10 GPP, is this enough?

[Altiman94]

I'm shooting 471 grain arrows out of my 47# bob lee hunter, is this enough weight or should I shoot more?

Arrows are 1916 easton legacy aluminums.

[waknstak IL]

If you are shootin whitetails with razor sharp broadheads you'll be fine.

[Altiman94]

BH is a 100 grain magnus stinger and I am shooting whitetails, yes

[moebow]

10 grains per pound has been the standard rule of thumb for a LOOOOOONG time.  Why would you question it???

[Dave Lay]

yes.. that is a good gpp. you will be fine...

[JRY309]

I too say yes,I like to keep my arrows in the 9-11 gpp range.

[razorsharptokill]

Just make sure it goes between the ribs.

[Richie Nell]

Since you asked...
Yes it is enough to make a deer dead if you make a real good shot...and yes you should use more.

Is there a reason why you would NOT go heavier?

You would be much better off going heavier if you hit something other than soft tissue.

What would do the most damage?...a plastic golf ball at 300 fps. or a bowling ball at 10 fps.?

That's the jist.

[George D. Stout]

It will cut whitetail ribs going in and coming back out, and be in the ground on the other side.
Some of these guys have never hunted with that bow weight or arrow weight so they repeat what they have heard from other guys who haven't.

A 47# bow and a 470 grain arrow is plenty.  I shoot through most deer I take with a 45 to 50 pound bow and 9 to 10 grains per pound, and most are pass through shots.  Whitetail ribs are the size of a carpenter's pencil and easy to cut through.  You are fine, just put that arrow in the boiler room.

[Ben Maher]

what George said !

ben

[Richie Nell]

George,
"Yes it is enough to make a deer dead if you make a real good shot" (my quote)

Isn't that what you said?

Yes I have used lighter arrows in the past...and yes I have lost deer when said light arrow hit bone accidentally.  
So what I did was put my arrogant attitude aside and decided I need a heavier arrow so maybe I would be better prepared should I make another incidental bone shot.  And then maybe I wouldn't loose another deer due to using "good enough when the shot is perfect and the deer doesn't move, but not good enough to make good common sense" arrows.

Now George..answer me two questions if you don't mind.

1. What would do the most damage?...a plastic golf ball at 300 fps. or a bowling ball at 10 fps.?

2. What is a reason for one NOT to use an arrow heavier than 10 gpp?

Just curious.

[Arrow4Christ]

Yes, there is...accuracy. Going too heavy, at least for me, makes it much harder to hit things at unmarked distances.
BTW about the golf and bowling balls, a golf ball going 300 fps can do some damage. I've been hit by one I know wasn't going that fast and it was not an enjoyable experience  

[Richie Nell]

I kind of see the opposite.. I am more accurate with the heavier arrow. BUT...If I wanted to shoot a lighter arrow I could darn sure get accurate with it.  Accuracy can certainly be attained either way.

Also you were probably referring to the PLASTIC golf ball when you said "golf ball".  I was talking about a plastic one.  A real golf ball would definitely do some damage.  Which is my point exactly.

[wollelybugger]

There is a happy medium with weight of your arrows and poundage. 10 grains a pound in the norm and for smaller animals is fine. I do shoot a heavy arrow out of my Robertson Purist. I am going bear hunting in Pa. and the arrows I am using are over 600 G"s and I am only pulling a little over 50 pounds. Some of the Pa bears are large, over 400 pounds, some over 500 pounds so you need some penetration.

[SteveB]

Now George..answer me two questions if you don't mind.

1. What would do the most damage?...a plastic golf ball at 300 fps. or a bowling ball at 10 fps.?
 

Even a 12 lb bowling ball weighs aprox 450 TIMES as much as the plastic golf ball. Therefore, for your comparison to be accurate, the golf ball with need to be going 4500 fps - in which case I will pick the bowling ball to hit me. Also both are blunt objects - not razor sharp broadheads.

If you want to stand by the golfball/ bowling ball anology, then he needs to go from a 471 gr arrow to a 211,950 gr one. Anyone know of a bow that will handle a 4500 gpp arrow - other then straight down from a treestand    

Steve

[Richie Nell]

That is no suprise.

[SteveB]

Richie - what is no surprize?

Steve

[Richie Nell]

That the extreme metaphor used to make a point is calculated specifically but increased momentum of an arrow, by using more weight, is so rarely calculated and perceived to be the best option.

What is funny to me is to see how bow shooters say things that defend the light arrow setup for hunting.  Everything is said in there defense..except...

"Yes I realize and understand that research shows, as well as common sense, that a heavier arrow is the best option when making a 'notso perfect shot'.  But I still would rather shoot a lighter arrow just because I really like the way it flys and I am not worried about the 'notso perfect shot'."

[Altiman94]

I am new to this trad archery and heavy arrows.  Previous to this I was used to shooting 5-6 grains per pound out of a compound, i appreciate the help.

Although the metaphor does make sense, it is too extreme to be an accurate comparison. The best way to test it, is to measure kinetic energy out of a given set up with several different weight arrows.

[HATCHCHASER]

10 grains per pound is plenty for whitetail.  Matter of fact that is purty heavy.

Richie do you shoot a heavier arrow than 710 grains?

From all of the studies I have read an arrow heavier than 12 grains per lb. starts to produce diminishing returns.

I shoot 10 to 12 grains per pound depending on what I get when I tune.  I think proper arrow flight makes more difference than a few grains per pound.  Your mileage may very.