If you shoot lightweight bows, what does your arrow weigh?

Stone Knife · October 17, 2013, 06:14:00 AM

My bow at my draw is 45 pounds and my arrow weigh 525 gr. that's about 11.6 GPP I have always shot mid 40 range bows and have found this to be the ideal weight for the hunting that I do, mostly whitetail deer.

October 17, 2013, 06:31:00 AM

Shooting 43-44#, carbons are at 470g. So about 11 GPP.

Now that I have you all here--GPP vs GPI?

Rob DiStefano · October 17, 2013, 06:46:00 AM

gpp = grains of arrow weight per pound of bow holding weight as in 44# holding weight and a 470 grain arrow equates to 470/44=10.7gpp

gpi = grains of weight per inch of arrow ... however, this is mostly used in determining the bare shaft weight when choosing a final weight finished arrow for a specific bow and task. a raw 220 grain carbon shaft that's 32" long results in a value of 6.9gpi. i need to qualify this a bit more - gpi can help if you have to choose between two shafts that both have the same stiffness/deflection, but different mass weights. each will make up an arrow that will spine properly for a given bow, but the mass weights will be different. this can be a deciding factor for the game hunted and the shot distances encountered. in example, one might want to shoot a faster arrow for pronghorns than for whitetails, and therefor a lower gpi arrow might be the better choice.

i will add that playing the numbers game, as in above, is nowhere near as important as whatever works best for your bow, the game you hunt, and you. there are exceptions to every rule of thumb.

Jim Picarelli · October 17, 2013, 06:51:00 AM

17" Titan riser with 46# Samick BF Extreme recurve limbs shooting a 473gr 2016. My 48# Hill Ruffed Grouse...shooting 451gr 1916's.
I'll take GPP over GPI also. I also shoot Easton Lightspeed 500 carbons off the Titan , which are 6.5gpi but come in at 8.2gpp...plenty for deer

r-man · October 17, 2013, 07:16:00 AM

13gpp, 45#lb , 31" 2216, 575g total, three blade thunder125g.

britt · October 17, 2013, 07:28:00 AM

I shoot 45#. My arrows weight 520.

Mryan2176 · October 17, 2013, 07:31:00 AM

I shoot a 45 lb kodiak mag. I use goldtip 3555 cut to 30", 125 steel adapters, and 2 blade eskimos. 505 grains total

tradarcher4fun · October 17, 2013, 07:42:00 AM

Shooting 43# and Goldtip Ultralight 600s at 345g. Arrows fly like darts. This is for target shooting.

Bowwild · October 17, 2013, 07:43:00 AM

I hunt with 46-50# curves. My arrows weight 424-535 grains. I'm hunting with the 535 grain and 49.5# bow this season. My arrows are always either MFX Classics or Axis Trads.

Butchie · October 17, 2013, 07:59:00 AM

47# @ 30" 563 grain arrow.

hardtimes · October 17, 2013, 08:11:00 AM

I like my arrows as heavy as I can get them and still fly well. 586 grain from my 50#. Thats just shy of 12gpp.

ranger 3 · October 17, 2013, 08:55:00 AM

OK how do you get your arrows that heavy? I shoot 45@ my draw and a 35/55 gt and they are about 9 grn

Rob DiStefano · October 17, 2013, 09:00:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by ranger 3:
OK how do you get your arrows that heavy? I shoot 45@ my draw and a 35/55 gt and they are about 9 grn

easiest, fastest and perhaps bestest way to increase arrow weight and foc at the same time - increase the up front weight. for synthetic shafts, that means increasing the weight of the ferrule or adapter or point, or any 2 or all of those items.

my carbons ...

RedShaft · October 17, 2013, 09:07:00 AM

51@29 around 700 gr I can't remember now exactly offhand. But it's heavy

October 17, 2013, 09:11:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by ranger 3:
OK how do you get your arrows that heavy? I shoot 45@ my draw and a 35/55 gt and they are about 9 grn

Increase point weight and/or insert weight. You can get brass inserts for carbon arrows that are 50-100gr (which are much heavier than the standard aluminum inserts) and you can get fireld points/broadheaed in a variety of weights up to 300gr or more.

If you do increase weight like this, you will have to stiffen your arrow. This is accomplished by either shortening the shaft or going to a stiffer shaft, whichever your tuning dictates.

Bisch

Randy Koleno · October 17, 2013, 09:42:00 AM

45lb recurve, 440 gr. carbon arrow. Whitetails, small game and 3d.

Izzy · October 17, 2013, 10:12:00 AM

575 for 46, 47 # Griffins, makes them dead silent.

MikeM · October 17, 2013, 10:23:00 AM

With my Hill longbows 45-48# at 29" draw cut 30"bop I am shooting 11-12 gpi hexshafts with 125gr point.

With my recurves 46-47# at 30" draw I am shooting aluminum at about 11gpi.

LittleBen · October 17, 2013, 10:43:00 AM

As Izzy said, I find that more weight makes the bow more quiet. And I also have seen that a change of 10% in arrow weight only changes arrow speed by 2.5-3% so you can go quite a bit heavier without losing range.

I shoot 43# recurve @ 25" draw, ~500gr woodies @ ~150fps according to the chrono. I don't have a problem hitting a target out to 35yards or so I mean it's dropping alot past that but thats about my point on distance ... 35yds. Everything from ~15-25 is within the kill with a single gap or strign walk position.

Don Stokes · October 17, 2013, 11:17:00 AM

Shooting a 40# high-performance recurve drawn 28", barrel tapered wood arrows 30" long, spined at 65-70#, 125 g. broadheads, arrow weight 575 grains. 14 g/#.