Fine for speeding
View from behind the string

February 2, 2002 — When you get a ticket for speeding in your car you get a fine...you have to pay a price. When you speed in a race at the Daytona 500 you win a trophy. Obviously the later is what you prefer. Well shooting a bow is pretty much the same way.  “How so?” you might ask.  Let me explain with my opinion.

Arrow speed seems to be the rage in the archery market with arrow accuracy following close behind. In my experience, as a dealer, no customer will ask, "How accurate is that bow?" Usually, the question is, "How fast does that bow shoot?"  My response is, “Does it matter?"

Speed is an advantage for very little.  Contrary to the belief of many and some so called “experts"; speed is a disadvantage in some cases.  Here are a few pros and cons.

The lighter the arrow, translating into faster the arrow, the less room for mistakes. Lighter arrows by nature will be less forgiving to bow movement, bad release, and /or error in form. 

Arrow penetration is an on going controversy.  One side says you need the kinetic energy (KE).  The other side says no. Arrow resistance decreases with small arrow diameters. This debate will go on forever. As far as I can tell and have done research on this the jury is still out but this I know about finger shooting aluminums and carbons.

Aluminum 2213 arrows compared to carbon ICS 500 arrows shoot two different ways.  The aluminum arrows are more tolerant of a bad release. Carbon arrows will straighten out quicker giving a straighter shot at short range.

Speed is quite a different thing.  I do not care about the speed — I care where I hit. Ultimately, that is the only thing we should care about.  I also found that with my compounds or my recurves a 27-inch 1916 aluminum arrow would hit the same place as a 27-inch carbon ICS 500.

Now, what about when it comes to 3-D?  This is a loaded question for me.  When 3-D first started, it was considered to be “practice for the bow hunters”.  Now it’s all about the competition for a trophy. Whoever puts their arrow in the ten-ring more, wins.  In my opinion, 3-D isn’t intended for that purpose.  It was intended to teach archers when and where to hit animals under different conditions.  The camaraderie is important.  The fun should never leave. When fun becomes an obsession take up another sport. 

Back to arrow speed.

Sure a faster arrow will get you through tight spots to get through to the 10-ring.  If that is what you want, go for it!  That is what archery is all about. 

Do you know who shot the first ever indoor perfect score and with what bow?  Terry Ragsdale with a PSE compound that had wide nylon wheels, no cable guard and was not cut past center.  Someone told me, "Well that was then and this is now."  A perfect score is a perfect score no matter when, and I will bet Terry Ragsdale didn’t know how fast his arrows were going.

To sum it up, fast arrows are fine for 3-D shooting.  If you do not have perfect shooting form or your bow is not tuned properly, all shots will be off.  Shooting light arrows for more speed will just make everything worse.

An old adage that applies; I think goes this way, "To get something you have to give up something."  That is how I see it from behind the string.