How can I get my broad heads to hit the same spot as my field points?
Having problems getting your broad heads to fly with your field points? Want to practice with your field points and then, using the same arrows, take off the field points, and screw on your broad heads and get acceptable flight at distances within your comfort range. It can happen with a little work!
First thing to consider is proper spine selection. Spine is important to getting quick and consistent arrow recovery out of your bow. You would like all of your arrows reacting in the same way. If your arrow’s spine is too weak, consistency may be very difficult to ever achieve. Too stiff also causes problems, but it’s been my experience that it’s better to be on the stiff side, than even a little weak. Most arrow manufacturers have charts that should get you close. *Note, tip weight, arrow wraps, fletching and nocks will affect arrow flight by causing the arrow to react either weaker or stiffer. Adding more weight to the front of the arrow will cause the arrow to flex more. As a result, this will cause your arrow to react weaker. Loading the back end of the arrow will have the opposite effect. In this case your arrow will react stiffer. Match your field point tip weight to that of your broad head.
The second thing to do is to paper tune to help show how your arrow is reacting right out of your bow. Here you can adjust nock height or arrow rest for horizontal issues as with nock high or low tears. For vertical tears you would adjust your rest right or left to help straighten out your arrows. It is important to do this at more than one distance. Start at about 6 feet and then again at 15 feet. When you’ve achieved a “bullet hole”, it’s time to step back and see how your arrows are grouping. It’s not uncommon to find a flyer out of maybe a dozen arrows. That is, one arrow that just won’t hit the target consistently with the others. Now this may be cured but that’s for another article. For now, just separate that arrow from the group.
Now that you have a group of arrows that are flying consistently it’s time to screw on your broad heads. The adjustments you will be making will be adjusting your rest, either horizontally or vertically, (assuming your nock point location is correct). It’s important to note that theses adjustment will be small, maybe 1/32” or less at a time. First shoot one arrow tipped with a broad head, at 20 yards. Next follow up with an arrow tipped with a field point. Do this at least three or four times to assure you are getting an acceptable pattern, or to see there were no shot execution variations. At this time mark your rest location so you know where you started. If your broad head hits low, move the rest up or lower your nock point down. If hitting high then, move your rest down or move your nock point up. For left/right variations between broad head and field tip, move the rest right or left. For example, if your broad head is hitting to the left of your field point, move your rest to the right etc. You may need to experiment with this to see how your arrows react. Again I will repeat that it is critical that you move your rest with small adjustments at a time to assess your arrow’s reaction. Your broad heads have more surface area therefore they will attempt to steer your arrow more than your field point will.
There can be more factors determining good arrow flight, and also assumes that your arrow’s spine is within an acceptable range, but this should help to close the gap between field points and broad heads. If you have any question or need further help let me know at www.flood@onwisconsinoutdoors.com .
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