[inbowrange]

has anyone ever used two blade fixed broadheads like the steel force? How did they fly, where they hard to adjust for, did they come close to field points. Any info would help.

 

[muzzlehutn]

I use ZWICKY'S Cheaper than STEEL FORCE but the shoot right where you Aim them.

 

[idiot with a bow]

There needs to be a way to field test every broad head ever. If a two blade flies true out of your bow, it doesn't mean it will do the same for me. It amazes me how that works. When you brought up two blades I immediately thought of how many times I've seen Nuge kill with a two blade. So, they must work, right? It's hard to say, and I think the only way to find out is shoot em out of your bow. Do you already have them?

 

[Mountain Time]

There needs to be a way to field test every broad head ever. If a two blade flies true out of your bow, it doesn't mean it will do the same for me. It amazes me how that works.

I think that would an interesting theory to put to the test. Last year, getting ready for the season I was shooting Muzzy's and couldn't get them to fly right. So I bought some G5's and they shot the same as my field points. So I chalked it up to the broad head.

After that, I decided to change my draw length and since I was changing things, I got a new WC string. Because I changed my draw length I had to get new arrows, which turned out to be a good thing because I think my old ones were overspined. I paper tuned the bow again, got used to shooting the new draw length and overall my shooting dramatically improved ( I could now hit the broadside of a Barn).

I can't remember why but I thought I would pull out the Muzzy and see how they shot compared to the G5's. Both of them shot just like my field points. So I pulled out some of my old Thunderheads and Spitfires, same results, shooting right with my field points.

Bottom line, IMHO, I think broadhead flight has more to do a properly tuned/setup bow and arrows than the actual broadhead.

As an FYI, I shoot the Montec G5's because Tex's argument for cut-on-contact is pretty convincing. The more cutting on a shot the better chance you have for a quick, ethical kill.

 

[proutdoors]

Bottom line, IMHO, I think broadhead flight has more to do a properly tuned/setup bow and arrows than the actual broadhead.

+100000 1/8

 

[Finnegan]

Properly tuned arrows (and broadheads) result in consistent flight regardless of whatever minor imperfections exist in the tuning of the bow (that can be compensated by sight adjustment). The problem is that most archers (including myself) aren't able to observe the minute flaws (with the naked eye) and make the necessary adjustments. So we tend to do the best we can and then pick out the arrows in our quiver that fly best. Two blade broadheads exaggerate the effect of those minute flaws due to plane effect, which is a proven dynamic of arrow flight.

The Double Whammy broadheads are designed to reduce plane effect by pushing air away from the blades. The design seems to work and results in better consistency between arrows. But it sure makes for noisy flight.

I choose to avoid the whole plane effect issue by shooting three or four blades. Why not? I mean, what advantage does a two blade head really have?

 

[proutdoors]

I choose to avoid the whole plane effect issue by shooting three or four blades. Why not? I mean, what advantage does a two blade head really have?

Penetration. So, unless you are shooting a very low poundage bow or a traditional bow, I see NO advantages and MANY disadvantages. I go in-between and shoot a three blade setup.

 

[inbowrange]

but have you actually shot two blade heads? i do shoot muzzy three blades right now and they group real good but i have to resight my bow in for field points when the season is over to keep practicing. the wac'em broadheads are what im leaning towards over the muzzy's cause of everything i've read or heard about them but i was just wondering what was good or bad about the two blade broadheads.

 

[EPEK]

The penetration argument is only if you don't hit bone. Most two blades acually wedge into a bone and hinder penetration very dramatically.

 

[proutdoors]

The penetration argument is only if you don't hit bone. Most two blades acually wedge into a bone and hinder penetration very dramatically.

I was just trying to get brownie points with TEX. :mrgreen:

I like the 3 blade muzzy, and as long as my bow setup (including my arrows) is tuned, I don't need to adjust from field tips to broad heads. I have been using muzzys since the late 80's and have taken dozens of animals with them. As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"

 

[Mountain Time]

i do shoot muzzy three blades right now and they group real good but i have to resight my bow in for field points when the season is over to keep practicing.

I've had several people tell me they do this same thing--including people at Archery shops--but I really don't think that you should have to resight for broadhead vs field tips if your bow is properly tuned and your shooting the correct arrow for your setup. Have you paper tuned your bow? Are you sure the spine of your arrow is correct for your setup?

If you need help paper tuning, Gerald at the Utah Archery center helped me get my bow paper tuned.

 

[MarkM]

I agree if your bow/arrow set up is tuned and you are shooting a quality broadhead you shoud get them to group toghether. A lot of people just paper tube and think there broadheads should fly the same, some times they will but if you are getting two different groups you can adjust your set up to get them to fly the same. Here is a link to some info on tuning your bow and group tuning with broadheads. Go to this page and down load the tuning guide. Lots of good info.

http://www.eastonarchery.com/downloads.asp

Mark

 

[proutdoors]

In the Febuary 2008 issue of Bowhunting World in the Tech Talk section the following Q&A is right in line with this thread:

Q)I always seem to have trouble getting broadheads to group as well as filed points. What's the best way to get good accuracy with broadheads? Mike Via E-mail
A)One of the important things to understand when dealing with broadhead-equipped arrows has to do with their aerodynamic characteristics when compared to arrows tipped with filed points. Broadheads invariably have greater coefficients of drag than field points. What that means is that when shot from the same bow with identical tuning setups, broadhead arrows will lose velocity faster than identical arrows equipped with field points. Immediately this calls into question statements like "my broadheads impact at the same point as my field points." This does not happen unless the bow has been tuned so that it launches the broadheads under optimum conditions and the filed points at less than optimum condition. Otherwise, at any discernible range, the broadheads will always hit lower than the field points.
To achieve accuracy with broadheads it is necessary to provide adequate control of the arrow. Fixed broadheads have non-retractable blades that are positioned at the forward end of the arrow. These blades act as airfoils when not perfectly aligned to the direction of flight, causing lateral forces (to the line of flight) that tend to deflect the arrow in the direction of the applied force. To counteract this effect, the arrow must be equipped with sufficient area of fletching to hold to the intended line of flight and overcome the effect of the lateral forces caused by the broadhead's blades. There is another factor that must be considered along the area of the blades and the fletching, and that is the moment arms of the respective areas. The lateral force of the area of both blades and the fletching acts through a point of each area called the center of pressure. The center of pressure of the broadhead blades is located forward of the center of gravity of the arrow, and the center of pressure of the fletching is located aft of the center of gravity of the arrow. All forces affecting the arrow act through it's center of gravity, thus holding it in a condition of stability whether at rest or in flight. Stable flight occurs when the lateral force on the broadhead blades multiplied by it's moment arm about the center of gravity is equal to or less than the lateral force on the fletching multiplied by it's moment arm about the center of gravity. The flight is most stable when the later couple (fletching) substantially exceeds the former couple (blades). This is a condition of over-control.
The location of the center of gravity of the arrow is also a major factor in flight control. Not only does it affect the respective values of moment arms of the blade and and fletching centers of pressure, but it also can add to the directional stability of the arrow. The higher the front-of-center, the greater the stability.
To sum this up, obtain broadhead accuracy by having plenty of fletching area and a high FOC. Mechanical broadheads may help the situation by reducing in-flight blade area, but there is no better answer than adeqaute fletching and a high FOC. Norb Mullaney

What I get mostly from this article and personal experience in the field is having adequate fletching and adequate FOC are MORE crucial to arrow flight with broadheads than the type of broadhead used. I see a 'trend' of smaller fletchings, and lighter broadheads, all intended to get more FPS, which is supposed to increase long range accuracy, all the while the down range accuracy is being 'compromised' by these intentional actions. So, I maintain a heavier broadhead with good fletchings will fly better than a lighter braodhead with small fletchings. A 2 blade with have greater effect on the above mentioned forces than a 3 blade or 4 blade head.