Aluminum Broadhead Adapters Durability

[wv lungbuster]

Well I know there not going to be as strong as steel
Have any of you had any durability issues. I'm going to be using a long broadhead also, Grizz EL Gran. and it's got me thinking it may not be a good idea.

[Ragnarok Forge]

I don't use aluminum adapters for broadheads. At least not if there is any way to avoid it.  The will fail on a hard bone hit, or an angled hit that smacks a rib.  Stick with brass or steel for broadheads.

[ksbowman]

I've used them for 38 years and not had a problem during that time.I've shot primarily Zwickey deltas and eskimos with a few others on short tryouts.Also, used both short and long adapters but prefer the longs. IMHO they are just fine.  Ben

[wv lungbuster]

I usually use steel, but needed to use the aluminum to keep the weight the same with the new heads. I know they have the titanium screw in ones now but I don't wont to pay the price.

[Terry Green]

The KEY to them being durable is having them screwed on tight!!!

I've bent a few over the years, mostly on judos cause I get lazy and don't check to see if they are tight after every shot.  What causes any adapter post to bend, and yep I've bent steel ones, is not having them on tight and the gap between the base of the adapter and the end of the shaft becomes the weakest link.

I try and use plumbers tape on all my judos and that seems to work pretty good at keeping the from working loose on repetitive shots.  I do have some hog heads that are locked down tight with epoxy just for good measure.  But, my Bheads don't usually work loose as I'm not shooting my sharpened ones a lot at targets and I check them before every hunt. (I still would and do IF I use steel adapters)

Aluminum adapters have also served me well for 2 and a half decades.....and I have them on most all my arrows.  Only a half dozen have steel adapters, and I save them for special occasions and don't use them often.  I've killed most of my hogs with aluminum, and only two with the steel.

So, I don't worry about aluminum adapters at all.  I think after all I've killed with them(angled shots-busted ribs and all), and all the target and judo shots I've taken, I'd know if they were a real problem.

Just make sure you get them screwed down tight and you shouldn't have a problem.  I never have in that case.

[wv lungbuster]

IF there good enough for the Tarz with all the critter his has put down they can surely with stand my misses then       Thanks guys for the info

WV

[Track]

I do use them but have had them bend. I use the steel adapters now as much as possible.

[Night Wing]

I've never had any problems with aluminum adapters.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I've never had a problem with aluminum adapters, and I've put them through some rather heavy bone (exit wound side, of course).

[lpcjon2]

The only problem I have had was when they were glued into heads and I couldn't get them out.

[Ragnarok Forge]

I have had a few bend on elk where the animal spun at the shot and I had a diagonal hit on bone.  I will have to remember terry's tip on keeping them tight with plumbers tape.

[Morning Star]

I've had 2 alum adapters break off on 2 different hunts.  Bad batch, maybe?  Wasn't gonna chance it again.  I've been using steel adapters for about 10 years, no bends, no breaks.

[wv lungbuster]

Are their different brands or all made by the same company??

[Steelhead]

I prefer steel just in case.I dont feel secure with any potential week links up front on my arrow.I dont want to ever second guess anything on the front end of my arrow.

I had a screw in aluminum broadhead insert bend once and that was enough for me.I think I would be way more secure with the glue in glue on though for sure in the aluminum inserts.I dont like the screw ins though personally.

[Night Wing]

Originally posted by wv lungbuster:
Are their different brands or all made by the same company??

When using aluminum, Zwickey makes a 36 grain screw in long broadhead adapter and Magnus makes a 42 grain screw in long broadhead adapter. These are the ones I use.

[Whip]

I don't have any worries with the aluminum adapters.  I've used them on a bunch of animals.  I did have one break off last year, but in that case the broadhead had lodged in the spine and the arrow snapped off when he ran.  The broadhead had already penetrated as far as it was going to - it's not like it snapped off upon impact.  I can't see where a steel adapter would have offered any advantage.  

The problem I have with steel is that I don't like the jumbo field tips that are needed to match the weight on a broadhead with a steel adapter.  I suppose you could use brass inserts for your field tips and aluminum inserts with your broadheads, but I don't like having to make up different arrows for different tips.

[James Wrenn]

The only time I have ever bent one was when it was not screwed in all the way stumping.Never while hunting because I lock broadheads down tight with pliers.

I don't want the extra weight of steel or brass myself.If wanting more weight up front I had rather have it in the form of heavier,stronger broadheads than in something I feel works just fine like an insert or adapter. jmo

[LCH]

I broke one and bent one in magnus heads last deer season. I broke 2 in Simmons Tigersharks on deer. I would rather have something else.LCH

[PaddyMac]

ttt

(Because I was going to post the question and searched instead. Good discussion here. I don't think steel will work for me weight-wise and I think I agree with Terry that aluminum should be strong enough if everything -- insert, adaptor and broadhead ferrule -- are all fitted tightly. Ask anybody in a sporting goods store about a fishing rod broken at the ferrule and 9 times out of 10 its because the tip section wasn't seated fully. Anyway, this was a good discussion so ... bump.)

[Ben Maher]

25 years for me and they still serve well . Broken a few , just like I have arrows, string, broadheads etc ... I stump more than anything and they work just fine ...as Terry said , just lock them in tight so that there is no thread wobble and they'll do fine .