125 fixed blade broadhead setup and experience

[Daniel Bybee]

After a few humbling days of the Cold Bow Challenge, it’s time to change my arrow back to an old faithful. My bow setup is an Elite answer set at 27.5 and 71#. I shoot a 25.5 inch carbon to carbon arrow which puts me just shy of an inch in front of my rest which I’m comfortable with. Looking at shooting some axis 340 that I have with a regular hit insert. I’ll set these up with a 4” wrap and AAE Max Stealth vanes, not sure on 3 or 4 yet. Looking at shooting a 125 grain broadheads, what has worked well for you guys? Unfortunately I do not have iron will money but I’m more looking along the lines of slick truck, kudu point or the like? Hunting mule deer, bears and antelope this year but I’ll keep the setup for elk also. Thank you!!!

 

[primal.wanderings]

I really liked Slick Trick Viper Tricks.

 

[Beendare]

Humbling?
FYI, it’s rarely the broadheads fault..... but it is crucial to Brodhead tune your bow.

..

 

[Bl704]

My draw a bit longer, used CX Mayhem arrows, elite synergy at 60-65ish. I cut over to 125 gr field points and BH (magnus stingers) last year (around 450gr Total weight. Bespoke 3 blazer vanes on the back.

BH tuning was important and the setup worked in taking a cow elk @ 35yds.

I have been wafflng on trying a slightly diff configuration : adding a bit more weight (40-50gr) in the front though I know I'll need to mod the vanes on the back, if I go this route...finished arrow would be around 500gr...but current setup flies well, is cheap and worked, so...

 

[Jimbob]

Have you ever tried shooting a hinge or back tension release. I started shooting that last year and it really helped.

You need to have arrows tuned to your bow and broadheads that fly true to get accuracy BUT you can still have those and your form and execution cause poor results. I wouldn't go chasing equipment changes and hope they magically change form and execution. However, changing your release will certainly help your execution.

When deciding on arrow length and point weight you should be thinking about how those will affect the spine of your arrow. Your goal is to get an arrow perfectly spine-matched to your bow.

For example,
-choose to shorten your arrow to make it stiffer not to get it within an inch of your rest.
-choose a heavier point weight to soften the spine
etc

Play with all of these variables to get a perfectly spined arrow to your bow that meets the requirements you desire.

I want an arrow to shoot close to 280 fps and weigh over 450 grains.

So I chose a 300 axis with a standard insert cut at 27.25" and used a 125-grain head. Those variables gave me a perfectly tuned arrow for my bow, that's the ultimate goal.

 

[Daniel Bybee]

Humbling?
FYI, it’s rarely the broadheads fault..... but it is crucial to Brodhead tune your bow.

..

Definitely not blaming the broadhead. Actually just changing things up. Never shot 125 grain broadheads.

 

[Daniel Bybee]

Have you ever tried shooting a hinge or back tension release. I started shooting that last year and it really helped.

You need to have arrows tuned to your bow and broadheads that fly true to get accuracy BUT you can still have those and your form and execution cause poor results. I wouldn't go chasing equipment changes and hope they magically change form and execution. However, changing your release will certainly help your execution.

When deciding on arrow length and point weight you should be thinking about how those will affect the spine of your arrow. Your goal is to get an arrow perfectly spine-matched to your bow.

For example,
-choose to shorten your arrow to make it stiffer not to get it within an inch of your rest.
-choose a heavier point weight to soften the spine
etc

Play with all of these variables to get a perfectly spined arrow to your bow that meets the requirements you desire.

I want an arrow to shoot close to 280 fps and weigh over 450 grains.

So I chose a 300 axis with a standard insert cut at 27.25" and used a 125-grain head. Those variables gave me a perfectly tuned arrow for my bow, that's the ultimate goal.

I actually have been shooting a Stan the last few weeks, and during the CBC. It’s definitely an eye opener haha. The axis that I’m going back to shoot great and had me right at about 275 with an approximate 430 grain arrow weight. I guess I’m more looking for what 125 grain heads guys are using. I wanted speed for antelope so switch up everything and I just should have stuck with what I had.

 

[Samdemarais]

Rms gear cutthroat is probably best bang for the buck. Fly great, lifetime warranty, and great customer service.

 

[Mosby]

I use ST Viper Trick. My son uses QAD Exodus. Around same price point. Both used by people that have killed.a lot more stuff than us. A lot of good, reasonably priced broad heads on the market.

 

[Cliffy65]

For what it’s worth, I run a similar setup to what you are talking about. Stealth x 4 but have 6” wraps on pierce platinums with ethics insert & outsert (95gn combo) and Kayuga pilot cut 125gn single bevel broadhead (like the helix). It’s not for everyone, but I stalk into well under 40 and this setup suits me perfectly. Complete pass throughs on elk, bear, hogs, a dozen or more deer etc. Total arrow weight of 545gn makes for a quiet set up, quiet enough to heart shot most of the Axis stags I’ve taken....and those guys quick.
The only thing I will change to this setup when I run out of the 3 dozen or so that I have, is the shaft. Some of them have been terrible lately, gouges all the way down the shaft on pierce tours straight out of the pack is the last straw.

 

[Billy Goat]

For the non-premium price I like Exodus. They are tough and fly well, still give a good cutting area. Magnus makes a good head as well, the warranty is hard to beat, similar to IW, tho they aren't as durable. If you aren't shooting femurs or cinder blocks, they should still work.

VPA makes a good head, so does RMS, kinda falls in the between price range. Not the $100/3, but not $40 either.

Anymore I shy away from 2 blades without bleeders, just leaves a less than desirable blood trail in my experience.

 

[BFazz]

I used to shoot ST Mag 125s and never had any issues, but never really fell in love with them either. Tried Magnus Ser-Razor 125s last year (pics below) and it’s a pretty devastating little head, holds up really well to light bone impact (scapula/ribs) on deer-sized game. Used a 100 grain stainless insert behind both heads, ~17% foc @ 525gr (total arrow)

Personally, for one-piece, single-bevels I’d look into 200+ grain offerings for increased thickness/structural integrity when impacting heavy bone (the whole idea behind single-bevel heads). For instance, I could shoot a 200gr single-bevel + 25gr insert interchangeably with my above setup (125gr head + 100gr insert) by just swapping head/inserts on the same arrows and maintaining same foc/total arrow weight.


125 Magnus Ser-Razor




exit

 

[Daniel Bybee]

I’m leaning in the realm of either the slick trick or the magnus. I thought about the ser razor, as I do like having the bleeder blades. Anyone have experience with the kudu point? I appreciate the responses!

 

[Chad E]

I've been shooting 125 grain kudu points the last couple years. They fly great and have generally required very little tuning to get to hit with field points. I love how quiet they are in flight and so far so good they have killed everything I've shot with them.

 

[cusecat04]

I’m shooting the Slick Trick Viper Trick as well.
Switched to gear up for Elk but shoot the same set up for whitetail.

 

[SDHNTR]

Hard to go wrong these days. Pick the head you can find an easy supply of and tune your bow and yourself to shoot it. Slick Tricks, QAD Exodus, VPA, my top 3.

 

[Zac]

A lot of good options these days for non premium heads. Most have already been mentioned.
I think Annhilator, and Tooth of the Arrow are also decent options. You have to make sure you are good at sharpening if you decide to go with something like RMS Gear, I could ge wrong but I think VPA needs a little touch up as well.

 

[5MilesBack]

All I've ever shot is 125's on 30" CTC arrows and mostly three 2" QS Speed Hunter vanes. I've tested a lot of vanes and BH's and those vanes have always come out on top for a combination of stabilization, LR trajectory, and accuracy. I always BH tune at 60 yards, and currently using QAD Exodus swept blade heads. But I always have a couple mechanical heads in my quiver as well.

 

[Juststartin08]

I also use the viper tricks. They work great for me. But like already said, there are a lot of great options. Go with what you can find easily.

 

[Spartan Gunner]

If you can, I would swap those 340s for 400s. 340s are likely really stiff for your setup.

I've had great performance with 125gr G5 Strikers and Blazers on the back end of axis arrows.