Broadheads: The New Dilemma

[Curtiss Cardinal]

Magnus Stingers for a 100 grain head that is all you could need.

[hunt it]

If you want a screw in head that razor sharp out of the package go with the PHANTOMS as Charlie suggested. You can shoot em 2 bladed without the bleeders in or four bladed - bleeders in. They are super easy to resharpen with most cheap carbide type sharpeners and are one of the thickest and strongest stainless screw in heads around. If you want the best and money is no object look at the Silver Flames by German Kinetics - second to only the bullet!

[Billy]

I've got G5's. Good solid heads. Sharp outta the package. You can buy the practice heads, so you don't shoot your hunting edges off.
The only thing I'll complain about is , if you buy their diamond sharpener; it changes the edge angle and takes a bit of patience to get them sharp again. BUT, when they get sharp , they stay sharp!
Only shot one deer with a 'wheelie' and G5's. 30 yards, pass thru one rib, still sharp...Hope it helps.

[pintail_drake2004]

for now i will be using screw in's but i will prolly switch when i go to all trad gear. I really appreciate the help yall. I was kinda afraid to try something new because there can be alot of money tied up in bh's.
Now the next question: would you go with 3 blades or 4 blades? I was planning on 4 blades but now im just not sure.
Thanks for all the Help
Pintail

[Brian Krebs]

Mr Pin: no broadhead will work if you cannot hit the right place on the target. You lost a couple deer; where did you hit them; and why were they lost?
 Sharp is the ticket with broadheads; if you buy a factory sharpened head and shoot it for practice- you HAVE to resharpen the head. Magnus are pretty easy heads to sharpen and more so: are Zwickey 2 blade heads.
 The Zwickey 4 blade heads are worth the extra effort- but are they really 4 blade heads? The extra 2 blades made from the 2 blade zwickey to make it a 4 blade are just tabs- not enough alone to be a legal broadhead - where that is defined.
 What the tabs do when sharpened: is they relieve preasure or tension on the arrow shaft; allowing better penetration; and cutting just a little more.
 If I were you I would stick with 2 blade zwickeys- until you can sharpen them to shaving- in a very short time with confidance; and then going to 4 blade zwickeys... if by that time you think you need them. I do find they leave a little better blood trail than a 2 blade- on elk that travel further with the same size broadhead wound as a deer would have.
 Other than that: I stick to 2 blade heads.
If your just hunting deer and bear; use a woodsman if you think you need more than 2 blades.
 If you cannot sharpen blades - and you should practice with the broadhead you intend to shoot with- so you NEED to be able to sharpen the head- stick with easy to sharpen heads like the 2 blade zwickey......
 You cannot make up for bad shots by only changing your broadheads.

[pintail_drake2004]

Mr. Krebs: I MISSED the does for stupid mistakes on my behalf (mis-judged distance, hit a twig, etc)not my equiptment, and Hit the buck broad side and stuck his shoulder blade when he stepped back trying to dodge the arrow. I do sharpen all of my blades to the point they will shave. This is the second deer i have lost using spitfires: the first was a doe in 2002, the broadhead opened on the inside which does not leave a good blood trail. I found her the next day in the combine with yotes cleaning up the bones (with my arrow still in her).
I have had several friends use spitfires and they work great until you hit a shoulder, then they are not strong enough to penetrate (in our experence). With the chisel or Cut on Contact, they would have blown thought he shoulder.
My bro used magnus stingers, and i am anxious to see how they hold up. I would prefer 4 blades, but I also like 3 blades.

[Brian Krebs]

MR Pintail: no offense intended. On tv shows it is quite common to see a person with a compound draw back as the deer approaches; and then make a bleating noise when they are ready to shoot to make the deer stop- with traditional bows that's is pretty hard to do - and a rare thing- but can lead to bad shots. I was wondering if something like that had added to the misses- so that we could all learn from it.
 I have made my share of bad shots; bad timing; twigs in the way and just excitement taking over logic. Not dissing you; and I apologise if you took it that way.
 On deer the scapula is pretty tough; but on elk- its even worse! And elk leg bones will stop any broadhead.
 I am curious as to why you want 4 or 3 blade heads? What makes you not consider 2 blade heads ?

 

[John D]

Mr Pintail, I am curious,are your friends,also shooting, Trad Bows  with spitfires. this Question is not to debate spitfires or anthing elese. but I would like to know, before I post a suggestion. Thank You

[pintail_drake2004]

Dank: none of us (my bro and I included) shoot trad bows...yet. all compound Mostly PSE, and Matthews.

[pintail_drake2004]

Mr Krebs-no offence taken, I was just assuring yall that my missing was do to my faults not my equiptment. I hunt from a tree stand aprox 38' high, they have no clue Im even there, so making a noise to get them to stop when they are close just makes them look up, now grunting, bleating, etc from a distance has no ill effect.

As for the 3 or 4 blades I prefer a large entrance/exit hole: bigger hole = more blood = easier tracking.

When I do switch over to Trad gear this is going to be my biggest concern, but if I can get some bleeder blades for some 2 blades, that will do the trick, just something to allow a little bit more flow.
Any of yall use bleeder blades on you 2blades?
Pintail

[Roger Norris]

I recently "coached" a compound shooter into tuning his bow for, and sharpening his own 2 blade heads. He isn't looking back.

Dang it Charlie, my rant was all revved up too...;0)

[John D]

Pintail, after reading your thread a few times, I kind of thought that, and thats fine no problem with me. but I thought at first, you were talking about a Trad bow. And all of the suggestions above are good one if you were shooting Trad. I would stick with rocky mt, or muzzy, or the G5s with the compound. If you had a trad bow I had a few BHs I could of sent you to try. Good Luck JMO

[pintail_drake2004]

Dank, I appreciate that very much but I am just getting started on buiding my first bow now, and it wont be done till spring break im guessing. Then I will start on my arrows...thats going to be fun.
Pintail

[John D]

That's Great. again Good luck to you

[Wudstix]

I just traded for some Magnus Mag I heads.  2 and 4 blade 160 grains.  I think the hogs are in trouble, these things fly perfect and cut a great hole.

[pintail_drake2004]

i sure would like to hunt hogs. Before too long they are gonna be up here. They are already here around cairo IL. It would be a blast to hunt them w/ trad gear.