Making Broadhead Arrowheads From Target Arrows and Sheet Metal

Many moons ago, I used to hunt small game with a bow and used an arrow with a blunt metal head. Although I doubt it is the real name, we called them dum dum arrows.

One of the places where arrows and bullets are held to the same criteria is accuracy.
My advice to anyone considering making their own would be to ask Axes or Kellory how to build accurate arrows. As it is a lot easier to stick a deer and follow until it bleeds out than hitting small game.

 

Thank you for the kind words, but that is what this forums is good at, teaching.
But there are more people on this forum with some very fine skills in archery. One of them ( whose name escapes me at the moment) made some very fine arrows.

 

Could be those kind words also contained a warning if one wants to eat?

You would be a lot more knowledgeable about who; however, asking questions here is similar to chumming for fish to draw a crowd.

 

Arrowmaking and Maintenance | Survival Forums

Here you go.Tyler Danann
He is one of several good builders here.
Making Arrows - Arrow Nocks | Survival Forums

Another one for you @Tikka

 

These tips have many names and designs. They are often called blunts, shockers, judo tips, bird points squirrel tips...ect. eBay probably has at least 20 different designs.

 

So I've recently gathered by looking.

I've seen the Judo style. I'm probably wrong; however, the ones with wires look as if they could hang up in a tree.

I also used the Flu Flu type. They were nice for shooting squirrels with the blunts and a lighter draw bow. .

 

Flu-flu means " really big feathers" , they go fast for short distances then drop like a rock. And no, judo tips to not hang up in trees due to the little spring wires. The points can get stuck in the wood, but it is not very common.

 

I put spent revolver cases on mine. I usually shoot a heavier arrow, and have been known to glue a .45LC on the tip, but a .38 or 9mm works fine for most people, and is FREE!!!

You can also make a version of the arrow from the beginning of the article by turning the spent cartridge into a ferule to slot the shank into. You have to deal with weight and balance issues, or course, but it CAN be done.

I'll see if I can get a few more pics of my experiments up.

 

As they've been around since the 70s, I know. I haven't been into bows for decades; I'm a gun junkie.

Although a crossbow caught my interest on Black Friday. As the crowd was heavy, I didn't ask to check it out. It came with a scope and too often package deal scopes aren't good.
There's a Bowtech strykezone 380 in the local shopper for less than half of what Cabelas advertises them.

 

In all truth, a scope is mostly wasted on a standard crossbow. I had one and removed it due to parallax. It cost me a deer, and a crossbow quarrel/bolt/arrow.
While there a few that are high dollar and high tech, most crossbows are a 40-45yard effective tool. They are not (in general) designed for more. At those ranges, pin sights work better, faster, less weight, cheaper, and can not fog up.

 

Hard to find an archer and a crossbowman who are the same person. They fall very heavily into the battle rifle or assault rifle category or persuasion. Personally, I am an archer. Crossbows are too bulky, too heavy, too slow to load, and too dependent on modern bolts, which I despise. Picked up a 125lb a few years back, and gave it my best to like.
Ended up using it as a loner piece until I traded it in for gun money.

They have their place, and their uses. My survival is currently not one of them. I would, however, like to get my hands on an updated Chinese traditional unit, and try one of those out. Traditional units are a VERY different beast than there modern counterparts, IMO.

 

Found an atlatl dart to convert, so it didn't take me very long. When the lady of the house returns to do tech things, I'll run up a couple of pics showing a .38 comboed with a Plains style broadhead. Very noticable shoulder on it, but whatever you shoot it with will know. Haha.

 

Something like this??? Some office workers have way too much time on their hands! | Survival Forums

 

I am both. A crossbow, is nothing but a stronger bow, on it's side, with a release mechinism. They are every bit a survival tool as a standard bow is, and has a few tricks bow can not do.
First, a bow ( especially a low power bow) generally makes one hole. I am most accurate with fast shots with my bow tuned low. (I shoot war speed). And most often I get one hole. And while it is fatal, it can be slower and hard to track.
With a crossbow, every shot is a complete pass through, two holes, a heavy bloodtrail, and a short one. It will punch through a shoulder blade sometimes, though it will damage the arrow and tip.
Second, a crossbow can be a silent sentry, alarm and deadfall trap in one.
(This is NOT legal for a non survival situation), but a crossbow can be lashed to a tree to cover a game trail, fire one shot, place a trigger line at that point, and you have a lethal trap. It will fill your stew pot, or protect your back door. (A second trigger line between you and the trap is a wise move, in case you forget exactly where you set your trap.
While the foot per second speed is similar, the impact is not. It is similar to getting hit by a motorcycle doing 60, and a Mack truck doing 60. One does a lot more damage.

 

One hole is aka a Robin Hood?

 

No, an entry wound, but no exit. Two holes is a clean wound tract (pass through).

 

@kellory,
Ah, I thought you meant a Robin Hood or splitting the first arrow with another.

 

I gathered that. and yes, I've done it a few times. In fact, I tested out of a mandatory phys ed. Course at 15 with a robinhood.(I had been a bowmen for several years and and a bow hunter and had taken deer with a bow, before some gym coach decided everyone had to learn the bow. my dad was so proud, he gave me my first compound bow as my 16th birthday gift, which I still use today. (Indian stalker) now I have two.

 

The first compound I played with was a Bear in the mid 1970s. A great bow for the era. Although not near what they offer today; it was so easy to draw and its accuracy was unbelievable.

 

I honestly like this thread. Why ever try stone or glass??? There is metal everywhere . I have hundreds of pieces of scrap metal in my metal bin. Knife blades, force multipliers , traps etc. Metal is your friend. A way to cut shape hammer, grind or file and you can make lots of cool stuff with metal.