Looking for some input from the professionals... 1.) Would I benefit from a heavier arrow? 2.) Switching to NAP Killzones (100 grain)...I want to have an arrow with the KE necessary to ensure as much penetration as possible. 2011 Bow Madness MP 29" draw length 62# draw weight Total arrow length with field tip: 29.5" tip to bottom of nock Total arrow weight: 391 g Arrow: Deer Crossing Archery Hunter shafts, 400 spine Calculated F.O.C. 12.1% Speed: dunno.... no chrony I realize that not knowing the arrow speed is a big part of this equation, but maybe someone has a generalization that could help?
You should be getting about 289 fps and 72 ke. I guess you could benefit from a heavier arrow but you should be good. When I didn't know anything I was shooting a 368 grain arrow 260fps and got a pass through on a doe with a 1.5" 3 blade mechanical. She didn't go far but the coyotes at the time we're so bad and I shot her when there was like 5 minutes of shooting light so the yotes got her before I did.
why are people obsessed with these heavy arrows and KE. 65 ft lbs is enough to kill a moose or grizzle. and much less is needed with a well placed shot... if you have a lighter arrow. you will have a flatter shot. there for more forgiving.
yeah, just getting the pre-season jitters....hehe. Everything shoots great, and have been using the same set up for 3+ years. I was just doing a little research before changing to these Killzones.
JMO, But A heavier arrow penetrates better. If you shoot out to 30, even 35 yds., a heavy arrow is fine. When you get out past that, the lighter arrow is the way to go...
Yeah I think the same thing. But if I can shoot fast and have good ke that's a plus. My setup is 391 grains shooting 295 fps and I'm getting 75 ke and .51 momentum. That seems good for a short draw to me.
I dont even know what the heck mine is. i dont really care. i like my arrows and wouldnt change them for any others. and i can hit 90 yards from the top of my level. so i dont get much arrow drop.
If you have enough arrow spine, a cheap way to find out it you like more weight is to try 125 target tips. I just did it after listening to the heavy arrow crowd and like the extra weight. My bow is quieter and there is no doubt that my arrows are sinking deeper into the Super Butt target at the range. On my three pin sight... The 30 and 40 pins needed to be dropped by a linear amount, but my 50 pin actually had to be moved up. Meaning, I have more down range speed past 40 yards.
I did the same thing and had similar results. At 400 he may not have enough spine for a 125 tip though. Sent from my Classic using Tapatalk
Because if you hit bone a heavier arrow will penetrate better. I shoot a light arrow myself (370 grains this season) but know my shots need to be good and on calm animals to lessen the chance of an errant arrow.
I use to shoot 390gr Gold Tip XT's at 65lb with a 27" shaft...shot killzones and killzone max's with this set up and every one passed through the deer it met. I say its ok and it will work, but now my personal preference has changed and rather a heavier arrow with more KE and momentum. I now shoot a small diameter arrow at 490gr total weight with a 13% FOC. I will sacrifice the speed for a heavy hitting arrow any day
Would you rather be hit with a whiffle ball going 150mph or a baseball going 100mph? Speed means nothing honestly. With a light arrow, far to much energy is expelled on impact. You hit bone with your setup and you'll be wishing you had a heavier arrow.
I agree speed means nothing, especially for a hunter. Yes, a lighter arrow has a flatter trajectory and is faster. But how fast the arrow gets to its target means nothing if when it hits the target it loses most of it energy. I can put my "heavy" arrows and stack them or even split nocks of other lighter "faster" arrows any day, so with that said what is all the hype with speed these days? I get everyone is different and to each is own, we all have our own preferences. I just would never feel comfortable shooting light arrows that are fast compared to a heavy hitting set up that will blow through game with ease and with out the worry of ever having to crush through a shoulder or bone if and when it happens...just my .02
Thanks for the input. I just bought a pack of 100 g. Killzones and have 6 G5 T3's. Without having to buy more broadheads, what would be the best way to gain some weight? How much weight could I add up front without messing up the FOC too much? With the arrows I have now, how much weight can I safely add without exceeding the spine rating? Thanks, everyone!
My favorite argument from the light arrow group is the "properly placed arrow" argument. We are all trying for a properly placed arrow regardless of our arrow's weight. Fact is that bad shots happen to good archers and projectile speed has nothing to do with it. Even gun shooters miss with bullets going faster than sound. There are arrows that are too light and too heavy but the spectrum in between that is effective for ethical hunting shots is very wide and there's a pretty good chance that we all fit in that space. Sent from my Classic using Tapatalk
I like my arrows on the heavier side out of my 70# HTR I shoot a 487grn arrow at 260fps out of other bows I've played around with lighter vs heavier and in most of my hunting situations I find the heavy arrow is far superior (I do not spot and stock often) Dan
ok...added 3 gpi weight tubes, bringing arrow total weight to 475 g. Bow shoots tighter, more consistent groups, and I litteraly did not need to change 20, 30 and 40 yd. pins (they were slightly high prior). I have been reading about the 'KE vs. Momentum' and bow efficiency topics for years, and I feel that this may be the sweet spot for my rig. Groups out to 30 yds. almost always touching. I feel a little more confident shooting the Killzones with the heavier (but still quite fast) arrows. Thanks for the input...
miss judge the distance of a deer, and you will see why a flatter trajectory is a nice thing to have. I shoot a 404g arrow out of a 80lb bow. so thats on the light side. but i promise you. that arrow will punch threw a shoulder blade of a deer. and my first 6 pins are in the top half of my sight. i can be +-10 yards on my target and get a vital shot. my 7th pin being bottomed out for target practice. Edit: I forget that you guys back east have some weird thing against shooting over 30 yards at an animal. I guess a heavy arrow is going to have a fairly flat trajectory at close range
