A few weeks ago I shot a squierrel with a well known comercial small game blunt type head.  It was a solid hit to the vital area of the body but the squierrel still got away.

I did a search and found this style of homemade head but there wasn't any step by step instruction of how to build it so that's what I did this afternoon.  Hopefully, this may be of use to others.  

My arrows are 5/16 birch and these are designed to fit my arrows.  You may need to tinker a bit to get exactly what you need but the steps should be the same.

I will list the photos and instructions in series if the # of photos becomes an issue.

1st these are the basic components of the head.  9mm case, birdshot, banding material, gorrila glue

 

I like to start out by cutting a few blades.  Go to your local hardware store and ask for a scrap piece of banding material.  I'd be very suprised if anyone gets charged for it.  Cut a section about 1/2" wide.

   

Should end with blades that look something like this.

 

Next use a scale to determine the weight of the head.  Place all components onto the scale and add lead shot until you get the weight you desire.

 

Once the weight is determined set the blade aside and pour the lead shot into the case.

 

Next using a pair of pliers and a heat source melt the lead in the case.  

 

Moving right along...

Once the lead and case has cooled place it in a vice with the primer end facing up.  I clamp it at this depth so as not to crush the case walls.



I use a dremel tool to make the slot but a hacksaw can also be used.  I suggest a mask and eye protection just in case you cause any lead particals to fly.  You can see the depth that works best for me.



Add a bit of super glue here.



Place the blade in the slot and hold it a second to keep it straigght.



The finished head can be shot as is but I like to use a file to sharpen the edge up some.



This head was originally 125 gr before assembly.  I lost 2 gr from making the slot.  I doubt I will be able to tell any difference but a couple of extra shot added before melting would probably make up the difference.

The 9mm case is a tad loose on my 5/16 arrow but a few wraps of tape on the shaft is all that is needed before gluing the head in place with the gorrila glue.

Pretty cool!

thats cheaper than one of my good heads tore up by a tree rat!lol

I would suggest melting led in a well ventilated area.JMHO And when I get home I will look at the pics(cant get pics at work )But it sounds like a good head.

A 38 case might be better because of its longer case length!Thats a good idea btw!

I have discovered through extensive research (actually by pure chance) a 30-30 winchester case cut  to 1 3/8" which is pretty much the limit they can be cut at before you get into the neck/shoulder taper grains at .125 and if you can cut them without mashing, or open the end back up with a punch they will go on an 11/32" shaft with no taper I used a tubing cutter but had to re-open the end if anyone needs banding material I discard about 20' every day let me know I might be able to save you a trip to the hardware store, take care.

Pretty cool, and the best part is you can build it one handed!  Hope your arm is healing nicely.

I've used 357 cases for blunts, but I never tried adding lead. Interesting!

These are great , should go in the how to section

I have built blunts out of 357 cases by adding lead shot.  Instead of glue I attached the case to the shafts by a compression tool used on co-ax fittings. Once crimped, there was no removal or reuse.

Love the idea. Thanks for the build along!

Have you tried shaping the blade to a point and adding another blade perpendicular? How do those fly?

I'll definately add this to my ever growing list of winter projects  :D

QuoteOriginally posted by luv2bowhunt:
Love the idea. Thanks for the build along!

Have you tried shaping the blade to a point and adding another blade perpendicular? How do those fly?

I'll definately add this to my ever growing list of winter projects   :D  

Before i messed up my shoulder I had made a couple of prototypes.  I was hitting a small 16 oz pepsi bottle at 20 yards pretty good.  It's fairly close to the body size of a small rabbit or big fox squirrel.  These set ups should be accurate enough if I do my part when Mr Bushytail offers a shot.

I did make one of the tips in a "coffin" type shape but it didn't fly any better than what I'm doing now.  When I did make a point on it I could never get both sides even. Using tin snips and eyeballing the cut isn't the most detailed cutting job. It didn't seem to affect the flight but bugged me so I just keep the blade like it is now.

I have not tried a cross type head.  Give it a shot and let us know how it goes.

QuoteOriginally posted by GPW:
I have built blunts out of 357 cases by adding lead shot.  Instead of glue I attached the case to the shafts by a compression tool used on co-ax fittings. Once crimped, there was no removal or reuse.

Is that some kind of crimper?  I'd love to not have to worry about using tape to get the correct fit.  I know a .32 case will fit the 5/16 shaft but I don't have any.  I do have about a zillion 9mm so that's what I used.

do you have any feild test pics that invilve a dead squirrel or 2. ruddy

]Is that some kind of crimper?  I'd love to not have to worry about using tape to get the correct fit.  I know a .32 case will fit the 5/16 shaft but I don't have any.  I do have about a zillion 9mm so that's what I used. [/QB][/QUOTE]

The compression (crimping) tool is the same as your cable TV serviceman uses when installing the end fittings on the Co-ax cable in your house. You can also get by without melting the lead shot when using this method. I have pictures but do not see how to attach.  Time to do a little research!

Thanks for the awesome Idea.  I just have to ask...How do you carry these in the field?  Is it in a back quiver?

First try at posting pictures.  

QuoteOriginally posted by broketooth:
do you have any feild test pics that invilve a dead squirrel or 2. ruddy

I have not used them yet.  Messed up my shoulder and can't shoot my bow.

This all started when I shot a squierrel with a commercial small game head that basically bounced off a 8 oz squierrel.  The head weighed 175 gr and was shot from a 50# bow.  It was the 1st squierrel I have actually hit so I was upset that he got away.

I came home and used the search to see what others were using.  This type of head came up more often than any other that I could see and had only positive comments.  There were photos of the finished head and instructions on how to make them.  

I decided to film the step by step process that I figured out to make my own version. This head design did not come from my own noggin, it's the result of what I have seen others use here on TG.

I decided to try shooting a few arrows today.  Arm feels pretty good with just a few shots.  Didn't shoot more than a dozen times just in case the shoulder isn't back to normal yet but I believe it is well on the way to the way it should be.

Anyway the head flew ok but not as consistant as I wanted it to.  Don't know if it was me or the head.  I trimmed the head down a bit to try and make it a bit areodynamic.



Shot pretty consistant out to 20 yards so I might be onto something.  Another benifet is I think the blade will be short enogh so as to not stick into a tree.  I'll try that out in a couple of days.