Do broadheads weaken or stiffen arrow?

[Tall Paul]

Hello all,

I've been bare shaft tuning, and my shaft is showing slightly weak at 20 yards.

I've been told that the fletching will stiffen the bare shaft.

But what about adding a broadhead of the same weight as the field point?  Will that weaken or stiffen the shaft?

Thanks, Paul

[Javi]

usually and depending on the length of the BH it will make the arrow act weaker than a field point..

[Tall Paul]

Thanks for response, Javi.

I always thought a BH of same weight would would weaken a shaft.

But I did a search, and read somewhere that it would stiffen the shaft.

I'm shooting CX250s with Wensel Woodsman mounted on screw-in 42 gr adapters.

[Bjorn]

Javi is right. BH are longer than FP and will weaken the shaft by about 5#. I shoot a 200 gn FP to get the same flight with a 175 gn BH.

[Precurve]

I've seen exactly the opposite.  My broadheads always make my shafts stiffer and I need to shoot about 15 grains heavier than my judo practice tips.  I believe I read on one of O.L. Adcock's posts that the broadhead had the same affect on the front of the shaft as the feathers did on the back, with the result being that both made for a stiffer shaft.

Dave

[sweeney3]

The main thing a broadhead will do is cause wind planing.  Precurve mentioned that they act similar to fletching on the front end of the shaft.  That can cause erratic flight and is the reason you use fletching in the first place.

[Tall Paul]

Hmmm, seems we have opposing viewpoints.

I read O.L. Adcocks paper on Tuning, but couldn't find anything about this.  I'll do a search on his posts.

When I shot wood arrows, I always added 5# for the broadhead when calculating spine.

[Pat B]

When you buy shafting it is spined for a 28" arrow with a 125 gr point. Any point weight over the 125gr will decrease the effective spine and any weight under 125gr will increase it.

[beachbowhunter]

Always have heard, and experienced that BHs stiffen the shaft.

[BOWMARKS]

I always thought the broadhead SHARPENS the arrow. Least they do for me!!

[Tall Paul]

Now I'm confused....

[Sharpster]

Certainly not my area of expertise by any measure but it seems to me that 125 gr. is 125 gr. no matter what shape it is???

Ron

[Ray Hammond]

more tip weight makes a shaft weaker, not the broadhead.  Add weight to weaken, lower weight to stiffen.

If your arrows are weak and you don't want to change point weight, cut it by 1/4 inch at a time until it shoots right and your golden.

Conversely, if your arrow is too stiff just add point weight until it flies properly.

[Shawn Leonard]

When bareshafting you want a slightly weak shaft as feathers stiffen it a tad and I agree about the OL statement that a broadhead even of the same weight will stiffen a shaft ever so slightly, has something to do with how the weight of a broadhead is distributed. I always tune even with feathers on the shaft for slightly weak as a BH stiffens it slightly. Shawn

[Javi]

What I’ve seen is arrows that are tuned to shoot bareshaft and fletched together, group very well at maximum yardage and yet when a broadhead is installed and tuned to the shaft the BH will impact 3 to 4 inches right of the field pointed arrows..  And when a bit is cut off the shaft the BH and FP start impacting together..  Now where I come from that’s a weak shaft response..  

I guess the question will arise… Was the shaft properly spined or was it weak and just acted as if it were good..
 
Course I’ve seen exactly the opposite as well… Arrows tuned great until a BH is installed.. Then the arrow displays as stiff with the BH hitting left… add weight and the BH moves into the group..  

I reckon yours mileage is varying a bit from mine.. :D

[Tall Paul]

Anybody else have expeience with this?

[Swamp Yankee]

Most broadheads are longer than field points, which would effectively extend the arrow length, thus weakening the spine.  I've noticed the difference tuning broadheads to a compound bow with a sight, but I don't shoot well enough instinctively to notice an appreciable difference tuning Woodsmen broadheads.