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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: hawk22 on October 04, 2015, 07:25:00 PM
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I've been shooting the woodsman elite broadheads for a few years and was going to get another pack but they've jumped up to $55 per 3. I've got a couple left but I think I'm going back to Magnus stingers or VPA's. Anyone else doing the same thing?
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I've switched broadheads because the new ones looked cool ! I have enough broadheads for two or three life times.
I may, however, have found some I'm gonna use a bunch, but I haven't gotten them bloody yet to be certain.
ChuckC
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Use what works for you.
I live in AZ so we get one deer a year, that's it.
And I am willing to use what I have confidence in, then I pay a bit more for a no questions asked replacement promise. After all we have a lot of rocks out here, and I tend to shoot at rabbits, coyotes, quail and dove with the arrows I brought.
6 blades with no guarantee ,cost the same as 3 with I figure. and those same 3 will last me as long as the company does.
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I quit Woodsman a few years back due to the quality of the product as the price continued to rise. They may have solved....I do not know or care. Went back to Magnus where I will stay.
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I won't pay high dollar for broad heads.
Too many wonderful, affordable products out there
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Same boat here. I still love the VPA 3 blade but I can't justify the price for shooting around here at deer. I've found a couple cheaper options that are working g for me.
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I agree with Brian as I do not see the need to pay that kind of money for broadheads as long as we have quality broadheads out there that fly great and are durable like Zwickey,Ace etc especially for deer sized game
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If I were shooting at and missing lots of deer, I would probably be a little more price conscious - but at the rate I'm going my supply of both pricey and inexpensive broad heads will probably last me the rest of my hunting career.
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I was just noticing this today as I browsed new broadheads....I've got carbon steel montecs I'm gonna keep using I guess
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Fortunately I have an ample supply of 3 blade VPA, 1 1/8, 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 inch cut along with brown bears so while the new heads are tempting I have all I will probably ever need.
Like most I ain't fixin' what ain't broke. :archer:
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I love a quality broadhead but it does hurt to see a hog run off with $1.50 fletchings, $5.00 shaft $1.00 brass insert and a $10.00 broadhead. Bet you're thinkin he needs to learn how to shoot. You're so right :knothead:
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Yes. There are 6 in a pack of Grizzlies for the price of 3 of the high dollar stuff. I'm glad I changed. They are the best I have used at any price.
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There are so many great broadheads out there, some are improvements to older designs and some are just remakes with a different name. The old ones ( ace, Zwicky, bear to name a few), still work just fine as do the new ones. In the end there are a lot of great choices, use what works best for you and your wallet. For me the older ones work perfect for me. YMMV
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The answer to your title is no
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Never switched because of price, but I've also never shot the expensive ones to begin with for that same reason. ;) not knocking the high dollar ones, but there are lots of good affordable ones out there. I do shoot Simmons Interceptors which are typically more than your Zwickeys and Magnuses and what not, but I found 5 of them at a garage sale for $1/broadhead, so I guess they are still cheap heads in my situation. If I ever get around to buying some wood shafts, I'll probably go with Zwickey, Magnus, or Ace glue ons. I haven't shot anything with the Simmons yet, so I guess I could decide they're worth the extra cash once I do.
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No. If I know I have a quality broadhead that I like and will likely be able to use several times, I'll pay whatever they cost.
There might be cheaper broadheads that would do fine.....but I stick with what I like.
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I have only switched when I lost confidence in a broadhead or felt another might be better...that has happened twice in 20+ years. Spending $50 every few years on some broadheads is not an issue...spending it every year is not an issue when you look at how much we spend on other things of less worth and that gives less satisfaction.
My traditional journey began with Zwickey Eskimos...then went to Ribteks and Snuffers. I still shoot Ribteks primarily but have been trying out Grizzly heads the past few years as an altnerative when or if I run out of the dozens of Ribteks I stocked up on when they stopped selling in states.
Even if I had no Ribteks remaining and were just shooting the Grizzly Kodiaks and Instincts....I still would not change. Very satisfied in their results on hogs and bear so far....
To me that is not expensive.....there are others that are nearly that much EACH that some profess are needed to get good penetration...I dont buy it.
If they are too expensive...there are plenty that are less expensive that will still do the trick like Zwickey or Ace.
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I keep coming back to Zwickeys. Not because of price. They simply do the job.
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Like the other thread.......
I don't think you should skimp on "bullets".
I use different heads for different applications neither is based on price.......
If I was worried about the cost of an arrow being lost to an animal I think I'd quit bowhunting and just shoot bullets.
I've read on here for years that folks will use their quote bad arrows or crooked arrows for rabbits or squirrels and for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone would shoot an arrow that did not go where you're looking or an inefficient arrow at game of any kind I want all my arrows and all my shots to do exactly what I want and go where I want sorry if I stepped on some toes but crooked arrows and Bent arrows don't belong in the quiver.
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Jacob,
The answer to your question is NO.
That said, I have used/tried most of the new machined broadheads and do like most of them. However, my results with them are no better than when using the Eclipse, Grizzly, and Magnus broadheads I used for the past thirty years, therefore I use them.
Terry,
Before becoming obsessed with Bowhunting I played a lot of golf, like your bent arrow, I never understood why anybody used an inferior ball when facing a hazard. I always wanted the greatest chance to succeed and used the best ball in my bag; I apply the same sentiments when hunting. It just isn’t in my nature to intentionally provide an excuse for failing.
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Some folks are on a budget.Matter a fact a lot of folks are on a budget.I think you can get a really good head totally adequate for the job without spending big bucks and not feeling guilty that your using something inferior that's prone to wounding animals or costing a hunter clean kills.
A hunter should never use a poorly designed broadhead or one that is not razorsharp.
I think in a screw in a Stinger in 150 gr is very effective head that has excellent design features overall as far as blade thickness,ferrule strength,the diamondpoint to prevent tipcurl,tight tolerances,good flight and easily replacable blades that are razor sharp in my experience.All at a reasonable price.I have had very good experiences with that head.
Their are other ones that are very good.
Nothing wrong with shooting the very best most expensive heads.I would recommend it if you got the cash.But their are superb heads for the hunter on a budget available.just be picky and do your research.Strong,no tip curl,good flight and razor sharp out of a well tuned arrow that recovers quickly from paradox and does not porpoise or fishtail equal's success.
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I found Zwickey early on and have never felt like I had to look for something new. Im not apposed to trying something new and I might someday but for now I am satisfied. In today's market I feel they are a big bang for their buck.
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The broad heads I shoot some people consider old. I shoot old bear, Person small dead heads, Zwickey
delta. Don't fix something that is not broke. Besides, if you hit the deer where you suppose to there are only a few that will not work. I'm a believer it's a must to get the deer in under 20 yards and at the right angle before shooting
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Yep. And undoubtedly will again. I'm about to start making them since prices continue to climb.
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No. I use up what I have on hand. When I need more I select what I want. I have never felt the need to go with the high priced stuff. I like Zwickey and Magnus, so I usually go back to these tried and true brands.
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What price is considered high priced for a BH ?????
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NO
Cory<><
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As an addition to my original post, I will clarify that the largest animal that I hunt is whitetail deer, and in N Louisiana a deer over 200 lbs is a monster. If I ever have an opportunity to hunt larger game such as elk or bear, or maybe even some of the much larger northern white tails, I would probably do a lot of research to find a very tough head for the job, and price wouldn't be a factor.
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Nope. For the most part I don't shoot really expensive heads but I love my VPAs. This year I'm shooting woodsman elites and we will see. VPA just doesn't have 150s that are the shape I want and it's what my new set up needs. I shot the regular woodsman for years before coughing up the money for the VPAs but the price turned out to be well worth it. I never had a woodsman survive more that 2 kills without getting damaged. I Killed 11 animals with one of my first VPA 175 grain heads. It turned out to be a way cheaper option.
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I have never "switched" because of price but price per head does factor into my selection somewhat. I think that is true of most bowhunters however the price threshold is obviously different from person to person. We sell tons of the 4 buck per head broadheads (Zwickey / Tusker ) and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that I use those heads a lot. Many others are very comfortable spending 10-11 per head. That's fine too.
There are some uber-expensive heads available today that I don't personally think offer much over the good 10 buck heads but that is just my opinion.
Since most of today's heads are very tough and can be re-used I don't think there are really any bad choices, just shoot what you like and have fun.
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No.
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I have never switched due to price. I figure the cost of a few broadheads is insignificant to what I spend each year to go hunting. Makes no sense to buy a new bow and truck and then go cheap with broadheads. That said, there are lots of good broadheads to choose from that will fit nearly any budget.
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Absolutely. I started using the Magnus II two blade after it hit the market many years ago. When the price went up here a few years back I stopped buying it in favor of the Zwickey eskimo which is what I used prior to using the magnus anyway. The magnus price went beyond what I'm currently willing to pay when their are other very similar options available at a much lower cost.
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By the way I use the zwicikie Delta four blades and no mercy four blades most of the time...... don't need to switch to any other head that's not multi-blade just for price
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I would say no to the question and agree with Terry on shooting your best arrows,I shoot wood premium Doug fir.
I don't think expensive broadheads are necessary though, I use one of the oldest and cheapest on the market, Ace express 200g and never had better blood trails and I've shot them all until I tried the express.
Same goes for bullets, I shoot and make my own round balls for my smokepoles. Cheap, easy and put them down just as fast no need for anything else. I have 100% confidence in all my setups or I wouldn't be in the woods with them.
Tracy
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For me it's about what the whole setup is called upon to do. My bow weight limit is finally back up all the way to 44#! Since my arrows will hopefully be loosed at elk, the broadheads need to maximize penetration. That means two blades, true 3/1 ratio, heavy and sharp. Fortunately I don't need to spend an arm and a leg to get them.
I see broadheads offered at shockingly high prices that would not work for me if they were free. So, while price is important, I'm not about to compromise the features needed for price.
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One more time..... What is the price of a high priced Broadhead???????????????????
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Originally posted by Bowbldr:
One more time..... What is the price of a high priced Broadhead???????????????????
It will vary from one hunter to another, but I would put it in the $10 each range. I have some of these broadheads and consider them worth the price because they are what I want, such as some 200 gr 1 1/4 inch VPA's. I think this is about my limit, tho. There are some excellent heads available in the low price range, such as Ace, Zwickey and Ribteks. I have those, too and won't hesitate to shoot them.
The big question is: "How much does a cheap broadhead cost?"
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Thanks for your answer. $10 ea. I see several at $7ea. from different suppliers. Is the $10 head that much better than the $7 BH? if not why not shoot the $7 BH?
"How much does a cheap broadhead cost?" It could possibly be the trophy of your life time.
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To the the original question, no never because of price.
Just because it cost more doesn't make it work any better.......
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I just have a hard time spending $55 for 3 broadheads that break when you shoot an animal quartered away. I've had 3 out of the last 4 animals shot with them break the head.
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I have so much money invested in my stash of German Kinetic broadheads, I don't think I will ever switch to anything else (except to use the Magnus Stingers too).
Bisch
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Nope, got a stash of 300 extremes, they were expensive when built and if were still available, would still buy them. just purchased 6 of Bob Morrison's new heads and will use them. Price is not a factor for a good weapon or broadhead.
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Originally posted by hawk22:
I just have a hard time spending $55 for 3 broadheads that break when you shoot an animal quartered away. I've had 3 out of the last 4 animals shot with them break the head.
Yeah, Hawk, I'd be disappointed, too. I've never had a broadhead fail on an animal, altho I did slightly curl a couple of original Woodsman tips. Once filed a bit they are pretty tough, tho. I shoot woods and glue on heads, so I don't have the skinny shaft to break. My high dollar heads are some 1 1/4" VPA glue-ons, $15+ each and 3 of 4 packs. There is one in my quiver now.
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My line is drawn at the price of Simmons. They are hands down my favorite head. They fly really good, they sharpen easily, and their design is just amazing. BUT they are on the expensive side to me. Other than the Simmons I prefer Zwickey No Mercy
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$30 a 1/2 doz. a good head for the price and there are plenty out there
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I wonder how much overlap there is with those that are in the "inexpensive" broadhead crowd with those that are in the $1200.00 - 1500.00 custom bow crowd. Or the fully decked out Kuiu/Sitka crowd. Or those driving to their hunting spot in a $50,000+ crew cab truck?
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Hahahah right lol. On that note, I do own an expensive custom bow. But I'd rather shoot a high quality bow that fits me and put that arrow in the right place with any proven broadhead design. Almost all of them work well if you put them in the right spot.
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Originally posted by Burnsie:
I wonder how much overlap there is with those that are in the "inexpensive" broadhead crowd with those that are in the $1200.00 - 1500.00 custom bow crowd. Or the fully decked out Kuiu/Sitka crowd. Or those driving to their hunting spot in a $50,000+ crew cab truck?
I don't know the answer to that, but I have been called nuts many times for spending the $$$ on the German Kinetic heads. All I know is that they are the sharpest thing out of the box you can buy, they resharpen very well, critters end up in my freezer and on my wall when I use them, and most importantly, I have the utmost confidence in them!
That makes them a great choice for me!
The next guy is free to use whatever trips his trigger!
Bisch
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Bisch, I'm A German Kinetics guy myself, although I have been giving the Abowyer Brown Bears a try and really like them as well.
BTW, I drive a rusted out mini-van, wear mismatched camo, but I do own a Blacktail Elite VL and a Toelke Whip Take-down.
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nope, but i've stuck with what i had because of price. Just got a 3-pack of Stinger 150s, delivered, for $30.
If it ain't broke...
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I was going to say why spend more than the price of a Zwickey, but then I got these 190 grain Ribtecs for less than $3 a head. I am pretty certain they will do the job. So yes I did jump on the chance to shoot a good broad head for less money.
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Two part answer. 1. Yes. When my favorite head doubled in price I went back to Zwickey. 2. Same as my rig. I am not going to use up valuable funds driving a Rubicon to go hunting when a good running old CJ does the same thing for me. Plenty of good heads that perform every bit as well without throwing money down the snake hole.
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If I like an item I stay with it also if there is a price increase, about BHs I like to change and what I can say that a good tuff BH, is a little more expensive but it lasts much longer..
I have many VPA,Tuffheads,Simmons and such that have taken many games hit debris,rocks and bones and still in perfect conditions. So at the end a well designed BH is cheaper than some low priced ones
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I shoot magnus stingers and abowyer broadheads. I like the stingers because i can get them razor sharp on my kme sharpener. And the abowyer heads come razor sharp. I find in life if I want something bad enough I just put more hours at work, or pick up an extra shift. Hunting and archery in general can be as expensive as you make it. Its my passion and I wouldnt have it any other way. So i like broadheads that run about $8.00 - $20 a piece and im happy with my choice, and thats my choice not anybody elses.
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I shoot the original woodsmans. I used to get them for around $30 for 6 if I remember correctly. I don't see any reason to pay more than that and I have about 30 of them so I won't be switching anytime soon.
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I haven't switched because a certain head is cheaper, but I stay with Magnus 1 because they work, and they are very reasonably priced. They're tough, sharpen easily, penetrate, and cut a big hole. And I've never had one fail on an animal. Ever.
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I also dont buy STRONGER or TOUGHER broadheads for different game animals. I shoot three blades for turkey....2 blade for everything else. I buy the ones I like the best, mount the best, fly the best, and sharpen easy enough to not make it a chore for me....then I stick with them. I dont change or even consider changing unless I experience a problem that I dont think is operator induced...or they are no longer available.
I shot zwickey for years...loved them..still do...but had a few ferruls come apart from the bladed portion when hunting. Lost confidence...was not a price thing at all. Went to Ribteks in early 90s...still shooting them as I bought a hundred or so straight from Australia couple years ago.
Shot Snuffers for years for turkey and loved them...felt the metal changed in past few years and made them a chore to sharpen...so stopped after my original Snuffers were all lost. Now I shoot Grizzly Instincts for my 3 blade heads.
I shoot what works best for me....and think the prices I am paying for Grizzly, Ribteks and would also for Tuffheads or STOS...are fair prices for what you get. I do not think the super expensive Ashby and Alaska Supply and German heads are worth it personally...but someone must as they are still in business. :)
Buy what works...not based on price. That being said...Ace, Zwickey, Magnus are all great heads and some of the best prices out there. If still not cheap enough there are plenty of HOW TOs on how to take saw blades and make your own trade points and grind them up for use. Once you do all the work though...I doubt they would really be cheaper from your time and material to make. More satisfying...but not cheaper if you count your time as well for sure.
I use the same heads for hogs, deer, bear, raccoons, nutria, etc. Only ones I swap out are for turkey but that is for bigger hole..not quality or price. :)
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I also dont buy STRONGER or TOUGHER broadheads for different game animals. I shoot three blades for turkey....2 blade for everything else. I buy the ones I like the best, mount the best, fly the best, and sharpen easy enough to not make it a chore for me....then I stick with them. I dont change or even consider changing unless I experience a problem that I dont think is operator induced...or they are no longer available.
I shot zwickey for years...loved them..still do...but had a few ferruls come apart from the bladed portion when hunting. Lost confidence...was not a price thing at all. Went to Ribteks in early 90s...still shooting them as I bought a hundred or so straight from Australia couple years ago.
Shot Snuffers for years for turkey and loved them...felt the metal changed in past few years and made them a chore to sharpen...so stopped after my original Snuffers were all lost. Now I shoot Grizzly Instincts for my 3 blade heads.
I shoot what works best for me....and think the prices I am paying for Grizzly, Ribteks and would also for Tuffheads or STOS...are fair prices for what you get. I do not think the super expensive Ashby and Alaska Supply and German heads are worth it personally...but someone must as they are still in business. :)
Buy what works...not based on price. That being said...Ace, Zwickey, Magnus are all great heads and some of the best prices out there. If still not cheap enough there are plenty of HOW TOs on how to take saw blades and make your own trade points and grind them up for use. Once you do all the work though...I doubt they would really be cheaper from your time and material to make. More satisfying...but not cheaper if you count your time as well for sure.
I use the same heads for hogs, deer, bear, raccoons, nutria, etc. Only ones I swap out are for turkey but that is for bigger hole..not quality or price. :)
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I also dont buy STRONGER or TOUGHER broadheads for different game animals. I shoot three blades for turkey....2 blade for everything else. I buy the ones I like the best, mount the best, fly the best, and sharpen easy enough to not make it a chore for me....then I stick with them. I dont change or even consider changing unless I experience a problem that I dont think is operator induced...or they are no longer available.
I shot zwickey for years...loved them..still do...but had a few ferruls come apart from the bladed portion when hunting. Lost confidence...was not a price thing at all. Went to Ribteks in early 90s...still shooting them as I bought a hundred or so straight from Australia couple years ago.
Shot Snuffers for years for turkey and loved them...felt the metal changed in past few years and made them a chore to sharpen...so stopped after my original Snuffers were all lost. Now I shoot Grizzly Instincts for my 3 blade heads.
I shoot what works best for me....and think the prices I am paying for Grizzly, Ribteks and would also for Tuffheads or STOS...are fair prices for what you get. I do not think the super expensive Ashby and Alaska Supply and German heads are worth it personally...but someone must as they are still in business. :)
Buy what works...not based on price. That being said...Ace, Zwickey, Magnus are all great heads and some of the best prices out there. If still not cheap enough there are plenty of HOW TOs on how to take saw blades and make your own trade points and grind them up for use. Once you do all the work though...I doubt they would really be cheaper from your time and material to make. More satisfying...but not cheaper if you count your time as well for sure.
I use the same heads for hogs, deer, bear, raccoons, nutria, etc. Only ones I swap out are for turkey but that is for bigger hole..not quality or price. :)
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I have never switched from one brand to another due to price. But that's likely only because I have never purchased, much less used, an expensive broadhead. I started out with Ace Standards, Magnus II, and Zwickey broadheads. I continue to use Ace Standards and Zwickey broadheads to this day. I guess I'm from the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" school.
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I actually did the same thing this year, I was using Woodsman Bloodgrooves but they jumped another $10 this year. I switched to VPAs and the quality seems better. I'll let you know if I get a chance to kill with them.
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Originally posted by Bowbldr:
One more time..... What is the price of a high priced Broadhead???????????????????
Bob,
I think this is a good question.. I look at price in several terms..
How much is the actual cost?
How many comes with it for that price?
What quality is the metal? How many blades? Cutting ratio, etc?
Does it come with a warranty or any type of guarantee.. I will say that I don't want a head that will bend if it hits a bone. It appears to me that some of the "best heads" come in any where from $10-$15 per head imo.
For your heads, Bob, They are at the top of my price range. Do I like the looks, appeared quality, and everything I have read so far? YES! Will I buy some, maybe I will next time I am looking for a good 3 blade. The thing that really sells me on your heads is the warranty. I don't know all the broadhead makers out there, but I would like to think that if I am investing $40+ bucks in broadheads, they are going to have some type of guarantee. I know that VPA, Cut throat, yours, and i'm sure a few others have the same type of guarantee, which is why I will heavily consider them next time I am in need of some.
As also mentioned, a lot has to do with funds available at the time. With 2 kids under 3 and a stay at home wife on a teaching salary, there isn't much room for $50 broadheads, though I think they are "worth it".
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To the O.P. Yes, I have. When my supply gets low I like to buy a dozen at a time. I decided to give Grizzly's a try this time and have been very pleased with them and I saved some money.
BTW. I thought VPA made the WW Elites...Can't see paying more for one vs the other. Never used WW Elites but had good luck with VPA's.
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I have enjoyed reading this thread.
My process of determining what I use is not price although their is a threshold for me. I just ordered 3 new 2 blades, single bevel because of what took place this past week while hunting.
I had the great blessing of harvesting 2 deer in 5 days. The second was about 105lb doe and I shot her with a 3 blade VPA, 175 grain. First time I have ever hit a deer right in the shoulder blade broadside. I usually try to hit a little further back. I heard the arrow breakthrough the shoulder blade and when she ran off I had a lot of arrow sticking out.
I had small specks of blood to follow but praise God I found her after a long (time wise)track. She only went 70 yards. When I cleaned her that broad head had broken through both shoulder blades and caused massive bleeding BUT I did not get an exit hole. The broad head just barely poke a small hole in the hide on the opposite side.
The reason I ordered some single bevel 2 blades is NOT because the VPA didn't perform the way it is designed to. That head broke bone and was not curled or chipped! It is because I am shooting only 47#'s @28" and although I have carbon arrows with good FOC I evidently am not pushing enough energy to get that exit hole when I hit a deer in that spot like when I was shooting 57#'s.
Because most of the small place I hunt is very, very, very thick, I know that if she would have been in the thick stuff I would have certainly struggled to find her and I certainly would not have been able to follow the scant blood trail that she left in the oak flat where I shot her.
If I get a chance at a bigger bodied deer, like a nice buck, I know I would be in the same scenario all over again and the thought of losing an animal because of something I can control would just be terrible for me. So, I will spend a decent amount per head for a one piece, single bevel, 2 blade and see what happens knowing I have done what I can. If it doesn't work then an increase in arrow weight is next. I want to kill them clean AND find them afterwards.