Dirt2

I've got a question here about broadhead flight. Please bear with me, this post could be rather long.

This year is my fourth as a bowhunter. I get help from the local bow shop with technical aspects - they help me paper tune, they build my arrows and tune my broadheads. I'm not a tech wizard.

My problem is that my broadheads never fly to the same tight groups as my field points. I used NAP T-heads the first two years, Muzzy 100s the next, and this year I'm trying G5 B-52s. In all cases, my broadheads have hit well within 3 inches of my fieldpoint center, but each arrow/broadhead combo flies to its own unique spot.

This year, I have three arrows that impact 2 inches off at 3 o'clock, one impacts 2 1/2 inches off at 2 o'clock, another 3 inches off at 11 o'clock, and the sixth hits 4 inches off at 7 o'clock. What I have resorted to is choosing an arrow, and sighting in for THAT arrow. If it breaks in season, I nudge my sights to center for arrow #2, and so on. This situation is obviously not ideal. Again, this year's shoot was with 2-blade B-52s. Last year with Muzzy 3-blades the results were substantially similar.

I really make a big project out of this process. I shoot each broadhead 15 times at 20 yards, measure each shot to the quarter-inch, and record the shots on graph paper. I then determine the arrow's "center hit" by taking the median of the 15 shots.

I don't think tuning is my problem. I have paper tuned with field points each year, and shoot perfect holes. I'm getting no vane contact. Everything looks good.

My setup: Matthews MQ-32, 30 inch draw length, 55 lb. draw weight, ICS Beman Hunter arrows, 100 grain broadheads, total weight 438 grains. I shoot with a release.

sho-me_bhntr

hmmm...curious...are you spined correctly? have you spin-tested your arrows?

mobow

Exactly what I was gonna say, spine and spin test. Sounds like your broadheads are not sitting sqaurely on the shaft. Have you spun the arrow to check for b-head wobble, nock wobble? If it wobbles AT ALL, spin the insert in the arrow 1/4 turn at a time until there is no visible wobble. Also, what size and type fletching are you using. You may not have enough fletch to stabilize the b-head. Also, straight fletch or helical may make a difference. If you are having any fletching contact with your rest, you will have trouble. I feel like it IS a tuning problem of some sort.

trac209

Are you shooting straight or helical fletching?If your shooting straight fletching I would try going to helical.

Dirt2

According to the charts, I am spined correctly, and I'm not on any borderlines. I'm using the mid-spine for ICS Bemans.

Spin testing is one of the things my bowshop does for me; I've watched them do it.

My vanes are either straight or minimally helical.

sho-me_bhntr

well, those were my first guesses...[&:]

as other's have mentioned earlier, this would be my next guess...i would try maybe more helical with my fletching...what size fletching are you using?

mobow

Go helical. Feathers. If you are currently using 3 inch, go 4 inch. If you are currently using 4 inch, go 5 inch. I will say, tho, the only problem with helical fletching is rest contact. If you are using a prong style rest, you will most likely have some contact on a hard helical. If this is the case, go to a drop away, or a whisker biscuit. Good luck. You will get it tho.

sho-me_bhntr

one thing is for sure, i certainly would not accept this kind of flight...[:'(] there are just too many variables in bowhunting, and i want to be able to eliminate as many variables as i can, including the flight of my arrows. i want to feel confident that my arrows will impact where i aim...

keep at it, and i'm sure you'll solve the problem.

Jollyarcher

Hmmm... not much to add to the previous suggestions. They're all on the money. Short of actually seeing you shoot the bow itself, I'd cull the "bad" arrows from your quiver and look to micro tuning. If you're arrows spin true, yet still see erratic flight, try powder testing. Was this a new or a used bow? Did the shop know what they were doing when they timed it or did the 17 year old pimply face kid with the summer job and the Fast and Furious Honda Civic parked outside put your bow in the press? Short of having a major problem, (bad riser, leaning axle, worn bushings), your bow should not be this hard to tune for the hunting heads. Check your timing and go from there... some broadheads will really fly poorly if the bow is out of time, even if the field points still group ok.

Dirt2

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'll be running up to the bow shop tomorrow and laying out the problem for them, and some of your ideas will give me some ammo. Thanks.