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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Bakes168 on September 20, 2008, 09:02:00 PM

Title: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Bakes168 on September 20, 2008, 09:02:00 PM
I know I should probably shoot broadheads just to see how they fly, but I'm scared they'll come off in the target and I'll have to tear up the target to get them back.  
I'm using 125 gr. Zwickey 2-blades and at 20 yards should I really worry about it, or just go hunting? I don't want to screw up a shot and have the guilt that it's because I didn't know how my broadheads were going to fly.

Bakes
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: zilla on September 20, 2008, 09:06:00 PM
I have a Buck Masters BH target and have no problems.  Otherwise find a sand pile..
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: joe skipp on September 20, 2008, 09:10:00 PM
I visit the Town Road Dept and shoot into large sand piles....works fine for me.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Bakes168 on September 20, 2008, 09:18:00 PM
Thanks
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: TomMcDonald on September 20, 2008, 09:24:00 PM
Never go hunting without testing your broadheads and hunting setup.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Whump on September 20, 2008, 09:25:00 PM
Whump Sez; You are making a huge mistake not shooting your broadheads----"especially if you are shooting wood shafting" Here is how to keep your heads on.----Roll up a small piece of sand paper and twist it around in the broadhead to scratch it up---don't be shy--twist the heck out of the paper and clean it up good. Now add your hot glue to the shaft and get  it bubbling hot, heat up the head some and stick it on the shaft, true it up while hot and press it down firmly on a hard surface, and hold down until cool. I just got through shooting Eskimos in a block of styrofoam today that I had to stand on to pull them back out with no loss of broadheads. Not shooting your broadheads to make sure they fly correctly is a formula for disaster.  Hunt safe.   "[dntthnk]"
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Bill Kissner on September 20, 2008, 09:27:00 PM
I would never go hunting with broadheads without shooting them first. Sometimes the difference between them and field points is very little but it can be tremendous. I have a foam broadhead target that gets plenty use in the days prior to opening day.A dirt bank or a pile of sand is all you need if a foam target is not available.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Bill Carlsen on September 20, 2008, 09:27:00 PM
Find a pile of wood chips and fire away.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Bakes168 on September 20, 2008, 09:45:00 PM
Thanks guys

Bakes
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Shawn Leonard on September 20, 2008, 11:13:00 PM
Bakes ya can also get a 2" thick foam BH target, they will stop the arrow about half way thru and than no worries! Shawn
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: horatio1226 on September 21, 2008, 06:34:00 AM
I use 2 part epoxy 5 minute set time. The kind where you press the plunger and the correct amount of both parts is dispensed. It works great. I shoot into my styrofoam block with no problems. It also releases with heat. I have started using paraffin wax to finish my woodies and love it. It looks great, makes the arrow come out of the block a lot easier, the styrofoam residue doesn't stick to the arrow. It also is very waterproof and makes the arrow slippery for penetrating.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Earl E. Nov...mber on September 21, 2008, 08:50:00 AM
Yesterday as I was preparing for my first hunt and thinking about how my broadhead shooting had been going,(Occasional one just take off) I decided to do what I should have done weeks ago.. (Check head alignment), Yep all the heads were off.. OK time to fix the problem, warmed up the torch and none of the heads would move.. (All of them were put on with epoxy) 45 minutes later I had them all off, 10 minutes later I had them all back on (With hot melt) and aligned. All of them shot great with no planing, and all of them pulled out nicely from my Cabela's 3D deer. I would never use epoxy.. (Sorry Brian) Definitely take Whump's lead, use a good hot melt (Not the stuff from the craft store) and you'll be a happy camper
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: horatio1226 on September 21, 2008, 09:22:00 AM
That's alright Earl. I know that a lot of people feel as you do. I think that there are alot of diffenet kinds of epoxy. I can heat mine up with a candle and pull the head or field point off in about 3 minutes. I lost a lot of points with hot melt.Can't say that bout epoxy. Just my experience.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: J-dog on September 21, 2008, 10:50:00 AM
Couple months before season I will only shoot my BHds. That way I have them down and am confident with them - couple weeks before season I take three of my practice jobbers and sharpen them for the season.

I use the hot melt for mine - have no trouble of them coming off and I shoot in blistering weather. If you clean the BHd ferrule really good you won't have to worry bout them coming off in the target. You can really get some black greasy junk out of the ferrule from the factory!

J

ditto on not using epoxy - it works great! but if you fail to spin the head good or spin it good but the BHd gets bumped before epoxy sets! that BHd is DUN.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: John3 on September 21, 2008, 11:03:00 AM
I use a torch and "smoke" all of the factory residue out of the broadheads right out of the package.

99% of the year I shoot only broadheads. I even tune my arrows with broadheads FIRST. Get a broadhead arrow flying perfect and a field point will be perfect as well. I want my broadhead tipped arrows to fly perfect; anything less is just not ethical. I practice with hunting arrows all year long and not field tipped arrows because I don't want anything to interfere with my "chi". The shot at game has to be effortless and without thought. Shooting broadheads all year makes it happen this way.

I shoot POC's into a few 3D fullsize deer targets and have never had issues with the broadheads staying in the targets. Use enough hotmelt on a properly tapered shaft using a cleaned broadhead will be fine.


Good Shooting.

John III
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Friends call me Pac on September 21, 2008, 11:08:00 AM
I shoot my 50 pound bow with 2 blade Magnus heads at my hay bales from 15 to 25 yards.  If my feathers end up in the bale I just pull them through from the back.  Most of the time the arrow stops before the feathers get into the hay bale though.

The only problem I have had is cutting the twine twice on bad shots but that is easily retied with some nylon cord.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Daddy Bear on September 21, 2008, 01:11:00 PM
Most all I shoot are small and big game hunting heads. I rarely shoot field points and only if required by rule. I'll shoot arrows hundreds of times prior to loosing them on game. They will be fully vetted prior to going into my hunting quiver.

There is absolutely no need to use epoxy on POC as hot melt of fer-l-tite will hold perfectly fine with a correct taper and proper prep. I've shot such heads into logs where they needed to be chiseled out, and the glue joint held up. Once properly mounted, make sure you reglue the joint on an anual bases as part of maintenance, as the glue can go soft, and you will be squared away.

I keep a battery of old style dense foam 3d targets which I use to shoot broadheads. When I've shot through, I use the technique of making a burlap skin patch and fill the void with Great Stuff. I shoot year round and have several old Mckenzie targets that have been running for years using this method. The absolute worst target to use is one with layered cores. I purchased several of the Glen Dale full ruts which set me back a bunch of money and they proved worthless for extended broadhead use. Maybe for someone who shoots target arrows, but I'll never touch one of those layered targets again.

As noted above, other options are sand, mulch, and dirt piles. There is no reason not to be practicing with the arrows you will use while hunting.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Archie on September 21, 2008, 04:27:00 PM
Although I love archery and shoot quite a bit, my bowhunting skills leave much to be desired.  I was, therefore, pretty excited last year when I saw a nice 6-point buck walk in toward my ground blind in mid-November last season.  I had just put some new broadheads (new brand) on my arrows, but figured I didn't need to practice with them.  At about 18 yards, I had a perfect shot, so I took it.  My arrow spiraled off to the lower left and missed the deer by quite a ways.  

I've been practicing with my broadheads for a couple of weeks already this year.
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: WESTBROOK on September 21, 2008, 05:29:00 PM
You better find something to shoot them at. You can take your favorite arrow and put a BH on the front and you might be suprised where it will go!

Eric
Title: Re: Shooting broadheads?
Post by: Gordon martiniuk on September 22, 2008, 11:37:00 PM
Never would I not test broadheads without test firing them !! do not worry about loosing a head somtimes A arrow& broadhead combo do not shoot close to field Points why? ruin a chance to harvest and not wound a animal becuse you did not want to put the effort into testing how they fly