What do your groups look like???

[Matty_ola]

So I've finally got the X-force all tuned up with new arrows and I think it's shooting good groups but my problem is I shoot what looks to me as the same size groups from 50-70 Meters away??? I would think things should tighten up the closer I got.

Once I get to 30 meters and closer the chance of hitting an arrow becomes to likely and therefor I don't even bother shooting more than one per target.

Any thoughts? maybe it's a tuning thing but like I say the 70 Meter group looks as good as the 50 meter group???:confused:

Any thoughts always appreciated, and please feel free to post any pics of your groups and how they should look:wink:

50 METERS
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad78/matty_ola/50Meters.jpg
60 METERS
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad78/matty_ola/60Meters.jpg

70 METERS
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad78/matty_ola/70Meters.jpg

[CanuckShooter]

Just luck of the draw? At 70 your hitting low pretty consistently, you need a sight adjustment??

[Matty_ola]

Yea I was gonna work on getting my groups as tight as possible then set my sights where I'm hitting most accurately.

Thanks for the feedback:)

[Jonas111]

If you go on You tube and look at the Pro's shooting 70m and 90m you will see your groups aren't too bad at all. I wouldn't worry too much about your groups unless you plan on shooting competitively. And if that is what you want to do then you are shooting the wrong arrows with the wrong fletching. Best arrows for long range are Nano style with 1.5" fletching. You can now buy Victory VAP arrows which are nano size and they come with a broad head attachment. This is what I use for hunting and 3d.

General rule of thumb is 2" groups at 20 yards, 3" groups at 30 yards and 4" groups at 40 yards. If you can shoot 6 arrows into a pie plate at 60 yards your doing good.

[Bow Walker]

Don't know how big your target face is - 10 inches from tape edge to tape edge?

If so, that's pretty damned good shooting right there. A little touch-up on the pin settings and your golden. When you make your pin adjustments remember to make them small - especially your longer range pins.

Your groups are fairly tight, all you might need to do is to move the 70 meter group up a tad and tighten up on the others. Overall, I'd say that you're shooting darned well.

[Stéphane]

Yep, the day I'll have grouping like this at 70m, I'll start giving clinics. ;)

[Matty_ola]

Thanks for the input fellas:) I always like hearing from the guys who have been doing it for awhile with some good experience. It's just going to be a hunting bow with no intention of competition or anything like that.

So basically as long as I can consistently hold MOA I'm doing okay?

Does anyone use a 10 meter pin? Id like to hunt geese with this bow. Any recommendations on what arrow head to use for that?

Thanks again for the input, always appreciated

[shallowH2O]

try using your 30m pin when your at 10m. should hit the mark

[Bow Walker]

At the speeds of today's bows you should find that you don't need a pin for targets that are under 20 yards. Unless that target is really close.

3D targets are usually placed at reasonable hunting distances - except when the setup guys like to mess with your mind. Usually at least one target will be placed at a very close distance - less than 10 yards, and sometimes as close as 4 yards.

Try experimenting at home. Stand 5 yards away from your target face and use your 40 yard pin to aim at the bullseye. Let 'er rip! You'll see that you are much closer to hitting the bull (with the 40 yard pin) than you would be if you used your 20 yard pin.

When shooting my 3D bow (62 lbs, 28'5" draw, 27 3/8" arrows) at a target that was just under 5 yards I had to use the 65 yard sight mark to hit it. Even then I was just a bit high of the 10-X. A bit of playing around will let you know where you'll hit at very close ranges with your different pins.

As for ducks or goose hunting - I'd recommend a broadhead. You don't want to stun a duck or goose when it's out on the water. Too much chance of it recovering enough to escape before you're able to retrieve it.

Head shots on ducks or geese aren't recommended simply because the target is too small and can easily move out of the way when you shoot. Blunt tipped arrows shot into the bodies don't do too well because the wing protects the body. I'd use a broadhead to kill it quickly. You might slice the breast meat a bit, but that's preferable to letting a cripple get away.

[Kody94]

Here's about as good as I can group at 20 yards... :wink:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/Staggerino/20ydgroup_Sep152008.jpg

I don't think I've shot groups beyond 50 yds that I thought were picture worthy. I can hit an 8" pie plate at 60 yds every time, and have shots some 5 to 6" groups at that distance, but I haven't shot groups further than that (60 is my last pin, and since I only intend to shoot 40 on game, 60 is about as far as I need to practice).

From what I see, you are doing pretty darn well. Keep it up.

[Matty_ola]

That's some good shootin at 20. I find that the more I practice at 60 and beyond the easier 40 and below becomes. I think I'll bring it into 20 later today and see if I can't do as well as yours.

Thanks for sharing.

[Matty_ola]

Another question for anyone, are there any home made targets a guy can build for broadheads?

Also, I bought some mechanical heads but how do you practice with them? I'm new to using mechanical heads and as I understand they're supposed to fly the same as a field point?

[Bow Walker]

Inside your mechanical broadhead package there should have been a set of "practice blades" for you broadhead. That's how you practice with them.

Homemade broadhead targets are best made by digging a small, open "pit" and filling it with sand. Shoot into that - safely - and you can get all the practice you need.

[Matty_ola]

Inside your mechanical broadhead package there should have been a set of "practice blades" for you broadhead. That's how you practice with them.

Homemade broadhead targets are best made by digging a small, open "pit" and filling it with sand. Shoot into that - safely - and you can get all the practice you need.

Genius idea:) Thanks a lot.

[Bowzone_Mikey]

Rigid styrafoam insulation for Practice BH butts ... take a like 6 or 8 paices ... duct tape em together ... works like a charm .... the only problem I have ever had is some arrow finishes (like the cresting on the Slim Tech arrows) the foam likes to burn onto ...

Go to a hot tub repair place with a big garbage bag ... and a case of cold beer ... get the guys in the back to fill the bag with urathane spray foam insulation ... take bag home .. mold it .. give it time to set up ... shoot

[Matty_ola]

Just an update on the grouping. I shot 2 6arrow groups at each distance 50, 60, and 70 and these were my best groups.

The white paper measures 5"X5"

50 Meters
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad78/matty_ola/50Meters1.jpg
60 meters
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad78/matty_ola/60Meters1.jpg
70 Meters
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad78/matty_ola/70Meters1.jpg
I can't figure out why but my 60 meter pin is not in line with my other pins but there doesn't seem to be an adjustment for windage on the pins themselves???

I did try that blue foam boards but found like you said the foam melts to the arrows and it's a bi*^h to get off so I quit using them. Either the sand pit of the bag'o'foam sounds like the best methods so far.

[Ambush]

Excellent shooting! You must have good eyes, good control and a steady hand.
What's the specs on your complete set up, including arrows.

[Matty_ola]

Excellent shooting! You must have good eyes, good control and a steady hand.
What's the specs on your complete set up, including arrows.

Thanks Ambush, I actually use to shoot archery when I was a kid but once I got my FAC the fun of gunpowder took over:twisted: But eventually I missed it a lot and came back to the light side:mrgreen: (Lots has changed in the few years I've been out of it...)

The setup is a
-PSE X-Force TS
-Phantom drop away
-Limbsaver Elite Hunter Modular Stabilizer
http://www.grouseriver.com/v/vspfiles/templates/90/images/clear1x1.gif -stock strings and cables (Worlds best on the way for an upgrade)
-Dead nut 5 pin sight
-60 lb
-29" draw
-CE Maxima Hunter shafts w/blazer(390gr total) (278fps)

[Bow Walker]

That is good shooting right there. Congratulations.

If your sight doesn't have a vertical reference wire (like Spot Hogg sights) then you've got to eye-ball the vertical alignment of all your pins. Make sure that they all line up in the same vertical line That should take care of any windage problems.

After that, you can gang-adjust the whole sight to bring everything in line. Just looking at the P.O.I. of your 50 and 60 yard shots, I'd say that they are a tad out of vertical alignment. Bring them (just a very small bit) to the left to line up with the 70 yard pin.