practice shots

[currie]

been shooting in the yard up to 60 yards with field tip, how can i practice with a broad head and not destroy my target. or should i just compensate for the drop that will happen with a heavier tip.

[BRazz]

The field tip should be the same weight as your broadhead. If form and bow tuning are correct, they "should" fly to the same place. So don't compensate for anything! The only way to know where your broadheads will fly is to shoot them.

If you figure out how to do this without shredding up your target let me know... Depending on where you're shooting, maybe you could make your own target?

[Swede]

I had some old 2X6 boards and made a three sided crib that I filled with clean dirt. I use that for a practice backstop for my broad-heads. It dulls them pretty fast, but who cares, they are for practice and the target is just a piece of paper in front of the dirt pile. You could use other material to form a crib to contain the dirt even concrete blocks would work well. Just don't hit the crib material.

[stringunner]

If I read the initial post correctly, you haven't yet shot broad heads and thus do not know if they will hit the same location as your field tips? If that's the case, you need to know if your broad heads will hit where your pins are set.

Broad heads do not always fly the same and when they don't hit the same as your field tips, it's probably (not always but some times) a sign of a bow not in great tune. Some guys will say work to get it in tune so they hit the same, some guys will move slightly their pins so the broad heads hit but don't care now about where the field tips hit. That's another long debate and conversation about which is better...regardless, if you haven't yet shot broad heads don't leave for elk camp assuming they will fly and hit the same. Pick up a broad head target or make one, or something, but shoot them and adjust accordingly. Just my 2 cents.

[CurlyTail]

Just accept the fact that you are going to shred some targets with your broadheads. Factor it into the high cost of your Elk hunting addiction.

[Swede]

Here is a little help for anyone with tuning issues. This first tip assumes you have properly paper tuned your bow.
If your broad-heads are grouping high, your nocking point is too low. Obviously if they group low, your nocking point is too high.
If your broad-heads group to the right, your arrow is acting as thought the shafts are too weak. You can get lighter broad-heads or stiffer shafts.
If your broad-heads are to the left, then your shafts are too stiff. You can get heavier broad-heads, or weaker shafts.

Here is a trick I use . I get broad-heads and arrow shafts recommended based on a manufacturers chart. If the made up arrows don't group with my field points, I won't spend the money to replace them. I just adjust the rest a little.

This may be cheating, but it works and costs nothing. I move the rest to make the broad-heads move to where the field points are hitting. You should not have to move your rest much. You may need to play around here, but this is good for most minor adjustments. You can adjust the rest so the broad-heads and field points hit at the same spot.
This is so common with me, I don't bother to paper tune any more.

[Swede]

DSCN0160.JPG (265.58 KiB) Viewed 4223 times

Here is a fairly long term solution for my broad-head tuning and practice needs. I can add some more dirt every once in a while. Broad-heads don't pass through into the back boards. It cost me the price of some nails. The rest is scrap material.

[currie]

thanks for all the info guys.

[Wyo67]

They are pricey, but I've been shooting broadheads into my Rinehart 18-1 for the last two summers and it is still in excellent shape.

[Tigger]

I picked up a couple of targets at a garage sale and use them. One word of caution, make dang sure your broadhead sticks out the backside of your target. If it doesn't, you cant pull them out the front and will have to push them out the back (rates high on the pain in the neck meter).

[WYO_ELK]

I picked up a couple of targets at a garage sale and use them. One word of caution, make dang sure your broadhead sticks out the backside of your target. If it doesn't, you cant pull them out the front and will have to push them out the back (rates high on the pain in the neck meter).

Why can't you pull them out? I shoot my broadheads into a Block target and I pull them out.

[nrocchio]

I replaced the strings and cable on my bow this year, after that I lowered my draw weight to 60 lbs. I talked to my shop, and they recommended a different arrow spine with the new draw weight. Since I had new arrows I decided to put the new setup through the tuning process.

I broadhead tuned my bow like Swede described (after paper tuning and walk back tuning). It is really worth the time to get the broadhead tuning right. I have never shot better groups from 30+ yards out as I have since switching to the proper arrow spine, and taking the time to tune my bow.

[Wyo67]

I picked up a couple of targets at a garage sale and use them. One word of caution, make dang sure your broadhead sticks out the backside of your target. If it doesn't, you cant pull them out the front and will have to push them out the back (rates high on the pain in the neck meter).

Why can't you pull them out? I shoot my broadheads into a Block target and I pull them out.

I'm confused too. I quit using the cheap layered targets. After just a few shots, the arrow would be buried up to or including the fletching. I want the target to stop the arrow so I don't damage or knock off my fletchings.

[WapitiTalk1]

Yes, a shooter needs a good target that'll last more than one season. I really like the larger Rinehart Target with replaceable core. I've had mine 4 or 5 years and have replaced the core only once. An yes, a shooter needs to tune their BHs so they hit the same spot as their field points (like Swede described above); IMO, this is the final stage of tuning your hunting bow. Here's a chart explaining BH tuning:

broadhead_tuning_chart.png (169.77 KiB) Viewed 4006 times

I had to change out my bow limbs last week and after Lamrith (Larry) and I got my reconfigured bow back to a basic tune (rest parallel with berger hole(s), centered on bow; nock point), and, some paper shooting, I was able to then do some BH tuning yesterday and ended up with my BHs shooting pretty darn close with my FPs out to 40 yards. I shoot one BH at 20, then one FP. Do macro adjustments till they touch at 20, adjust my sights as needed so I'm on the target center, then do the same drill again at 20, 30, 40, and 50. Was getting a bit tired after a bunch of shooting yesterday so will do my final sight tune tonight.

At 20 after BH tuning (one BH/one FP):

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At 30 after BH tuning (one BH/one FP):

IMG_3512.JPG (127.3 KiB) Viewed 4006 times

At 40 after BH tuning (one BH/one FP):

[Dr. Rx]

x2 Rinehart Target with replaceable core.

Kris

[stringunner]

That's good shooting!