Hi!
I might step on some toes in this thread regarding best bow is the one you shoot best etc. But still here is the thought:
Look away from # of bow and think arrow speed:
What would be the allover preferable speed for all game hunted from squirrel to bison?
I know that it depends on all factors when it comes to the kill, and that some animals are more jumpy etc.
I have also shot a lot of the high speed bows and some of them I think is more difficult shooting cause they might be more "jumpy" for small errors.
And some bows I feel are way to slow, and you "feel" the wait before hitting the target. They also seems to have to big arch for shots above 25 yards(I train recovery shots out to about 65 yards)
I always liked good weights in arrows and feel comfortable around 175 fps.
Experiences and opinions on good average speed?
:coffee: :archer2:
With appropriate arrow mass and a cut on contact broadhead that 175 fps is a good area to be in. I don't think you can really pick an arrow speed because each hunting situation is different and it depends on the animal hunted. That said most bows today with the proper arrow and broadhead will kill just about any animal at your speed.
With my 26" draw at mid to high 40# draw weights and 500 grain arrows I can only get 175 FPS with a couple of bows. Most of my hunters are 10 FPS less.
I would like mine to shoot 250 fps with 700 gr arrows and high 40's draw weight but it ain't gonna happen so 140's will have to do. The deer don't seem to notice , I know this cause when they leave they ain't laughing :saywhat: :rolleyes:
I tend to like an arrow that is between 170 to 180 fps.
It seems I am most accurate with about 150-160 FPS.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bjorn:
It seems I am most accurate with about 150-160 FPS.
Hi Bjorn!
That's my exactly my point!
I guess all of us have found a typical comfort zone speed that does the trad-shooting successful :archer:
My brain seems to be wired for 155-165 fps.
I think some shooters need to see a higher trajectory so their brain can learn it for the set up they are shooting, I shoot a fast arrow but do notice that it's easier to learn the curve at slower speeds, never checked the speed of my arrows but other shooters say it's pretty fast.
I like at least 170fps and my current setup is 517gr @ 177fps and it is working great for me. Darren
177fps is the number I am liking these days. That's what my go-to Sarrels Blueridge longbow shoots at with a 10.6gpp arrow.
Bisch
My #48 Dalaa LB likes a 500gr arrow between 165-170fps.
I shoot 570gr hunting arrows and like them to hit where I'm looking at about 25 steps.
I'm happy when a longbow moves a 10 gpp arrow 180 and above. I have never found that speed causes inaccuracy ., in fact if a bow is stable , shock free the faster it is the better I like it/
God bless you all, Steve
I typically hunt with one of three bows I have. The slowest averages a little over 180fps the fastest averages about 195fps. These speeds are over a chrono with their respective hunting weight arrows. With good cut on contact broadheads they all work.
I was shooting 180 25 years ago and still about the same today with 10# less bow weight.
QuoteOriginally posted by Margly:
Hi!
What would be the allover preferable speed for all game hunted from squirrel to bison?
I'm thinking the speed of light would be fine. No trajectory to mess with. Lots of penetration. Unlimited range. Look down the arrow and that's where it's going.
Probably a bit of hand shock and the fletching might stay behind. :dunno:
I like my bows to shoot 195+.. thats with bows of 60+ #'s and a 500gn arrow. I just seem to be a little more accurate this way out past 25yds.
My brain seems to like 180 to 190
QuoteOriginally posted by drewsbow:
I would like mine to shoot 250 fps with 700 gr arrows and high 40's draw weight but it ain't gonna happen so 140's will have to do. The deer don't seem to notice , I know this cause when they leave they ain't laughing :saywhat: :rolleyes:
Ha! Had me going for a minute. I am in the same position though. I shoot a 650gr arrow out of about 45-50 lbs on my bows. I dont have to worry about the sonic boom. Passed right though the deer this year. For me a quiet bow and an arrow that will have enough upmpth top get the target down is what I need. The deer hardly knew an arrow was released before the point hit the ground on the exit side.
I would like to see 180 fps and above but it's not worth it to me to shoot a light enough arrow to get that kind of speed with my relatively short draw length(my specs are in my signature below). So I'm happy with my 160'ish fps and fairly heavy arrow weight(11.3 GPP) with high FOC and dart-like arrow flight.
:archer2:
I like to watch my arrows fly, and that's hard to do if the arrow is going toooo fast. That usually means 175 or so for me.
I don't have a chrono,so don't know how fast I'm shooting.I do like when I can see a bow is noticably faster. If the bow is smooth and stable why wouldn't you want it to be as fast as can be? Flatter trajectory works better for me.
This is interesting because when I first met Rusty he told me he was deadly on his shot. At that time he shot a 60# Hill and real heavy hichory shafts. His point on was about 6" below a whitetails belly at 15 yds from his treestand.
He tuned every bow he hunted with after that to replicate that shot and gap.
Didn't miss much either.
Mike
QuoteOriginally posted by Stumpkiller:
QuoteOriginally posted by Margly:
Hi!
What would be the allover preferable speed for all game hunted from squirrel to bison?
I'm thinking the speed of light would be fine. No trajectory to mess with. Lots of penetration. Unlimited range. Look down the arrow and that's where it's going.
Probably a bit of hand shock and the fletching might stay behind. :dunno: [/b]
Lol I wouldn't mind speed of light. A laser pointer attached to the bow would come in handy.
Fast enough to "smoke an arrow"! :biglaugh:
Now I know Stumpkiller likes those Kodiak Hunters where he can run up and make mid course corrections on the arrow by hand. :bigsmyl:
I like a fairly quick arrow but have never chronographed an arrow in my life and probably never will. I just know it when I see it.
My only test is to shoot them at 45 yards and if they hit point on then the arrow is traveling fast enough for me. If they hit higher (none do) so that's a moot point. Some bows hit lower and they are slower so are not my favorite. A couple of years ago I dragged a lot of my old classic bows out and put them to the test. Not all passed.
Mine is running 185 fps at 740 grains out of a 60 lbs long bow. I'm kind of liking it right about there.
Not a clue! I have not run an arrow through a chronograph since the 90's and I did not then own any of the bows I currently hunt with. I don't much care about speed as long as arrow flight is good and accuracy holds up. My speculation is that most of my hunting bows are at 155 - 165 fps.
KE is definitely the thing to look at more so than speed. You are sometimes better off to trade speed for a little more arrow weight. On medium sized game, you can get away with a lighter arrow. But on elk and bigger you should look to go as heavy as you think makes sense.
Once built a recurve bow for a customer, he wanted to be sure the bow would not be over about 175 with 9 gpp. Was before ff strings. His idea was an arrow that was any fater, his eye could not follow it and burn it into his brain for similar shots. Not sure about all that. To each his own I guess.
QuoteOriginally posted by reddogge:
Now I know Stumpkiller likes those Kodiak Hunters where he can run up and make mid course corrections on the arrow by hand. :bigsmyl:
Though you note I still hang on to it all these many years. :archer:
My two fastest bows area Sasquatch R/D bow from Kik and my ******** Titan with BF extreme carbon limbs, both at 63# and will shoot a 10 gpp arrow around 188. very nice and makes shooting so much easier.