Arthur P

The owner at the shop just got back from ATA. He handed me a sample package of Bohning Blaser broadhead vanes. Supposedly, you stick these 2" vanes on at a 2 degree offset and they'll shoot any kind of broadhead you put on the arrow. All I can see different about them is they're stiff, even for a Bohning vane, thicker than normal and they've got a slightly different profile.

Anybody got the skinny on these before I waste my time doing up a couple arrows with 'em?

Rangeball

Wow... You must test them. That'd be something...

What else ya got to do?

Arthur P

Good point.

JeffB

Initial reports are they work pretty well but are very loud in flight. Let us know AP.

Pinwheel 12

Art-

I grabbed some also. I dunno, we'll see, but I cannot see much different about them--give 'em a whirl!

Now, the new NAP Quickspins, YES, those have additional "helpers" on the back leading edge to increase spin rate to as much as 600 times more (according to the sales banter I got at the booth) than regular vanes. We'll see when I can find time to play with them all. Pinwheel 12

Arthur P

Update...

I refletched one arrow, and ONLY one arrow, with these little vanes and headed out to the range. However, this is a special arrow. The only ACC I've got. I picked it because it's a known quantity and a good platform for doing a little comparison testing.

Bow, of course, was my ProTec, LXPro limbs, Accuwheels, 60 pounds, 33.5" draw. Arrow speed around 240.

I chose a selection of broadheads that I've already shot on this ACC, and have flown straight and given good accuracy with 5" helical feather fletch: Thunderheads - 100 and 125, Bear Razorhead, 125 gn Snuffer, and Magnus II w/screw-in adaptor (unvented) at 155 gns. Each broadhead got 5 shots, just to make sure I wasn't making a bad release. Distance was 30 yards.

Jeff, you mentioned someone said they were noisy. Not for me. They flew absolutely quiet, however... Maybe at higher speeds? Needs to be tested, but I don't have a bow that'll do it.

First up was the T'head 100. It flew like a dart! No wiggle, straight to the spot each time. Excellent.

Next was the T'head 125. It had a little tail kick to the left, point of impact was slightly right.

Snuffer showed some definite fishtail and had inconsistent point of impact, left and right.

Bear Razorhead flew slightly tail right, and planed high @ one foot. (Suprized me very much because this is usually the most accurate, best flying head I've got.)

Magnus II flew very much tail left and planed high right @ two feet.

As the heads got larger, with more and more blade surface, and spine got looser, arrow flight and accuracy went to pot. SO... Based on this limited number of shots, I'd say the vanes will work as advertised and stabilize a broadhead IF: 1) The bow is perfectly tuned. 2) The broadhead is small diameter and has little exposed blade surface. 3) The arrow's spine is slightly stiff for the application.

Frankly, I would not want to shoot a large 2-blade, unvented broadhead with these little smurf vanes at speeds any faster than what I shot today. I feel it would be seriously dangerous. On the other hand, I'd have to say I'd be quite comfortable using these Blazers, following the three rules I outlined above.

Did I really say that?!?[]

Just to set matters straight, remember this same ACC shot ALL those broadheads perfectly with 5" helical feathers.

Pinwheel 12

Thanks Art for the test and viewpoint! Just about what I expected, really.

Truth is you can get relatively small diameter fixed-blades to shoot quite well with minimal fletching when tuned correctly. I have run 1.75 low-profile flex-fletch on designs such as the old NAP Razorback series and even the old Hoyt 100g bowbullets and Chuck-it's with quite decent results. This was back a few years when I had more time to play of course, but with new straight-flying designs such as the WASP Boss Bullet (thumbs up!) and others, it doesn't seem that far out of reach really. The blazers will undoubtedly cover this market very well.

I'm very interested in trying out the new quickspins on bigger blades, and will do so soon. Pinwheel 12

Rangeball

Much appreciated info Art. I assume based on your criteria, they'd fit the bill with mechanicals as well, huh?

Any idea how comparable the weight is on these 2" blazers versus 4" feathers?

Arthur P

Range... Trueflight lists their 4" feathers at 2.3 grains. Even their big 5 3/4" Magnum feathers weight only 4.2 grains. These Blazers weight 5 grains each.