Hypothetical question. I have a longbow setup that has an arrow setup that shoots a 29% FOC 625gn and a recurve arrow setup 23% FOC 675gn arrow both shooting 171fps. If I shoot both equally accurately and we are only evaluating penetration which setup would you use, the higher FOC lower weight, or lower FOC higher weight?

Whatever you have more confidence with.

What works best for you. Numbers alone don't mean much. Get an arrow that flies perfectly and use it. Anything over 600 grains will shoot through anything but big, thick skinned game like Cape Buffalo. Penetration will be a given with either. I shoot through deer with 460 grains.

675 has better math... but probably not enough to where the animal would notice.

The FOC thing is a little tricky... it sits at the decision-making table... but not at the head.

The better your arrow flies and the more static the target is the less FOC matters for penetration. IF the arrow is flying perfect and hits a homogeneous target that's still... it won't matter if the weight is up front or in the back. None.

You start adding animal movement, less-than-perfect arrow flight and non-homogeneous target material (skin/bones/muscle) into the equation - FOC is of greater importance. The idea is that "the rest of the arrow" maintains energy transfer to the broadhead in a direct line for as long as possible.

Nothing or no one will know the difference. >>>>----> Ken

Here's what I'd do. I'd shoot the longbow, because I love 'em and can't shoot them.

So, here's what you should do. If they're both tuned good, I'll bet that one is tuned better. Fletching covers your mistakes and incorrect arrow tune. Start shooting bare shafts. I'll bet you see a difference in one over the other.

Then if you find a difference and you can find if the difference is you or the tune, you can straighten out the tune by a bow string twist or two - three in or untwist. If your right handed and the nock kick is left it's weak - take out twists. Nock right stiff add twists.

So now you have both tuned exactly the same??? Let's take a look at FOC. And to make the point it's easier to see let's use the 15% mentioned above and say 30% that you almost have. If we had two shafts that weight exactly the same and same FPS, but the difference is the 15 and 30 FOC, which one would penetrate better?

When a shaft impacts something anything it flexes. Where does it flex - at it's balance point. So if we have a 30 inch arrow with no tip the balance point is 15 inches. With 15% FOC that balance point is 2ish inches toward the tip from the 15 inch mark. With 30% that balance point might be 4 inches from the tip. Maybe 6???? There won't be a lot of flex with 30% FOC.

How much more penetration would you get with 29 over 23??? Who knows. So in the long run there's only one answer.

The longbow, because you'll look much cooler.

Bowmania (yea that just might be opinion)

What are you trying to kill???

If both are tuned right, I dare say it won’t matter.

Personally, I like shooting longbows (and they’re lighter in the hand all day). But if it’s all about penetration, I’d guess that the added 50 grains from the recurve would count for more than the FOC from the LB unless the shafts are wildly dissimilar.

Ok clarification, I am hunting Roosevelt Elk.

It still doesn't matter since both will kill them plenty well. North American game, all of it is relatively thin skinned, and many have been killed with unknown arrow weight.

That speed and weight both will see dirt on the other side

Either. I agree with Bowmania's post.

Both of those set ups sound great to me. I have played with, and changed a lot of different things in my archery gear over the years and it is fun to see what new stuff does and doesn't do.

Gun hunters will say and do a lot of the same. They will have rifles in 16 different calibers. Sure, a .243 will kill a whitetail, or even an elk, but I hunt with a 60-06 or .555 nitro. Whatever! It's all good if you find enjoyment in the experimenting.

I too have been pursuing the higher FOC side of things for a while and it's a fun challenge tuning arrows and bows to meet a certain criteria.

I'm also in Jarheads camp on this thread. To me there is no downside to weight or FOC until it affects your accuracy. At my chosen ranges your set up would be perfect, I like 170 fps. and would take the 675 gr. arrow.

I also agree with Bowmania to the extent that it is extra points to look cool while being deadly. (but I like recurves)

They both would probably kill two elk if you lined them up just right, or shoot clear through one elk lengthwise. - lbg

They both would probably kill two elk if you lined them up just right, or shoot clear through one elk lengthwise. So settle on one and assimilate its trajectory and sight picture at all distances. - lbg

Run your arrows through a chronograph to get arrow speed then use a momentum calculator to figure out the momentum. With your arrow set up, hopfully your shooting a heavy draw weight to get the arrow speed up around 165 fps to have the momentum at 20 yards you think you do.

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