Heavy Arrows = Pass Through

[DRT]

I'd rather be 100 grains too heavy than 100 grains too light. Physics doesn't lie.

Physics does lie if you are picking and choosing what information you want to support your premise and unfortunately that's what too many folks do.

Gary

[DRT]

How many of those animals killed were shot 40 yards or over?

How many animals have you killed over 40 yards with a bow?

Gary

[jaker_cc]

Most guys with long draw lengths naturally shoot a heaver arrow because of lenght and spine increase. Also longer draw length allows you to shoot faster. Thoes with short arms need the extra speed so that there arrow flight doesnt resemble a mcdonalds arch. Flatter trajectory = more forgiving shot placement. Willing to bet Most people are on the side of the argument that they are because of draw lenght. Not as much choice. I have short arms. Hate it. Would love for someone with 30" DL to have to shoot 27" for 1 season. Guy would never step into the woods

This isn’t entirely true, I have a 31 1/2” draw length and shoot 545gr. A shorter draw length guy can bump up a spine or two and add a ton of weight to his arrow to supplement his shorter draw. Add a bunch of weight of weight up front if that’s what tickles his pickle.... I shoot heavy cause I like to have a heavy arrow, if I was short draw length then I would still load my arrow as heavy as I have it now. Short draw guys have way more options than long draw guys that shoot heavy draw weights

[DRT]

The main benefit of shooting lighter faster arrows doesn't really come into play until after 40 yards. If the majority of shots are under that, why not improve success on marginal shots by getting more penetration?

Why are you stuck on the 40 yard thing. Vast majority of archery deer are killed under 25 yards. Polls have shown most folks set up their feeders at 20 yards.

Gary

[jaker_cc]

I don't understand what more penetration the OP, or anyone for that matter, wants. If my arrow passes through the animal it doesn't matter how far out the other side it flies.
I'm running about 342 grains out of my 60lb draw compound and it skips arrows off the ground after shooting through 150lb pigs. That with a mechanical (Rage) head up from sapping all that energy.
My longbow arrows are right around 495 grains from 51lbs of draw weight. I get full penetration on most animals with them as well but the arrow may be hanging out the far side but two holes. Two blade coc heads.


Gary

True about pass through is pass through, but you are probably making shots right in the pocket passing through. A heavier arrow gives you more room for error if you hit shoulder or something you weren’t meaning to.

[DRT]

At what point does too much mass become a problem?

A 500 grain arrow at 275 fps has the same momentum as a 5000 grain arrow at 27.5 frs.

That's something the heavy arrow guys can't discuss honestly and intelligently.

Gary

[DRT]

Bow/arrow tune is more important than weight. I see guys shoot arrows that fly all wonky yet claim they have better penetration because they shoot 12gpp and 30% FoC. Then they can't find the pig because 30" of their 34" arrow is hanging out of it as it runs through the woods.

Gary

[huntingfanatic]

Too much tech talk for my brain. All I know is after bowhunting for almost 45 years I had far more pass throughs in my younger days using old aluminum XX75 arrows than I ever had using carbon arrows in modern bows

[DRT]

True about pass through is pass through, but you are probably making shots right in the pocket passing through. A heavier arrow gives you more room for error if you hit shoulder or something you weren’t meaning to.

I've killed many animals blowing out shoulders
Shooting from hip out through off shoulders quartering away.
It's about fine tuning your set up.
I wish I was a good enough shot to always put it in the pocket.

Gary

[DRT]

Too much tech talk for my brain. All I know is after bowhunting for almost 45 years I had far more pass throughs in my younger days using old aluminum XX75 arrows than I ever had using carbon arrows in modern bows

2117s and 2315s. Tough as nails and hit like a sledge.
Of course I had a Darton Viper Drawing 83lbs back then too.
Gary

[crc]

Why are you stuck on the 40 yard thing. Vast majority of archery deer are killed under 25 yards. Polls have shown most folks set up their feeders at 20 yards.

Gary

Because, for a compound, the main benefits of a lighter faster arrow occurs from that distance and on. If a majority of shots are made under this distance, then why not run a heavier setup that has benefits with penetration, sound, and tuning? Also that is a distance that even shorter draw lengths and lower poundage shooters can obtain with a heavy arrow setup. Three pin sight 20,30,40 yards was my pin setup for years as a kid.

[crc]

Bow/arrow tune is more important than weight. I see guys shoot arrows that fly all wonky yet claim they have better penetration because they shoot 12gpp and 30% FoC. Then they can't find the pig because 30" of their 34" arrow is hanging out of it as it runs through the woods.

Gary

I agree and believe a tuned bow is the most important part of the mix for better arrow penetration. With that said, it’s easier to tune a heavy arrow compared to a light arrow.

[DRT]

Both of those statements are conjectures that don't hold water. I shoot through the biggest pigs under 40 yards so heavier isn't needed.
I like to shoot longer ranges (targets) and I don't limit myself to a three pin sight so a lighter arrow is not only a benefit over 40 yards but not a liability under 40 yards.
I'm glad a heavier arrow benefitted your particular situation. But I've played with the heavier arrow thing and it didn't make enough difference noise and penetration wise to impress me. I have to go too heavy to suppress te noise significantly and it limits the effective range adjustment with a multi pin sight.
I'm not saying don't use a heavier arrow if that is what you like or need for the game you are chasing. I'm saying it isn't necessary for most of us hunting Texas whitetail, pigs, black bear, antelope and critters like such.
Unfortunately I don't even get to hunt much with my compound much anymore as it's so much fun shooting critters with my longbow.

Gary

[Low Fence]

Because, for a compound, the main benefits of a lighter faster arrow occurs from that distance and on. If a majority of shots are made under this distance, then why not run a heavier setup that has benefits with penetration, sound, and tuning? Also that is a distance that even shorter draw lengths and lower poundage shooters can obtain with a heavy arrow setup. Three pin sight 20,30,40 yards was my pin setup for years as a kid.

To answer the why not question

1. I’ve proven hundreds of times it’s not as important as hyped up to be... it’s just not

2. I don’t hunt feeders. I know my trajectory to a tee at my ranges of comfortable shooting. I don’t shoot 3 pins... I shoot 1... it’s more accurate FOR ME. I set pin on 25, I know how it shoots from years of this arrow practice and hunting. I can kill anything from point blank range - 32 holding dead center of shoulder

The buck I killed at 35 chased a doe across a creek and I stopped him at a known marked tree at 35... drew, shot and killed him dead within 60 yards... both shoulders. Had I had to adjust for slower bow at that distance I would have probably never got the shot.... but the outcome would have been the same if I did

So my arrow has the advantage FOR ME

[Raypo]

Never lost a single animal in my hunting due to my arrow being too light. I can shoot one in the panch and get a 100% pass through...but that’s waaayyy over rated

I’ll take dead and recovered over pass through and I still get more pass through than not.

Dead is hard to beat. BUT in the last 2 weeks I’ve seen at least a dozen bloody arrows on this site that have blood on 6 inches of the arrow. The threads will then go on to talk about dogs and tracking. Granted some of this a bad shot placement but most of it is light arrows, and mechanical broadheads.

I would rather get 2 lungs than a hole in 1. I used a light arrow on a elk a few years back and tracked him for 2 days. Finally found him still alive and shot him again. After pulling back the hide the shot placement was pretty good but only punctured one lung. That same shot placement with a pass through would of been a totally different story, with the elk probably going less than 100 yards. Dr Ashby talks a lot about smaller diameter broadheads, FOC, and arrow weight.

Another point to make is that tuning for me is way easier with a heavier arrow. Just my opinion, whatever works- works. I will say - on a larger animal a light arrow and mechanicals will eventually fail.