What's your total arrow weight?

[sticknstring]

Just curious to see what everyone shoots? Click on the calulator if you need to... The total weight of my arrows are 442 grains right now. I've shot a lot of different arrows and am always experimenting with new vanes so it flucuates from time-to-time but generally stays on the heavy side. This year, I'm thinking of lightening up a bit and maybe trying out a 400 grain setup. What's yours?

Arrow Weight Calculator

[Scoot]

For a pure deer bow, 400 would be plenty (and just about right for me). For a bow that I'd use for bigger boned critters like elk, bear, or caribou, a bare minimum for me is around 400, but I prefer more. I've shot 425 the last few years. I consider this a little on the light side for elk, but not too bad. It's a reasonable compromise and seems to blow through deer with no problem.

Much like I believe most hunters would be better off with longer bows, most deer hunters would be better off with a heavier arrow then they currently use. SNS, obviously your 440+ arrow doesn't qualify for this generality...

[Stratosman]

I beleive that I am around 425.... pulling 65 lbs and 30" and no prob punching through deer. I too like to err on the heavy side.. I could drop that weight down some but just to gain a few fps for me isn't worth the loss of KE. Especially considering I rarely shoot more than 30 yards... Probably 90% of my deer have been within 15 yards. And all but one of those that I can remember wasn't a complete passs-thru... Just rigged up my new D340 and I have to believe that she'll be a bone crusher with that arrow set up as well!

September yet?

[harvey lee]

425 for me.

[DonBo]

Mine's about 360, but I'm only shooting 55 lbs.

[sticknstring]

You and your short bows with light arrows! When are you going to learn?

Anybody else?

[Rippinlip]

Funny, We were just discussing this at work the other day and my hunting arrow with Broadhead and Lumenock weigh in at stout 350 grams.

Most everybody else was closer to the 400's.

I also have the shortest draw and went back to a 60 pound bow last year.

[huntnfish]

My hunting arrows are just under 430 and this year I'm trying some target arrows and those are about 340. Its amazing how much more flat the 340's shoot. My pins out to 40 were all about the same but when I shot my 50 and 60 yard pins there was some adjustment needed.

[mrklean]

im about 380 really like the gold tip arrows nice stiff arrow with low weight and the price isnt as bad as the carbon express arrows

[bottom-bouncer]

I cant remember to tell you the truth but I think mine are at 470 or somewhere in that ballpark I to believe heavy is better. For a few reasons one is the wind factor also a heavy arrow helps with vibration and noise and last but not least bone shattering power.

[Scoot]

You and your short bows with light arrows! When are you going to learn?

SNS, you're a pot stirrin' trouble maker!!!

[harvey lee]

I stated 425 above as I thought that is what they were. After checking, it's more like approx 385 grain. That's ahooting 60#.

[paceman]

Looks like I am at approx. 375 shooting 65lbs.

[DonBo]

SNS, you're a pot stirrin' trouble maker!!!

That's what I was thinkin' too. Nothin' but trouble. I should have added that when I switch to broadheads in the fall I do shoot a heavier arrow, somewhere near 400 grains. Though I must admit, more than anything else I shoot the heavier arrow mostly because it's so much quieter.

[Scoot]

Don, let's take him out back for a serious whoopin'!

I totally agree- one of the really big benefits of a heavier arrow is the impact it has on the noise of a bow. I shot a 425 arrow out of a center pivot Bowtech (a Commander- a very quiet bow by itself) a few years ago and you could hardly hear the thing from ten feet away. Besides being able to put an arrow where it's supposed to, noise is the 2nd most important spec in my set up.

[sticknstring]

Oh c'mon Scoot - you started this whole mess!

Crediting Don for a 400 gr hunting arrow (that's what I was most interested in), the average for the 10 guys so far is a 408 grain arrow. I figured it to be right around 400 but with such a small sample size and bottom-bouncer shooting 470!... you shooting 125gr heads or telephone poles?

I've never been a speed guy and have always shot heavy arrows in the 9-10.5 gpi range + wraps. This year I ordered a non-speed bow and was maybe looking to shoot some lighter arrows so I could practice at some longer distances more effectively. Just need to decided if the 15 fps I'd gain outweighs the minimal decrease in KE. For turkeys & deer, I think it would?

[Scoot]

If stating my opinion, listening to people disagree with me, point out why they are wrong, and sticking to my guns was starting it, then yes... I started it.

I'm impressed with how many guys are shooting pretty heavy arrows! A lot of guys I know hunt with 300-350 grains arrows, saying they like the speed and the flat trajectory. In the end this is usually not ideal, IMO and works against the fact that the vast majority of deer are shot inside of 20 yards anyway. It also isn't consistent with the KE lost, particularly at longer range, on Western game too.

A few fps or a little KE- pick your poison! I like to get a relatively fast bow (I'm no speed freak), then choose the heavier arrow- gives lots of KE, is quiet, but still fairly fast.

[DonBo]

WOW!!!! Mark this down. I TOTALLY agree with Scoot. Guess it was just a matter of time...

[Scoot]

WOW!!!! Mark this down. I TOTALLY agree with Scoot. Guess it was just a matter of time...

LOL! It's a first!!! We better watch out or we'll start agreeing too often!

[sticknstring]

I knew I could get the two of you back on track - just a matter of time! Agreeing with one another isn't nearly as exciting as arguing back and forth though.

[bottom-bouncer]

OK so I went back to look on an old thread to see what my arrow weight is cuz I couldnt remember I am at 419gr my bad.

[Archerysniper]

I shoot a 420 grain full metal jacket at 70#.

[slopmaster]

i shoot a 353 grain arrow at 285fps with my short 27 inch draw and have never had problems with penetration. I've always gotten pass throughs (be it fixed or mechanical) besides tonight on a doe that was 50 yards away. Shot her hard quartering away in the back left ham and exited slightly behind the front right shoulder with about 3 inches of arrow sticking out the exit side. So total i got about 26 inches of penetration through the deer and she was down in 60 yards. So for me a lighter faster arrow has performed great on deer.

[Archerysniper]

i shoot a 353 grain arrow at 285fps with my short 27 inch draw and have never had problems with penetration. I've always gotten pass throughs (be it fixed or mechanical) besides tonight on a doe that was 50 yards away. Shot her hard quartering away in the back left ham and exited slightly behind the front right shoulder with about 3 inches of arrow sticking out the exit side. So total i got about 26 inches of penetration through the deer and she was down in 60 yards. So for me a lighter faster arrow has performed great on deer.

So you got a doe tonight you have any pictures and what area are you hunting.

[mrklean]

yea what state were you hunting in?

[slopmaster]

just so happens i do have a picture for proof incase you have a hard time believing, and i hunt SD season dont end tell the 31st.

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Result

[sticknstring]

That's a freezer full - congrats on the tag-team doe!

[slopmaster]

thanks sticknstring!

[klecker]

480 gr. on the carbon express cxl hunter 350 @ 70 pounds.

[sticknstring]

I remember those...they were like 11-12 gpi weren't they? You win the heaviest arrow I think. Those have to be 5-6 years old plus. That's pretty good keeping your arrows around that long. I go through a close to a dozen a year.

Those CX Piledriver Hunters are really heavy - anybody shoot those? I could get KE in the mid 90's with those bad boys.