Grains per pound preferences...

[Ifrit617]

Hey everyone,

I have a couple quick questions about arrow weight in regard to bow safety... I know that a benchmark of many folks is 10 grains per pound... I have a few arrows that I shoot out a 40 pound self bow that are about 8 grains per pound... Is this bad for the bow? Should I be shooting heavier arrows? What are your personal preferences?

Jon

[Pat B]

Jon, the 10gpp rule is primarily for a hunting set up. It relates more to penetration than anything else. 8gpp should be no problem for a target bow set up and even somewhat lighter should be OK.   A few problems you will see with lighter arrows is more noticable hand shock and a noisier bow when shot. If the arrow doesn't utilize the energy of the bow you will feel it and hear it through the bow.

[carpentertimw]

it probably won't hurt it, but it might be quieter with heavier arrows. that said i don't know how heavy mine are, but they do seem to be heavy enough to keep it quiet. 

[Ifrit617]

Okay Pat thanks for the info... The string silencers I have on the bow seem to soak up any shock and noise.. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't hurting the bow... Thanks

Jon

[JW_Halverson]

I've shot everything from 425 grain target arrows to 725 grain stump busters from my 50 lb sinew backed osage bow.  The light arrows were my mindless pursuit of more arrow speed at any cost.  The costs included bad form, loose fillings in my teeth, uncontrolled bladder, and a bad flinch due to the handshock. 

On the other hand, the 725 grain arrows weren't really all that terribly much slower and I got incredible groups (they are also 30" long compared to the 26" 425's).  But then this bow is built for heavy hunting arrows, some designs like the pyramid bow seem to really shine with light arrows due to less mass at the tips. 

Good shooting!

[crooketarrow]

  PAT said it all. I have'nt weighed arrow in 15 years. If they fly good out of the bow I'm shooting at the time. I use it.

[killir duck]

the arrows i made the other day are right at 12.42 grains per lb of draw weight  and thay hit like a fright train

[PEARL DRUMS]

I wouldnt sweat that weight with a 40# bow. Add 15-20# to that and light arrows stink it up in my opinion, for all the reasons above. It seems all my boo, poplar, spruce, POC and pine shafts fall into the 500-550 grain range. My bows are all 48-52#'s for the most part.

[Fred Arnold]

Always weigh my arrows trying to match them as close as possible for whatever bow they are made for. All of my bows now range 50-56# at my draw weight and the arrows range between 9.6 - 12 gpp. I like the heavier arrows and don't concern myself with the speed. If I decided to try flight or 3D shooting I'm sure my preferences would change.

[Pappy]

I try and have my arrows between 500 and 550 out of around 50lb bow which is what I shoot most of the time,any lighter I don't get the penetration I want any more and the trajectory suffers,seems to be a happy medium for me. I guess to answer your question I don't think 8 or so will hurt the bow but 10 seems about right ,at least for me. 
   Pappy

[Scowler]

My arrows seem to run around 10-10.62 grains per pound.  Didn't plan it that way, that is just how they have worked out.