If so many bowyers recommend 8 to 10 per pound then why.....

[Tutanka]

do so many people shoot weights well over this recommendation?  I understand it from a penetration stand point, but what about in terms of efficiency from the bow.  I would be interested in knowing is there a point where we are starting to take away from what the bow is actually capable of in terms of handling a heavy arrow, and could a heavy arrow actually rob the bow of its efficiency and do more harm than good in a hunting situation.

[ozy clint]

i've done some work infront of a chrono with my 69#28" recurve. i found my momentum values kept going up until i hit around 1000gr of arrow mass. after that the momentum values started going down again. you can certainly go too heavy.

[Bjorn]

I shoot 12-13 GPP for everything. Works great!

[Pat B]

The lighter weight looks better through a chrono thus making the bow look faster.

[YORNOC]

And faster doesn't necessarily mean anything when it comes to hunting. You need to balance it all. Penetration is everything. Of course, speed is a factor, but not the big picture.
 All bows are different too, there is no "one equation" to handle all. You've got to experiment, much like ozy clint does.
Bjorn knows what works for him, we all should.It's part of the fun!

[McDave]

I like the way 9gpp shoots through every hunting bow I own.  I see no reason to rob myself of accuracy by shooting a heavier arrow when 9 gpp will kill anything I plan to hunt.  If my plans included Australian water buffalo, then I might come to a different conclusion!

[Mike Bolin]

Those recommendations are for the most part, a starting point/mimimum and the bowyers will not honor their warranty if you don't shoot at least the minimum. I know that Black Widow's warranty states no less than 8 gpp. Mike

[Sixby]

What Ozy Clint said. One of the main reasons I do not give out Chrono specs. is that few folks actually will compare apples to apples. They will to compare a speed that they heard a bow got shooting an arrow that was 400 gr out of a 60 lb bow to a bow that was chronograped at 9 or 10 gpp. Or that was chronographed with a chrono that was not set properly and test taken under dubious \\circumstances. Or you give them an actual test and then they test it differently and do not get the same results.

I have found the same results that Ozy gave when using normal hunting weight bows. of course if you are shooting a bow that is 100 lbs and still an efficient those results will differ and it may even go to a higher weight before the momentum takes a downhill slide.

God bless you, Steve

To a point heavier arrow weight can help with penetration and make up for some short draw or light bow penetration faults, or perhaps allow for a more massive broadhead. However, unless one is hunting moose with a 50 pound longbow, going extremely heavy on the arrow weight just changes how many feet or yards of pass through you will get, while at the same time adding more arc to your arrow flight and limiting your distance that  you can accurately shoot. In most cases for deer and elk 10 grains per pound will do just fine and less than that if you are using a heavier bow. My wife is shooting 435grains out of her [email protected]" hybrid, it appears that is more than a match for the deer she shoots.

[ron w]

Originally posted by Mike Bolin:
Those recommendations are for the most part, a starting point/mimimum and the bowyers will not honor their warranty if you don't shoot at least the minimum. I know that Black Widow's warranty states no less than 8 gpp. Mike

  Mike got right here....I don't think any bowyer want's to sell a bow that may get damaged by shooting to light of an arrow. When I think about shooting something 12-20 yards away speed is not an issue anyway. Heavy arrows also help keep thing silent!!

[WESTBROOK]

Tutanka, just because the arrow is going slower doesnt mean you not being efficient. I think it was O.L. that determined most well made bows are at there most efficient between 10-12 gpp, not there fastest, most efficient.

Eric

[SERGIO VENNERI]

I agree with what McDave says. No need for over 9 gr./lb. and I hunt pretty big critters here way up North.

[Ground Hunter]

I worry less about speed than I do sound.  I want a quiet bow.  Silence kills a lot faster than speed.

[Rob DiStefano]

what others up above have posted - bowyers will advise a minimum arrow gpp for their bows and will not warranty the bow if you go under that recommendation.

there is no detriment to any stick bow by going higher in arrow gpp.  i think there was a member poll here at powwow that revealed most trad bowhunters are using 10gpp or more.  

aside from the safety factor of the minimum gpp, the rest is all subjective.

[Tutanka]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
what others up above have posted - bowyers will advise a minimum arrow gpp for their bows and will not warranty the bow if you go under that recommendation.

there is no detriment to any stick bow by going higher in arrow gpp.  i think there was a member poll here at powwow that revealed most trad bowhunters are using 10gpp or more.  

aside from the safety factor of the minimum gpp, the rest is all subjective.

Rob, that poll is what got me thinking, I guess what I am really looking for is how does one know that he or she is getting the peak performance out of their setup.  As Ozy Clint posted above his bow actually started to loose performance when the arrow weight was above 1000 grains.  It appears that the only way to truly find out is to make up a lot of various weight arrows and shoot them thru a chrono. I guess I was thinking that the bowyer was taking the guess work out by listing the recommended not in all cases the minimum gpp.

[wingnut]

A way to get the real scoop on a bow and arrow combo is ask the bowyer what he shoots out of his bow.  You will probably get the best setup for that bow.

Heck that's what we do. . . .build our bows and then get the best arrow out of it to hunt with.

Mike

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Tutanka:
 

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
what others up above have posted - bowyers will advise a minimum arrow gpp for their bows and will not warranty the bow if you go under that recommendation.

there is no detriment to any stick bow by going higher in arrow gpp.  i think there was a member poll here at powwow that revealed most trad bowhunters are using 10gpp or more.  

aside from the safety factor of the minimum gpp, the rest is all subjective.

Rob, that poll is what got me thinking, I guess what I am really looking for is how does one know that he or she is getting the peak performance out of their setup.  As Ozy Clint posted above his bow actually started to loose performance when the arrow weight was above 1000 grains.  It appears that the only way to truly find out is to make up a lot of various weight arrows and shoot them thru a chrono. I guess I was thinking that the bowyer was taking the guess work out by listing the recommended not in all cases the minimum gpp. [/b]

this is what's called "personal testing", and there is NO substitute for it!      

stay above the bowyer recommended gpp and try as many different arrow mass weights and types as possible.  you'll find something good to work with sooner than later.  and, join the club - we've all been there when it comes to arrow selection and some of us are still sorting that out.    

however, rather than get all anal and techie about arrow weights, consider that most bowhunters are flinging feathered shafts at game within 20 yards or so.  with the average 50# or so stick bow, that won't make much of a trajectory difference to get worried about whether you use 10 or 11 or even 12 gpp arrows.  do the testing for yerself, but it's more thinking and concern than need be done.        

there ARE benefits to heavier 10-12gpp arrows, which includes a better release due to a more efficient use of transmitted limb/string energy into where it belongs, the arrow ... and therefore less "shock" to the bow hand as well ... and heavy, slower flying missiles will have an edge of sorts on penetration.

and lastly but MOST importantly - none of this stuff matters unless you can deliver sharp steel in the right spot on a critter.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by wingnut:
A way to get the real scoop on a bow and arrow combo is ask the bowyer what he shoots out of his bow.  You will probably get the best setup for that bow.

Heck that's what we do. . . .build our bows and then get the best arrow out of it to hunt with.

Mike

there ya go, tutanka - mike just gave the easy and fastest answer to yer concerns, and yer good to go!  

[JamesKerr]

Most bowyers recommend this as they don't want to be liable for a bow that was in fact abused by shooting to light of an arrow for it.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by JamesKerr:
Most bowyers recommend this as they don't want to be liable for a bow that was in fact abused by shooting to light of an arrow for it.

that's all well and good if the customer tells the truth about things like dry firing and using too light arrow weights.  it eventually becomes an ethical honor thing.