Heavy hunting arrows have been flowing in and out of popularity for some time. They experienced a resurgence a few years ago, but now it seems as though the pendulum has swung towards lightweight arrows. That means the time is nearing for heavy arrows to return to the forefront.
Heavier arrows are sought after for their ability to carry momentum over distance and to punch through the hide and bone of big game animals. Increased weight also allows an arrow to resist wind drift, while a higher FOC (front of center) percentage can help stabilize your arrow during flight.
While the increased weight lowers launch speed and often requires a stiffer arrow spine, their ability to generate and hold kinetic energy and momentum means they bring serious stopping power to your hunting system.
Whether you want a heavier arrow overall, or you just want to increase your FOC, there are multiple ways to go about achieving your desired weight increase.
How It's Done
Many hunting arrows have a grains per inch (GPI) rating of between 7 and 9. This can vary from spine to spine, and from model to model, but many common hunting arrows fall somewhere close to this range. GPI represents the weight of one inch of your arrow shaft (grains per inch). So, a 28" shaft that has a GPI of 8 would weigh 224 grains as a bare shaft. 28 x 8 = 224.
There exist arrows available on the market that start to creep above and beyond 10GPI. This is where heavy arrow builds really begin to appear. Easton's 5mm FMJ arrows in the 300 spine size weigh 12 grains per inch - that's 360 grains for a 30" arrow before any components are added. Once you add the necessary components, you can easily get an arrow build that weighs more than 500 grains.
Though the 12GPI of that FMJ might be attractive for those looking to build out a heavy arrow, do not go to a higher spine than what the manufacturer recommends without taking the proper dynamic spine rating into account for your draw length. If your setup and arrow length calls for a 340 or 400 spine arrow, don't jump to 300 spine just for the weight increase. Following the manufacturer recommendation will give you optimal performance.
Once you choose your arrow shaft, the next step in the heavy arrow building process would be to choose the ideal insert for what you want to achieve. Many arrow shaft and fletched arrow products come standard with low-weight aluminum inserts.
As an example, many of Gold Tip's standard diameter arrows come stock with their Accu-lite aluminum insert that weights just 11.4 grains. You can easily swap this out for Gold Tip's 50 grain aluminum or 100 grain brass insert options.
This one simple step can increase your overall weight by 88.6 grains.
Another option for increased insert weight is to utilize the threaded insert weights that many brands offer for their inserts. Black Eagle's Spartan arrows include 28 grain steel inserts that are strong and solid for handling heavy impacts.
If you want to keep using those stock inserts, Black Eagle offers brass insert weights that screw into the back of the Spartan inserts. These are available in 30-grain and 75-grain versions, meaning you can take your insert weight from 28 grains to 103 grains with just a quick twist.
Many brands offer insert weights for many of their inserts in a wide range of weight options. Most are also stackable, so you can truly dial in your weight preference. Check out our insert weight collection here to view them all.
The final piece of the front of your arrow build is going to be your broadhead. The most common broadhead weight is 100 grains, but you can get some that go all the way up to 300 grains. For starters, consider trying out a 125-grain or 150-grain broadhead with your setup. Choosing these weights will expand your broadhead choice field without affecting your FOC or spine too drastically.
In many cases, heavy arrows builds are going to utilize fixed blade broadheads. They are available in a much higher variety of heavy weights, and their specialization in punching through bone and hide makes them the perfect companion for your heavy arrow build. The Magnus Single Bevel is a popular example of a solid fixed blade, and they are available in 125- and 150-grain versions.
Increasing the weight at the front of your arrow through heavy inserts, insert weights, and broadheads is going to increase your arrow's FOC percentage. FOC stands for Front of Center, as I stated earlier, and it refers to the percentage from center that your arrow balances.
If you balance your arrow on your finger and the balance point is 20% closer to the front end from the center of the arrow, that means your FOC is 20%. Hunting arrow setups generally fall somewhere between 10% and 20% with the average sitting around 13% and heavy-hitters sitting closer to 20%.
A higher FOC can help stabilize your arrow in flight while that increased weight helps your shots to punch through hide, bone, and muscle and carry through your target.
On the topic of FOC, it is important to remember that increasing FOC will change your arrow's dynamic spine. Just like how cutting an arrow shorter increases its stiffness, adding more weight is the equivalent of making an arrow longer. Its spine rating will weaken with each extra grain added to the front.
This means that, as you increase FOC on your heavy arrow build, you will eventually need to spine up to compensate for the weaker inherent spine of your arrow. Manufacturer spine charts will generally give recommendations based on their stock inserts and 100-grain points.
So, if you shoot the 100-grain Gold Tip brass insert with a 150-grain broadhead, you will most likely need to shoot a stiffer spine. Also remember that shooting a stiffer spine increases your arrow's GPI in most cases, allowing for an even heavier setup.
Be careful not to shoot an arrow with a high GPI and low front-end weight. This will result in a low FOC that can affect flight and accuracy. Without the proper FOC to drive and guide your arrow, your performance will suffer.
The Math
Using an arrow performance simulation, I have gathered flight data on two different, standard diameter arrows. One is a common 450-grain hunting arrow, and the other is a 600-grain arrow that most would deem to be a 'heavy' arrow setup.
I graphed data points for the following: Speed over distance, kinetic energy over distance, momentum over distance, and drop over distance. As a reminder, these are simulated, control-based simulations. Your real-world examples may differ based on numerous factors.
These numbers were gathered with the following bow specifications: 340FPS IBO rating, a 30-inch draw length, and a 70lb draw weight.
These are all rather straightforward. How much speed does the arrow lose over distance? What is the arrow's kinetic energy loss over distance? How well does the arrow maintain momentum over distance? How much elevation is lost over distance?
The first three graphs are plotted from 0 to 60 yards, with plot points at each 20-yard increment. The drop graph stretches to 80 yards to better showcase the difference in flight over distance.
As you can see in the Speed Over Distance graph, the lighter arrows launches from the bow at a considerably higher speed: 302FPS vs 272FPS. As the arrow travels over distance, though, you will see that the 600-grain arrow maintains it's speed better when compared to the lighter arrow.
At the 60-yard point, the lighter arrow lost 66FPS - 22% of its launch speed. At the same point, the heavier arrow lost 48FPS, 17.5% of its launch speed. Whether the ability to maintain speed is a good tradeoff for lower launch speed is up to you and your application.
Wait to make that decision until after you read through the rest of the data.
The second graph showcases how well each arrow maintains its kinetic energy. At launch, the arrows left the bow with 91 and 99 ft-lbs of energy, respectively. At the 60-yard point, the lighter arrow lost 35 ft-lbs of energy, 39% of it's launch energy. At the same 60-yard point, the heavier arrow lost 32 ft-lbs of energy, 32% of its launch energy.
Between these first two graphs, you are seeing a pattern. The 600-grain arrow holds up better over distance when compared to the 450-grain arrow.
The momentum graph is where the pattern becomes interesting. The 450-grain arrow measured a momentum of 0.6 slug-ft/second at launch. The 600-grain arrow measured at 0.73 slug-ft/second. At the 40-yard mark, the lighter arrow had lost 10% of its momentum. At the same point, the heavier arrow had lost 15%.
That might seem like a win for the lighter arrow, but things start to change between 40 yards and 60 yards. In that 20-yard span, the lighter arrow loses 13% of its total momentum. In that span, the heavier arrow loses just less than 5% of its momentum.
A quick look at the graph and you will see the steep drop off for the 450-grain arrow, where the 600-grain arrow loses momentum at a much less drastic rate. The heavier arrow begins to hold its own much better as the distances stretch.
The fourth and final graph shows what we all know to be true - the heavier arrow is going to lose elevation faster than the lighter arrow. Well, that is not actually true. The heavier arrow is going to lose elevation at exactly the same speed as the lighter arrow, but since it leaves the bow at a slower speed, gravity has more time to take hold. Where the heavier arrow wins for stopping power at distance, the lighter arrow wins with a flatter trajectory.
One final note here is that, while it is not a graphed data point I could record in the simulation, the heavier arrow is going to most likely fly straighter than its lighter compatriot. The heavier weight is going to keep it true and make sure wind is less of an obstacle. The lighter arrow will fly faster, but will be more susceptible to the wind and other adverse conditions.
Heavy Hitters
Now we come to the fun part - the reason you are most likely here. Building out a heavy arrow system can be quite enjoyable, but there are important things to consider.
As I stated above, you'll want to follow your arrow manufacturer's guidelines as to which spine option to pick for your setup. If a spine chart does not contain information for your desired front-end weight, make sure to call the manufacturer or our expert team here at Lancaster Archery to determine which spine you should choose.
I am going to run through some examples you may be able to use, either as a guide or just as inspiration for your heavy arrow build. I am going to give you six total arrow setups: two each for micro, small, and standard diameters. Three of them will include options for fixed blade broadheads, and three will include heavier mechanical options.
Each will be utilizing stock vanes and nocks that come standard with their fletched 6-packs. They will also be using the specifications for a 30", 300 spine of the selected arrow.
Micro Diameter
For the first micro diameter arrow build, I started with the Black Eagle Deep Impact V2. It has a weight rating of 11GPI and includes the following: 3x Q2i vanes weighing 8.3 grains, 6-grain M nocks, Deep Impact nock collars weighing 2.6 grains, and Black Eagle's FOCOS outsert system weighing 58 grains. For a broadhead I am going with the 175 grain version of the Bear Archery Razorhead VWS Fixed Broadheads. These bring its total weight right to 600 grains with an FOC of 18%.
The second micro arrow build it going to utilize the Easton 4mm FMJ Match Grade with an 11.7GPI. These include Microlite nocks weighing 6 grains apiece and come fletched with AAE Hybrid 26 vanes weighing 8.3 grains per. These will use the Easton 4mm Match Grade Titanium/Steel Half-Outs which weigh 100 grains each. For a mechanical broadhead choice, the 125-grain version of the REK HXP2 Expandable Broadheads would be a nice choice. This brings this arrow's total weight to 607 grains with an FOC of 17%.
Small Diameter
The first 4mm/.204 arrow we are going to be working with is the Easton 5mm FMJ. It has a weight of 12GPI - one of the heavier arrows you will encounter. It includes Easton X nocks that weigh 9 grains and Bohning Blazer vanes that bring 6 grains each. The insert of choice here is the Easton 5mm Match Grade Steel Halfouts that will add 75 grains up front. For a good fixed blade broadhead, I went with the popular and ever-reliable Magnus Single Bevel Fixed Broadheads to add 150 more grains up front. This together creates an arrow system with a total weight of 612 grains and with an FOC of 17%.
The second lightest arrow shaft on this list, the Altra Centrum Premier 204 has a GPI of 9.1. The included nocks weigh 9.7 grains apiece and the Q2i Rapt-X vanes come in at 7.5 grains. You'll want to upgrade from the stock insert and add the Altra Titanium ARCOS System for a boost in strength and FOC, while the Altra Non-Micro Weight add 50 grains to that momentum-keeping power. As a mechanical broadhead, the Bowmar Beast SS Mechanical Broadheads comes in at 150 grains and is a perfect match for this build. This all brings the total weight to 580 grains with an FOC of 21%. Talk about optimized accuracy and momentum.
Standard Diameter
Getting to the classic standard diameter arrows - the ones you most likely picture when you think of heavy arrows and wide fixed blades - we have the Gold Tip Ted Nugent Signature Series that comes in with a 10.8GPI. The GT nocks weight 12.2 grains per, and the Rapt-X vanes bring an extra 22.5 grains from all three. You'll want to throw Gold Tip's excellent Gold Tip 246 Brass insert in there to add an easy 100 grains to your front end. Up front, we are going to choose the 150-grain version of the VPA 3-Blade Non-Vented 1-1/8" Fixed Broadheads. These all work together to bring our total weight to 610 grains with an FOC of 18.5%.
The sixth and final example, and the lightest of the bunch, is an arrow shaft designed specifically for higher speeds and high-FOC builds. The Gold Tip Force FOC brings 8.8GPI to the table and is constructed specifically for high weight up front. The Accu-Lite nocks weigh 8.3 grains each while the vanes - much like on the Ted Nugent arrows above, add 22.5 total grains to the rear. The Gold Tip 246 Brass 100-grain insert is actually included as standard with these arrows, so you don't need to spend extra for that extra FOC. We are going to add a 50-grain Gold Tip F.A.C.T. System Weight Module .246 just to punch the weight up to around 600 grains. For a deep-penetrating and wide-cutting mechanical, we have the 150-grain Swhacker #243 Mechanical Broadheads. The total weight comes out to 595 grains, while the FOC hits an incredible 23%.
Comparison
Here is a simple bar graph where you can quickly and easily compare the weights and FOC ratings of each of these examples. Each arrow build falls into the 'heavy' category - I would outline the basic requirements as having a mass weight of at least 550 grains and an FOC of over 15%. The lowest any of these reach for these ratings are 580 grains and 17% FOC respectively.
You will notice that the Altra Centrum and Gold Tip Force FOC - yellow and pink - have lower overall weights but much higher FOCs when compared to all the others. The distinction between these two arrows and the other four is that they have the lowest GPI of the bunch. This means that they derive more of their mass weight from front end weight, leading to a higher FOC.
The graph can be slightly misleading, as each of these builds have high mass weights and FOC percentages compared to your standard hunting arrow setup. I remade the graph to show these arrows compared to a standard 450-grain hunting arrow you might commonly find. It shows the true difference between standard and heavy arrows.
The standard arrow - 450 grains and 13% FOC - is shown here in teal. This might help put into perspective the chasm between these heavy arrow examples and your standard hunting arrow.
Those are some heavy arrows.
Closing
Hopefully this helped to shed some light on the building and utility of heavy hunting arrows. They - much like lightweight, speedy arrows - have their place and purpose. They excel in areas other arrow builds might not, and they have their own limitations in places lighter builds won't.
Is one arrow style right and one arrow style wrong? The answer is definitively no. Each has their recommended utility and their own set of dedicated followers. My personal last three hunting arrow builds have weighed 420 grains, 470 grains, and 560 grains. All three of them flew great and were accurate because they had appropriate FOCs and were tuned to my bow setup.
If you are going to explore a heavier setup for this season, please follow the links throughout to explore the amazing selection we have to offer. You can also always visualize your arrow build and get the weight and FOC info right away with our Custom Hunting Arrow Builder. Our experts will take your design and hand build your arrows any way you want them. You can easily play around and explore heavier builds in that customizer.
If you want to explore more specific builds, or use components and arrows that are not in our Custom Arrow Builder, please call our customer service team and we can get you a truly custom arrow build using any product that exists on our website and in our catalog.
If you are interested in exploring the arrow builds from above, you can follow the specific links in that section of the article above. If you want to view all of the products I mentioned in this article at once, click HERE to view them in their own dedicated collection.
Just for fun, in case you are going after Bull Moose or Cap Buffalo, Black Eagle makes a 150-spine Rampage shaft designed for incredibly high FOCs and it comes in at a staggering 16 grains per inch. That results in a 480 grain, 30-inch arrow BEFORE you add any components at all. No big game could stand against the momentum and penetration of that arrow with high FOC.
