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

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.