Backyard Archery Plinking

Shooting arrows at a regular target is a lot of fun, but sometimes it's nice to mix it up. Previously, we've used plastic cups, balloons, and small cardboard boxes as alternate targets. This morning I cut up the cardboard tube that my last batch of Chinese bamboo arrows came in, and set them up downrange.

Last week I placed an order with 3Rivers Archery for several items, including a half dozen 125 grain Saunders screw-in bludgeon points. (Also available on Amazon here.) They are made of a hard rubber with a flat point, with several small cones protruding from the face. They have a metal core with a protruding threaded stud to screw into standard arrow inserts. I used them with my Easton carbon arrows and shot them from my 45 pound takedown recurve.

The bludgeon points are designed for shooting small game or stump shooting. The latter is basically wandering around in the woods shooting at targets of opportunity such as stumps, clumps of dirt, pine cones, etc. It's a great way to improve your field shooting skills.

Since I don't have woods on my property, cardboard tubes about the size of a Guiness pub can are a decent substitute. The arrows make a nice loud pop with a solid hit, and frequently the impaled tubes bounce around dramatically with a good hit.

I'm sold on the Saunders bludgeon points. They fly the same as my 125 grain bullet points, but prevent arrows from snaking under the grass. They do penetrate foam broadhead targets a few inches however, making a big hole in the process. They bounced off my bag target.

If you're shooting wooden arrows without inserts, 3Rivers has "Bunny Buster" small game blunts that slip over the end of your arrow.

Please note that these are not suitable for LARP use. A headshot with one of these from the 45 pound bow I was shooting today would result in a concussion or death. I wouldn't want to take a hit from one of these even from a 25 pound bow.