Medieval Bodkin points?

[el greco]

Soon I want to switch to woodies.Was wondering if for backyard practise purposes I could use Bodkin points or they would tear my foam block apart?Are they allowed in 3 d shoots?Thanks in advance.

[gregg dudley]

1.  Eat up targets.
2.  Frowned upon or not allowed at 3D shoots.
3.  Why would you want to do that?

[Raging Water]

Opposite opinion

Love them

Won't hurt the foam any more than feild points
My local 3 D clubs don't care
They are cool

Matt

[el greco]

I think they look cool.That's the reason I would like to use em.Anybody else?Are they allowed in big 3d shoots,like  Howard Hill?

[Robertfishes]

The Bodkin points I have seen sure look like they would tear up a Mckenzie target. I think most 3D clubs would not consider them "field points"?

[Raging Water]

Gents,

I shoot bodkins all the time. They are no more hard on a target than a field point.

Matt

[Sam McMichael]

Matt, are they any bigger in circumference than field points? I have to admit that as many   of them as I have seen, I have never really paid much attention to that aspect of their size.  Unless they are substantially bigger around than field points it seems they would punch a similar hole.

[lpcjon2]

If your gonna use them for 3D and practice, are going with medieval heads for hunting? Bodkins are longer than field points(if I am correct)with the weight all up front, wont they make the transition to hunting heads a bit of a pain. Bodkins may make the shaft week or stiff when you apply hunting heads? If i am wrong feel free to correct me.

[Raging Water]

Gents,

Later tonight, I will take pictures of the 190 gr Bodkins I use and 200 grain field point, side by side.

While a broadhead would have more cutting surface area, folks used to take game with bodkins "back in the day".

Shot placement would be the key there. Correct?

As for weak or stiff, well, arrow tuning is arrow tuning. Doesn't matter what point you use, gonna have to tune either way.


Matt

[The Vanilla Gorilla]

Might wear on a 3d Target a bit more than a field point.  Have the range officials show you in the rules that Bodkin points are not allowed if they jump on you about it.  I've seen rules state "no broadheads" but never any Bodkins.

More than likely the only people who will complain about it are the ones you are beating.

[Raging Water]

Gents,

Here are a few pictures of the 190 gr Bodkins I use. My local club does not care at all. They consider them to be field points.

Here is one on my arrow.

 

Here is one that Robin Hooded a 125 Gr Field Point that was left in a target.

 

[Green]

When I saw the title of this thread I knew you were going to be right in the middle of it Matt.
 

[Dave Worden]

I think the key here is that all bodkins are not created equal.  Just like there are a variety of field points (and broadheads, too) there are plenty of different points called bodkins.  While I suspect that the ones in the picture act pretty much like the average field point, I have seen some that would punch much larger holes in a target that the diameter of the shaft they'd be attached to.  Those would obviously wear a target out quicker.  I've seen some where the thickness of the cone where they attach to the shaft is so thick that they'd not pull out of the mesh that many ranges use for their indoor range.  Basically, you're just going to have to show "the powers that be" your points and see if they'll let you shoot them at their targets.  After all, it's their targets and they should be able to determine what can and what can't be used on their range.  As for showing you the written rule against bodkins if they say no, I suspect that all ranges have a rule that says they can deny access to anyone they don't want on their range.  If you only want to shoot them at home......well, that's your range and you make the rules and buy the targets.

[Hawken1911]

I agree with Dave...not all bodkins are the same.  They all tend to be larger in diameter than the ferrule before they taper to a point.  The ones Matt showed, available at 3Rivers, are not very wide, but they are wider than the ferrule and arrow shaft.  I tried some Ace Classic points which are similar to bodkins but are even wider, and they were terrible on targets.  When I pulled arrows from a foam block they would tear out chunks of foam like a broadhead, as opposed to the smooth removal of a field point that is the same diameter as your arrow shaft (except for the narrower taper up front).  The dense foam of 3D targets also closed up behind the wide part of my Ace points, making them much harder to pull out than field points.  I suspect that would be true of all bodkin styles, just in varying degrees depending on the diameter.

Also, I've participated in medieval reenactment for over 20 years and I have been to a number of shoots were bodkin points were specifically prohibited.  For me, it is not worth the hassle.  I have period arrows with examples of period points and broadheads for historical demos, but for archery practice and events I use standard fieldpoints.