Light poundage bow w/heavy arrows

[Shleprock]

For another variation, who shoots a 50# bow or less and uses heavy arrows? I'm using a 48# Kota Killum at my draw length. Two sets of Grizzlystik Alaskans. A long 33" set at 640 and a 29" set at 740 grains. They fly great. How about you.

[James Wrenn]

I don't hunt anything that requires an arrow over 500gns no matter what bow weight I shoot.Well except for carp.

[Jason Jelinek]

I shot through a mule deer doe last year with a 48# bow (Kota Prairie Fire) and 625 grain arrows.  The arrow went through diagonally (not on purpose, the deer started out broadside).

I've also shot a whitetail doe with a 45# yew longbow with a 625 grain laminated birch arrow (the broadhead had complete penetration).

I try to get close and the more arched trajectory doesn't bother me, I do like the penetration gains from a heavy arrow flying well.

[SOS]

I'm shooting a homemade longbow with 660ish grain arrows.  5575 GoldTips, with 100 gr brass insert, and 150 Grizzlies with 100 steel adapter.  Shoots quit, hits hard, flies great.  I switched back to lighter arrows, 450 grain, and just didn't like the combo like the heavier arrows.  Faster for sure, but I kill inside 20 so not that critical.  Steve

 

[Night Wing]

My 68", 41# @ 30" Longhorn hybrid longbow likes a 32", 2213 Camo Hunter aluminum arrow that weighs 535 grains.

My 66", 42# @ 30" Blacktail Elite TD recurve shoots a variety of aluminum arrows, but likes a 32", 2215 Camo Hunter aluminum arrow the best that weighs 579 grains.

[john fletch]

Energy = mass times velocity squared.  That is why I like speed and penetration more than mass (weight)  I have tried to keep my arrow weight down and my points sharp.  I believe that is just as valuable in traditional bow shooting as it is in firearm or compound shooting.  Those folks mostly go for speed, but it is true there is a 'heavy' contingent in both camps.

[Shinken]

Yes, velocity can work to an archer's advantage to hit the bullseye of a target by providing a flat shooting arrow....

HOWEVER

(and this topic has been beaten to death ad nauseum in a couple of different threads here on PowWow - just search for it - as well as being discussed at length in the Ashby articles archived here on the Trad Gang site)

Linear momentum = (mass times velocity) indicating that penetration is directly proportional to both velocity AND mass demonstrating that mass plays a significant role.  

All of these factors are further dependent on a number of other parameters (e.g., arrow shaft diameter, etc.).  

Penetration is not simply about velocity....

I'll take a heavy arrow every time over velocity and practice more to understand the arch in my archery and hone my woodsmanship to be able to get close to game within my effective shooting range.

That is what I teach my children and encourage others to do as well if they go afield with the stick and string!

Shoot straight, Shinken

[House]

Here Here Shinken...Well said.  I personally shoot a lightish 55 pound longbow with a Grizz Stick Alaskan 75 grain brass insert, with a 175 grain Abowyer Brown Bear sitting on a 125 grain steel adapter for about 750 grain total weight.  Still shoot plenty acceptable trajectory out to 30 yards for me, and I personally have no intentions, or business, shooting beyond that.  And did I mention how absolutely quiet that setup is?  For me I love it, but by no means do I think everyone needs to shoot this heavy, especially those after whitetail and similar game.  My two cents.
Good luck to all!    

Travis

[House]

After reading my post above I guess what I was getting at was this...I have great confidence in my setup and I beleive confidence does wonders for ones performance.  If you are "truly" confident in your setup and it doesn't border on the ridiculous then have at it, chances are it will bode well for you.  Shoot strait and make 'em "razor" sharp and you will make meat.

Travis

[Shleprock]

My 630 grain arrows get 7" of penatration with a 150 grain woodsman into a brand new yellow jacket broadhead target.

[drewsbow]

I,m shooting 48@30 and using 725 grn arrows . I was shooting 840 grns but dropped down a little. I love them. Drew

[bmb]

if you guys can use these heavy arrows, accurately, more power to you. there is no way i could. i tried some 525gr. arrows out of my 44# hoyt for awhile but the heavy arrow combined with my short draw was devasting! plus i saw no difference penetration wise, my 386 gr. arrow zips right thru deer just like the 525gr. ones.

[pseman]

For me, the heavy arrows are only good for shots inside of 20 yards. From 20 and further, they are just SLOW. Nothing wrong with shooting them if you like, but for me I like arrows from 8-9gpp which is 400-450gr in my case. Much flatter shooting and more accurate from my bow.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

This is a long bow I made that in 50-55#@my draw ( getting better form so draw has chanced )
 

This arrow was just over 680grns
 

All my shots have been under 20 yards, but I now live in Texas so I might start working on shooting out to 30 yards or more so a lighter arrow would be better.

[JimB]

I tuned some .400 carbons to my 53# Mojo Stik and they ended up about 590 grs.I was shooting for about 650 so I got some .340 spine shafts but had to leave them 2" longer and more point weight.They ended up 709 grs.

They shoot great out to 20 yds and that is my comfort zone right now.At 25 you have to make some allowances but it is do-able.

I also have a 48# Mojo Stik that has bamboo cores and I swear,it seems to hit as hard as the 53#.It is the hardest hitting 48# bow I have ever had in my hands.I have been able to use the same set of arrows in both bows,just by a slight change in side plate thickness.

I wouldn't be afraid to hunt with these 709 gr arrows in the 48# bow.They shoot quiet and penetration has doubled over last year's setup which was a slightly thicker shaft and 510 grs.

That's nothing to sneeze at when you have to hunt with lighter weight bows.

[James Wrenn]

You can see from some of the post we don't all have the same idea of what a"light weight bow" is.A lot are what I would call heavy bows.      

[OS]

I've shot traditional gear for over 20 years and have worked in archer pro shops for around 10 years what I have found for most any bow was the best balance between noise and penitration fell between 8.5 and 9.5 gr per inch.  For most of the set ups we did that seem to offer the best penitration (speed and weight) with noise reduction in the bow noise.  I do think there is a point of to heavey an arrow and have seen it on some of my own set ups but can't tell you what that grains per inch set up was.

[ron w]

Morrison recurve 50# @ 29" 725gr Lam. Birch, Silent and they fly like darts out to about 22 yds. I this set up should work for any thing I may decide to shoot!!! Just out shooting what may be my back up bow. Ron Foley longbow 62" and 47# @ 28 [50# at my draw of 29"] Carbon express 625grs, looks pretty good.

[ishoot4thrills]

Is this considered a heavy arrow setup:

Beeler longbow: 51# at my draw length of around 27" and Beman 500 MFX Classic with 250 gr. up front for total arrow weight of 555 grains and 21% FOC and 10.88 GPP?

I know it's not extreme but is it still a heavy arrow setup?

[pseman]

"Heavy" is subjective. Some call 9gpp heavy, some don't consider anything less than 12-13gpp heavy.