Broadhead Toughness?

[Gapmaster]

Recently here on the forum there have been several posts concerning broadheads.
Well, here is another for ya            

Years ago I used to be able to buy Zwickys for somewhere around 10 bucks for 1/2 dozen and sometimes find them on sale for 13 bucks for 12 (2 six packs taped together). I bought these heads for their all around useability for just about anything.These heads were pretty dran tough for the money.

When hunting on Catalina Island or Santa Cruz Island I used to use the MA-2 broaheads because most of the time the arrow I would shoot would not be able to be recovered due to heavy cactus and stuff like that. The MA-2's were cheap man. You could get a dozen for 5 bucks. It didn't hurt to loose these. Now, they are 19 bucks for a half a dozen. Cost darn near as much as a Zwicky, and not even close to the durability. WOW

All that being said I found that the MA-2's were not durable at all. Shooting at small game and missing, seems like I always would recover a bent MA-2 when I could find them.

Years ago when shooting the old State Broadhead shoots, I always used Zwickys because they seemed very durable shooting into the dirt banks and remember several times going through the whole tournaments shooting just one broadhead with no failures.

The other day I purchased a dozen Magnus heads to try. While practicing the other day I missed the target and the arrow went through the grass, hit a small stone and completely blew up. The arrow stayed as straight as can be, but that head came apart at the seems.

My question is, what broadhead do you think is the most durable? If you were going bunny hunting, or squirrl shooting, what head do you think would hold up the best? The way that Magnus came apart I would hate to think what would have happened if it hit some heavy bone.

So, looking for a tough, durable broadhead. What do you guys think? Thanks, Don    

[doug77]

what kind of magnus were you shooting I have had some problem's with the 150 grain stinger

doug77

[BradLantz]

I tore up a bunch of broadheads a few years back testing durability. Of the 2 blade, cut on impact heads, Zwickey outshined them all. I never broke one, the tips might curl a bit but not much. All other 2 blade's tip curled BADLY - that was my experience.

The "best" at my durability tests were the 3 blade Thunderheads

I never tested single bevel heads, or heads like the Grizzly's or the Steel Force Phat Heads ... those really really thick bladed heads that aren't spot welded together I'd think would be almost bomb proof.

Getting a stropped razor edge on them is another story    

but for durability those Zwickey heads are very well made

[George D. Stout]

I never hunt rabbits with broadheads, they will run right off one and disappear into a groundhog hole.  For squirrels I just cut off Bodkins so they don't penetrate or use a field point with a wingnut behind it.  

I really don't worry about durability in a broadhead, but expect it to take out ribs and lungs on big game.  Most heads now made are fine for what I need.  If you hunt rocks, roots and such, you may want to use Grizzly heads...toughest I've ever seen and still reasonably priced for the average wallet.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I've shot quite a few different brands of broadheads over they years. The ones I used repeatedly that were the most durable were Ace and Zwickey.

[SlowBowinMO]

If my #1 concern was durability I'd like shoot a Grizzly 190 or 160.  Ribteks, the Tusker 190 and Zwickeys are all reasonably priced and very tough as well.  Ribteks are getting scarce though.

Eclipse are some of the thickest, strongest heads in the industry but cost a bit more than the others mentioned.

[Wudstix]

I have shoot Zwickey, STOS, Magnus Mag I, and Ribtek.  Just starting to try ACE, they look to be well constructed.  Zwickey has not been shot much due to the lighter weights they are available in.  STOS have gone through hogs but do bent a bit against rocks, easily straightened with a hammer though.  Magnus Mag I have been through turkey, deer and hogs.  Even when they do find a rock after skidding along the ground after a hit or miss, the tip holds up OK.  One went through the off side shoulder on a 60 pound pig with the arrow to the fletch on the near side.  About 12 yard shot and still in hunting condition.  They are what I have been shooting for the last couple years.  Ribtek have been through all the above and I even tested them on cinder blocks.  There is a gent on LW (Les from Tennessee) that has done some extensive testing on broadheads and I figured it was worth a try.  These are what I have on the end when I'm hunting in unfriendly terrain.  ACE share a similar design with a slightly rounded tip.  In my humble opinion that is the answer to not bending the tips over.  All my testing has been conducted with 145-160 grain heads.  Although both Ribtek and ACE have heavier heads available.  Ribbies are inexpensive if you can find them, company was sold and they are now out of Australia.  Was I'd have had the 45K when he was retiring and selling out.      

[SuperK]

In my years of shooting at and missing targets   :rolleyes:   and/or hitting them in the wrong places (like the rebarb in the legs of 3-d deer targets)    , the Zwickey and Ace have suffered the least amount of damage with the Ace being the winner.   Ain't shot Grizzlys as much but they seem pretty tuff too.

[Justin Falon]

GRIZZLY 190's are TOUGH!

[Pat B.]

The Eclipse heads are tough to beat, no matter what you compare them to..  I'm a huge fan of Zwickey's and have used them for 30+ years.. However, for the last few years have shot more
Eclipse broadheads, good steel and very durable..
Certainly among the very best!

[bow'narrow]

A half century ago (or thereabouts), if you bought commercial arrows with broad heads on them, they were probably MA-3'S.   Lots of big game was taken with them.  Some lads were also glueing razor blades to them.   Although I now use  2-blade head, I have a good supply of MA-3'S for varmints and small game.  They are hell-for-stout.   Shoot one into a large rock, file on a new point and shoot again, if the shaft survived.  Yes, MA-2'S are fragile.  The 3's are a different critter.  I suspect they would still take large game quite well.

[toddster]

I have shot ACE broadheads for years, Bob makes a great head and stands behind his product.  As a matter of fact was in the shop today messing around and found a set I sharpened two years ago and they are still razor sharp.  I have put these broadheads through stumps, trees, dirt, ice and occasionally a rock and still good to go.  They small game blunts rule too.  The grizzly's are a great and in my opinion the toughest head on the market.  I do love zwickey have not used them as long as some of the other old timers, but i feel they are tougher then magnus though they are great heads.  Look forward to trying some tuskers.  Last note, the ribtek was one of the first heads I started using alot years ago and they were great, claimed they could go in a construction block and you know what, they did.

[Bjorn]

Grizzly 160 and 190 are waaay tough for sure. STOS with a chiseled tip is darned good too.

[ozy clint]

blackstumps. never had one fail.

[Gapmaster]

What's a blackstump? Never heard of them.

[mdwatts]

Grizzly would be hard to beat for the money.

[Daddy Bear]

I like the 190 Grizzly for being inexpensive and tough as a big game broadhead, but I think there are better choices for a 'bunny' or squirrel. I like the old Tiger Claw which is now sold as the Barta Blunt for squirrel. I remove the machine screw and claw, then slide on a modified Bludgeon for use as a bunny and stump head. The modified Bludgeon is head and shoulders over the Judo for stump shooting while roving and will lay a bunny out.

[ozy clint]

this is a blackstump. aussie made

 

the pressing of the ferrule extends right to the tip, making it super strong. ie- no flat steel cross section forward of the ferrule as in a zwickey or magnus II. pressings are ALOT harder to bend than a flat piece of steel

[bowhunterfrompast]

ttt

[legends1]

Don,First off I want to say hi.You sure took me back talking about those awesome hunts on the islands.
Bad luck with that Magnus.And that might just be what it was.I shot the Zwicky's and MA-3's for years.About 5 years ago I started shooting the MagnusII 125.I cant see much of a diffrence with them from the good old Zwickey.The reason I swithed is #1-The green or blue paint on the Zwickeys would burn off when they were monted to the arrow and then they would rust.Finish on the Magnus wont burn.#2-Magnus will replace if damaged.I live in La Grange and for the most part its all rocks up here.I havnt had the kind of problems with them that you had.
Like I said,maybe it was just bad luck.
Come up and see me at the shop some time and we can share some of those good old island hunting stories.
Mike
Mike