Help with FOC of carbon arrows

Kapellmeister · February 13, 2011, 09:44:00 PM

How concerned should I be with FOC percentages? I've used Stu's calculator and am pretty happy with my arrow flight but everything I read about FOC says it should be between 8% and 15% for hunting arrows. Here's the data on my bows/arrows...

I shooting GT3555 Trad carbons cut at 29.25" with 125 gr. tips. (11.5 gr. insert, 11 gr. nock, 5" feathers)

From my recurve at 46#@28" (dynamic spine 63.3) I'm getting a total arrow weight of 408 gr. with a FOC of 14.3%... so, according to the "charts" that seems within bounds.

However... I shoot the same arrows with my longbow at 55"@28" but I add 50 gr. weight behind the insert (dynamic spine 51.7) for a total arrow weight of 458 gr. with a FOC of 18.2%.

Like I said, my arrows seem to fly okay...the speed (189.x) is virtually the same... the longbow gets about 3 ft. lbs. more energy... but is 18.2% FOC really undesirable? I haven't been shooting beyond 25 yds. so I really can't judge any drop past that point.

It's been convenient for me to use the same arrows and just put the 50 gr. weight in it for the longbow. Am I missing anything, though?

rastaman · February 13, 2011, 09:54:00 PM

Heck no 18.2% wouldn't be undesirable...and if they shoot good go with it!

BWD · February 13, 2011, 10:00:00 PM

No expert here, but I'm thinking critters were slain for many centuries before foc even became a major consideration.

Kapellmeister · February 13, 2011, 10:05:00 PM

I hear ya...

Thumper Dunker · February 13, 2011, 10:14:00 PM

Thats about what I shoot .Go get some game.

Coonbait · February 13, 2011, 10:18:00 PM

I don't know, but if your hitting where you look I'd say stick with it. Sometimes I think we way over think this stuff. Makes Trad seem like why I left the other side.
Glenn

bulldog18 · February 13, 2011, 10:23:00 PM

FOC of 15-20 is common with traditional. I came from a compound background and the 8-15 figure is for compound shooters. My compund arrows are around 11 and my trad arrows are around 19. I use the stu-miller calculator also and get great arrow flight as well. Don't sweat the numbers as long as they fly well.

Kapellmeister · February 13, 2011, 10:28:00 PM

Great! Thank you!

Rob DiStefano · February 14, 2011, 04:48:00 AM

lemme ask ya - do these arras of yours fly real well? are they consistently accurate for ya? can ya get the broadheads real sharp?

if so, then foc isn't really a concern, it's a second consideration at best and perhaps worth experimenting with as long as the answers to those above questions are all positively 'yes'.