Weight vs Speed, yeah that thread again..

[HTNFSH]

Here is my setup:

Mathews Halon 6 70lb at max
29.5" draw

Primary arrow CX Maxima Red 350 (415 gr, 100g tip, 29.5") 305fps (Calculators tell me this is more energy)

Testing CX Red SD 350 with 45g half-out (458gr , 100g tip 29") Haven't included lighted nock yet. 285fps (The sound of the arrow and penetration into 18-1 target tells me is carrying more energy. It almost sound like hitting a shoulder of a whitetail)

Fixed blade broad decision is still up in the air while I dial in field points.

Just looking for thoughts an opinions from you roksliders.

Thanks,

 

[WYCFM1]

If you compared 415g to more like 515g I think you’d like the difference in penetration. Weight and momentum is key to penetration. Light and fast just makes a bow louder in my experience. Louder means more reaction out of tense animals. I mean the louder your bow is the faster the whitetail hears the bow the faster the whitetail drops. More weight means slower heavier moving absorbing energy from the string equaling less sound.
As far as fixed or mechanical no question spend the time to tune your bow perfect and go fixed.

If your bow will shoot faster than a traditional bow, your a decent hunter/stalker/caller, and you put a sharp cut on contact head on that arrow that weighs 500g all together your penetrations are gonna be outstanding, your bow will be quieter.

You’ve got trad bows out there shooting 175fps with heavy shafts and cut on contact heads because that’s what penetrates best. Throw that setup on a compound that shoots 275fps and you might not find your arrow after a through and through frontal shot


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[WYCFM1]

Would you try to catch a whiffle ball if its thrown directly too your hand at 100mph? It might sting a bit but it pry wouldn’t do much as far as bruising

Would you try to catch a baseball thrown directly to your hand at 85mph? Probly not because it’s gonna bruise/break bone and mess up your hand. This RELATES it’s not exact to a bow and arrow but it relates to energy and momentum.

 

[WYCFM1]

This is all my own honest opinion tho. You pry won’t hear from me on this post again tho they tend to blow into big debates haha good luck!


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[rcairney]

I agree. Not that I know much of anything, but I did move up in arrow weight this year and my shooting is way way better. Way more accurate. At your draw length, you may be under spinned at 350. Again, I'm no expert, but I have never been as consistent. I'm shooting a 556gr arrow.

 

[Sharp Things]

My whitetail arrow is 450 grains including a 100 gr slick trick. My big game arrow for water buffalo, etc is 700 grains including the 250 grain broadhead. After shooting the 700 gr arrow for a season, I put one of my whitetail arrows on the string and shot. I actually thought something broke. I inspected the bow and then shot another and again, it made a hell of a racket. I was certain something was wrong. Then I shot a 700 gr arrow I was used to and the bow was again whisper quiet.

That is out of a Bowtech RPM 360 set at 65 lbs. My water buff guide said bowhunters have never gotten a pass through on a water buffalo.

I did.

Here is the exit hole and the broken shaft.

Got a pass through on a 318 lb eurasian boar as well.

Nobody ever lost an animal by penetrating too deep. Go heavy. Its way quieter and more lethal.

 

[Grunt-N-Gobble]

I too shoot CX Maxima Red arrows, 350's. 29.5" draw, but cut shorter than yours. So here is my perspective.

1st, your arrows are stiff enough for your setup. Cutting them a little shorter with stiffen them up a bit more.
2nd, shoot them with a broadhead and see how they do. Fast arrows can increase tuning difficulties with fixed blade heads IME.
3rd, all else being equal, heavier arrows penetrate better and quite down a bow.
4th, my arrows @ 462 grains shoot 292fps. At 502 grains shoot 281fps. Now thats only 11fps difference but i can tell a sound difference when shooting and the arrows seem less affected to variations in my form. My goal was to get around 280fps and i did that by adding weedeater line inside the shafts. I also added a lighted nock so total weight came in around 512-515 grains.

For me, its not all about speed, but a good compromise between weight and speed and i beleive ive accomplished that. The weedeater line didnt affect spine, but the heavier lighted nock did ever so slightly. I shoud note that im using the standard inserts but with 125gr points. I can shoot Exodus 125's in the bullseye at 60yds using the lighter arrows, but the additional weight is welcomed for my elk hunt this year and if i choose to use NAP Killzones for whitetails.

 

[MattB]

285 fps is plenty fast for a reasonable trajectory. Put the calculator down and listen to your target as to which you should shoot.

 

[Huntin_GI]

Im starting to buy into the heavier arrow theories. It seems the volume is more important than the speed and a whisper quiet 550 grain arrow will do damage even with bone in the way.

 

[Beendare]

Calculators lie.

The heavier arrow absorbs more of your bows energy...of course its better.

You aren't losing much trajectory with the heavier arrow......and you are gaining; arrow performance on game, quieter bow, more forgiving setup, easier tuning, etc...

A no brainer.

 

[Luked]

My normal arrow even for whitetail here comes in right at 504-505 grains. that is a Gold Tip 340. I have a pretty long draw at 30" and run 100 Grain Slick Trick Magnums with a lot of weight up front.
My bow is an older Obssession which has an IBO of 360 but mine is a 55-65 so its a little less. I'm still pushing the speeds pretty high up (haven't ran it through the chrono) but the bow is quiet and that's what I want. I would rather have quiet and a lot of penetration and momentum than speed. and it makes it much easier to tune my BH also.
years ago I like most was all about the speed but any more its the other way around I want a heavy arrow. I have to buy another doz arrows here before this season and ill probably up my arrow grain again this year.

 

[HTNFSH]

Great advice guys...thanks.

 

[Beendare]

OP,
I have to tell you, over the years I've used and seen many different bow/arrow/BH configurations like a couple of the experienced guys commenting here.

I've seen a few total failures that were a eye opener when it comes to arrows.

I have a buddy that shot his, 'buck of a lifetime' on KS public ground with a 350gr arrow and mech head from a 70# compound....5" of penetration. I think it was a combination of things working against him [mech head in a untuned bow, etc]

I ve seen a bunch of failures on elk with poor arrow performance....all were what I would consider light arrows under 400gr.

Point is, I've never seen what I would call poor arrow performance from a 450gr or more arrow. Yeah, I've seen bad hits with those heavier arrows...but they still perform pretty good even on less than perfect shots.

FWIW, The guys I know that have bumped up their arrow weight from that sub 400gr to 450 plus....would never go back to that fast/ light.... that tells you something.


BTW, I'm not a fan of those Maximas....