Total Arrow Weight Calculator
Calculate the total arrow weight in grains from shaft GPI, insert, point, nock, and fletching weights, with build categories from 3D speed to heavy hunting.
Arrow weight affects trajectory, penetration, and noise. Heavier arrows penetrate better and are quieter; lighter arrows fly faster and flatter but are louder and may not penetrate as well for hunting.
Arrow weight formula:
Total weight = shaft weight + point/insert weight + nock weight + fletching weight
Typical component weights (grains):
| Component | Typical Weight |
|---|---|
| Carbon shaft (per inch) | 4–12 gr/in |
| 28-inch shaft | 112–336 gr |
| Insert | 8–20 gr |
| Field/target point (100gr) | 100 gr |
| Broadhead (100gr) | 100 gr |
| Nock | 8–15 gr |
| Vane (per vane, 3 vanes) | 5–15 gr each |
| Feather (per feather) | 10–30 gr each |
Finished arrow weight guidelines:
- Speed archery / 3D: 300–350 gr (very light)
- Target / competition: 350–450 gr
- General hunting: 400–500 gr
- Big game hunting: 450–600 gr
- High-penetration hunting: 600+ gr
Front of Center (FOC):
FOC = (balance point from nock - arrow length/2) / arrow length × 100%
- Target: 7–15% FOC for good flight stability
- Hunting: 10–19% FOC for maximum penetration
Higher FOC means more weight forward of center. Modern broadhead hunters often prefer 15–19% FOC for deeper penetration.
Weigh it against the bow, not just the category. The number that matters for safety is grains per pound of draw weight. Most bow makers set the floor at 5 grains per pound and void the warranty below it, because an arrow that light leaves so much energy in the limbs that the shot behaves like a partial dry fire. On a 70 lb bow that floor is 350 gr. Hunters usually sit between 6 and 8, so a 60 lb bow shooting 6.5 grains per pound wants about 390 gr.
A worked example. An 8 gr/in shaft cut to 28 inches is 224 gr. Add a 100 gr point, a 12 gr insert, a 10 gr nock and 20 gr of vanes and the arrow comes to 366 gr, which lands in the target band. Swap the point for a 125 gr broadhead and it is 391 gr, right at the line where most people start calling it a hunting arrow.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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