Help me decide broadheads...sticking with the Grizzlies

[Michael Arnette]

So I've been having relatively good luck with narrow single bevel heads. I've been a big fan of wider broadheads but have been having a lot of trouble with flight...hence the narrow two blade and amazing grizzly broadheads for the past year. I'll be keeping them for elk to get good penetration. But am curious for whitetail.
...I got some Simmons interceptors after my first pathetic blood trail using the grizzlies. It was a perfect shot on a nice doe and I got one drop of blood. No complaint from the grizzlies as they did their job...there's just only so much a small diameter can do. Poor blood can happen with any broadhead but it got me curious about trying something bigger.
It turns out I was not able to get the Simmons to fly quite as well as I would like so I ordered some of these very expensive but very high-quality Byron Ferguson heads from Schmeiser archery.
They fly beautifully! And holy cow is this some quality steel! It puts every other head I've sharpened to shame. I think I'm going to give them a go on whitetails and turkeys. What is you vote. (Price isn't an issue for me on broadheads).

I'm shooting a 62# TallTines with a 570gr arrow at 185ish fps so plenty of energy for either head.
   

[Michael Arnette]

FYI The grizzlies are staying in my quiver for hogs for sure, no way am I shooting a $34 Broadhead at a hog lol plus they are great penetrators and bone busters. Just a good broadhead

[huronhunter]

So long as they are scary sharp and fly true it really makes no difference. The only question I have is ,if the Grizzlies are working for you why by "hi end broad heads ?
No disrespect intended

[mark Willoughby]

ive also been curious about those heads keep us posted on how they do

[Friend]

Certainly am hopeful you attain what you desire.

[pete p]

whoa, whats the cutting diameter on the left head?? thing looks deadly, id love to follow a blood trail from that head.

[Caleb Monroe]

I have been contemplating going back to a 3 blade broadhead. The blood trails with snuffers never disappointed me but they never felt as sharp as a 2 blade. I'm shooting interceptors and tree sharks myself but have some doubts on the tree sharks.

I will add that my wide 2 blades seem to fly better oriented horizontal. I'm curious was it a flight issue for you or accuracy. Mine are glue on mounted on adaptors and spin tested then fletched according to the broadhead then numbered to the arrow.

But with Byrons name is on it I doubt it will dissappoint.

[Michael Arnette]

Originally posted by huronhunter:
So long as they are scary sharp and fly true it really makes no difference. The only question I have is ,if the Grizzlies are working for you why by "hi end broad heads ?
No disrespect intended

[J. Cook]

With you shooting that kind of poundage, why are you not looking to a 3-blade if you're main reason for switching is more blood on the ground?  Just curious.  

That head looks wicked!

[South MS Bowhunter]

Well my vote is for the Schmeiser as it looks like a representative of the Simmons style head and I know they leave great blood trails.

Curious why you were not able to get good flight with the Simmons?  I do have to spend some time to get mine aligned and spinning true, but it seems to be an issue with certain insert rather than the heads.

I'd go with the wider head. At62#, penetration is not an issue. I went from the 1 1/8" wide GK head to the 1 1/2" wide GK head and the blood trails are (usually) noticeably better.

Bisch

[Michael Arnette]

Originally posted by Caleb Monroe:


I will add that my wide 2 blades seem to fly better oriented horizontal. I'm curious was it a flight issue for you or accuracy.

That's funny, I get better flight when my 2 blades are oriented vertically...both small and large diameter. I've tried both orientations and the simmons were all over the place when mounted horizontally... passable but not satisfactory when mounted vertical.
The Simmons just weren't flying consistently accurate...there were too many flyers. I've had the same problem with big 3 blades like the snuffer 160 and I'm sure it has to do with my form and tuning because they seem to fly great for other folks.

I'm with you on the treeshark...I tried them last year and all over the map! I envy those of you who can get them to fly well

[Michael Arnette]

Originally posted by pete p:
whoa, whats the cutting diameter on the left head?? thing looks deadly, id love to follow a blood trail from that head.

1 9/16th" ...just over 1.5"

[Archie]

I have had some problems with getting good broadhead flght in the past, even though I was pretty well-turned.  I came up with a theory, and so far it's proven true for me...

The issue is that when the arrow flexes as it comes out of the bow, and since the arrow isn't flying straight until the feathers straighten it out, that wing (broadhead) on the front of the arrow starts catching air and pulls the arrow off in a different direction.  It makes sense that if that "wing" is positioned to cut through the air instead of planing against it, that maybe the broadhead can cut through the air and the arrow can straighten out before going off course.  So, I took a few arrows and a torch out and shot a few.  If the flight wasn't good, I heated the glue, twisted the insert in the shaft about 30°, and tried it again.  Eventually I found a configuration that flew straight.  I then twisted all my inserts to seat the broadhead at the same angle in relation to the cock feather, and I was good to go.  I got great arrow flight out of those arrows.  And since everyone has unique ticks and bad habits and arrow flight quirks, it makes sense that vertically-aligned broadheads work for some, horizontal for others, and various angles in-between for others still.

Lately, all my broadheads seem to fly well no matter how they are positioned, so I haven't had to bother with it.  I am shooting big Zwickey's out of my 68# recurve this season, and they fly just fine.

[Tajue17]

how much do the Byron heads cost compared to the grizzly's?  and have you tried the Centaur Heads?

[Ryan Rothhaar]

I'd go with the bigger head, but no surprise there        


One issue with broadhead flight that often gets overlooked - like Archie said - you're putting a "wing" out front - only makes sense to put a bigger "wing" on the back - Michael, what are you using for feathers?  Maybe get a bit more feather on the back?  I don't know if this applies to your setup or not.

I know it is a fad nowadays with traditional archers to use tiny feathers, but there IS a reason feathers are on an arrow in the first place, and within reason bigger is better.  I'm not a fanatic "tuner" - over time I have gained an understanding of what spine arrows work for me and my setups, and all I do is shoot fletched arrows with broadheads, watch the flight, and say "good to go" or "not good to go".

Good arrow flight is paramount, but you can really make up for things with more feather...like big broadheads, or a muffed release etc.  Its OK to shoot a touchy setup (and small feathers are touchy) for form development, but for hunting I want a forgiving setup and big feathers are that.  I like 4 X 5.5 inch medium to high profile parabolic burned feathers set at 60/120 spacing with as much helical as I can get.  For 3 fletch the old "Maxi-fletch" if you remember those, were nice.  They were 5.5 or 6 inches long, and high profile banana cut.

I've never had a flight problem with big heads - and big feathers.

Just an "old school" thought....

R

[highlow]

Those Ferguson heads look exactly like the Simmons Interceptors. If the Fergusons fly well out of your setup, I'm sort of baffled why the Simmons won't. I shoot the screw-in Simmons Interceptors and they fly great.

[TexasTrad]

I am also a little surprised about the flight issues on the Simmons.  I have never had a problem with Interceptors or Tree Sharks.   I would shoot the bigger head with your set up especially since it sounds like you can get them sharp.

The Centaur heads are also good and come in 1.75" width.

[Seeza]

I have been on the two blade bandwagon for years.  Zwickey Eskimos for years and this year 225 gr Tuffheads.  Penetration was the goal.  Always wanting that offside hole.  This fall I had the privilege of bear hunting with a friend that "knows" bears, Sergio Venneri.  I can't thank him enough for opening my eyes to the Rothhaar Snuffer.  It's appearance flies in the face of current Ashby style thought.  It's such a big wide three blade it just shouldn't fly or penetrate, right?  Wrong!  It was fantastic.  Flew great and opened up a bear and blood trail like nothing else I've seen.  Bear went 25 yards.  As Sergio challenged me "Penetration is great, but after a pass through how far do you really need to bury it in the ground?"  At realistic bowhunting distances I'm sold on the massive hole and quick death these produce.  
I'm shooting 60# @ 27" longbow with cedar 580 gr arrows.

[Gordon Jabben]

I'm with Bisch, I don't think penetration is much of a problem but one thing that I think is overlooked is an archer's form when shooting at an animal.  I think short drawing when shooting down, nerves, shooting from odd positions can all make our perfectly tuned arrow not fly well and a wide broadhead can really take off.  We have shot together and you know my form is never good so that is why I shoot a long narrow broadhead.  Also I don't think a quarter inch wider cut makes much difference. I would stick with the grizzles. JMHO