Heavy vs. Light Arrows

I notice there are many Easton FMJ and CX Piledriver fans on this site. I just wanted some input on the heavier arrows. I am using CX Maxima Hunters now but looking for some info to see if switching to a little heavier arrow would benefit. Do the few extra GPI make a huge difference in penetration?

Thanks,
BG

 

momentum/kinetic energy go up. sound goes down.

i like heavier arrows. =)

 

your range goes down.

accuracy can go down in longer distances maybe because the rate of drop of the arrow is a lot steeper. if you have all day and a rangefinder, it's not that much of an issue.

 

I have just switch to a heavier arrow myself...as far as penetration goes I can not tell you from experience on game yet, but I do notice them penetrating my targets more than my lighter arrows did. For the little bit of speed I have lost I'll take the KE and momentum gains any day. I went from a Gold Tip XT Hunters 8.4gpi with 125gr heads and a 10gr FACT added weight at about 380gr total weight to now shooting Gold Tip Kinetics 10.4gpi with 24gr insert with 2 20gr FACT weights and a 100gr head for a total weight of +/- 485gr with a FOC of 13% shes a heavy hitter thats for sure!

 

Both light arrows and heavy arrows kill deer. Plain and simple.

It's all about what you are comfortable with. I like my arrows on the light side of medium. (400 grains on 70#).
I like the speed of a lighter arrow, but still like the punch of something a little heavier.
My CE Maxima was a complete pass through at 43 yards (370 grains).

There's nothing wrong with a heavy arrows. My hunting buddy shoots fmjs and loves them. I've shot them, I don't love them.
We both kill deer just fine.

 

For me I am shooting light arrows. Gold Tip velocity XT (7.4 GPI, 370 ish gr finished weight). I also have a few CX Piledrivers (10.3 GPI) laying around. The CX hit 1.5" lower at 20 yards than my GT, and about 6" low at 30, compared to the 2" drop from my GT. For me, the flat shooting is a big deal. I can misjudge my yardage by 10 yards and still hit vitals with a 2" difference. If I misjudge by that much with the CX, I will have much worse results. If I fail to get clean kills due to lack of penetration on my setup then I will probably look at a heavier arrow, but I don't see that being an issue.

 

I'm a fan of heavier arrows , that being said I also shoot a mathews monster at 72 lbs, fmj's at a total arrow weight around 485 grains. With my setup I don't really get a bunch of drop with my heavier arrows compared to lighter ones. I always make the comparison , Would you rather get hit with a brick going 100 mph or a Ping pong ball at 200mph? It all really comes down to when you hit an animal in a tough spot will you have enough kinetic energy to penetrate deep enough.

 

I like my arrows to weight at least 400 grains. Killed deer with much light ones with no issues. I'm shooting a 405gr. outta my Hoyt Faktor and 455gr. outta my PSE Revenge.

Edited...I meant 455 not 355...lol.

 

After testing and shooting all weights over 30 years,target and otherwise, there isn't enough difference in the fast arrows and slow arrows to worry about the the trajectory difference in a hunting scenario. Miss difference just isn't that much when sighted in properly.

I prefer to add my weight up front for high foc.

 

I'm a fan of heavier arrows myself. As stated they can decrease your range but unless you are shooting really far it won't matter in the woods. You'll also have a quieter arrows. I like the punch the heavier arrows pack just means if I'm off a little bit or the deer takes a step my arrows going through bone.

 

Just ran a few numbers to show the minimum trajectory difference. Many make the mistake of not sighting in for the heavier arrow and comparing to the lighter ones. It doesn't work that way. You must sight in.

Notice the difference at the apex of 15 yards is less than 1"

Light arrow is 356 gr @ 296 fps.



Heavy arrow is 438 gr @ 272 fps.

 

i would go with heay arrows but more important to have a high foc, it drasticly improves on long range accuracy

 

So if I'm shooting a heliM 30" draw and 70# pull and shooting maxima 250's with 100 grain rage tips, is that the wrong arrow?

 

Your slightly underspined and I'm figuring on u having a 30 in arrow, But if you shooting fine I wouldn't worry about it. But if it was me next time I go to buy arrows I'd go with 350s if you stick with the maxima arrows, you really probably won't see a huge difference in point of impact .

 

I use CX 350's (The Crush) with Muzzy 125 fixed blades and Lumenocks and love the way they fly! As someone else said they are quieter (I think). My bow is older (High Country Extreme) and have found that this combo works really well. Started with 250's and switched to the 350's and liked them alot better.
Good luck and happy hunting this season! Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the response

 

Yes, your underspined. I would go with the 350 for sure. Especially with 70lb and 30". I shoot a 28.5" and 65lbs. and I shoot 350's. the 250's I had would not tune for nothing. The 350 tuned right up.

 

Two things... heavy is quieter... and less likely to invoke a duck and spin by a deer.

 

Thanks guys. The bow shoots great with the 250's. So I'll get a quieter shot with a 350?

 

Don't confuse spine with weight, 250 and 350 are spine stiffness numbers not arrow weight. But I wouldn't change anything if I was shooting groups like you have there.