# Broadhead Grouping



## SlimTastic (Sep 10, 2009)

Had my bow shooting field tips to my satisfaction (~2" @ 20yds). Put on the broadheads the other day and couldn't group them at all. They were consistently low of center, but left to right and up and down in a 12" circle. I would like to know if you think this is a tuning issue or if I should try different broadheads or both. I've read some of the Easton tuning info, but don't I need a group first? If I switch BHs I'm thinking maybe Slick Trick and mechanicals are out. Please give me you opinion on where to start and let me know if I left out pertinent information. Thanks.

Parker XP 70lbs
Cabelas Stalker Extreme 65-80 with Blazers
Wasp SST Boss 100gr
Trophy Taker Rest


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## TMan51 (Jan 25, 2004)

Left/right/up/down doesn't actually seem like a tuning issue. Unless everything is way off. But your FP groups of 2" at 20 yds would also look poor if that was the case, and arrow flight would be visibly erratic in decent light.

Slicks are easy to tune for, maybe one of the easier heads to work with. Personally, I find NAP Nitrons even better to work with, but neither head will fly properly until things are right. The myth of "tuning free" fixed blade heads is way over stated.

What are you using for fletch? 
How much/little offset is applied?

I have and use a couple flavor's of 2" vanes, and have tried several others. I find that the high profile 2"er's to be pretty much the same, I keep Blazers, Twisters, and Speed Hunters in my shop. Usually a 3 degree helical works the best, sometimes not. It's always try it and see. A 4" vane will always put more spin on a shaft than a short vane with the same offset, that doesn't mean it will fly better with any given head. Another try it and see.

Last fall I picked up 3dz CX200's at Bass Pro, all fletched with Blazers, with about 1/2degree of offset. They shot great with FP's and mechanicals, and great out to about 10ft with a Slick. Past that they were useless. Refletched with Blazers at 3 degrees of helical, they shoot all sorts of heads out to 55yds, my max distance for my outdoor range.

I'm wondering if you might get lucky with a quick fix like that.


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## SlimTastic (Sep 10, 2009)

As far as offset...they are stock Cabelas Stalker Extreme arrows with Blazer vanes...so I have no idea on offset. They cut them to length and put in the inserts for me at the store.

And yes the FPs group very consistent from 5 out to 50 yards, but the way those wasp BHs shoot at 20 yards I'd be scared to shoot them past that, and wouldn't even think about hunting with them.

The season opens in less than two weeks so I need to get this figured out. I'll be past Cabelas today...should I look into different BHs, different arrows, or attempt some sort of tuning.

I'm a newb and not set up to cut or fletch arrows, so would a different stock arrow be worth trying?

Open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks


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## nomad11 (Apr 14, 2006)

FP groups sound real good. BH performance sounds abnormally bad. It also sounds like the BH tipped arrows probably dont spin worth a darn - or one can't distinguish between the good one, and those that are bad.


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## BowButla (Aug 5, 2009)

My opinion by what you are describing leans more toward shooting form and follow through. Field tips are very forgiving of slight flaws to either, but when broad heads are in front form becomes a critical factor. Low BH grouping is common with dropping bow arm at release (fatigue). The lefts and rights together are rare in BH tuning issues as related to rest. The high flyers are even more rare and your problem could be a too low a nock point or rest a little high causing a severe porpoising that combined with arrow spin and a steering broadhead up front causing a corkscrew effect to arrow flight resulting inthe all around bull's eye arrow impact at target that you described. Check form and follow through then check nock hight in relation to rest. 90 degrees of string is the goal here. I shoot the same Wasps and can hit the same hole as a FP.


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## TMan51 (Jan 25, 2004)

SlimTastic said:


> As far as offset...they are stock Cabelas Stalker Extreme arrows with Blazer vanes...so I have no idea on offset.
> Open to any and all suggestions.


Cabela's catalog doesn't specify vane offset, so it could be anything.

As a reference, I picked up 3dz CX200's at BassPro last year, I've used CX200's longer than any other shaft, 10+ yrs. There were fletched with Blazers with a minimal offset. With FP's and Rockets they shot real well, with Slicks and Nitrons, they were useless past about 20ft.

Hoping the arrows weren't bad, or had changed, I swapped the vanes out on a couple of shafts, and replaced them with Blazers with a helical 3 degree offset, and Speed Hunters 1 degree offset.

Cured the problem instantly.


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## Roskoe (Apr 15, 2007)

A buddy of mine got some Cabela's arrows last month. They were fletched with no offset whatsoever. Would not shoot fixed broadheads. That is likely your problem as well.


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## TMan51 (Jan 25, 2004)

Roskoe said:


> A buddy of mine got some Cabela's arrows last month. They were fletched with no offset whatsoever. .


With the amount of effort it takes to fletch with a couple degrees offset, why would anyone do that ?

But it's the problem for sure.


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## WabbitSwayer (Aug 10, 2009)

Roskoe said:


> A buddy of mine got some Cabela's arrows last month. They were fletched with no offset whatsoever. Would not shoot fixed broadheads. That is likely your problem as well.


Mine are shooting G5's perfectly.


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## optimax (Sep 18, 2009)

I am shooting slick tricks and they are grouping with my fiels points. I would consider my bow crackerized it's dialed in. 

My setup I am shooting 340 to 300 spined easton excell arrow toatal weight is 437 grains at 287 fps 70 lb hoytt katera left hand. These are cheap but I am tac driving with them. Why change if the setup is working for me.

I am shooting right gate way helical feathers.

.100 grain slick tricks.

There are variables that your broadheads are shooting off center. fletching contact,shooter form, FOC,arrow spine. there are a few more. 

First sound like you need to get your field points shooting tighter.


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## ricfirefighter (Feb 29, 2004)

stock cabelas arrows are fletched straight only problem with them.


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## konrad (Mar 29, 2009)

You gotta' spin 'em if ya wants to stabilize 'em...


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## nomad11 (Apr 14, 2006)

konrad said:


> You gotta' spin 'em if ya wants to stabilize 'em...


x2....!!!


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## Edwardo (Dec 30, 2008)

It could be the arrows..Broadheads need to be shot with a very precise spine consistency not many carbon arrows have that..I have found Carbon express maxium hunters weight forward was the best with easton acc second best in my research..with hunting season this close you could always go to aluminum till you fix the issue..


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