses if you go really heavy.I like an arrow that shoots reasonably flat even at 20-25 yards which is really as long as I will shoot hunting.I don't want to do range estimation and bow arm adjustments much at all out to 20 or 25 yards.

Most my arrows for hunting have been from 10-12 grains per pound.You can make an absolute killer arrow at 12 grains per pound that will be extremely strong.Give you plenty of momentum and make your bow shoot pleasantly and quietly and not effect trajectory too much at those ranges you hunt.

A lot of guys shoot around 10 grains per pound in their typical hunting arrow for game like whitetails and black bear. 

[bear mike]

51@28 northern mist whisper 640gr arrow@29in woodsman broadheads really put a good smack on the 3 deer I killed this year. 640gr is about as much as I'm gonna shoot that's plenty for what I wanna hunt. The bow shoots quite and the arrows hit hard that's all I can ask for. But If a guy wants to shoot a really heavy arrow go for it.

[blacktailbob]

I notice a much bigger drop in trajectory at 25yds from 20 when going from 12gpp to 14. But also notice more noise when going lighter than 11gpp. 11-12 is a nice compromise for me. Flat enough and quiet enough.

[pavan]

I believe all bows have diminishing returns with arrow weights that are too light or too heavy.  My last deer was shot with a 425 grain cedar arrow pushing a shoot away broadhead, out of a 42 pound re-tillered Hill.  i was pheasant hunting.  Arrow went through the deer and out into the switch grass somewhere.  What would need a 720 grain arrow out of a 50 pound bow?

[elkhunter45]

I run 600 grains out of a 50 lb Bear recurve and I don't think I could improve anything on my setup by going heavier. It's dead silent and has decent trajectory at 160 fps. IMHO I think both of our setups are on the heaviest end of the ideal. I'm a 11-12 gpp guy. I run 12 gpp because that is where I ended up when I bareshaft tuned the arrows that I had. I was targeting 11 gpp and had to load the front a little more to get clean flight. I have shot this arrow setup for two years now and I'm pretty well confident out to 25. At the end of the day its a personal choice for sure.

[TDHunter]

I run 650 out of my 50-52 lb set up and love it . I was shooting 740 out of my 58 pound recurve but I was still getting near 170fps and it was a great set up. But I must say I was hunting grizzly and Moose. If your not hunting moose size creatures I would stay with 650. 650 is plenty for most animals on the planet.......including moose

[Wheels2]

Only within the last couple of years has the high foc thing come of age.

Mostly because of carbon arrows being light for the spine.  Guys want a heavier arrow so a heavier spine is needed and then heavier points in order to make the heavier spine act as it were a lesser dynamic spine.

I still like XX75 2216 with 125 grain tips.  Even with carbons I run GT Traditionals to get more shaft weigh but stay with the same 125 tip.

[Wudstix]

IMHO  I've shot 10-12 gpp for ever on game up to and including Alaska Moose.

Have to agree, my bows allow me to get in this range with 700-800 grain arrows.  So best of both worlds.  Good quiet arrow flight and incredible penetration.

[Crooked Stic]

I say 10 gpp. ought  be plenty.

[blacktailbob]

A good indicator?