Pine board penetration observations

[Jaz]

I shot a 1 x 6 pine board at 10 yards with my Grizzly that I'm only drawing about 45 pounds.
Originally I wanted to see what the 300 grain Tusker single bevel did. It stuck through the board about an inch to an inch and a half on every shot. Nothing amazing.
I screwed on a 125 Magnus with a 20 grain broadhead adapter for total point weight of 145 grains, half as much as the other head. It repeately blew throught the board, splitting it quite dramatically. From my unscientific observations the Tusker's ferrule is dramatically impeading penetration, at least on a board.
These were shot with carbon arrows. I just got my first dozen carbons and I'm afraid I probably won't go back to wood.
Just thought I'd share.
God bless,
Jaz

[sdpeb1]

300 gr with @45#. What arrow were you using? I just tried 200gr with a 75/95 goldtip and I thought it was still shooting a bit stiff but not much. I'm shooting 53#. I'm pretty new to this sport but wouldn't penetration be subject to a properly tuned arrow? What I mean is I think a 300gr would weaken the arrow, if the one you used a 145gr flew properly and then you put a 300gr on it. What do you think?

[Jaz]

Vapor 2000 cut to 28". My arrows are not perfectly tuned. But the FOC is  around 21% so the head almost seems to steer the arrow. Yes, the tuning, or lack of, may be an issue, also.

[Mo. Huntin]

I'm not sure what to think of that.  If everything was the same weight and just had a different broad head design I would feel better about blaming a head.

[ChuckC]

Man.  I haven't tried hunting boards yet.  Is it hard to sneak up on them ?   OK  OK   you aim for the heartwood ?
ChuckC  

[StickBowManMI]

ChuckC
You need to be careful field dressing the Boards. I hear that you can get splinters if you aren't carfeul!

[bsigal]

The boards that I've shot were really tough to skin and dress out.  Good eating though and worth the effort.

[George D. Stout]

Skin, flesh, and bone are not boards.  A ferrule such as the Tusker or Ribtek can hang up in solid wood.  Skin will split open and allow pass through of such ferrules.   A good wood or aluminum arrow would do the same...has nothing to do with arrow material.   In addition, boards are not consistent throughout.  Plywood would be a better medium but still doesn't even closely approximate animals.

[NightHawk]

A ferrule such as the Tusker or Ribtek can hang up in solid wood. Skin will split open and allow pass through of such ferrules.

There is a problem, Old Salt.Those type of broadheads do get hung up by an animals fat content as they pass through. The ferrules tend to grab and pull at the tissue as they pass slowing the arrow and clogging the ferrule

[ChuckC]

There is no comparison between board and flesh.  For a lot of reasons.  What you did was a good test.  Shows you are interested and concerned.  I am glad you shared the results with us.  

Try that same test with a blunt and enough bow.  I have seen the blunt outperform broadheads in the past, in solid backstop tests, as it just pops a hole in the substrate and there is no  or almost no resistance for the rest of the projectile to slow it down.

Lots of Tuskers and Ribteks and similar heads have gone clean thru critters.  We have discussed what probably are the "best features" of a broadhead, in terms of pennetration capability, but we haven't drawn a line at what is "enough".   I thnk that is an unanswerable question because there are so many factors involved.
ChuckC

[Brian Krebs]

George  "Skin, flesh, and bone are not boards."

 Yeah? What about woodchucks ????

[George D. Stout]

Them neither....         but those little critters are tough.  

The last deer I killed was with a Ribtek that went through with little effort from a forty-five pound longbow.

[Jaz]

I know that boards and animals are not the same. I wasn't implying that. I was was just sharing my observations. There is 10" of snow here, it's 5 degrees in the sunshine and I'm bored. So I shot a board that was laying by my target in the basement, just for fun. I do believe, however, that an arrow/broadhead combo that easily penetrates a board should have no problem penetrating a whitetail scapula.
And a good board comes in handy after  a day of bowfishing for carp. One needs a good board to to prepare the world famous "carp on a board" recipe that everyone knows!

[Orion]

Jaz:  Pretty big change in point weight.  Did both of the arrows have good flight?  A little wiggle in either one can greatly retard penetration, as could an ever so slight change in angle on the board, or the grain in the wood, etc.  In short, lots of other things could explain your results.  

Actually, I think you were shooting the wrong type of bow.  For that type of game, you should be shooting a "board bow."  

[STEVE R.]

Jaz that is exactly what I thought when I read your thread. Just an observation. Now all these offended knowitalls will try to tell you everything you have done wrong, when all the heck you did was shoot a dogone board. amazing how easy it is to start a argument on this sight .

[Swamp Pygmy]

I'm personally of the opinion that all of that kind stuff matters. Just probably not enough to make a difference, but if we're actually talking whether it impedes penetration or not I'd bet it does. Especially bone. A solid leg or shoulder hit.

Theoretically the less resistance it has the better it will penetrate. It's a pretty good question though considering the premium we put on sharp blades and thin carbons. Few people take into consideration what a wide ferrule might do. Especially a ribbed ferrule like some I've seen.

I'm sure they work fine, and it doesn't really matter though. I really think people excessively worry about these kinda things.

[ChuckC]

Easy Steve... we're bored and having fun too.
ChuckC    

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by Brian Krebs:
George  "Skin, flesh, and bone are not boards."

 Yeah? What about woodchucks ????

I think that completely depends on how much wood the woodchuck chucks. However, in the absense of knowing how much wood a woodchuck would chuck, I'll defer to George's expertise.  

[Brian Krebs]

Hey man: I was like totally serious !

   :rolleyes:    

[STEVE R.]

all the man said was if you want to kill a board you would be better off shooting it with a magnus than a tusker. I really would like to see a penatration target made to set a penatration standard, like an amo or such, that way a person could would be able to make the best arrow set up regardless of what other people claim. just a thought.