Please help with some suggestions on logistics of sighting in broad heads (Update) As you can see in my signature I shoot G5 Striker broadheads which are a replaceable blade broadhead. I am trying to sight them in and compare to my field points. Now keep in mind I am trying to do this at the lowest possible cost. Here is what I have to work with: • I own 6 broadheads. 1 of which I have shot. • I do not own a re-sharpening stone or a “Gadget” sharpener and really don’t want to spend the money for one this year unless it is required. • I don’t have a convenient place to practice at distances greater than 20 yards. I have to drive ~30min to get somewhere that I can practice longer distances. I will be doing this at final sight in. My assumptions (Feel free to comment on): • Once a broadhead is shot it should be either re-sharpened or replaced before hunting with it. • My goal is to have 5 broadheads for hunting and 1 for practicing with. Here is my dilemma. I shot one broadhead @ 20yards and it is shooting pretty well. Not bad. Elevation looks good but it appears to be going about 1” to the right and the arrow looks like it is tailing a bit that way as well. I assume this is a tuning problem. I am going to try and put that same broadhead on a different arrow tonight and see what it does. If I get the same thing, I am going to tune the bow and fix that problem. Now come the logistic problem, using my assumption that if I shoot the other broadheads I should either sharpen or replace the blades should I just assume that if I have 1 arrow and 1 broadhead flying good they all should be good to go? Or should I shoot each individual arrow with a broad head and then buy a sharpener or replace the blades so they are ready for hunting? This sounds like the best way to go but it also sounds expensive. What do the rest of you do? Help a first year bowhunter out. Thanks. UPDATE: I took the "used" blades off and interchanged them with different BH's and arrows. This really helped. By playing around with it I found at least two arrows and BH's that are "matched" and fly straight! They consistently shoot within negligible distance from my Field points. Awesome! Now I just need to keep playing with it and get a match for each arrow and BH. I also need to go and sight these in at longer ranges to make sure it is the same. I can't tell you how much of a relief this is. Thanks for everyone’s help.
I agree w/ Jeff, you need to shoot all of them, and a sharpener isn't that expensive. Furthermore, if you're really looking at "cost" there's a guy on AT that sell ST right now for $19/3 pack TYD. Now more seriously, it you're signature is correct, you're a bit overspined, like WAY overspined, and that's not going to help either. I shoot each and every BH many times before it ever makes it to the field. If that BH is shooting only 1" right at 20, that's not bad in the overall realm, but you need to know how well the rest of them will shoot. If you were shooting Muzzy's, seems like one out of every three had a ferule issue, and if you draw that arrow and it shoots 5-6" right and 4" low, then you just waisted your time getting ready to hunt, buying camo, tuning your bow and hunting. I sharpen my ST on a standard VERY FINE whetstone, I never get them quite as sharp as they were when I bought them, but they'll still cut you a bit when you screw them back on the arrow if you're not careful as one of my fingers could attest too a couple weeks ago. Seriously though, would you get a car all ready to race and then only buy one gallon of gas???? :D
I shoot one BH, the same one, on each arrow that will be used for hunting. I put the BH on the arrow, shoot from 15-25-35-45. If it hits fine at all ranges then that is a hunting shaft and I move the BH to the next arrow and repeat. I agree with OHbowhntr, your spine looks to be stiffer than you need. Definitely address the tuning before working with the BH's.
First, let's talk about being overspined. Sorry for being ignorant, but what exactly does that mean? This is what arrow the bow shop recommended based on their charts so I am a bit perplexed. Second, do you just sharpen by hand on your stone? Or they make those blade guides to make sure you are at the right angle. Do you use one of those? Well I am just looking that if I need one of those I am looking at ~$60 ($30 stone and $30 for the guide). But I suppose I have to spend what I have to spend to get this right because I like the gas analogy.
I feel it's good to shoot each head with the arrow that it will be on. That's one reason I like BH with practice blades - or after a couple season - keep some old blades to use for practice. And YES, replace or sharpen BH after even one shot into target. I see too many that do not, thinking the blade is sharp to touch still...and yes, with perfect hit it would still kill an animal - but a fresh blade will make a cut that bleeds much quicker and longer than a rough edged blade...not to mention better penetration. I paper tune my bow first each year about this time - then put on the BH's, if they are grouping tight at each yardage - do not worry that they do not fly like your field points...although with proper tuning, they should be very close (shooter form can play into BH flight BIG TIME). Good Luck!
Good point. After this year I will keep dull blades to practice with. Let me ask all of you a question. Could I just take the blades from the BH that I shot and keep moving them from head to head to make sure they shoot right? Or can different blades put another variable into it? Anyone have suggestions as to sharpeners? Either gadget or Stones? Where to buy?
UPDATE: I took the "used" blades off and interchanged them with different BH's and arrows. This really helped. By playing around with it I found at least two arrows and BH's that are "matched" and fly straight! They consistently shoot within negligible distance from my Field points. Awesome! Now I just need to keep playing with it and get a match for each arrow and BH. I also need to go and sight these in at longer ranges to make sure it is the same. I can't tell you how much of a relief this is. Thanks for everyone’s help.
I tell ya what brother, get yourself a sharpening tool, wether its a stone, sticks or the hand sharpener. Your going to need it. I shoot everyone of my heads and re-sharpen them before the season and during the season. I'm always touching up my BH's thru out the season. Look in the classifieds on the archery sites they are there to be had, cheap too! A sharp broadhead is what does the killing!
yea, I know. To be honest I am just trying to put it off a little bit more. We just did some work on our house and it took away from the bow hunting fund if you know what I mean.
