Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Arrow velocity - advertised vs real life

I had an opportunity the other day at the archery center to fire my arrows over a chronograph that the business had set up for the benefit of the customers. My bow which is a new Bow tech Guardian set at 60 lbs and firing a carbon fiber arrow (radial weave 200 with a 100 gr point)was getting 258 to 260 fps. Advertised velocity is over 300 fps. I understand that maybe they had their bows cranked to max and using the longest draw length possible with the lightest arrow but still - we're talking 40 to 50 fps difference!! Does this make sense!! Other people were getting anywhere from 243 to 260 fps from their bows.
You got to wonder if these claims are slightly stretched for marketing purposes. What do you think??

I think the speeds advertised are IBO speeds with a 30" draw, 70 lb draw weight, using arrows that are maybe 6 grains per inch? Not sure about the arrow weight though.

PS, In my view, 260 fps is pretty darn fast!

Draw length, pull weight, and arrow weight are the major factors along with many other little variables.

I have a 30" draw and typically max out my bows(70-73lbs) so I usually get a good bit of the advertised velocity, but never the actual IBO as I feel the arrow weights for IBO speed are to light to hunt with.

With hunting setups and arrows around 385-400 I can usally get about 95% of the IBO speed with more than enough penetration for medium game.

My current Mathews LX is shooting 300-305 fps, My previous Bowtech Patriot was shooting from 295-300

I sold one of my bows to a guy that only had a 27" draw. It dropped a good 30-40 fps with the 3" shorter DL.

Reloader7RM

In the past, I have shot over well calibrated chronographs alot.
There are plenty of variables which can effect the speed recorded, most all of which are in the shooter, the bow and the arrow, fletching and tuning.
Bowmakers who advertise that their bow will shoot at some speed are tabulating results with a good shooter( or maybe even a shooting machine)..using a specific arrow which is optimal for the results they want etc.
Like looking at a particular load in the reloading manual and then not having the same load work the same from your rifle.
YMMV.

My best bows are pretty slow..:)
about 200 FPS ..and the draw weight is 75-77#@30".

But then, the arrows are 740 grain tapered birch, 30 " to back of point, with 5.5" helical 3 fletch and the bows are longbows or recurves and I shoot three fingers with a tab..:)

Speed kills they say.......
but it's terminal energy and cutting UPON IMPACT( and a good hit of course ) that REALLY kills..:)Jim

Per my Bowtech owner's manual, IBO speeds are based on a 30" draw length at 70 lbs. and a 350 grain arrow. It's a best case scenario. It also doesn't include gizmos and gadgets on the bow. Per the manual, a brass nock costs 2-4 fps, peep sight 3-6, string silencers, 2-6, rubber peep tube 6-10, string loop 1-3. Every added 3 grains of arrow weight subtracts approximately 1 fps.

You also are going to lose about 10 fps for every inch that draw length is shortened. Dropping the poundage 10 pounds may cost 20 fps.

Advertised IBO for my Allegiance with smooth mods is 318-325. (The birth certificate that came with mine, set at 29" draw length said 311 IBO) But, I now am set at 28.5" pulling 64 lbs. and using 375 grain arrows. With a brass nock and peep sight, I was getting 282 fps. I have since added a peep tube but have not shot it over a chronograph. That's plenty fast enough for my purposes, so I'm not griping.

The IBO rating stated from most manufacturers is 70# bow, 30" Draw length, 5 grains per pound(350 grain arrow). Nothing on the string (peeps, nocks, loops etc.) In most cases a bow set to the IBO specs stated will shoot as advertised. Now for the real world - the average bow looses 10 fps per inch of draw length below 30", and 1 fps per 4-5 grains of arrow or string weight (peeps, loops etc.). My bow for example is a Hoyt Ultratec, IBO Rated at 308. I shoot 60#/29" Draw and 400 Gr Arrows with a string loop and peep. -10 for Draw length, -20 for Arrow weight - 5 for peep and loop = 273 fps (exactly what my chornograph says). And that's why your average 310 fps bow really shoots 280.

Killed so many with my old bow at 190fps, I wouldn't sweat the details...

Rost..:)
Never had ANY critter 'jump the string' either..:) Jim

Had more than one do that, also had a couple of fellows hunting that had the newest and bestest equipment... high speed, still had ducking deer.

I pretty much learned how to read the animal, and know not to take shots beyond 16-17 yards... all worked out fine...

Jeff

I pretty much learned how to read the animal..
quote.
Yep..don't arrow them when they are alerted, specially the ones under 10 yards.
They don't jump the string noise..but they will spook at movement of an identified predator..At close range, IF they see your eyes, they can I think read your intent..:)

I've killed elk and deer as far out as 80 yards with a stickbow, but usually it was 40 yards and in.
Not hunted out of a treestand since the late 50's on the Potomac river bottoms..:) Jim

Interestingly here, if they are 10 yards or less and look up before I release, I will anyway, have never seen one quick enough to duck that one very far.... but of course YMMV when talking different animals, different states, different situations.

I often squint hard or totally close my eyes if they look my way and I totally avoid staring hard at them, especially the head, until right before the shot when I have to concentrate for a few seconds.

Jeff

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Helps to absolutely empty the mind and heart of all malice and intent to EAT also...but that gets a bit heavy for some to consider.

To purposely focus and deliver a killing blow ... without intent to harm/hurt which is sensed by almost all critters...( tho the death is as certain) is something only a long time farmer & husbandman of livestock for food & butchering .. or a few hunters ....will ever learn learn..
Critters can sense your intent...just like a stupid man can 'sense' the intent of a stranger on the street..or in a crowd..or NOT..and know when he is viewed as prey....Jim

you know its funny, if you think sausage and steaks and stare at a deer very long doing that, and are close, they generally get spooky and leave the area.... learned that the hard way... now I try to think of non hunting stuff while out... but its hard basically, I'm always dreaming of a good one stepping out... doesnt' help probably.

Jeff

mine is shooting over advertised IBO speed.

Helps to absolutely empty the mind and heart of all malice and intent to EAT = okay if you actually could do this you would empty your mind of the ability to Inflict a fatal wound. Most human beings have the limited ability to read or judge the mood or attitude of another human based on the actions or expressions.
(if you think sausage and steaks and stare at a deer very long doing that, and are close, they generally get spooky and leave the area.) aaa even you if are not in the woods most deer will generally leave the area they are in at some time. If they diden t they would eventually fall over and starve to death. Where do you guys come up with this zen meditation hog wash?

Well maybe you ought to try it out. Ain't no doubt if you stare hard at them they'll pick up the vibes most times.. course I've only got about 31 years of bowhunting and over 100 kills with a bow under my belt...

I think it's a Traditional Thing. - I'm always thinking range, pick a spot - now, how do I get this bugger out of here.

Killahog, Apparently this part of my post below, from near 60 years of experience, was lost on you...:)
Nothing to do with zen or hogwash...just my own experience...:)Jim
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"To purposely focus and deliver a killing blow ... without intent to harm/hurt which is sensed by almost all critters...( tho the death is as certain) is something only a long time farmer & husbandman of livestock for food & butchering .. or a few hunters ....will ever learn learn..
Critters can sense your intent...just like a stupid man can 'sense' the intent of a stranger on the street..or in a crowd..or NOT..and know when he is viewed as prey....Jim "

My advertized IBO for the Mathews Black Max is 330 fps, which they must have been using a 5.0 gpi arrow for. I use an Arrow Dynamics Nitro Stinger 8.9 gpi with a 100 gr G5 Striker BH and am shooting 269 fps @ 70# dr wt with 28" dl