Heavy vs. Light

[GhillieBow]

Sorry to be ignorant about it, forward of center...of what?
I just started shooting a bow yesterday. Trying to learn.
Thanks

It's a factor in optimal arrow flight and penetration. Higher FOC means the arrow's balance point of the arrows is closer forward towards the point. Don't get caught up in it too much.

If you build good flying arrows your FOC will usually be in the range recommended for most uses.

 

[Tenntrapper]

It's a factor in optimal arrow flight and penetration. Higher FOC means the arrow's balance point of the arrows is closer forward towards the point. Don't get caught up in it too much.

If you build good flying arrows your FOC will usually be in the range recommended for most uses.

Thank you

 

[Harold Money jr]

The way I visualize it is, a dart is real heavy on the end. Even throwing it, it will fly pretty decent. If you put vanes on a sharpened pencil it won't fly good at all without some weight on the point end.

 

[GhillieBow]

The way I visualize it is, a dart is real heavy on the end. Even throwing it, it will fly pretty decent. If you put vanes on a sharpened pencil it won't fly good at all without some weight on the point end.

Pretty good illustration tbh.

 

[Ridgeline300]

I don't know or care about all this stuff. I grab a bow and some arrows and sharp broadheads. I couldn't tell you anything about the setup other than it's a 100gr head and pulling 70lbs. Practice enough to be sufficient with it, there are 6 dots on the front of my target and I shoot one arrow at each so I don't ruin any. Then go hunting, that simple. You could fill a photo album and then some with the deer I've killed using this primitive method!

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I shoot a 430 grain 330-340 spine arrow 29" draw. Used Thunderhead 100/125 grain broadheads since the mid 1980's. Have killed and found everything I have ever shot. No issues with pass through at all. Never needed to change anything other than switching from XX75 arrows to Easton carbon arrows decades ago. FOC of 12 shooting 340 IBO Hoyt Carbon Element.

 

[Ski]

I don't know or care about all this stuff. I grab a bow and some arrows and sharp broadheads. I couldn't tell you anything about the setup other than it's a 100gr head and pulling 70lbs. Practice enough to be sufficient with it, there are 6 dots on the front of my target and I shoot one arrow at each so I don't ruin any. Then go hunting, that simple. You could fill a photo album and then some with the deer I've killed using this primitive method!

It really is that simple but folks seem to like wading deep into the weeds until it's so complicated they lose sight of the basics.

Some guys are really into the archery specific part of it and for others the bow and arrow are just another tool of the trade. The best bow hunters I've ever known couldn't tell you what a berger hole is or even care, but they knew how to get an arrow into a big old buck.

 

[tonybart55]

The most important factors for arrows would probably be perfect flight and structural integrity. Followed up by a razor sharp broadhead. If those are good to go then you have your best chance of full penetration through a deer.

With all that being said, I enjoy higher weight and higher FOC arrows mainly because I refuse to shoot past 30 yards with my compound and 20 with my traditional bows. Plus it usually makes my bows quieter and have less vibration.

 

[knightrider]

If it shoots straight and hits where you are aiming with a sharp broadhead thats all that matters

 

[Ski]

Plus it usually makes my bows quieter and have less vibration.

That is the only reason I use arrows as heavy as I do. At around 450gr the sound noticeably changes from a flink to flunk. Lighter than 450 is loud, but heavier is marginally quiteter. 450 is the goldilocks between noise and trajectory. Otherwise if it weren't so loud I'd be shooting sub 400gr.

 

[Ski]

If it shoots straight and hits where you are aiming with a sharp broadhead thats all that matters

That's the nuts and bolts of it. Folks get so wrapped up in weight, foc, fixed vs mechanical, bow tune, right vs left helical, 3 vs 4 fletch, etc. that we forget for 10,000 years before us people were using broken edge rocks tied onto sticks launched from tree limbs and sinew strings. They killed elephant size animals with that stuff so pretty much anything we've got today within reason will kill a deer.

Don't get me wrong. I encourage every hunter to take their equipment seriously. But be careful not to go so far into the weeds that you begin believing you need a cannon to kill a deer. You don't. Keep it real.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

That's the nuts and bolts of it. Folks get so wrapped up in weight, foc, fixed vs mechanical, bow tune, right vs left helical, 3 vs 4 fletch, etc. that we forget for 10,000 years before us people were using broken edge rocks tied onto sticks launched from tree limbs and sinew strings. They killed elephant size animals with that stuff so pretty much anything we've got today within reason will kill a deer.

Don't get me wrong. I encourage every hunter to take their equipment seriously. But be careful not to go so far into the weeds that you begin believing you need a cannon to kill a deer. You don't. Keep it real.

John Dudley had a good video on this from this past summer. Technique and practice will get you the best results.

Skip to 4:30 unless tou want to see him shoot for 4.5 minutes.

 

[East TN Bowhunter]

I shoot a 550 grain arrow with a polished sharp Magnus stinger Buzzcut. Why… because I always had issues getting penetration with mechanicals and even fixed blade heads. Since switching several years ago, no issues blowing through bear, hogs, deer. That's part of it too, I can expect to see any of those three species on stand. Hogs aren't a wimp. I also don't shoot over 30 yards. That being said, would i go over 600 grains…No. trajectory is to much like a rock for me and my set up with that.I'm perfectly happy at 550.

This is pretty much my set up as well. I just use the regular 100grain 4 blade Magnus Stingers and the last 2 years I have killed a 5+ and a 2-3 yr old buck and both ran 20-30 yards and crashed and died immediately. It is all about having a well tuned bow, sharp broadheads and being accurate and hitting your spots. I am somewhere around 500-550 total arrow mass with a 250 Spine and shoot 72Lbs and a 32" Draw length with a Mathew's VXR. It is a deadly combo and puts em down quick!

 

[East TN Bowhunter]

The way I visualize it is, a dart is real heavy on the end. Even throwing it, it will fly pretty decent. If you put vanes on a sharpened pencil it won't fly good at all without some weight on the point end.

Very good point!

 

[Wooden Arrow]

i made a few 5/16" purpleheart shafts years ago, to go with a 65# draw Super Diablo i got, hoping to elk hunt. (never happened...yet) no idea what they weighed. but shooting them at my foam target was eye-opening. at thirty yards, they would roll the foam target over backwards, and the Wensel Woodsman broadheads would be protruding out the back.

 

[Wooden Arrow]

Sorry to be ignorant about it, forward of center...of what?
I just started shooting a bow yesterday. Trying to learn.
Thanks

of the arrow shaft. % of weight in front half vs back half. it should always be neutral or positive to the front (point) end of the arrow. try to balance an arrow across your finger, measured to the center. it better lean toward the broadhead.

 

[Lost Lake]

To the OP's question, IMO, any reasonable arrow weight of 8-10 grains per pound is gonna do the job well. If it flys straight, it's gonna penetrate with a good broadhead.

The only reason I'm shooting 13 grains per pound now is that it helps get my point of aim higher on target, which means I can hold closer to dead on by gap shooting with lighter weight trad bows. The extra arrow weight sure ain't gonna hurt penetration using a lighter weight bow though.

 

[knightrider]

To the OP's question, IMO, any reasonable arrow weight of 8-10 grains per pound is gonna do the job well. If it flys straight, it's gonna penetrate with a good broadhead.

The only reason I'm shooting 13 grains per pound now is that it helps get my point of aim higher on target, which means I can hold closer to dead on by gap shooting with lighter weight trad bows. The extra arrow weight sure ain't gonna hurt penetration using a lighter weight bow though.

Im shooting 13 grains per inch with 51 pounds, no problem with a sharp cut on contact broad head

 

[agelessssone]

Killed an Ontario bear shooting 2019's, 25" long, 100 grain fixed 3 blade, 74 #, @ 320 fps.
Quartering into me, through one lung, out the ribcage opposite side, into and out of right rear leg, stuck in the ground.
Shaft broke off when he jumped and whirled. Ran 25 yds and expired while I watched him take his last breath.
Cut the femoral artery in his back leg, dead within seconds.

 

[WTNBowHunter]

I'm hunting whitetails so for me, it's whatever falls in the range of most efficient. I have a 30" draw and pull 70 #s, have been shooting Easton Axis 340's (match grades) and they fly very true. I shoot with both eyes open which allows me to watch the arrow fly better (i feel like at least), especially at distance. It's not the heaviest arrow out there but very efficient for my setup.