arrow flight question

rhino519

rhino519

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been practicing hard since summer, but just in last weeks I finaly got to try my broadheads
and no kidding the broadheads fly different then bullet points, with bulletpoints I can hit the bulls eye at 30 yrds but with broadheads
:redface: Im good at 10~15yrds but yeasterday I tried 20yrs and I got a corkscrew pattenr flight out of the arrow (mind you the wind just picked up at moment of release) totally missed the target ( and thought I lost the arrow for good) and Im complitly lost what was the cause:confused:
the wind?
untuned bow?
I pulled the shot?

Im loosing confidence here, no way Ill try stalking with bow now, luck I got a tree stand with baid at 10yrds but non the less I would like to be as proficient with broadheads as with bulletpoints
 
what kind of fletches do you have? Some of the small low profile fletches that give great fast/low drag flight with feild points will not stabilize broadheads, if the broadhead is "planeing" more than the fletch.
 
Make sure your vanes are aligned with the broadhead blades. The arrow will definitely fly different from your field points. I only use mechanical broadheads, and I have taken a few deer and one bear with them. They work real good and fly just like your field points.
 
Just a personal observation.

migrant hunter said:
what kind of fletches do you have? Some of the small low profile fletches that give great fast/low drag flight with feild points will not stabilize broadheads, if the broadhead is "planeing" more than the fletch.
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I agree.

From my experience, I find that the fletching need to be longer when using broad-heads. It seems that the longer fletchings (which as you know are glued on at an angle) tend to stabilise the trajectory while spinning the arrow. When your arrow is assembled with a broad-head, the planing effect on the blades tend to destabilise the trajectory of the arrow.

Everyone tends to use the very small fletching today, but I find that an arrow with 3-1/2 fletching and a thunderhead 125 carriers fairly well with little cork-screw action for about 30 or 35 meters.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Regards
Robert
nap-thunderhead-125.jpg
 
search on the net how to do paper tuning. you shoot through a piece of paper and it tells you how to adjust your rig judging by the type of hole the arrow makes in the paper.

then buy some slick trick 4 blade broadheads. they fly the exact same as target points;)

BOOM HEADSHOT (38 yards, off hand, standing) likely the best shot ill ever make with my crossbow.

6873643645003.jpg
 
canadian hunter312 said:
search on the net how to do paper tuning. you shoot through a piece of paper and it tells you how to adjust your rig judging by the type of hole the arrow makes in the paper.
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Applies more to crossbows and less to compound bows. The increasd speed of the arrow (and therefore spinning of the arrow) from a crossbow in turn reduces the cork-screw effect.

canadian hunter312 said:
then buy some slick trick 4 blade broadheads. they fly the exact same as target points;)
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:agree:I agree, 4-blade is the way to go.

canadian hunter312 said:
BOOM HEADSHOT (38 yards, off hand, standing) likely the best shot ill ever make with my crossbow.
Click to expand...
:sniper:Awesome shooting man. That is one small target to make a head shot at 38 meters. Very impressive.
 
It might be time to revisit some basics and papertune with the broadheads on.

Check with the target points, then with the broadheads. If your arrow is not flying nearly perfectly, then the broadhead vanes will, repeat WILL, cause your arrows to go all over the place. No matter how big the vanes are.

Point of impact is going to change anyways, but if your arrows are flying true, the POI should be consistent.

Other potential problems are underspined arrows, which will accentuate the amount that the blades are able to affect the arrows flight, and major differences in the weight of your target and broad heads.

Shooting fingers or release? The slight differences in the dynamics of shooting fingers off a plunger-flipper rest will also cause some grief, while usually there are far fewer issues with release shooting off a spring rest or dropaway.

Basics first. Got any experienced archery guys around that can help? Usually there is someone around that is a gear slut and has a pile of different heads around that can be tried without having to invest your life savings.

Different heads fly differently, but you can minimize the ammount of affect that can have, by getting the basics tuned up.

Cheers
Trev
 
rhino519 said:
been practicing hard since summer, but just in last weeks I finaly got to try my broadheads
and no kidding the broadheads fly different then bullet points, with bulletpoints I can hit the bulls eye at 30 yrds but with broadheads
:redface: Im good at 10~15yrds but yeasterday I tried 20yrs and I got a corkscrew pattenr flight out of the arrow (mind you the wind just picked up at moment of release) totally missed the target ( and thought I lost the arrow for good) and Im complitly lost what was the cause:confused:
the wind?
untuned bow?
I pulled the shot?

Im loosing confidence here, no way Ill try stalking with bow now, luck I got a tree stand with baid at 10yrds but non the less I would like to be as proficient with broadheads as with bulletpoints
Click to expand...

Your best bet is to start practicing with a broadhead that flies like your target heads. Not all broadheads are created equal. The argument for fixed bladed vs mechanical will go on forever. Most of the time mechanical broadheads will give you target head like accuracy. I prefer fixed bladed broadheads. I had the same problem as you until I tried Ultimate steels 100 grain 3 bladed fixed broadheads. They have a 7/8" cutting diameter and group damn near the same as my target heads. Also are you using the same grain target head as your broadhead? Oh and in case you are wondering.....all of the deer I have shot with these never went more than 25yds. Good luck.
 
thanks guys for all the advice

personally I always dismissed the mechanical heads, but now Ill have to reconsider

I know the bullet points and broadhead weight is not the same for sure, what's the difference Im not sure right now, Im in the process of getting a scale to have them weighted

as mentioned, :slap:(Im slapping my self) no the fletches and blades dont line up, Ill go through the arrows I got to try to match them up

I dont know any bow hunters living close by:( so Im all on my own, for now

the fletches are factory installed one, I already was considering getting a fletching jig and installing a feather fletches because there is a chance my fletches are hitting the cables (its an old compound bow with no way of installing a cable guide)

other quesions, the arrow rest is a very simple shoot throu, glue on rubber one (and again, to install a drop away rest I would have to drill the riser which I dont want to do), I use my fingers, never had issues with release

the two types of broadheads I use right now, I really dont remember the maker, the first one will hit the target at the same level as the bullet point but 5in to the left, the other one will hit the target in line with bullet point but 15in above
 
Now that you got me thinking, I went out today and shot my own broadheads(montec g5"s), which I had neglected to do since last year, as I did"nt have anything to fire them into(I use a bale for feild points, but can"t pull broadheads out of it!)
I set up a big old teddy bear! he seemed to slow them down quite a bit, and the folded up wool blanket behind him stopped most of them before they reached my layers of carpet underlay on top of the bale.
I discovered that any arrows with wrinkled fletches(I use a whisker biscuit rest, which eventualy damages the fletches) shot eratically, all lower and mostly to the right. I put this down to the extra drag from the damaged fletches. Any arrows with good fletches performed ok, but did"nt group as good as feild points.
I am humbled to say that my 30 mtr groups inside 5" with the feild points are not doable with broadheads. My range with broadheads(the good old paper plate target is more like a little over 20 mtrs.
I bet lots of guys think they can shoot great because they are shooting feild points into nice little groups and don"t practice with broadheads. This afternoon was a wake up call for me, so my thanks to Rhino for making me think about it!
edit- having seen your vanes, they"re way too small IMHO! Get some 4"!
 
thanks mh,
not too brag or anything but I had to stop shooting more than one broadhead at 10yrds becays I was shavign the fletches off

for my target practice, whether broadhead or point, I made a target from a 2in thick styrofoam panels, 2'x2', six layers, it stops the broadhead just short of going through, and is easy to push through to unsrew the head and pull the arrow the other way
 
My Moose shot this year was 6 yards....so I could have used a spear...lol:dancingbanana:


seriously...


1st.

Paper tune your bow.

If you are NOT getting bullet holes check your broadhead grouping. If you broadhead tipped arrows are flying TRUE(NO veering or CORKSCREWING) and the ARE GROUPING together simple re-adjust your sights and go hunting. As long as you hit the same place consistently with your BEST arrow you do NOT need to worry about FIELD points and BROADHEADS hitting EXACT same spot.

IF you can goto range at 20 yards... aim your very first arrow(with broadhead) and hit bullseye you are good to go for that yardage.


If you insist on having broadheads hit with field points you may be in for a surprise....you will NOT be able to get it fixed in next 2 weeks.

For NEXT year....

paper tune your bow.(check for all the usual suspects. fletching clearances, rest contact, center of rest, grip torque etc etc.

weigh all you arrows.

number them all.(to record broadhead flight).

Spin test to make sure inserts are square and heads have no wobble. Spin testers are available from Cabelas for $30.

Then test shoot with broadhead and record accuracy. There will ALWAYS be a few arrows out of 12 that group consistently better.

If you try that all and still fail to get good consistent broadhead flight best soloution is to check your arrow spine. Also remember that slower/heavier arrows ALWAYS fly better that fast light ones.

Feathers will also help stabalize broadhead tipped arrows.


Note: I shoot broadheads accurately out to 70 yards...but I would NEVER shoot at game animal past 45-50 yards.
 
rhino
Sounds like an arrow spine problem to me, hits to the left=weak spine hit to the right=to heavy spine. Try a lighter broadhead or shorten the shaft to stiffen the arrow.
Good Luck.
 
Migrant Hunter, have you moved yet, or are you still in Ireland? The reason I ask is I am wondering if you are allowed to bowhunt in Ireland? I know it is a big no-no in England. I noticed that the British Deer Society recently released a statement that they would not support archery hunting as it was inhumane, frickin' idiots.

Ian
 
350 Mag said:
Note: I shoot broadheads accurately out to 70 yards...but I would NEVER shoot at game animal past 45-50 yards.
Click to expand...

you should see the looks i get when i walk my target bag out 100 yards for my exomax crossbow:D i typically practice at 80 yards which is nearly double what i consider my max range. the way i see it is if i am good enough at 80 yards, ill be more than good enough for 40 yards.

those vanes look pretty small to me:confused:
 
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