Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting Opinions on arrow weight vs speed for recurve

This question is directed at Trad hunters who have experience hunting Whitetail with a recurve and shots of not much more than 20 yards or so. Which one would you use?

My Red Wing Hunter likes two arrows that shoot equally well. It's 45# but I draw 27 so probably a couple pounds less.

Black Eagle Vintage 600 spine at 11 gpp and total weight of 477g and a speed of 170 fps with a 150 grain point.
Back Eagle Vintage 500 spine at 12.8 gpp and total weight of 544 grains but only 160 fps with a 200 grain point.
Both have similar forward of center (FOC) weight. Both are 28 inches. The heavier arrow may be a little quieter but I can't really tell much difference.

Given that they both shoot equally accurate when I do my part, which would you recommend for deer? Given the low velocity of these arrows, how much should I worry about string jumping, etc. Please keep in mind I'm talking 20 yards or less....Thanks

in the old days and now days for my son we both have used aluminum 2219 arrows and the broadhead was a Zwickey Delta or Eskimo that must be hand sharpened , there is no real speed with a recurve so arrow weight is more consistent accuracy and arrow penetration . good luck, Pete53

I'd go with the 477 just because of draw weight. But wouldn't worry about using either.

I'd lean towards more weight.
Penetration being the biggest need for a recurve.

For all of my bows I try to get my arrows in the 10 grains per pound of actual draw weight. After 30 years of doing this, it is what I have settled on. Nothing new, as when I started I was told 8-12gr/lb was a good range.

So I would go with the 477gr arrow, put it in the right spot and notch your tag.

Jumping the string can be an issue no matter what arrow you pick.

The lower the bow's poundage, the higher the grains per pound of arrow should be. Penetration.

Quiet should be the biggest goal. Not speed.

yep

I was amazed how many pass throughs I would get shooting a 50 lb long bow with heavy arrows. It shot so quiet I sometimes would get a second shot and animals would hardly react to being hit

I do all my bowhunting with a #51 longbow. Heavy arrows = momentum and penetration. I've always shot a 2 blade broadhead. Formerly Zwickeys, but now Grizzly single bevel heads. To answer your question, shoot the heavier arrow, especially since you're trying to shoot at longer distances.

In the 'old days', a good rule of thumb was to shoot 9 - 10 grains of arrow weight per pound of draw weight which should be just as good of advice today. Either will work fine for you but I personally would lean towards 477 grain arrow...

I shot super heavy arrows for years and now days I’m coming down in arrow weight. I’m liking a little flatter trajectories these days so would probably shoot the 477 we’re I in your shoes. Nothing wrong with the heavier ones though…

My experience is similar - used to shoot Ash shafts that made a 600+ grain arrow out of a mid-50's draw weight longbow. They zip right through a deer and keep on going, but a little lighter arrow is easier for me to shoot at varying distances due to the noticeably flatter trajectory, even at 20 yards. I currently shoot longbows in the 50-55 lb range with arrows either side of 500 grains and really like that combination.

FOC has certainly helped with penetration.

I have shot heavy ash and hickory shafts also, but have moved away from them. IMO the combination of high FOC and skinny carbon shafts has increased penetration also. So much so, that I switched to three blade heads because my two blades were zipping right through deer so fast I could not really believe it. Now my three blades are zipping right through, unless I hit something hard on the offside.

As far as bow noise, a heavier arrow certainly helps. So does a properly tuned bow, properly tuned arrow, and properly constructed string.

Agreed - lately, I've been shooting more carbons with heavier point weight for higher FOC. I still shoot wood shafts but not as much. I currently have 3 blade VPA's mounted on my hunting arrows, but haven't killed anything with them yet.

You will really like the VPA's. They are expensive, but he!! for stout. I have one that has been through a couple of turkeys and half a dozen deer.

I got tired of throw away broadheads after you kill something. Bent/chipped blades and ferrules.

I forgot to mention that my hunting bows are in the 50-55 pound range at my 29.5 inch draw.

A couple more things about noise. Solid broadheads and smaller fletching also reduce arrow noise. Vented broadheads tend to whistle and most of us have heard the noise big fletching makes. Think flu flu arrows.

My theory on arrow noise is this. When a fly buzzes your ear, or you catch something flying towards you out of the corner of your eye. What is your reaction? You have an immediate instinctive reaction. Just like deer "jumping" the string.

480 to 540gr.
FOC around 20%
Carbons w 4" parabolic.
COC heads.

Across 4 diff bows. Worked fine.

Since my new bow is a little less draw weight, may need to tweak. New limbs have more preload than old and are FF rated so might not need much.

And I get bullet holes in papertune.
Gotta have great tune/ arrow flight.
Seen too many w trad running crappy setups.


Like trad is an excuse for bad tune or shooting.

Nope.

+1
Or form

I am in the heavy arrow camp. 51# black widow recurve. I think my arrows are in the 550 grain range.

I tended to shoot heavy arrows because I draw 32 and needed more spine weight. I think the most important though is the arrows need to be tuned well. I shot aluminum. many switched to carbon for traditional because they recover quickly after release.
When I first started bowhunting. I just bought some arrows. Didn't know about tuning and arrow flight. I could put the broadhead in a deers ribs but the arrow was not straight on impact. got very little penetration and lost deer. Gave up for years Decided to get back into it and did a lot of reading and research. The right arrow spine and tuned arrow that recovers quickly and flys true will penetrate well. with a sharp broadhead. The last ones I killed zipped right through the deer.

I gotta make a Kydex offset to get hood up higher
But this 46# rig will be pushing around 530gr arrows.

With stickbows I favor momentum (weight) not Kinetic Energy (speed)

weight and sharp broadhead over speed every day at 15-20 yards

Both will work. I would favor the one I could set up best for "aiming."

I like to use the top of my strike plate as the elevation reference point for the distance I tune my bow. Variables used for tuning: arrow weight, release ( 3-under or split), nock position, strike plate height ( and thickness), point/broadhead weight, arrow length, and brace length/height ( fine tuning "weak-strong")..

To tune my bow for 20 yards, I shoot with a "3 under" release. I like to position my nock about 3/4" + /- above perpendicular, to aid "aiming.". I do this to coordinate the arrow's point of impact (POI) at the range I desire, let's say "20" yards, with the top.of the strike plate to be the "elevation" setting for a POI at "20" yards or whatever distance you wish) .. You can use a taller or shorter strike plate to do this ("taller" lowers POI, "shorter" raises POI) as well as raising the rear nock ( to lower the POI). You can also use a heavier arrow to lower the POI, along with using a 3-under release ( split finger raises POI... a LOT).. Put all these variables together, and you can easily tune your bow to be dead on at the desired distance ; ie, 15, 17, 20 yards. It works well for me (and for 3-d competion).

Use the arrow which fits your POI needs at the distance you are setting up/tuning your bow. Both are "heavy enough" ( >9 gpp for ~"standard").

PS. I have a Red Wing Hunter too. GREAT bow. Mine is a Head Ski era mfg (1967), 41# @28" . I draw about 29.5" , so at 2.5#/in increase, I am holding 43-44#....pretty much the same as your 45#@28" RWH at 27" draw. I use Easton xx75 aluminum full length 2016 Tribute shafts with 175 grain points or Zwickey screw-in "No Mercy" broad heads. I used the heavier 2016 arrow (instead of a 1916 shaft) to lower POI. I needed to use a heavier point to adjust "weak - strong" POI ("left/right") due to the heavier stiffer arrow. I have never cut / shortened an arrow ( makes them stiffer, and shoot left, or "strong" for a right handed shooter.). I adjust weak/strong (L/R) with either point weight, or filing/sanding the bow's strike plate wall area more past center (or first use the thinnest leather I can find as a strike plate , to move POI to the right, before sanding). Fine tune weak/strong with brace height if needed (shorter brace height moves POI left. Longer brace height moves POI to right...slightly , for a right handed bow).

Good luck.

Look up Ranch Fairy on YouTube. Weight IMO all day

I am a very poor archer, and so I have to get close to kill anything with a bow. I have only killed 7 deer, 1 elk and 1 antelope with arrows so I am not an expert as compared to many others.

But, I shoot a 65 pound Tim Megg longbow and the arrows I have had the very best results with are "slow" at only about 170 FPS but I made them of compressed cedar and 190 grain Grizzly broadheads with 4 fletch turkey feathers. They weigh in right at around 1000 grains and they will exit an elk (as I have proven) even when cutting off a rib.

Because for me, a 25 yard shot is a long one, more speed doesn't help me at all.
But heavy arrows with a large heavy 2 blade blade broadhead is the perfect tool.

Heavier and even more important on whitetail, QUIET wins the contest. Deer can move a long way before the arrow arrives.

This. For any archery set up, I favor a heavy arrow. Especially when taking the shorter shots and low pounds. My recurves are 55-65# and arrows are right at 550-600 grains. My compound is 70# and those arrows are 550 grains as well. I don't care how fast they go even with the compound. I shoot fixed blades and 150-175 grains up front depending on the arrow I'm using. The last archery buck I killed with my recurve was at about 30 yards and quartering away. Arrow went in just in front of the hip and went all they way to off shoulder. Deer dropped within 30 yards. I was using a fixed two blade head with a 1.5" cutting width.

I'd go with the 477gr as long as its tuned and relatively quiet. I prefer paracord for silencers but whatever you prefer. IMO there's such a thing as too much weight, find the happy medium.