What grain arrow do you shoot?

[CopperHead]

This is probably somewhere in the forum but I am interested in what grain arrow people are shooting for hunting. I realize that it may be different depending upon the game pursued so if you like please indicate your preferred weight for different species. Thanks!!

[smj]

I like 430 to 450 grains for hunting elk with my compound. At 400 grains I get over 300 fps - but - I had troubles with shooting in the wind. I am considering going up to 475 grains for the up coming cariou trip to Canada - some extra FOC. 11% FOC minimum, I prefer 12%. Currently I like the 100 grain Turbo tip, weight added for FOC.

Traditional longbow - 500 to 550 grains, 14 to 16% FOC. I add mass to the tip to tune the arrow in for the bow I happen to be hunting with if required! Two blade, cut on impact tips. I might shoot bleeder blades, too.

I have yet to figure out how to make an arrow with very low FOC fly right in big wind. They may get there - or close to there - but watching them fly scares me!

I tend to set up for the largest animal I will hunt, and hunt everything with the same arrow. I don't like getting used to different arrows with my compound... For being so picky about my compound, I am not so conserned when it comes to my longbow - I'll shoot just about anything! But for elk I like what I've listed above!

For bows I don't hunt with - l go as light as I can get away with... And shoot indoors or on calm days!

Please note that I reserve the right to change up my arrow specs any time I go shooting and find out something I like better - that past postings may, or may not, reflect the reality of todays choices. ;D

[Greg Krause]

I have hunted with everything from 605grains down to 370grains. For deer I believe I will stay between 370 and 400grains. I get a much flatter trajectory and complete pass throughs, into the dirt are still the norm, even with scap hits and at long ranges. Those numbers keep me right around 5gpp for my compounds. I like 10% FOC but a little higher wouldn't be bad at all. I used to hunt with 7% and had no problems, even at ranges over 50yds. It just didn't seem as forgiving.
For game like Elk and moose, i would probably go a little higher, maybe 425-450 grains. That would still put me between 5gpp and 6gpp with my current set up.

With my recurve and longbow I would like to get close to 500grains, but it seems that I keep finding "great" arrows that are lighter. for deer I am not worried, for bigger game I would definetly find a heavy one though.
I shot a 250# buck with my 55# recurve and a 488grain arrow last year. i blew through his scap at 17yds with a 125 grain Razorshark.
Last weekend I took a 600# hog with a 49# longbow and 430grain arrow and 125grain Razorshark at 15yds. It was a complete pass through at 15yds.

[michihunter]

455gr at 292fps.

[Coca Cola]

445 out of a 27" drawlength and 57# bow with 305 IBO. You can imagine my speeds . Never hunted any large game except deer so nothing behind my reasoning of my arrows.

[azslim]

By my calc a 417 gr arrow, maybe a little less since I went to Blazers. I shoot 70# with 30" dl and am getting about 285 fps. I am partial to Goldtip XT Hunter shafts and 100 gr Slicktrick bh's.

[elk4me]

My finished complete arrow with 100 gr tip, Wrap 3 Blazers and nock weigh in at 380 Gr total for my BlackHawk Vapor CAA 400's(8.7 GPI) . I also shoot Easton ACC 3-49 (8.8 GPI) with a total arrow weight of 385 gr with 100 gr tip, wrap Blazers and nock and Uni bushing.

Vapor CAA 400's:


Easton ACC 3-49's:

[BT]

8gpp on the recurve and 5 gpp on the compounds

last arrows ended up being 498 recurve and 315 compound , both at 60#

[CopperHead]

Gents. Thanks to every one for your responses. At the end of last year I changed my entire setup from an Outback 28" DL at 70# 27 inch BlackMaxx 400 tipped with 100 grain muzzy 3 blade BH to a Bear Truth 27" DL at 73# 28" GoldTip Hunter XT 75/95 tipped with 125 grain SlickTricks. My new set up put me at about 443 grains and close to 6 gpp with a foc very close to 11% according to the calculator on GoldTips site. I read on another forum somewhere that 5 gpp was the minimum weight with 6 gpp being ideal for hunting. Over the last few weeks I have grown to value the opionion of several of the members here so I thought I would ask. Thanks again.

SMJ good luck on your up coming caribou hunt!!

elk4me Those are some sweet looking arrows!!