Arrow Drop with Adult Arrow

[Long Cut]

I hopped on the heavy arrow train last year because I have a tendency to hug the shoulder too much and was tired of lack of penetration and thus losing deer. I’m not sure why I have such a tendency, but I have a hard time fixing it. If I remember correctly I am shooting between 600-630 grains of TAW with around 20% foc. I have two sets of arrows made up with different weight inserts to come in at the same weight whether I’m shooting 100 grain broadheads or 200 grains. Last year I used silver flame xxls, cutthroats, and vpa 3 blade. I liked the silver flames the best and they will be what my 200 grain arrows are tipped with unless I try something different. I felt like they were the best of both worlds between size and fixed COC. I am interested in using various mechanicals in my 100 grain arrows and seeing how they perform with the heavy FOC

If you’re willing to, keep me updated on how your setups perform this coming season and I’ll do the same. After having two tough breaks on big bucks I’ve become an arrow nerd if you will, I also just enjoy dabbling with different setups.

 

[sportsman94]

If you’re willing to, keep me updated on how your setups perform this coming season and I’ll do the same. After having two tough breaks on big bucks I’ve become an arrow nerd if you will, I also just enjoy dabbling with different setups.

Hey Longcut, I’m a doe shooting fanatic so most of my experience is on does. I killed 2 with the cutthroats, 1 with vpa 3 blade, and 2 with the silver flames this season. The only one that I hit shoulder on this year was with the VPA. It blew through both shoulders and buried so far in the ground behind her I never found the arrow (not good from a monetary standpoint, but very good from a penetration aspect to me). The two I recovered with a cutthroat: one was shot mid body height, through the thin part of one scapula and behind the shoulder on the other side. I heard the deer fall about 35 yards from shot site. Only found one or two drops of blood along the trail. The other deer killed with them was a pretty extreme angle as she was less than 10 yards. It went in the top third of the shoulder, and came out other bottom of the opposite leg after passing through the heart. She ran about 80 yards and had a decent blood trail due to the low exit. I had an issue with a shot on a cutthroat that I thought for sure would be a High double lunged deer with little blood trail due to the height of the shot. That doe lived and you can see the pictures. She came back almost a month after being shot. The first picture was entry, and she was slightly quartered away. You can see the exit scar. Ultimately, I dont know that I see the reason for a small cutting diameter single bevel on Georgia white tails, but they will do their part if you do yours. I’m hoping to be able to do plenty more testing this year and will try to keep a journal with pictures and detailed notes

 

[ddd-shooter]

As has been said, there can be a happy medium! If I can recommend anything, it’s don’t get too carried away with one extreme or the other. Do you need to shoot 350 FPS? No.
Do you need a 800 grain arrow? No.

The implication that anything under a certain arrow weight isn’t an “adult” arrow is exactly what is wrong with some “Big names” in archery. There’s no room for nuance.
EVERYONE is under different parameters!
What are you hunting? Hogs over feeders in Texas? With trad bows? You’ll probably make videos like ranch fairy. Your average shot is 15 known yards on a tough skinned animal.
Hunting Muleys out west and long and varied distances? With a compound? Probably lean more into speed, low profile heads/mechanicals.
Short draw? High poundage? Chance at hogs? Chance at bears? It’s all got to factor in to your equation.

Me, I’m long armed, hunt white tails at random distances, bears are regularly on the menu, so I shoot a fairly heavy arrow. 515 grains at about 280 FPS and about 12% foc. With a-hold your breath-mechanical. I find the extra cutting surface helps with bears, which are crappy to blood trail anyway, and our mountain deer are pretty easy to blow through anyway. Plus, with a heavy arrow, I’ve shot through many a scapula, rib, spine, etc. I even shot one through the ribs with a funky angle and nearly amputated a hind leg with a “crappy mechanical.” Its not one size fits all.

When shooting compounds, there’s really been no study to verify the advantage of a heavy foc arrow vs a heavy arrow with moderate foc. It’s always a light arrow vs a heavy foc arrow. The advantage, to me, is mostly in going heavy (which I always recommend people build on the heavy side). The advantages are manifold with a heavy arrow, but too extreme, and you’re just as bad as the guy with the super light arrows, IMO.

 

[alligood729]

60lb, 27.5" draw, 450gr total weight arrow shooting a bipolar 165gr head at 270fps. Hogs nor deer in the last 10 years have liked it very much as long as I do my part. I've shot through deer end to end, shattered shoulders on the way out, heavier is good, it's not always better. Like Kris said, there is a point of diminishing return when you go to heavy. I set my son in law up with an xpedition 7hd last year. Now he does have a 30.5" draw, but he shoots a 495gr arrow at 295....I don't think he will have any issues either lol..

 

[deast1988]

I set up a Rx3 ultra 29in draw 81lbs on the scale.

250spine daySix with outserts, I went with
light components to not go over board. But I ended up with a 580gr 4mm skinny shaft at 255fps. I went with 125gr Kudupoint contour single bevels. And it blew through every deer I hit like butter. Was pretty insane to see, sold the bow went the other way,

Easton Hexx 330s with rayzor 2in feathers, microlite hexx insert. Tuned them up to my 200gr Valkyrie 3blades, not sure the speed but I’m around 485grs with 18% Foc. Running a good bit faster off a 70lb bow now.

My trad bow, 620gr arrow, 200gr head 100gr brass insert. Speed no clue