Broadhead grains?

[earlsnuff]

#3513

I was just curious if there is an advantage to using a heavier grain broadhead of if it is all personal preference? Right now i shoot 125 grain but in the traditional bowhunter magazines i notice other people are using a heavier broadhead. Does that create more penetration through your animal or more “power” behind your arrow? and will it make a big difference in your arrow flight as far as it dropping if i move up to 150 or higher?

[Troy Breeding]

#20812

Changing point/broadhead weight will change the dynamic spine of the shaft. May not be enough to cause major problems, but it could be enough to totally change the way an arrow shoots. Alot depends on how much you add and how well you have your arrows tuned.

The good to all this is if you retune to the new point/broadhead weight it will help in penetration.

Troy

[David Petersen]

#20881

Hi Earl, welcome to tradbow.com. Troy is right about point weight requiring more spine. Wood has the least range and carbon the most. But the advantages are many: More penetration for sure, as Troy says, but also more accurate flight. You should check out the Ashby Library here on the site and get self-educated. It’s a whole new world of arrow knowledge. I hunt elk mostly and have gone in recent years from 550 grains with 125 points to 691 grains with 450 of that up front: point, insert and adapter. It’s a thing called “front of center balance,” or FOC. You’ll hear lots of discussion about it here. Lighter arrows and lesser heads work when all is good. Heavier arrows with heavier points of the right variety still work even when the hit is bad, like a shoulder. Check it out. It’s fun and the motivation is to reduce wounding loss, which of course means increasing hunter success/recovery rate. Dave

[Br549]

#21205

Hello Earl, I had an arrow question the other day, and these guy’s gave me some great information. I also read Dr Ashby’s report on this, and learned a lot. If you have not read it yet, take a look at it. I believe between Dave and the other fellas on here and reading these reports you can get the answer to just about any question you might have. I know that I will be paying more attention to FOC, and shooting heavier heads from now on. Chris

[Troy Breeding]

#21302

David,
Thanks for filling in my gaps.

Troy

[earlsnuff]

#21504

Yea I shoot goldtip 5575 traditional wood grain arrows which are carbon so what would you guys recommend for the.grain I move up to? I’m mostly hunting deer turkey and bear 3 days of the year hear in PA.

[Troy Breeding]

#21604

Earlsnuff,

Trying to tell you what weight to shoot would be lke telling you what brand fuel to use in your auto.

First question, have you already cut your shafts? If not great.

You have to start with whatever given weight you would like to try, then work from that.

If your looking for efoc arrows then start with something in the mid range, say 150. If bareshafting shows a stiff shaft then go up in point weight. Keep upping the point weight until you have either found correct flight or have passed your desired broadhead weight enough to switch from aluninium inserts to one of the brass inserts.

Read Dr. Ed Ashbys reports and you will understand everything alot better.

Troy

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