Broadhead Testing

Joined
Aug 23, 2019
Messages
419
After a questionable experience with a broadhead last year during whitetail season out east, I'd like to focus more time on broadhead tuning/testing this summer.

Does anyone have any recommendations as how to test multiple types of broadheads without buying 3 packs of each one? Do pro shops sometimes have demo broadheads available? I'd obviously have to buy the appropriate target for this.

Thanks in advance.
 

D.Rose

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 21, 2020
Messages
225
Some companies that produce premium broadheads will sell you a single head if you contact them directly. If you go with something mass produced then I would recommend searching some classifieds and look for a good deal on whatever you are looking for. I enjoy shooting and testing new broadheads so I am always searching the classifieds on a few different forums.
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,317
Location
Corripe cervisiam
I am assuming you are testing to see which one flies best----with the right setup, they all do!

I shoot a fairly heavy [500gr] arrow with plenty of spine 300 Axis....and when my bow is tuned with the arrows assembled perfectly on a jig....I can shoot any 150gr or 145 gr bh to the same POI. I tune with the big VPA 3 blade...and everything else 2 blades, 3 blades- etc. shoots lights out.

Now if a guy is shooting a light spine, light/fast arrow that type of thing....its a more critical setup thus there will be a smaller collection of BH's that will tune well....and those are typically the small short heads.

If you are underspined or even borderline....sometimes no BH tunes well.


______
 
OP
A
Joined
Aug 23, 2019
Messages
419
Some companies that produce premium broadheads will sell you a single head if you contact them directly. If you go with something mass produced then I would recommend searching some classifieds and look for a good deal on whatever you are looking for. I enjoy shooting and testing new broadheads so I am always searching the classifieds on a few different forums.

Good idea here. May be worth finding a few other people doing the same thing, and try to organize a swap of some sort.
 

Felix40

WKR
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
1,877
Location
New Mexico
I am assuming you are testing to see which one flies best----with the right setup, they all do!

I shoot a fairly heavy [500gr] arrow with plenty of spine 300 Axis....and when my bow is tuned with the arrows assembled perfectly on a jig....I can shoot any 150gr or 145 gr bh to the same POI. I tune with the big VPA 3 blade...and everything else 2 blades, 3 blades- etc. shoots lights out.

Now if a guy is shooting a light spine, light/fast arrow that type of thing....its a more critical setup thus there will be a smaller collection of BH's that will tune well....and those are typically the small short heads.

If you are underspined or even borderline....sometimes no BH tunes well.



______


Some broadheads just dont fly very well so the idea that you can shoot whatever you want with a tuned arrow is kind of a farce.

The broadhead swap idea is probably the way to go. There are a lot of tests online too where you can get a good idea of what broadheads fly really well.
 
OP
A
Joined
Aug 23, 2019
Messages
419
What kind of broadheads are you interested in? Any specific one?
Pretty open minded to anything fixed right now. Trying to avoid mechanical, as I'd like to reduce the amount of things that can go wrong. I like the Iron Wills, but probably more than I need at this point. Maybe I'll start in the Muzzy/Montec range and go from there. Open to any and all suggestions at this point.
 
OP
A
Joined
Aug 23, 2019
Messages
419
I am assuming you are testing to see which one flies best----with the right setup, they all do!

I shoot a fairly heavy [500gr] arrow with plenty of spine 300 Axis....and when my bow is tuned with the arrows assembled perfectly on a jig....I can shoot any 150gr or 145 gr bh to the same POI. I tune with the big VPA 3 blade...and everything else 2 blades, 3 blades- etc. shoots lights out.

Now if a guy is shooting a light spine, light/fast arrow that type of thing....its a more critical setup thus there will be a smaller collection of BH's that will tune well....and those are typically the small short heads.

If you are underspined or even borderline....sometimes no BH tunes well.


______

Current arrow is 398 grains, with a 100 grain point. They are simple out of the box Gold Tip XT Hunters in a 340 spine, cut to 28". Bow is pulling at 63 lbs (soon to be cranked up towards 70) at a 28" draw length. I'm likely ovesrpined a bit, but thinking that moving to 70 lbs should fix that.

I have a VXR on the way, but it will be a while I think. The current bow will be used to learn how to tune/adjust/fix once the Matthews arrives.
 
OP
A
Joined
Aug 23, 2019
Messages
419
Thanks for all the great information here guys. Looking forward to getting the bows tuned out and broadheads flying.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,636
Location
Colorado Springs
I first pick whatever BH I want to use and then make sure the arrows spin true and there's no wobble at all in the BH. Then I BH tune at 60 yards to make sure they're hitting with my FP arrows. If they aren't, then I make bow adjustments until they do.

But ya, I asked the question several years ago "when is your bow BH tuned"? One year I had nine different BH's all hitting within the bullseye at 60, and then I shot some 125gr Slick Trick Magnums. They consistently hit about 4" lower than the rest of those heads and the FP's. Was I tuned to the ST's? Obviously not. But then again........I didn't use the ST's for hunting, so the bow was good to go.

These days I'll use just a couple different fixed heads, like the old silver 125gr Shuttle T's or a 125gr G5 Striker. When the bow is tuned to those, then my mechanical heads will also hit with those heads and my FP's, so it doesn't really matter which arrow I shoot.....unless there's a bunch of wind.

So I would just pick a head that you want to use and then tune to that. And then the real fun with testing can begin......like shooting it through steel barrels etc. ;)
 
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