Practicing with mechanicals
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: Jasper
26-Sep-19
What do you shoot your mechanicals into to ensure they fly the same as your field points? I’ve never shot anything other than fixed blades but my son is shooting Muzzy HB Hybrids and needs to shoot them some. Same block target as field points? Block of stryrofoam or sand bag? Do you tie the blades down? How about them breaking when being removed? Thanks!
From: yeager
26-Sep-19
My Rage Hypodermics come with practice heads. At home, I shoot then into my GlenDel target. If I’m at the archery club I belong to, we use blocks of styrofoam.
From: soccern23ny
27-Sep-19
This is exactly why I don't use them/ understand those who do...
I mean what is the advantage??? The only thing I see is more variables, which are exactly what you are trying to control in bow hunting/shooting.
Will they open, when do they open, do they open all the way, do all of them open?
A bunch of unknown possibly changing variables that you can't control. Fixed blade just makes more sense to me
From: bowhunter24
27-Sep-19
Sever broadheads you can put a set screw in and practice with, take the screw out and hunt!
From: WapitiBob
27-Sep-19
I shoot them into a block target.
From: Bou'bound
27-Sep-19
maybe the first question would be do people have issue with then ever NOT flying like field points. If there is not an issue the practice with them become a far smaller issue.
how does mechanical flight compare to fixed in terms of having a problem that needs to be addressed.
From: Jasper
27-Sep-19
I should have known better, lol. Wasn’t trying to start a fixed vs. mechanical war. I’ve been bow hunting for more than 50 years and personally am not a fan of mechs but my son got some and I just had a question about the best way to shoot them to ensure his bow was sighted in properly. Oh well, carry on! And thanks for the couple of people who actually answered my ? :)
From: Fields
27-Sep-19
LOL.... my kid shoots his into either a straw bale or a 3d target. he has 2-3 heads that he practices with. the bigger blades eventually broke off, so no he just shoots the main blade part of the head... not noticeable difference in flight....
From: Spiral Horn
27-Sep-19
In my experience a Rinehart 18:1 is great for Broadheads especially wide-cut mechanicals - they appear to heal better and last longer than Blocks. The block 4x4 has an outer shell over the foam layers and after a bunch of shots from wide-cut heads the outer shell starts coming apart. Rinehart is the same material inside and out and can really take a pounding, Also, Rineharts have betting arrow-stopping power - they easily stop my heavy big-game crossbow bolts. My 2 cents.
From: daleheth
27-Sep-19
Use the practice tips and the same target as field points. I have shot several different brands of fixed and mechanical. I have never found a mechanical that flew/impacted differently than field points, regardless of how bad the tuning
From: APauls
27-Sep-19
I used to make sure I practise with them. I no longer do. That being said, I don't buy any "new" brands or anything. Just trusted proven stuff. My first shot with a Vortex this year was 59 yards on a mulie and it was a ten-ringer. If it is a hybrid or a fixed I'd never go to field without shooting it first, and I used to test mechs but they're always perfect. That being said my bow is also tuned to the point of being able to shoot big fixed heads perfectly, so a mech is a no-brainer.
From: PAbowhunter1064
27-Sep-19
I started shooting Wasp Jak-Knifes this year. I bought two packs, and I chose 1 broadhead to be my "practice head". I shot the first couple times into a broadhead target...blades deployed in the target effortlessly, leaving a large 2"+ cut everytime. I did manage to bend one of the blades a little bit, by hitting it with a field point from a follow up arrow. I straightened that blade, superglued the blades in the closed position, and now I have my practice broadhead. The other 5 are riding in my quiver, ready to feast on some whitetails. I'd advise your son to sacrifice 1 broadhead, just for peace of mind.
From: Jasper
27-Sep-19
Joshua, Boom! Super glue the blades! Great idea......
Thanks everyone!
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
27-Sep-19
I have also had good luck shooting them into my Rinehart targets. As APauls said, after proving to myself that they consistently group with my field points I don't practice with my Vortex heads very often. Obviously any time I make any sort of a change to my set up I make sure everything is flying as it should. Good Luck!!
From: rooster
27-Sep-19
I shoot them into a cheap Bas Pro version of a Block. I've shot the Rage practice tip and in the case of other brands (jak hammers) I just sacrifice one set of blades.
From: x-man
27-Sep-19
Just pick one out and shoot it into your regular BH target. One or two shots at the most is all it takes to confirm same POI as field points. From that time on, just practice with field points. Take that practice mechanical and mark it as coyote arrow and stick it in your quiver. If your regular BH target wrecks your mechanical, you need a different mechanical.
From: JL
27-Sep-19
I have been using the Rages for quite a while with 100% success. I use the practice tips on my standard bag target. I like to think I got the bow setup tuned fairly well and the arrows impact where their supposed to. I have not shot regular field tips in a long time so I'm not sure how those will do. I might try to shoot a few and see what happens.
From: TREESTANDWOLF
27-Sep-19
I like both fixed and mechanicals. I will use the real head and not the practice head for the hypodermics.
Worse case scenario shooting into foam with the real blades is I replace the blades.
Personally, I want it as real as it gets.
Just have fun with whatever you use and hunt, just make sure your equipment is tuned.
From: Bowfreak
27-Sep-19
I normally don't even check my mechanicals after I am tuned with fixed heads, but if I do I sacrifice one. Depending on design I might even super glue one shut.
From: Teeton
27-Sep-19
For the swing back blades, I wrap stranded dental floss around the blades a few times. For me it never breaks and can hunt with them after shooting. Ed
From: GF
27-Sep-19
“If your regular BH target wrecks your mechanical, you need a different mechanical.”
Seems to me that earlier this evening I suggested that maybe all of us could at least agree on THAT....
Did I somehow offend someone’s delicate sensibilities???
From: Redheadtwo
01-Oct-19
soccern23ny Yep. Avoid the troublesome mechanical heads. Use nothing but fixed/solid blade heads
