Need imput on Broadheads

B . Buxton

B . Buxton

Joined
Jul 8, 2001
Messages
3,623
I hope its alright to post this here.

I would sure like some help with broadheads, there are so many to pick from anymore. I've bow hunted for over 30 yrs and always shot Bear heads with the razor blade bleeder insert. But now I am having trouble finding them,so I decided to try something different, I would like top go to the mechanical type that shoot like a target head and open up on impact. Which brand do you like the best, have you scored with them, did you get good penetration,good blood trail.This might sound cruel to some, but the most humane way, is to make a good clean shot with excellent equipment that will take the animal down quickly. Suggestion please.

Thanks
Bill
 
If you're interested in mechanical broadheads there is only ONE choice worth making.

NAP Spitfires.
http://www.newarchery.com
(click on "Broadheads" at the top left of the screen)

These are the TOUGHEST straightest shooting and most RELIABLE mechanicals I've ever seen.

They come with an included set of "practice blades" so you can tune your bow to fit them and if done properly these monsters will fly ALMOST as straight as a field point. If you can punch a dime at 20 yards with field points, you can easily split quarters with the Spitfires.

They're also incredibly durable. I've seen them pass through the shoulders of wild pigs and be re-used in the same hunt before. The only word for them is INCREDIBLE!

Sorry to sound like a commercial, but these are one of those rare and wonderful products that actually performs EXACTLY as advertised and I always get a little carried away when I find something like that!
:D

BTW, just to lend a little credence to the words...
I'm a former Pro Class competitive archer and I coached my wife in one year from "Never-shot-a-bow-before" to Arkansas Women's (Bowhunter Class) Indoor State Champion. I had to give up competition due to a blown out shoulder. I just can't shoot the full courses and be stable enough to make a decent showing anymore, but I can still bring home the vittles! ;)
 
Thanks Ken for the input and the info, but I have one more question for you.
If you were to go bow hunting today, would your arrows be tipped with mechanical or conventional heads?

Thanks
Bill
 
If you have ANY trouble getting them to fly straight, shoot me an email and maybe I can help you out.

Good huntin'!
:D
 
Don't tell me you forge knives but shoot mechanical broadheads and have "training wheels" on your bow!?!?:eek: :D :eek:

I would think that anyone who loves the craftmanship of a forged knife would carry a fine custom longbow (That he traded a knife for!) and a back quiver loaded with feather fletched cedars tipped with Magnus heads:D :D

Seriously though, do you shoot compound or traditional?? I shoot a take down longbow made by Tim Mullins that I love!! My cedars wear STOS broadheads made by Magnus. AWESOME flight, penetration, and tissue damage. Gotta say that NAP makes a good head though! I just MUCH prefer traditional! Happy Hunting!
 
Well, I'm guilty of just about everything you said, I shoot a 65# Myles Keller XI, 2 wheeler that I brought 12 yrs ago with xx75, 2219s
tipped with bear single blade heads w/ bleeders, (haven't went to mechanicals yet,but thinking about it).My shafts and broadheads are so heavy that I've shot through both shoulders and still buried the head 6" in the dirt at 30 yards.
I started out shooting a 50# bear grizzly recurve over 30 yrs. ago
and found that when its 10 -15 degrees out and you've been sitting perched in a tree for an hour or so, you might as well try to draw a
1" piece of round steel with a string tied to it. I missed the chance at one of the biggest bucks I've ever seen because I was so stiff I couldn't draw that ol grizzly, the next year I was carrying wheels.(I haven't had that problem sense) Now for you bluebird day hunters that will shoot the first thing that comes along (doe,button head, spike) that antique equipment is just fine, but not me I've paid my dues.:D
I do carry a handforged 8" bowie, thats hacked down brush from 1"sapplings to 4" trees to make shooting lanes and it has gutted and split the pelvis bones of a few mature whitetail bucks.I didn't know what a good knife was until I made it.
And when I hunt the firearms season I carry a 54 cal.Lyman loaded with 95 grains of blackpowder and a 225 grain round ball, I never could understand why a person has to have all those bullets and clips and optics and such to bring home a good Buck. But to each his own.
Now that I've probably ticked a few people off, my best friend shot a bear recurve for years,matter of fact thats all he ever shot with cedar shafts, no sights, and no mechanical release, just a glove and bear heads, And in a 17 year peroid he killed 26 bucks and some of them were huge. He killed that many because he used to hunt with it,also, during gun season instead of packing a rifle. So I have nothing against what anyone hunts with, I just have a problem with people that cripple and mame wildlife because they don't take the time to practise and get good with what they have.

Good huntin
Bill
 
LOL!
Jason, you is a BAD man!
:D

I myself shoot stick AND wheels, but only wheels for hunting as I KNOW I won't miss with a good wheels setup.

However for the pure joy of it, my favorite bow is the custom left handed (yes, I shoot left handed, I'm left eyed.)50# long bow from the late Jim Brackenberry. I'm good with it, but not so good that I want to risk losing a wounded animal.

BTW, I've seen one of those take down longbows from Tim Mullins, VERY nice bow!
 
Yeah, I used to shoot compund too! I LOVE traditional now but sure understand that Georgia winters are pretty mild!! I have shot about two dozen whitetails with traditional over the past 12 years and would have never thought they can perform as well as they do till I started with them. I just love the simplicity! My Tim Mullins bow is my favorite and is #65, I also have a Wes Wallace 1 piece longbow that is #62, and a TD recurve I built that is #58.
The 2219 combo you are shooting is a good choice for hunting. There are MANY factors to consider but it is hard to beat a heavy arrow for hunting. (Once again, IMHO);)
Hope you guys have a great season and you get to try the spitfires on a really nice buck! I am having to give up hunting for a few years since there just ain't much to hunt in Nicaragua!;) (Except former communists, and they tote AK-47s!):eek:
 
Jason,

I was just jerking your chain about bluebird hunters, hoping to get a rise.
I've heard to many horror stories about lite heads and superfast bows in the past, they might shoot flat but just don't get the penetration an ol heavy lumbering along shaft gets(IMOP), and I've never had problems getting my shots under 30Yds, so at that distance you don't need to shoot all that flat, just accurate.
I've got a 12 pointer located and with a little time I believe he'll be in the freezer, but when your working on a good,big buck you just never know, they get awfully smart after a season or two.

As for the nicaragua hunt, they might be carrying AK-47s, but you've got the element of surprise and quiet on your side.

Thanks for all the input Guys:
Bill
 
I carry Muzzy 4 blades, 90 gr. Bought them off a guy who upgraded to Spitfire mechanicals. He had a good kill (plenty of blood on a pass-through) with the Muzzy's, but wanted to go mech. He's had nary a kill with the Spitfires yet, though I've heard great things from another friend of mine. Me, I have no experience personally with any, yet. Just started bow-hunting this year. I have barely had an opportunity to draw yet, and then she took off with a snort before I could get a clear shot. Bummer, too; she was nice and close.

Oh, I shoot wheels, too. PSE.
 
The mechanical vs. fixed broadhead debate can get as heated as politics or religion, but I'll give my $.02. :)

Many people have had outstanding success with mechanicals, but even the people in that group tend to agree that you need to be putting out a significant amount of energy from your setup (ft./lbs.) to make up for the resistance created by the opening blades.

A 12yr old wheel bow at 65# *might* not produce enough energy to produce the penetration you want when shooting at a big game animal. I know that if I was still shooting the bow I had 12 years ago, which launched my 2219's about 170fps, I would not even consider mechanicals.

You should also double check your local laws. Mechanical broadheads are illegal for hunting here in Oregon, which is the main reason I am not able to give you any first hand experiences with them.

There are many excellent cut on impact broadheads still on the market, and you cannot argue with their excellent penetration especially compared to mechanicals. If you're tired of sharpening cut on impact broadheads, the "cutting tip" replacable blade broadheads on the market like the Thunderhead and the Wasp SST Hammer are a great compromise (I hunt with the Wasp 125grn).

If you want more information than you can stand, check out: www.bowsite.com
 
Thanks Ric (for the input, and especially the link). By the way, really like the signature line. Especially in today's atmosphere. ;)
 
Bill,

This is a great question, and one that I'm also interested in. Archery is wonderful, but hard to get good information about. Thanks to everyone for the good info!

Also, no need to apologize for asking. Don't worry about the PC crowd, if they can't handle real life, tough.
 
Thanks again for all the input, I got lucky and came across 2 packs of bear 125 gr.fixed blades last weekend, they were the only bears the store had and the owner said he probably couldn't get any more, I just don't understand that, I guess thats progess.
I have alway believed that simple is the best way, less likely to have problems with none moving parts ( or at least less moving parts) in the field. Thats why I like the ol bears,no blades to break off or worry about opening up and you can target shoot constantly with them, then just touch them up on a sharpening stone or belt sander and there good to go,and go and go. Everything has its advantages and
disadvantages, these bears might not have the tru arrow flight that a target type hunting head has but with a little tweaking, I can put them in a 4" circle at 40yds. and most important, I have a lot of confidents in them.
But if and when I go to mechanicals I'm going to give the spitfires a try.
As for the ol bow not having the speed to open the mechanicals I don't believe that to be a problem, I've shot at the range beside guys shooting more poundage with shorter shafts and overdraws,( a lot faster and flatter shooter) and my target penetration will be quite a bit deeper, the heavier shafts just keep on going to where the lighter shafts just don't have the weight, so if they will open the mechanicals up I'm sure mine will to.(possibly better)
I've got a neighbor that shoots a jennings (I believe its a 60#) with little short shafts and 80 grain broadheads, his arrows fly like their on a string, and target shooting with him he's about as good as I have ever seen, but he'll cripple and let get away 2 or 3 deer every year before he findly gets his tag filled, it just aggrevates the hell out of me,I don't know if its his equipment or what ( I know its not buck fever)but I wish there was some way of keeping him out of the woods. I try to get him to just try heavier shafts and heads on a deer or 2, but no he says faster is better.
I've got 2 pope and young bucks mounted and 1 was standing 11 steps from my stand when I shot him and the other was the last of 7 bucks that pasted within 15 steps of my stand, all in a straight line one after the other when I shot him. I'll take accuracy over speed any day.

Good huntin
Bill
 
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