Arrow issues, need advice!

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Ok, I'm going to try and make this as short as I can...... Please bear w/ me, I want to cover as much as I can for the best advice possible.

I just started bow hunting last year. I bought a used bow, an older Hoyt, it's sweet, I like it and I can shoot well w/ it. It came w/ some arrows that I practiced and used last year. Never shot an animal, but I hit a lot of bulls-eyes. The arrows that came were cut to fit the guy I bought the bow from. After learning a little more about things I realized they are a little short for my draw length (30.5") but they still shoot and I can hit where I'm aiming. I even re-fletched them myself this spring w/ 2" blazer vanes and they are still great. They are Easton 400's.

Early this summer I took my bow to a shop to get it tuned and a new sight put on, a new D loop and get some new arrows. This guy seemed great and he sent me on my way and told me it would be ready the next day. I found this weird, cause I figured the best way to tune a bow is to have me there to shoot it...no? Weird......

Anyway, I got it the next day and he said it was good to go (He had nothing but his word to prove to me that he tuned it, found that strange as well.) So I went to sight it in with the new arrows which he convinced me to down size so I got 300's (Still getting to know the in's and out's of this game). Everything seemed good, I got it sighted in for the most part and that was that.

So throughout the summer I strictly practiced w/ these new 300's. I had them dialed in very well and was ready to get some broad-heads flying. I finally bought myself a broad head target and finally got out to practice the other day ( I know a bit late, but couldn't foresee any problems) Last year I shot Muzzy 100g's and this year I'm trying the Slick Tricks 100g's.

So I was shooting the other day and was trying both broad-heads, but focusing mostly on the Slicks. W/ the new 300 arrows I was consistently shooting about 4 inches low and about that much to the right (Basically I was aiming for the dot in the upper left corner of the target and was pretty much hitting right dead center in the middle of the target) Would try w/ field points and was dead on.....???? Ok, must be out of tune..I knew I didn't trust that bum at the shop! ( I really want to tell ya'll where not to go... If I won't get in trouble I will... I don't think he's a sponsor...)

For $h1t's and giggles I decided to try shooting the broadheads with my old 400 arrows before monkeying w/ things. DEAD ON! [PoorWordUsage]????? Tried again, and again and again DEAD ON! Tried them w/ field points and was off but still close. Weird! At this point I was fatigued so I packed it up.

I went out again tonight with the same results!

At this point I'm going w/ the 400's since they're dialed in. I will get out as much as possible before I hunt too just to make sure, but everything seems good to go w/ the 400's.

So, what do ya'll think? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[96trigger]

Paper tune your bow. The problem sounds like its with your broadheads and the 300's more than anything. I'm sure that you checked this out, but, are the field tips and broadheads the same grain?? Shoot your both your field tips, and broadheads through paper and see what the tear looks like.

[fishinmajishin]

Shoot what works right now. Tinker with it later after Xmas. All you're losing is probably just a few fps, but accuracy is the thing that matters most.

[96trigger]

fmajishin, I meant to put that in my post. Thanks. I'm sure that drifter is more mad, as I would be, that he spent the money on new arrows and tune up, and doesn't see the difference. Tinker later, hunt now. Use what works and what you are comfortable with.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Yup, the tips are the same weight as the broad heads.

[BowTech03]

When you got your bow tuned did you have your new slick tricks in hand and payed for before tuning your bow? Yes im sure that he tuned it, but if you did not have your broadheads at the time the guy would have just tuned the bow for you new arrows and some felid points, different arrows and different braodheads fly different(as you have found out)so if you did not get it tuned with the new slick trick heads, then that would be my guess to your problem. Wait until the gun season now to fiddle with it.

[Christopher Quast]

Brule sounds like your arrows are too lightly spined for your poundage of your bow Which in turn will make your arrows not recover as quick after the shot or it could be that your fletchings are not in line with your broadheads on the 300's and they happen to be on your 400's It all depends on where your insert is positioned.

Hope this helps you out

Are you up around the Gunflint Trail area and if so do you know Andy from Gunflint Lodge Thought this because of the Brule name.

[youngie22]

not sure exactly but I would paper tune and you may want to increase the spine of your arrows again. the increase in the length of your arrows may create to much wobble, stiffening up to 350 may be enough may go back to 400's. no expert by any means

[koonie]

I wouldn't worry about fletchings lining up with the broadheads as this shouldn't have any effect on arrow flight.

You need to broadhead tune. Move your rest in very small increments until your broadheads catch up to your fieldpoints. It doesn't take much-maybe 1/16th of an inch left and up.

Of course this is ASSuming your bow is tuned and you have proper arrow weight...

[FishGUY]

It looks like the only difference is the arrow spine. Are the fletchings different on the 300s vs 400s or the lengths different? Different fletchings will stablize the arrows differently. You can check online with the specs of your bow and arrow length to see if the arrows are spined correctly. I agree shoot what works now. If the 300s are spined for the bow correctly, all you need to do is broadhead tune the bow so the boardhead and fieldpoints shoot the same.

[DonBo]

This isn't going to be a popular answer as most think field points and bh's should fly the same, they often don't. Use the 300's and move your site. Assuming the new arrows fly good your problem is solved.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Okay,

I had it tuned with the new arrows, the 300's, and field points. These are what I practiced with all summer. They have the standard 4" vanes. And they were cut for my draw length. They are probably an inch longer then the old 400's

I am pulling 65#

I bought the slick Tricks because I hear they fly just like field points, ect. I put them on the 300's and they were way off.

Then I tried them on the older 400's that I refletched a long time ago w/ 2" blazers. All of a sudden I'm hitting bulls w/ my Slick Tricks on the 400's which I hadn't shot since purchasing the new arrows.

So, obviously I'm going to shoot w/ these this fall and I will tinker after the season is done. I actually am planning on upgrading my rest anyway so it'll require more tuning after that.

I also think my arrows are too light. I'm not a speed freak, I like power and accuracy so I think next year I'll get new arrows in the 400 range.

Thanks for the tips. I knew it needed better tuning. And to be honest, I dont think this bum at this shop in the easten metro did a thing to my bow as far as tuning.

I also am not from the Gunflint area, boy how I wish I was though!

[BRULEDRIFTER]

This isn't going to be a popular answer as most think field points and bh's should fly the same, they often don't. Use the 300's and move your site. Assuming the new arrows fly good your problem is solved.

Really? I don't know if I want to tinker this late in the game. It's tough enough for me to get out to shoot bh's as it is being there are no ranges in my area that allow bh's. I'm going out again tonight to shoot and if my 400's are still nuts on, I'm going w' them.

[DonBo]

Originally Posted By: DonBo

This isn't going to be a popular answer as most think field points and bh's should fly the same, they often don't. Use the 300's and move your site. Assuming the new arrows fly good your problem is solved.

Really? I don't know if I want to tinker this late in the game. It's tough enough for me to get out to shoot bh's as it is being there are no ranges in my area that allow bh's. I'm going out again tonight to shoot and if my 400's are still nuts on, I'm going w' them.

If your 400's are right on, and are flying good, then by all means shoot them. All I am saying is bh's don't always fly the same as field tips and too many people put too much stock in this. If you need to move your rest, etc. to make your bh's go the same place as your field tips, then you are moving away from what made your field tips fly good in the first place.

[FishGUY]

A field tip will fly OK, even if the bow isn't tuned perfectly. The fletching will stablalize the arrow and help straiten it out. A fixed blade broadhead will steer the arrow and not allow the fletching to straiten out the arrow like a field tip. That is where broadhead tuning comes into play, moving the rest until the field tips and broadheads hit the same spot and them sighting in the bow. If they shoot the same you can shoot all you want with field tips and still know the broadheads will hit in the same spot. You can do an internet search on broadhead tuning or go to AT for more info. I hope I explained it in a way that it makes sence.

[snoozebutton]

I had the same thing and I was using 400 Beman's (which my draw weight and arrow length said I should use). When I looked at the tuning chart for broadheads vs fieldtips, it was pointing towards being underspined. I went out and bought some 340's and bingo, right on the money with both the broadheads and fieldtips. That was 3 years ago and I'm still shooting the 340's and they're still right on.

[Powerstroke]

Its always best to err on the side of stiffness for arrows, especially if you're right on the line between sizes.

[Scott M]

First day's take on the 10th day: try weighing your points and b-heads. Inconsequential, I know, as you've found something that worked. I found an incredible difference last year in some field tips I was shooting and my Muzzy 100's.

[ArcherD]

This isn't going to be a popular answer as most think field points and bh's should fly the same, they often don't. Use the 300's and move your site. Assuming the new arrows fly good your problem is solved.

This is probably the worst advice given on here so far. All broaheads can be tuned to shoot the same as your field points. With your 300's right now, your arrows are not flying true. What I mean by this is they are not flying "straight as an arrow" pardon the pun. The are wobbling in the air and your vanes are not able to correct the flight. By just moving your sight to correct point of impact will do just that move POI. You will suffer loss of penetration because when the arrow enters the intended target, it is entering at an angle and will lose kinetic energy quicker. What you need to do is tune the bow for your broadheads, very simple to do and only requires a few minor adjustments. I would contact your local dealer and they will help you with that. Or you can shoot the 400's now seeing they are shooting the same as your field points and work on the 300's at a later date.

Also, you did not down size your arrows from 400's to 300's. The 300's are a stiffer and heavier arrow than the 400's and are more suited to the specs you are currently shooting.

Good luck and keep the wind in your face.

Archer Dave

[DonBo]

Originally Posted By: DonBo

This isn't going to be a popular answer as most think field points and bh's should fly the same, they often don't. Use the 300's and move your site. Assuming the new arrows fly good your problem is solved.

This is probably the worst advice given on here so far. All broaheads can be tuned to shoot the same as your field points. With your 300's right now, your arrows are not flying true. What I mean by this is they are not flying "straight as an arrow" pardon the pun. The are wobbling in the air and your vanes are not able to correct the flight. By just moving your sight to correct point of impact will do just that move POI. You will suffer loss of penetration because when the arrow enters the intended target, it is entering at an angle and will lose kinetic energy quicker. What you need to do is tune the bow for your broadheads, very simple to do and only requires a few minor adjustments. I would contact your local dealer and they will help you with that. Or you can shoot the 400's now seeing they are shooting the same as your field points and work on the 300's at a later date.

Also, you did not down size your arrows from 400's to 300's. The 300's are a stiffer and heavier arrow than the 400's and are more suited to the specs you are currently shooting.

Good luck and keep the wind in your face.

Archer Dave

He never said they were not fying true, if fact, he said the flight was good. If that is the case then there is no need to start messing with the arrow rest or anything else. IF THE ARROWS FLY GOOD and your ONLY issue is they don't hit in exactly the same spot as field tips then adjusting the site is all that needs to be done.

[ArcherD]

If the BH and the FP are not flying the same, the arrow is NOT flying true.

[Bear55]

Not true, I had my bow paper tuned and shooting great. For fun I decided to test out a bunch of different broadheads. Three different brands shot right with my field tips, the 4th was four inches left. The only reason I can come up with was the broadhead.

[DonBo]

Agreed with Bear, anyone who thinks all broadheads fly the same a field tips has never shot broadheads. Some just plain fly different. You only have to look at all the different designs to see that.

[ArcherD]

Not true, I had my bow paper tuned and shooting great. For fun I decided to test out a bunch of different broadheads. Three different brands shot right with my field tips, the 4th was four inches left. The only reason I can come up with was the broadhead.

Is that why you are saying that my statement is not true, because you bow is paper tuned?

Just because your bow shoots good thru paper doesnt mean it is in tune. Paper tuning is a good start. Just for fun, take one of your arrows and strip the vanes off and see how they fly at 20 yards then 30 yards. If your bow is indeed in tune, the bare shaft will group togeather with your fletched arrows. Let me back up a second and also state that your shooting form must be spot on when shooting bare shafts. If your bow is in tune, your bare shafts will shoot the same as your fletched arrows.

Again, ANY BROADHEAD CAN BE TUNED to shoot like field points. DonBo is correct, there are millions of different designs of BH's, that is why some shoot different that others. That is why some need to be tuned more that others.

Good luck everyone!

[DonBo]

Okay, I'm not going any farther than this on this argument.

Let's say you've done everything possible to get your field tips to fly perfectly. Everything. Then you buy some broadheads and while shooting them you find they group 4" from your field tips. They still fly great. No wobble, no whipping at all. They shoot bullet holes in paper. The only problem is they hit a different spot than the field tips. Are you going to start messing with the rest, etc. JUST SO THEY HIT THE SAME SPOT as your field tips? I'm not. Any changes I would do would just throw off the tuning I did for the field tips.

Set your sites and move on. This comes from 37 years experience of shooting broadheads.

Shoot straight and don't fret the small stuff.