Is broadhead tuning the final say?
Equipment
I figured yesterday was as good a day as any to start getting my setup ready for the Utah archery deer/elk opener in August, and with a little work I got my stingers and field points grouping together. Being a newb I didn't even think to start with any other tuning methods like bare shaft tuning or walk back tuning. If my broadhead tune is good can I just say that is good enough, or am I missing something here? Do I need to go back and walk back tune for any reason?
There are lots of ways to skin that cat. Too me walk back tuning is in the neighborhood of shooting paper. Which I would do before broadhead tuning. I have done both methods prior to broadlead tuning. There have been times where I shot paper and never made an adjustment while walk back tuning. There have been times I had to. However more times then not I had to make an adjustment while broadhead tuning.
If your broadheads and field points are grouping together to the same point of impact at all ranges you intend to shoot during the season that is all that matters to this guy. Just recheck your tune before the season starts in case there was any changes. Enjoy!
IMHO.... yes. If the FBBH and FP group together it means your launch is so true the fixed blade broadhead has little to no influence on the arrow flight in relation to the control group/field point, which don't show you anything WRT how they come off the bow, the fletching overcomes most shortcomings.
Many feel "tuned" is just getting good grouping with your FBBH, sight in for broadheads and good to go. In reality all that means is you have a reasonable consistency in how they each catch air on release. But if they don't group together, the launch is still not optimum.
I don't disagree there are other methods that work as well or at least get very close. I've seen bare shaft tuning get real good results.... my only issue with that is many times it's not the same arrow with and without fletching and many times the fletching itself can be the issue. But even after tuning with these other methods..... the groups don't hit together..... it's still not optimum. Not tuned well enough.
Yeah. To me broadhead tuning is the holy grail.
I quit shooting field points years ago.
All I shoot is my broad heads now (100 grain Thunderheads).
Never a doubt in my mind where I will hit when it is time to kill.
You should do what works best for your confidence and success.
Good luck, Robb
Id say you're good. I personally bareshaft tune and once thats good, check broadhead flight. Once fixed blades group with field points, i only need to practice with fp, to avoid damaging/dulling my broadheads.
I'm with the others. I used to paper tune and walk back tune but, ultimately, when I shot my FPs vs. BHs if windage or elevation differed I'd adjust to get the same POI. I shoot two different 125 gr. BHs...Muzzy Phantoms and Thunderheads. They and my FPs hit the same out to 50 yards.
Depends on if you are target shooting or hunting. If you are hunting, as i presume you are if you are asking the question, then yes, broadhead tuning would be the ultimate state of tuning. After all, it is really the only question that matters.
TMBB
I would caveat at incremental distances out to your max distance. Lot's live on a 20 or 30 target without grouping at long distances. Distance will bare out deviation. Everyone can make shots on a six foot pool table but the nine footer brings out the iniquities of the strike just like the 3 point shot. Adjusting a sight is technically not turning a bow. At least not until you are at the final stages.
Your done! But its too early, if they still have the same POI a week before the season your good to go
I love Bowtech's twin yokes. Set center shot, 2 shots thru paper with a left tear, a couple twists on the yokes, bullet hole. This is usually all I need to do and my broadheads are same POI as my FP's. I'll find out this weekend if that's the case again.
TD- you nailed it bruddah!
I get my local shop to set up center shot and loop, sight in field tips, then check broadheads. With a drop away, it has always been right except on one browning bow. Ended up trading that one in for a Mission eliminator II when he couldn't get it to tear bullet holes no matter. So, yes you are good if the Bh's and FP's group together. God Bless
"What's a French tune?"
Alouette, gentille alouette
Bare shaft is the most precise method, IME. Once you get a bare shaft to fly perfect out to 15-20yds, that's as good as it gets. Anything done to change that tune, is a de-tune. (French and walk-back are a cousin to bare-shaft tuning.)
If the FBBH aren't grouping well, or not grouping with FP's, you have a decision to make. BH tune, essentially de-tune the bow so it spits FBBH to the same POI as FP's, or switch BH's to something that isn't causing aerodynamic issues. At 285fps and up, FBBH's get finicky, I don't care what the 'super-tuners' say. Regular ST's, Swept Exodus, Wacem, etc fly well, IME. Usually the smaller heads do better at 300fps and up.
How in the wold do you "detune" a bow by making broadheads and FP's shoot to the same POI? Broadhead POI in relation to FP's POI is a function of proper tuning. A bow won't shoot them to the same POI if tuning isn't correct. You can't "detune" a bow by making it do that. You tune a bow to do that. The path to achieve that is different for some folks. But, it doesn't include "detuning" their bow to achieve it.
I'm into my 4th decade of shooting a bow and I've always tuned exactly as midwest. Once I get a bullet hole at 10ft, then 10yds, my BH's fly great regardless of distance .
Certainly won't say one way is better than another, all I know is what's worked for me.
I would submit that perfect bareshaft flight is a tuned bow. If FFBH's don't hit the same POI as FP's at that stage, you don't have a tune problem, you have a BH problem.
Trying to get the problem FBBH's to match FP POI, is " de-tuning" at this juncture, as I fall into the camp that feels bareshaft flight is the best indicator of an optimally tuned bow.
You can fall into any camp you want. You can call it what you want. You can achieve it in any order of methods you prefer. It doesn't matter. What does matter is the reality we shoot broadhead tipped arrows at animals instead of bare arrow shafts. And, we strive to achieve perfect arrow flight and, the same POI with our FBBH's and FP's.
I too am not saying what way is best. Only pointing out that "detuning" a bow to shoot a FBBH does not happen. God Bless men
My money would be that any adjustment made after bareshaft to get FBBH and FP together..... you would still go back and have good bareshaft flight, not "detuned", IMO more finely tuned. Have seen many cases of bareshaft tuning and having them not grouping together because adding the fletching factor you get some contact or even a change in spine. (yet another reason to go on the stiff side with spine....) Bareshaft tuning a weak spine for best flight could be a mess when you screw on fixed blades.
Broadheads tell the truth, every time. And once tuned, I can screw on pretty much any quality broadhead that spins perfect and they will all hit to the same spot. Many times I carry 2 or 3 different heads in my quiver. Doesn't matter which one I shoot. "Broadhead Tuning" is not tuning your bow for a specific broadhead.
I bareshaft tune. Once I have a bareshaft flying with clean nock travel. Broadheads are on the money.
TD has it spot on. Every word.
What The "screw them on and hunt" crowd misses is that a guy can shoot good groups with an untuned bow and FPs... but you can't do the same with BH.
There was a Hoyt pro doing seminars years ago that moved his tuned nok point 1/4" out of tune....and then proceede to stack one arrow after the other side by side into a target.
Add BHs in a hunting situation where holding perfect form isnt as easy.... thats where perfect arrow flight matters
To me broadhead tuning is the holy grail.
I bareshaft tune. Once I have a bareshaft flying with clean nock travel. Broadheads are on the money.
