What's your method for tuning with broadheads?

[a3dhunter]

How do you set up your bow and how do you tune for broadheads?
Do you use a walk back method or what? What do you adjust first?

I have heard many people say that it doesn't matter if your broadheads don't fly where your target tips do, just adjust your sights and go from there for hunting season. I am more of a perfectionist in that I like to be able to grab my bow and shoot field tips or broadheads without adjusting.

Recently, I thought I had my bow set up properly and made the switch to broadheads, only to find that I was hitting three inches left and six inches low at 30 yards. After speaking to the guy at the local bowshop, I was told not to worry about it and that I was making it too difficult. Well, I went home and did some research. Took my bow outdoors to shoot and made a few adjustments.
1. Raised the height of my arrow rest a little.( same as lowering nocking point).
2.Moved my rest in towards the riser about 1/32 of an inch, maybe a hair more, to fine tune my centershot.

With a few little tweaks, I went from shooting at 20 yards, back to 30, to 40, and then 50 yards with my broadheads now shooting with my field tips out to fifty yards. I also noticed less pin gap for greater distances once I raised my arrow rest a little. (a little goes a long ways!)

For those who want specifics:
hoyt xtec 29" 70#
pse radial x weave 300 arrows with factory fletching
100 grain NAP Thunderhead Pro series
Trophy Taker arrow rest
Copper John Dead Nuts sight
String loop
Fletchhunter realease

I am curious how the rest of you guys do it, especially since the local bowshop was no help at all. Any criticism or problems you can see with the way I did it? I am just looking for the best way, good luck to you guys this year.
I leave in six days, can't wait.
a3dhunter

 

[BOHNTR]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-19-06 AT 09:21PM (MST)[p]Well, I'll add even more of a wrinkle and maybe ruffle a few feathers on some archer's claims.

In college I wrote a paper on just this subject utilizing a bow machine to eliminate the human factor. No matter HOW perfect the bow was tuned, broadheads and field points NEVER shot EXACTLY the same. Some heads were much closer than others, and the heads have changed a bit since then , but the test showed wind channeled by blades vs. field points flew differently.

Most archers who claim their field points hit exactly the same simply don't see the slight difference, due to human error in shooting form. This factor alone makes it appear the same (less than 1.5"), tricking the archer into thinking they are identicle. Example- If you field points shoot 1.5" left at 60 yards, MOST bowhunters will claim they hit the same, as that's darn fine shooting at that distance. If you're shooting 2" groups with your points and broadheads at that distance (60 yards), you'll swear they hit the same....but they really aren't. Furthermore, you better be competing in Vegas next year.

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[a3dhunter]

I agree with you, when I said they are hitting the same I was taking into account how I shoot and what I consider a group at 45 yards. At that distance, if they were shooting exactly the same I would be shaving off my fletching, which I am not. To me---if they are shooting within 1.5" at any distance then I consider them as shooting where my field points do. I would blame that 1.5" difference on my shooting ability since I don't have a machine to shoot for me. I have heard too many people say that if your broadheads are off by 8-10" then adjust your sights and when I get that from a bowshop it doesn't sound like good advice. If I even thought I was that good I would be competing at Vegas!!!! I am refering to practical hunting applications.
Thanks, BOHNTR
a3dhunter

 

[BOHNTR]

Jason:

I did find that some of the newer heads are far better than others in terms of consistent arrow flight. I shot Muzzy's for years, and with MY set-up, I could never get them closer than 6" from my field points. Same for Thunderheads. Instead, I chose to use two different sights for years....one for FP's and the other for broadheads.

I now shoot Wac'ems and they are scarry close to my FP's. The other heads I tested (Slick Tricks, Innerlock SS, Stingers) were very good as well. Might be time to try a new head?

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[c3]

Finally someone who agrees with me

Muzzy's are the worst culprit at this as they have most of their weight further forward than just about any broadhead on the market. All broadheads add weight further forward and thus make your arrow act weaker.

The one issue I've come up with is that you can get a field point and broadhead to fly together at one distance, but as you move in or out from there the impact can gap wildly between the two. So the best advice is to check your broadhead flight at different distances over a few days to make sure your getting consistant results.

Its amazing how much your mind can control or over come "issues" with your sight settings. After days of tuning, you might find that you subconsiously aim off to get correct impact points. The problem can show up as poor results when you are under the gun though.

Now add a finger shooter to the mix and the results can become, ..... well lets just say, interesting

Cheers,
Pete

 

[COLO3D]

>Finally someone who agrees with me
>
>
>Muzzy's are the worst culprit at
>this as they have most
>of their weight further forward
>than just about any broadhead
>on the market. All
>broadheads add weight further forward
>and thus make your arrow
>act weaker.
>
>The one issue I've come up
>with is that you can
>get a field point and
>broadhead to fly together at
>one distance, but as you
>move in or out from
>there the impact can gap
>wildly between the two.
>So the best advice is
>to check your broadhead flight
>at different distances over a
>few days to make sure
>your getting consistant results.
>
>Its amazing how much your mind
>can control or over come
>"issues" with your sight settings.
> After days of tuning,
>you might find that you
>subconsiously aim off to get
>correct impact points. The
>problem can show up as
>poor results when you are
>under the gun though.
>
>Now add a finger shooter to
>the mix and the results
>can become, ..... well lets
>just say, interesting
>
>Cheers,
>Pete

I completely agree, any broadhead will change your F.O.C as compared to a field point. Muzzy's are, as you said, the most weight forward head out there. I have never had much luck getting acceptable groups from Muzzy's, so much so that I shot mechanicals for years. A couple of years ago I tried some of the newer style heads, I had no idea how good a well designed fixed head could fly. I now see no reason to shoot mechs.

 

[Boskee]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-22-06 AT 02:13PM (MST)[p]My tuning technique isn't very scientific at all. I twist em on go out the door and shoot them at my neighbors new garbage can and adjust my rest until I get a good hole with three even slits. Has worked fine over the past ten years and I get me a new garbage can annually since my neighbor gives me his old one! Just kidding you have to shoot em because they do fly different and as such have a different poi. That has been my experience.

FYI Blazer vanes fly real close to my 4" feathers almost exactly the same hole on my bow using the same broadhead which is the only plastic vane I've ever seen do this.

 

[Muley62]

I have had the best luck with bare shaft tuning. Bheads seem to shoot well once my bare shaft group with my other arrows at 25 yards.

 

[WHT_MTNMAN]

I like to broadhead tune. (after i get it close with paper and bare shaft) At 20 yards I shoot a field tip and a bh and adjust my rest accordingly. I do this again at 30 yards. At anything past 40 I feel human error plays to much of a part to get a good tune.

All i know is that last night I shot a field tip, wac em, and tekan II, and at 50 yards I average about a 3-4 inch group, over about 4 or 5 rounds of shooting. Not the best but for me it builds my confidence. I can pick up most anyone of my bh and shoot well out to 50 yards.

 

[MTQuivers]

I also shot muzzys for awhile and I really liked them, but this year I am doing a spot and stalk antelope hunt in Wyoming and I wanted to get really accurate out to 70-80 yards, because the area I hunt is flat and it is hard to get much closer. Anyways I shot nearly everyday with field tips for a few months until I felt very confident at those ranges but when I put the muzzy's on it just wasn't happening. I tried and tried to dial them in but failed. I finally decided to go with a mech which I thought I never would again. (I had a bad experience with them on an elk 4 years ago) After researching several I though grim reapers looked the most durable. After shooting them I found that they were noticeably easier to group at long range. They still were not perfect (AND NEITHER AM I) but they are a magor improvement for what I need. My fear of mech. has been wounding game. I hit an elk with one and it broke all apart with little penetration. I am not worried about that with an antelope, plus I think mech are now alot more durable especially grim reapers.

Thanks for the input everyone I enjoyed reading it.