11/32 points/heads on 5/16 wood arrows

[KevinK]

Anyone ever use 11/32 points or heads on a 5/16 wood arrow shaft? I know it's only 1/32 of an inch but concerned about getting stuck in targets. Any tips? I was thinking a small layer of hot melt as a taper back to 5/16.

[Orion]

I do it with broad heads all the time  Not with field points.

Sweetland used to make a 10-15 grain aluminum adaptor(called head shrinkers)  that fit the point taper of skinny forge wood shafts that were even smaller than 5/16 in diameter.  A 11/32 point (field or broad head) was then glued to the adaptor.  These still come up for sale occasionally on the big auction site.

Glue behind the point, as you propose, may work, particularly if you can bevel the back edge of the point with a file.

[BAK]

It works great for broadheads but not at all for field points.

[ChuckC]

It works fine for field points, as long as you are not pulling the arrow out of any targets....

If you apply just a bit too much hot melt when you mount your broadheads, then twist the head around as you set it, the excess glue will come out exactly where you are speaking.  With a gloved finger, wipe the excess around the base of the head and take away what is not needed.

It will work fine.
ChuckC

[KevinK]

Here is my problem. My wife really wants wood arrows for what is now her deer hunting bow. She has a very short draw length (24.5ish). We have a pretty decent tune with 40-45 11/32 POC, cut to 28-5/16 BOP with 160 Grn point. Most of the arrows are just under 500 grains. At her DL she is only pulling about 42-43 pounds and it is very slow. I was thinking about going with 30-35 spine 5/16 with a 175 point/head so we can get her a shorter arrow but for 5/16 I can only find field points up to 125 grain. I can only find woodie weights in 11/32 so same problem. Anyone know of field points in the 175 grain and up range for 5/16 shafts or glue on weights? She is pretty stoked about the arrows I made for her (purple and white), but they are a bit long and heavy. I never thought a heavy arrow would be an issue but it bothers me how slow it is. I haven't chrono-ed it, I'm too afraid that it'll be in the 150 fps range.

[Fletcher]

I had some brass 5/16 160 gr points made several years ago, but other than that I've never found any over 125.  You can grind the back of 11/32 points so the hole is 5/16 and the shoulder is tapered so it won't hang in targets.  That would be the route I would take.

[Longtoke]

maybe you could drill a hole in the front of the 5/16 shafts and insert a nail in there for extra weight up front.  

11/32 BHs work great on 5/16s shafts, field points not so much if you want to pull them out of targets.

[YosemiteSam]

I read that some folks will do that deliberately when they use the back of the point as a draw check.  The extra width makes a more positive contact against your skin.  I haven't tried it yet.  But a 11/32 head  that fits well on a 11/32 shaft is sometimes tough to feel & I end up flinching so it's on my to-do list.

[JakeD]

3Rivers has the Howard hill broadhead in 5/16 at 160 grains. That's the only thing I'm finding in that weight range though.

[KevinK]

A lot of feedback, thanks everyone. I have some options. I can't find any 5/16 woodie weights but they do come back a bit onto the shaft. We shoot mostly at layered foam targets in front of a horse stall mat so I might try a 5/16 35-40 or 30-35 with a 75 grain woodie weight and a 100 or 125 grain point (both 11/32). If I get her a good tune, at the right weight and length that opens up a lot of doors. In that case I was thinking the new Grizzly Bruin or possibly the howard hill that Jake mentioned above. Now I got to focus on turkey hunting in Ohio next week! My wife has been telling me to let this go until we get back!