Should my practice tips be the same weight as my broadheads?

I found my broadheads were hitting lower on the target than they were with practice tips.

They should weigh the same, if they do and the BH's hit low...then the bow needs tuned by moving nock point.

Thanks, Bwana. Headed to Bass Pro Shops tomorrow for a tune-up and arrows.

Ugggh - good luck - "most" box stores don't have a great staff in the archery counter, the staff turn-over is too high for they pay.

Yes - there are exceptions, but IMHO, you'd be better served finding a good archery Pro Shop in your area, and working with them.

When you say "practice tips", are you talking about the field points? Yes, they should be the same weight as your broadheads.

What broadheads are you shooting? Some typically fly better than others, and some need a solid tune to fly true.

I was disappointed with my "local" (30 min away) archery shop. I got the prima donna vibe from the counter help when all I was looking for is a little guidance and advice as I paid 50 bucks for 5 arrows. They acted like I wasn't worth their time. I won't be back.

Bass Pro in my area has helped my son considerably with his new bow. All at no extra charge.

I appreciate the tips and insight from you folks.

Welcome to the ranks of the Archers. If we can help, just ask.
And yes, tip weights should match for consistency in your aiming vs impact points. Also, different types of broadheads can make differences to the flight path of your arrows. I found I did not like the flat two edged broadheads with crosscut bleeders. They tended to drift off target for me. I found better accuracy with an inexpensive mechanical called silver strikes. Other folks have thier own favorites of course.
If the difference is small, they do make weighted washers to adjust lighter tips to match your heavier tips,

+1 on matching weights of practice tips and hunting broadheads. Still I practice on a very thick target made for stopping broadheads without damage. It doesn't take to many shots to confirm your yardage pins. I notice differences between practice arrows and broadheads out to 60 yds. Closer not so much, but put some distance in that group and it changes. I can only shoot 60 yds on my property.

Last place I would go. But I guess if it is all you got then why not. Guys that actually know what they are doing get hired on at archery shops. Though a few good ones do slip through the cracks and find themselves at the box stores.

Yes your field points should be the same weight as your broad heads. If your broad heads are heavier then you field points of course they are going to hit lower.

How is your impacts left to right field points vs broad heads?

I recommend a high FOC it will help keep your arrow straighter in the wind, it will give you better penetration also.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Ill be glad to help you out. I know a little bit about bows lol. As has been stated, yes field points and broadheads need to be of same weight. Arrow flight wether with field points or broadheads all comes down to how well your bow is tuned. There should be zero adjustments needed when switching from field points to whatever broadhead you wish to shoot...as long as weight is same. No bow adjustments. No sight adjustments.

What you are looking at is broadhead tuning, it's a way to fine tune your bow. Chances of Bass Pro helping are slim.

Check if your BH are grouping, that's step 1. If they are then you dont' have other issues! It's then simple adjustments. You can usually do them more easily with rest than the knock point. And the adjustments are SMALL, like 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch. Shoot again, see what happens, repeat.

Moving the rest is a "band aid" for tuning issues. I get that its sometimes the only option if you dont have the equipment to do it properly yourself or have a shop nearby that you trust. You can "make it work" but that doesnt make it right

when you talk broadheads are you going to use mechanical broadheads, mechanicals do fly like field points if you use same weight heads. or are you going to use fixed blade broadheads ? and thats a whole different tuning and most of the time not very easy,but i like both types of broadheads.if your right handed most of the time your fixed blade broadheads fly to left 3-5 inches from your field points at 20 yards ,if your left handed fixed blade broadheads fly to the right 3-5 inches different than field points at 20 yards. sometimes it is possible to get both tuned to hit in same place. weather and wind can change everything too and thats why we all enjoy archery its just never easy,after over 55 years with a drawn bow for me hunting and competing in archery i hope you enjoy archery as much as i have. archery has a good - bad and a ugly side too. be safe & good luck Pete53

Interesting. My fixed blades on a bareshaft fly to same exact poi as a fletched field point at 20yds. All in the tune of the bow.

good for you my Zwickey broadheads don`t fly as true, but they sure have killed alot of animals over many years.

I bet I haven't shot a field point in 30 plus years. But here's my take on it. It doesn't really matter if your field points and broad heads are exactly the same weight or not. It doesn't even matter if they hit the same place or not. Because in practicality there is no real need to be shooting them at the same time anyway imo.

Learn to tune your bow for good arrow flight, with field points to begin with, and then stick with them. Work on muscle development and memory, shooting form, smooth consistent release, and learning to estimate yardage. You don,t need to shoot broad heads to achieve that. Start way before bow season opens. Practice and practice some more. Practice from an elevated position if that's how you plan on hunting.

When you get closer to the season put your field points up, your done with them. Start shooting the broad heads that you plan on hunting with and tune your bow to them. Keep enough fresh heads that fly well to keep in your quiver. Use three or four of the same type to practice with. If you get your fundamentals down solid early on, it doesn't take a lot of practice to continue shooting well with a modern compound bow using sites.

If broadheads(fixed or mech) wont fly to same poi as field points...you have tuning issues. Done correctly there should be NO adjustments needed when switching between the two. Not to the bow or the sights. Tune is everything. Yes there are a few broadheads that dont follow the script. But the list is short. Proper tuning is much more than poking a hole in a sheet of paper. Ive set up and tuned probably close to 1k bows from all over this country. Even bows from AK and HI. So ive done this a time or two. But you boys carry on

Sometimes there is just no getting through to people. You know the saying? You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make a jackazz drink.

Copy:

My fixed blades on a bareshaft fly to same exact poi as a fletched field point at 20yds. All in the tune of the bow.
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My guess is compound, cut well past center, drop away rest and using a release?

I still see quite a few old school compounds in use. Some even shot fingers.

Fingers is my mainstay!

Fingers



Fingers



Fingers



Fingers



Once and a while Release

carry on
just made some popcorn and opened a soda .

Never used a release in my life. Fingers (glove or tab)

I side with 280, a well tuned bow AND ARROW the field point and BH will hit the same (assuming no wind drift etc). IF they don't there are three probably causes, all TUNE RELATED:
1) contact somewhere, most likely fletching kicking the arrow in some direction as it leaves the bow
2) Arrow tune, straightness and BH alignment come in here. spin the arrow in a spinner with the BH on it, does the tip wobble at all
3) Tune the bow to the nock is being pushed straight forward perfectly through the rest (right/left or up/down rest and /or nock point adjustments. Can also be done via cable/cam timing an yoke tuning if you have a suitable yoke)

There are more ways to get this done than you can imagine. There's no reason, given time and experience tuning, that they won't hit the same. BTW, your own form can also be an influence via hand torque etc.

What is your set up? Bow make / Pounds your drawing / draw length / arrow length and spine / brand of broadhead . And yes 100 grain heads and points.

Hookeye youre partially correct. Yes compound. Yes i do use a release. Yes i run a drop away rest(can do the same with a biscuit so whats your point). But i will NEVER EVER EVER cut my arrows to be sitting behind the front edge of my arrow shelf at full draw. Always extend at least 1/4" forward of the shelf

Not all bows are cut past center (typically longbows and older recurves). Some older compounds were minimal, to where they'd get fletch drag on riser.
Bet those rigs saw FP and BH impact differences.....even when they were tuned right.

FWIW I don't have BH tuning issues.
Like my FOC around 15% or so.
Helical feather fletch, tab or release, wheels or trad.
It's boringly repeatably good.

Diamond Edge SB-1
60 lbs draw (I think)
27 1/2" draw length
28" arrows 340 spine
Cheapo broad heads bought through Amazon. Aiskaer 125 grain

340 seems too stiff.
I'd have tried 400's and weighted the insert if need be.
What's paper tune show?

400 for sure

As others have said your a little stiff on your spine, my sons specs are same as yours and a 400 spine arrow tunned extremely well for him. As for the broadheads how do they spin when installed on your shafts? Do they wobble when spun ? A wobbly broad head will steer a arrow all over the place . I highly recommend purchasing a quality brand name broadhead, a good broadhead that spins true will go a long ways in helping the tuning process.

Even if broadheads are true, the insert of the arrow could have a face not perpendicular to axis.
G5 makes the ASD (arrow squaring device).
Have seen inserts brand new that needed cleaned up, and others that took a hard hit, that needed redone.
Still not a common ailment, but does pop up now and then.
If you have a funky arrow w BH, might want to check that insert face.

When you see differing accuracy with broadheads the spine of the arrow is not a bad place to look. When the arrow comes off the bow it will flex some. With a broadhead, and especially a fixed head, that is not an uncommon place to initiate planing and if you have someone standing behind you watching they can see that. Removing the fletching and shooting bare shaft with field points of the same weight can be informative. If you cannot group them very tightly try turning the nock a third of a turn to each fletch when you refletch and see if the spine of the arrow is affecting your shots. If your arrows are well balanced you should be able to shoot pretty tight groups bare shaft. You can sometimes solve the problem of an arrow that won't quite group like this by finding where it needs the nock aligned.

Arrow spine is only a concern when its too weak. However the closer you are to your bows optimum spine, the more forgiving your setup is. Running stiff arrows requires the bow to be better tuned. And your form/grip/release to be spot on. Even cut longer and with the 125 head you are on the stiff side for that bow at 27.5/60. In my opinion youd be much better served with a 400 spine arrow cut at 27.25" measuring from nock groove to end of insert. This will still allow the arrow to be positioned in front of the shelf at full draw.

Thank you all for your insights and tips. I really appreciate the advice and will be back at the range as soon as it quits raining.

I haven't done the paper test but that's high on my list as well as checking my arrows for wobble. Next time I buy arrows I'll go with the 400 spine. I had no idea of the importance of stiffness. As I said, I'm a rookie archer and don't really have a mentor so thanks again!

This is where the box store usually fails, the clerk/staff knows enough to sell you arrows, but not enough to sell you the right ones for your set-up.

If you discussed your set-up with the store staff - draw length, draw weight, arrow length, and tip weight - they failed if they recommended those arrows to you.

Don't feel bad, we've all been there a one time or another.

But - that is why many of us will recommend going to an archery pro shop - where they do nothing but archery.

I get that the local shop may not be a good fit for you based on attitude, we have one locally that has a similar problem, I've driven miles to to get the service that I felt I had paid for.

I have seen archery pro shops blow it big time, usually when somebody wants arrows for a recurve.
While a supposed "pro shop" should be a better way to go, I think it best for a person to learn to do it all themselves.

Many bowhunters I know have jigs, saws and bow presses.
Unfortunately the new parallel limb stuff uses a different type of press.
Took a little while but I rather like the Last Chance press my local shop has LOL.

Buddy works there, and the tech shot with my dad years ago.

So I can use their stuff whenever I ask

Does that assume drop away rest, string loop and release?
Not everybody shoots that.
Think one can get too heavy a spine LOL

Compound bow hookeye. No such thing as too stiff. Come down to Louisiana and hang out a few days. Ill be glad to show ya.