Bow Speed?

[Fatty07]

I just bought a ultra tec Hoyt 1.5 cam. I love it. I'm new to bowhunting and shooting. I bought a parker last year and fell in love with bowhunting, upgraded before the second week of the season this year and love my new Hoyt. Have shot two deer with it and got pass through's on both shots, but am wondering why the speed of my bow is so much slower than my buddy's? The speed of my bow is around 245fps. Buddy's switchback is at 265fps. I pull 64# and he pulls 63#. His draws is an inch or two longer. Do arrows make that big of a difference? He shoots eastan Axis, I shoot a cheaper carbon arrow. Just wondering if I switch arrows would I have a faster bow? Does it matter? Would hate to miss a big buck because I am using cheaper arrows.

Are arrow rest are the same.

[Polar Bear]

Fatty, You just opened a can of worms.

A complete pass through is all you can ask for. The extra 20 fps is just wasted energy. Forget about it.

[Fatty07]

Thanks,

Just seems to me that I should get a little better production out of the bow. How fast does a good set up go? May sound like a dumb question, but I know about as much about bows as i do women.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Fat- You hit the nail on the head when you said your buddies draw lenght was an inch or 2 longer. The longer the draw length, the morepower storke the bow has. Hence the more speed. I too shoot a Ultra Tec.. however I have a 31.5" draw length(quite long arms) I only pull 57 lbs and have 291 FPS.

Arrow weight has a lot to do with it as well.. Not the cost of them. With a lighter arrow you will get faster arrow flight, however, you may loose penitration. A heavy arrow will get through a deer easier.

IF you have shot 2 deer and got complete pass throughs... If it aint broke dont fix it!

[Fatty07]

Thanks again guys. Well I'm not gonna change anything. Have a hard time beleiving we shoot the same bow and you get that much more speed. Dietz what kind of drop do you have from 20-30yrds? I have a 5 inch drop. Just curious if i got better speed if that would improve. I am comfortable with the drop, since only one of my stands will even allow a 30yrd shot.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'll try and measure tomorrow.. I dont know off hand... I can only guess it should be less... But 5" sounds about right..

[Whelen35]

Ah speed... we get the itch with guns, and now with bows. I would take a "slow" bow that is quiet over a fast bow that makes more noise anyday. With the speed a bow is capable of producing, mark out your area with some kind of system and just go hunting. 20fps is not going to make a differance.

[Royce Aardahl]

I prefer a fast quiet bow.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

The speed of your arrow is really one of the last concerns you should have with your setup. If your arrow is is flying straight and you can put it where you want it, you really don't have to worry too much. Getting consistent pass-throughs has more to do with kinetic energy (assuming that shot placement is not an issue) which takes into account the weight of the arrow, and the broadhead- among other things. You could get pretty friggin mathematical if you wanted to, but if deer are dying from the arrows you're flinging, you're in pretty good shape

It doesn't matter how fast your bow is, an alert deer can duck under an arrow from about 25+ yards. A quiet bow will make this less likely to happen, but its still possible.

[Fatty07]

Thanks guys,

Just would like to get full potential out of my bow. After what they cost these days I didn't think that was asking to much. However, your'll right. A pass through is all I need, and I am 2 for 2 with this bow. However a faster arrow would have to help with accuracy, I am a rookie and suck at guessing yardage so I thought if my bow was around 270fps I wouldn't have to worry so much..

Any way a slug hunter got the big one I was chasing last weekend so I doubt I will hunt to much more this year. I have to fishish the ice house and chase those river eyes.

Thanks all

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

Bummer about that big boy. I don't gun hunt and I've got nothing wrong with the sport, but it's always frustrating when you get a buck's patterns down and then he gets blasted by someone who probably happened upon him by chance. That's bowhunting though.

A faster arrow will help with accuracy to a point. It will give you a flatter trajectory (sp?) which will make long shots more consistent. If you go too light though, you run the risk of losing kinetic energy, and possibly even getting your arrow moved around by a strong wind. It's kind of a fine line to walk. Personally, I shoot a heavier shaft (Beman ICS hunter) at only about 230-240, but I've still had some incredible pass throughs. I've been shooting the same setup for about 6 years now, but I was amazed at how deep into the ground I buried the first arrow I stuck through a deer with it. I had another shot that hit just behind the near shoulder of a little 6 pt pass completely through the far shoulder blade, shattering it. He didn't make it too far with 2 blown out lungs and a broken shoulder That probably had more to do with the broadhead though, another subject completely...

All you can do is experiment though, which is one of the things that makes our sport enjoyable- there's always something else to try

[CrappieJohn]

You can speed up a heavier arrow somewhat by toying with the fletching. I managed to get about 20 fps out of my arrows by going to a 4 fletch using 2 1/2" plastic fletches.I do agree with the general concensus of not going to the lighter arrow. You'll have a lot more foregiveness with the heavier arrow and the energy is a real issue.

I'd recommend settling for a quality arrow with some weight to it and do some tweeking here and there to get as much speed out them and call it a happy combination.

[ghotierman]

Crappie Tom...did you consider doing the four fletch with the same size feathers? Would run a bit light than the vanes and maybe gain another foot or too.

Speed is an interesting issue. Your set-up (i.e. drawlength, draw weight) might not be capable of producing the IBO speed rating for the bow. The Martin Archery HSOforum has some useful info on kinetic energy and penetration. My son and I just did a science fair project on the topic...varied the wieght of the target points and measured the k/e and penetration. Weight is good..as stated above, gives the most punch, so to speak. According to the Martin site, an increase or decrease of 100 grains in arrow weight results in only a 5% change in k/e.

Accuracy and shot placement are more vital to the vitals.

[CrappieJohn]

ghot....

I can get the feather fletchings down to two inch but the vanes offered up speed in fletching. I needed to get this figured out in a very timely fashion so hunting would not be an issue while still trying to get things on an even keel. Next spring I will be ordering some new un-fletched shafts and plan to do a summer of investigation, including some of the short feathers. Feathers tend to be more forgiving, but how much surface area can be reduced before it becomes a negative influence on an arrow is something to check out and, yes, the testing will be done with broadheads and dulled blades so hunting flight issues will be addressed.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

In general, feathers will fly faster than vanes, but they're just more of a hassle. I've heard of some guys that will stagger their feathers/vanes along the shaft so that they give roughly the same stability as a longer fletch/vane. I've never tried it, but it kinda makes sense.