42lb recurve is 500 grains to heavy?

[Keb]

Shooting a 42lb talltines recurve, shooting 11/32 cedar shafts , 125 points, they weigh 500 grains, the 42lb is at my draw.
They worked good enough this year on big bodied whitetail.

I wonder if I am on the heavy side, and would e better to be closer to 400 to 420, 9 to 10 grains per pound. My style of shooting the flatter the trajectory the better.

[Mojostick]

Too heavy? Not in my opinion. I shoot several 40-42lbs bows with 550gr's and all I've ever gotten was complete passthru's on deer and quick kills.

[ron w]

I guess I don't understand........they worked this year on a big bodied whitetail! Do you want to go lighter and not have them work???? If you had success I think I would not change a thing!!  I'm shooting 46#'s and my cedars are 600 gr. I think I'll stay with them!

[legends1]

I think I understand. You are wondering if you can still be suited for hunting if you go a bit lighter. Because if I understand for other shooting like maybe 3D's you would like a flatter shooting arrow. My answer would go with 10 grns. per. inch. That set up would be fit for both. Also, I may add very sharp 2 blade broadhead.

[Panzer]

I personally would sacrifice a little speed and trajectory for the extra penetration you should get with the setup you have now.JMO

[Stumpkiller]

I'd say no worries with that weight.  Better heavy than too light.

I am shooting lefty with a 41#@28" bow drawn a little further than 28" and using my 30-1/2" BOP cedar arrows w/125 gr heads that weigh almost the same as yours and I am getting good penetration on my bag target.  I hope to hunt whitetail next year with my set-up.

The Red Wing Hunter spits them out well - I'm guessing 170fps +/-

[Keb]

Yeah, it's tinker time for me in the winter, I used 2 blade zwickey head this year,the worked great loved them.

I was able to finally shoot after a 3 week injury, I had some carbons that I never shot with my bow, these limbs, I noticed the speed for sure.

But love the wood, the carbons are 50 to 75 Grains lighter, I pretty much gun barrel the arrow, and adjust the hold off the arrow trajectory, so a flatter shooting arrow in a high stress event could help me at stuff past, 15 yards.

I am a hunter 1st, so accuracy and penetration are my true objectives. Shot the carbons a few times today the got me thinking, which is usually bad.

If you can shoot them accurately at your hunting distances, they are not to heavy!

Bisch

[JamesKerr]

I would stick with it. If it is working for you why change?

[Ray Lyon]

If you want to stick with wood, I'd say you're not too heavy. I'm shooting 550 grain Microflight fiberglass with 125 grain Bear Razerheads out of a 43# Bear Super Kodiak.  

Now, if you want a little lighter arrow and same penetration, you could switch to a skinny, light shaft, front loaded carbon arrow of say 490-500 grains and get the same if not better penetration as your 550 grain wood.  I use an Easton Axis 600 carbon arrow (9/32 diameter) with 75 grain brass inserts and a 145 3 blade Kustom King Trailmaker head out of my 43# Super Shrew and they weigh about 480 grains and penetrate like a runaway freight train.  When I shoot my wood arrows (which I love) from the same setup, I'm shooting tapered shafting and 125 grain points, but about 550 grains just like your setup.

I feel that with the lighter bow setups you need to make up for it with heavier wood arrow or higher FOC carbon setups. With both options it's not worth messing around with being sorry about loosing a animal.

[Overspined]

Not if you like the way they fly.

The answer is--"if it ain't broke don't fix it!"

[59Alaskan]

No.  It's not too heavy.  Wood rocks!

Must admit I am hunting carbon this season, but intend to switch back to wood for turkey season.  

Most importantly - GLAD you are shooting again after your injury and second most important - where are the pictures of that deer?

[187BOWHUNTER]

Nothin wrong with different weight arrows, shoot um both

[Bobaru]

Keb, if you're a "tinkerer" then spend the winter testing out both arrows, and shoot lots of them.

I've found that, with my 58# bow, 400 grain arrows work very well.  I've played around at great length to see if more FOC or more GPP would give me better penetration.  When I set up a test of penetration for the various arrows, I find there is no statistically significant between them.  

I recommend you do your own tests and find out what is best for yourself, especially since you like to "gun barrel" and since it is important to you to have a flat trajectory.

My opinion here is certainly a minority opinion.  But, in the end, you need to put together something that works for yourself.

Good luck.

[Tomas]

Basically what your asking is how light is too light? That question has been debated for decades with out a definitive answer. However most people have the opinion that hunting arrows should be 10-12 grains per in. of draw. This is my opinion. Put a 100 grain field tip in your hand, this is the amount that you want to reduce your arrow. At 20 yards I don't think you'll notice the difference. The setup you have now has proven it's reliability.What you really need to do is get out to the range or backyard and practice until you can hit 20 or more yards consistently. Better form, cleaner release, maybe a slight change technique could make the difference

[Keb]

Thanks guys, I enjoy te help, for who asked bout te deer, I took, i cant figure out how to post pic, but it's under a thread called giant kansas talltines buck.

I'm just glad,I had bursitis in my shoulder, and not a bad tear in my rotator cuff.

[Tim Finley]

I think you have diminishing returns on too heavy of arrow . I never go over 10 or 11 grains I want to shoot other things besides animals and I dont want my arrows to be lobing in like crow bars . I have a chronagraph and have seen the results adding a hundred grains to an arrow,it makes a big difference and it might lesson your penetration .Not only weight but velocity also adds in penetration you need a medium ,do your own tests .

[longbowben]

I would lighten them up to try to get rid of at least 50gr. Just my opinion.

[Bjorn]

I would use that set-up for 3D as well. If it works enjoy it!