What is the max arrow weight in grains per pound of draw weight you would shoot?

It varies and I don't look for particular weight. I normally use either aluminum or cedar...or old fiberglass, so you already have some inherent mass in those. I use the correct static spine and tune for dynamic spine. My heaviest arrows are usually about 12 to 14 gpp, average is about 10 gpp. If you shoot carbon then you have light tubing to start with, for the most part anyway. I shot bows for the first 20-couple years without knowing how much my arrows actually weighed.

What George said.

For field archery I like to keep it under 8 to help with longer shots.

For hunting going to give 14 a try this next year.

For me the maximum arrow weight in terms of grains per pound of draw weight seems to be determined by what I consider an acceptable trajectory at my maximum effective range of about 25 -30 yds. I generally practice at 20 yards and then hold a little higher for 25 yds. With lighter arrows say 8-10 grains per pound it seems there is very little difference in hold from 20 to 25 yard, maybe only 2-3”. Out to 30 yds it may be 6-8”. I’m ok with this because at 30 yds I can hold on a deer’s spine and still center it’s chest. As grains per pound increase the trajectory falls off fast. I find that at about 14 grains per pound it is dropping more than I like past 20-25 yds. Out to 20 yards it almost doesn’t seem to matter how heavy the arrows are, but beyond that... My current arrows are about 11 grains per pound and give good momentum for penetration as well as an acceptable trajectory within my effective range of ability. It is no surprise to me that the old adage of 10 grains per pound of draw weight is a recommended starting place for arrow performance. Long range target archers may want less and close range Cape Buffalo hunters may want more.

I am in the “kinda depends on the bow” camp. I strive for at least 9gpp for shooting but 10-12 for hunting. But I don’t hunt big critters like Elk anymore so stay with 10gpp. My LB likes a heavier arrow which is fine, my hunting bow. One thing about heavier arrows doesn’t get mentioned much, it can cover a lot of form and release mistakes especially in the excitement of the hunt. Not a bad thing but should be used as a “cover up” for target, 3D, or just shooting. That’s my opinion, your mileage may vary.

I use primarily straight standing selfbows and like to be around 10 gpp... give or take one or two.

3X with George.

12 grains per pound of draw max.

12

I like 8 gr no matter what I like flat shooting arrows I NEVER had a problem without a past thru on deer!!! And I shot alot

My experience has been the same as tuckers. With my lighter bows34#_44# I don't have a bit of problem getting those " light" carbons upwards of 13 gpp. I do have to do some shaft searching and planning to get an arrow around 9 gpp.

I keep my arrows right around 11gpp between rigs which gives me similar trajectories and a 30 yd point on.

Thanks all. I need minimum 33.5 in shaft and didn't think about the additional weight. I believe I'll be around 13 - 14gpp. Will be a learning experience.

I shoot 12.5 gpp but my bow is really efficient and speed run mid 180s fps. I remember reading a story of a guy that shot solid fiberglass fishing arrows out of 70 plus pound longbow for moose. His arrow speed was just over 140 fps but claimed he could shoot from one end through the other.

I think that is extreme. ...

We’ve covered this topic a whole bunch of times, and the range here runs from about 7.5 to 16 or even 17 GPP. Needless to say the vast majority of us fall between 9 and 12.

JMO, 450 grains is a nice hunting weight, and the faster you can drive it, so much the better unless you can’t tune it, can’t quiet it, or you blow up your bow.

10, and I prefer 8-9.

With ASLs, 11 for me is the heaviest i would want. i have gone as light as 6.5 gpp with cedars and my heavy weight bows.

10-15gpp depending on where I want my point on to be. I'm not worried about how long the arrow takes to get there, as long as it does.

I tend to shoot total arrow weights of about 600-650 grains out of my hybrid longbow (50-57# draw weight) so that would come to 12+ grains/pound. I like heavy arrows. They penetrate well and bow noise and hand shock is greatly reduced. For close range shooting (say about 15 yards and less) I don't notice much trajectory difference from lighter arrows. I shot a 3-D shoot back in the day with Monty Browning and he was shooting 1400 grain fish arrows out of his longbow. His arrows were really slow but they sure walloped the targets upon impact!

I shoot 15GPP all the time, 60 pound bow with 900 grain arrows. I do it because I can.

DDave

Most of my hunting arrows are about 11 gpp. Some go a little over 12. Don't like to go much higher than that.

Nothing over 10, and nothing under 9.

I like to be smack dab in the middle of that.

Rick

I shoot aluminum and wood so all arrows that tune to my bows end up in the 9 to 11 range and that works for me.......

Hey Shawn, can you elaborate on that?

Add point weight.

MF -

Imagine a race where there are 2 identical cars accelerating off the line but one gets to stay on the gas 10% longer than the other. Which one ends up going faster?

Easy answer, right?

UNLESSSSSS.......

If both reach their top end before either driver gets off the gas, the extra fuel is naught but sound and fury.

Accepted Common Knowledge is that a longer DL always results in higher velocity, but Larry Hatfield built a bow which set a world record in the #50 weight class AND in the #35 class - same individual bow, just short-drawn to #35, and it still generated record-setting speed.

But the heavier the arrow, the less likely it is that your limbs will be able to reach top speed, so the benefits of a longer DL probably do show up more as GPP increases.

The thing is, you can’t worry about it too much because if your form is good, you’re probably already AT your max DL and there’s not much you can do about it. If you’re short-drawing, then you should clean things up for the accuracy you’ll gain and any extra speed you get will just be a bonus.

And if you really want more speed, first clean up your release, then look into lower GPP arrows. Just don’t blow up your bow. And for hunting, 9 may just be the magic number.

Relevance is a wondrous thing, GF.

"Accepted Common Knowledge is that a longer DL always results in higher velocity, but Larry Hatfield built a bow which set a world record in the #50 weight class AND in the #35 class - same individual bow, just short-drawn to #35, and it still generated record-setting speed."

What do you mean 'but'? But what? That's not a good place for a 'but', because it didn't dispute anything prior in that sentence. Did that bow shoot faster when drawn less distance? Was the same arrow used? Then no, no room for your but.

Accepted Common Knowledge is also based on the common sense understanding of 'all else equal'.

The one problem I find with my 31" draw is matching arrows for my bows. Yes, you get a good power stroke, but because of the long arrows your spine is weak. That is an issue when you want to work on your FOC and head point weights. I was shooting 65#'s with a 300 spine aluminum arrow at 32". The max head I could shoot was 145 grains and that was showing weak.

like2hunt

not sure how your bows shelf is cut but shooting a bow well proud of center may help a bit with that problem.

I shoot as much as my bow can handle. Some bows don't like heavy arrows. My 66" 63# brackenbury loves them. I've been using 650 Grain 2219 aluminum's.

What is your arrow speed fps?

Knowing your arrow speed is not necessary to your happiness, and it can be detrimental since you start chasing those extra fps gremlins. I think I've shot through a chronograph maybe three or four times in my life...surely under six times. The last time was a few years ago when a friend of mine brought his over to show me and we shot his bow through it. Incidentally, I could get an average of four or five feet per second more than he could, although it appeared our draws to be the same length. That could have been a tab versus glove thing.

I pretty much judges everything by feel and about where my point-on is with every bow I use. Normally with my draw...split finger, it's around 55'ish yards +/-. Whether you shoot sixty pounds or forty pounds, by matching your arrows to bow you can maintain those parameters without much trouble.

Agreed regarding the chrono! I was at an archery shop once upon a time and a guy wanted to shoot his compound through the chronograph. Needless to say, it was nowhere near the advertised IBO. You could just see the poor man's heart break.

I shoot cedar arrows that spine out perfect for my bow and Zwickey broadheads. I don't know nor do I care what they weigh. And if I did know it would change a thing.

The chrono provides one more important bit of information. I believe in learning as much about my equipment as i can and velocity gains and losses when trying different combinations is not a bad thing to know. An accurate chrono will also identify issues with shooter consistency as well.

Is it absolutely necessary? Naw, but I've sure found it to be a good piece of testing equipment.

About 1500grs for fiberglass fishing arrows, as far as penetration goes, you wouldn't want to get shot with one...

Approximately 30gpp

Monty Browning killed a Grizzly with a fiberglass fishing arrow out of a heavy poundage Longbow.

I don't think about it too much but 12 app is the upper ceiling out of one of my self bows. Jawge

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