Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: possum on September 01, 2007, 10:06:59 pm

Title: distance to max efficiency
Post by: possum on September 01, 2007, 10:06:59 pm
I've been thinking... scary, I know. ::)  But I was just wondering at what point does an arrow reach it's max efficency as far as penetration?  I was thinking it would have to be around the point the arrow fully recovers from paradox.  Am I correct?  But if it takes 10 yards or so to do that has the arrow lost enough velocity for the arrow not have the momentum (or whatever the correct terminology would be) that it would have at say 5 yards but still in paradox?

I know I'm splitting hairs but it's just something I've been pondering while cleaning out a room to make arrows in. :D

possum
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: 1/2primitive on September 01, 2007, 10:57:44 pm
No idea, too far above my head. I just take a stick and put a string on it, if it shoots, hurray for me, lol.  ;D
     Sean
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: possum on September 02, 2007, 12:20:10 am
When it actually comes to shooting accurately I'm just tickled pink when it hits where I want.  But I'm always looking toward what CAN be done.  And how to do it best.  I'm not good yet but I'm getting better.  If you reach for the stars you may not get one but you won't get a handful of mud either. ;)

possum
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: Pat B on September 02, 2007, 12:43:54 am
Possum, Have you read the report by Dr Ashley about arrow penetration? He may have the answers you are looking for about max potential of the arrow. You can read the report on TradGang.
    20 yards is about all I can concentrate on anyway. ;D
 I would guess a lot would have to do with arrow weight, draw weight, angle of flight and probably other things. ??? I personally find that if I think about it too much, I screw up. ;D  Thats where lots of practice helps. ;)   Pat
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: Justin Snyder on September 02, 2007, 01:11:08 am
Arrow maximum efficiency is far less concern to me than maximum archer efficiency.  I will always be the weak link I think. The arrow will penitrate sufficiently to way beyond my range.  :'( Justin
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: MattE on September 02, 2007, 06:40:02 pm
I have read that an arrow has more penetration after it recovers from flexing. This would be at least 3 yards and probably more down range.
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: DanaM on September 03, 2007, 07:31:10 am
I'm with Justin on this one.
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: possum on September 03, 2007, 08:19:34 am
The main reason I ask is due to a shot I made on a squirrel once.  It was about 7 feet away.  Bow was @45#.  The arrow never went completely through the squirrel but the squirrel did go about 10 feet from where it was perched.  I was kinda bummed because I couldn't get complete penetration on a squirrel.  But after thinking yesterday I surmised that maybe the force was absorbed when the squirrel move WITH the arrow in the same direction.  Had the squirrel weighed enough (like a deer) the the arrow would have gone through.  Am I thinking correctly?  I really want to get the best efficiency with this bow.

possum
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: DanaM on September 03, 2007, 09:12:54 am
That sounds like the case. The squirrel didn't have enough mass to resist the impact and therefore went for a ride
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: jamie on September 03, 2007, 09:39:08 pm
every penetration test ive done has shown better penetration at a distance within 2 yrds and greater than 35. penetration was actually better at the longer distances . also when shooting downhill such as from a treestand or platform penetration was better than when shooting from the ground. this was all done with heavy shafts with a grain weight of 10 grains per pound or more. i use 11 -12 grains per pound for all my shooting. extremely close range tests have shown lighter shafts to be better for me. those were 8-9grains. by close i mean within 5 yrds. most of the penetration tests were done with a piece of rawhide from a moose hide from the shoulder and hump. very tough stuff. also point style effects penetration. the longer it is the better. on another note most of the bows we shoot are more than adequit to kill a deer sized animal at 20 yards so none of the above matters. i shot onew with a stone tooled bow. one of my first. it was 45lbs. the shot came from the hip with a 600 grain stone tipped arrow. deer was within 10 yrds. poked through the other side and the deer was down in 20 yards. i watched it die . it was so close i could see the life leaving it. later tested the bow weight at the same draw length. it was 35 or 38lbs with the snap shot i used. that was with that 600 grain arrow.

small game does travel with the arrow . i like to use shock rather than a lot of penetration for small game.
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: armymedic.2 on September 04, 2007, 10:42:52 am
i used to hunt deer wioth a 60 lb recurve, that tossed a lot of power.  i got pass throughs or poke thrus almost every time.  here is the kicker.--- i shot a bedded buck once while stalking.  i know bad idea to begin with, it got worse because he was about 25 yards, and sprang from his bed as the string sounded.  what ended up hapening was it was a low hit, and the arrow only penetrated about 4 inches.  the only thing i could think was that because the arrow hit him as he was rising from his bed, his upward motion negated much of the force of the arrows forward momentum.    lesson learned.
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: Justin Snyder on September 04, 2007, 12:30:03 pm
Jamie, have you ever tested tapered shafts?  Justin
Title: Re: distance to max efficiency
Post by: jamie on September 04, 2007, 12:33:09 pm
if my shafts arent footed they are tapered.aside from flight i see no difference with the taper. the point design and shaft weight make the most difference. again at 20 yards none of it seems to matter when hunting. they still kill.