Arrow Speed Chart
Estimated arrow speed for every common compound setup: draw weights from 40 to 80 lb against arrow weights from 300 to 600 grains, for a bow rated 330 fps IBO at a 30″ draw. Print it, tape it inside the bow case, argue with it at the range.
Estimated FPS by Draw Weight and Arrow Weight
| Draw weight | 300 gr | 350 gr | 400 gr | 450 gr | 500 gr | 550 gr | 600 gr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 276 | 266 | 256 | 246 | 236 | 226 | 216 |
| 45 lb | 286 | 276 | 266 | 256 | 246 | 236 | 226 |
| 50 lb | 296 | 286 | 276 | 266 | 256 | 246 | 236 |
| 55 lb | 306 | 296 | 286 | 276 | 266 | 256 | 246 |
| 60 lb | 316 | 306 | 296 | 286 | 276 | 266 | 256 |
| 65 lb | 326 | 316 | 306 | 296 | 286 | 276 | 266 |
| 70 lb | 336 | 326 | 316 | 306 | 296 | 286 | 276 |
| 75 lb | 346 | 336 | 326 | 316 | 306 | 296 | 286 |
| 80 lb | 356 | 346 | 336 | 326 | 316 | 306 | 296 |
The highlighted cell is the setup that runs through this whole site — 65 lb, 450 grains — reading 296 fps at the chart's 30″ draw (the homepage example, at 29″, reads 286). Every cell is the arrow speed calculator's model with a peep and D-loop on the string (−4 fps). Ratings other than 330 shift the whole grid by the difference — the FAQs below explain the adjustment, and the Methodology page shows the model itself.
FPS to MPH, KM/H and M/S
The conversion family, in full: 1 fps = 0.6818 mph = 1.0973 km/h = 0.3048 m/s exactly. The speeds archers actually shoot, converted:
| fps | mph | km/h | m/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 68.2 | 109.7 | 30.5 |
| 150 | 102.3 | 164.6 | 45.7 |
| 200 | 136.4 | 219.5 | 61.0 |
| 250 | 170.5 | 274.3 | 76.2 |
| 275 | 187.5 | 301.8 | 83.8 |
| 300 | 204.5 | 329.2 | 91.4 |
| 325 | 221.6 | 356.6 | 99.1 |
| 350 | 238.6 | 384.0 | 106.7 |
| 400 | 272.7 | 438.9 | 121.9 |
| 450 | 306.8 | 493.8 | 137.2 |
| 500 | 340.9 | 548.6 | 152.4 |
Using the Chart Well
Comparing bows: don't compare chart cells — compare ratings adjusted to your setup. A 340-rated bow at your 28″ draw and 475-grain arrow can shoot slower than a 330-rated bow at 30″ with a 425-grain arrow. The chart's job is showing you the shape of the trade: each 5 lb of draw weight is worth about 10 fps, each 50 grains of arrow costs about 10 fps, everywhere on the grid.
Choosing arrows: read across a row to price a heavier build before you buy it. Moving from 400 to 500 grains at 65 lb costs about 20 fps on this grid — and the momentum calculator shows what that same move buys in penetration terms.
Crossbow shooters: this grid is for vertical bows. Your numbers live on the crossbow arrow speed calculator, where the baseline is your bow's own rating and bolt.
Chart FAQs
How do I read the arrow speed chart?
Find your draw weight down the left side and your arrow weight across the top; the cell where they meet is the estimated speed for a compound bow rated at 330 fps IBO, shot at a 30″ draw with a peep and D-loop on the string. The highlighted cell — 65 lb and 450 grains — reads 296 fps: the same setup as the homepage’s worked example, but shot at the chart’s 30″ reference draw instead of 29″, which is worth exactly the 10 fps difference.
My bow is not rated at 330 fps. How do I adjust the chart?
Add or subtract the difference between your bow’s rating and 330 from any cell. A 340-rated bow shoots about 10 fps faster than the chart everywhere; a 320-rated bow about 10 fps slower. Draw length shifts it too — roughly 10 fps per inch away from 30″. The arrow speed calculator does all of this properly with your exact setup.
Why does the chart stop at 80 lb and 600 grains?
Because that is where compound hunting setups end. Draw weights above 80 lb are rare and specialist, and arrows past 600 grains belong to deliberate dangerous-game builds whose shooters are working from the momentum calculator, not a general chart. The estimator on the homepage accepts any values you type.
Can I print this chart for the range?
Yes — that is what it is for. Use the Print this chart button at the top of the page: the print layout drops the site navigation and prints the tables black on white. Bow shops tape this grid inside the tuning bench lid; it earns its place there.
How accurate are the chart numbers?
They come from the same estimation model as the homepage calculator — IBO rating adjusted for draw weight, draw length and arrow weight — and carry the same honesty: typically within about ±5 fps of a chronograph for a well-tuned compound, wider for unusual setups. Treat the grid as a planning tool, not a measurement.
- IBO (International Bowhunting Organization) — the body behind the IBO speed-rating standard: 70 lb, 30 in draw, 350-grain arrow
- Archery Trade Association — industry standards body for bow and arrow measurement (ATA draw length and weight)
- NIST — SI measurement units — the definitions behind the fps to m/s and km/h conversions
- Easton Archery — shaft selection charts — the reference spine-selection and arrow-building charts this site’s groupings follow