Broadhead Questions - new to trad

[Rob5589]

Been around this block many times over the past 30+ years. 3 blades just don't penetrate as well as 2 blades, and a properly sharpened (I file sharpen mine by hand) 2 blade will penetrate like mad and leave plenty of blood on the ground. Quickest kills I get consistently are with a file sharpened 2 blade head. Don't doubt their effectiveness. They work.

In what way did 3 blades lack penetration wise?

 

[Newtosavage]

In what way did 3 blades lack penetration wise?

They didn't penetrate as well as my 2 blades? Not sure how else to answer your question. I wasn't getting complete pass-throughs with the 3 blade Wensel Woodsmans but I did every time with my 2- blade Magnus heads.

 

[Rob5589]

They didn't penetrate as well as my 2 blades? Not sure how else to answer your question. I wasn't getting complete pass-throughs with the 3 blade Wensel Woodsmans but I did every time with my 2- blade Magnus heads.

That's what I was looking for, thanks.

 

[Newtosavage]

ar

That's what I was looking for, thanks.

I'll add that it has been my experience with less than complete pass throughs that deer run much farther with an arrow still in them So I want that arrow completely through the deer. Sometimes they will just hop and walk a little ways then tip over. I've had at least one that just stood there and tipped over. But I've never had a deer, with the arrow still in it, drop in sight. They always run like the devil is on their tail.

 

[Btaylor]

They didn't penetrate as well as my 2 blades? Not sure how else to answer your question. I wasn't getting complete pass-throughs with the 3 blade Wensel Woodsmans but I did every time with my 2- blade Magnus heads.

Curious what you were hitting with the woodsmans that was stopping them. You experience is totally opposite from mine with that head. Can only think of one animal that I didnt get a pass through with them. I prefer a three blade for the higher odds of a good blood trail. Where I do most of my hunting a good blood trail is really important.

 

[Newtosavage]

Curious what you were hitting with the woodsmans that was stopping them. You experience is totally opposite from mine with that head. Can only think of one animal that I didnt get a pass through with them. I prefer a three blade for the higher odds of a good blood trail. Where I do most of my hunting a good blood trail is really important.

Where we all hunt, a good blood trail is really important.

Based on my experiences, I have gotten complete pass-throughs on a much higher % of animals with 2- blade heads. That to me is more important than another 50% of blood on the ground, particularly because deer run further with an arrow still in them, but also because two open holes put more blood on the ground.

We should all use what we have the most confidence in. None of us have a high enough sample size to draw definitive conclusions.

 

[Newtosavage]

I'll add that since switching exclusively to 2-blade file-sharpened heads, I've only had to track 2 out of 12 deer. The other 10 went down in sight, some didn't even go 30 yards, a few less than 5. And I hunt in very thick woods in the bottoms of SE Texas.

 

[Wrench]

If you have a shaving sharp broadhead that flies true and doesn't have anything to slow it down (ferrule size issue...etc) and hit pretty much anything but the humerus and possibly the spine of the scapula.... you don't have much to worry about.

There's studies going into edge erosion and blade angles that, IMO, should be common sense, but there's plenty of reading.

I'd take as quiet as I can get and send as heavy an arrow as possible to 160plus fps and be ready to go pick up my critter.

 

[Midwest_Farsight]

It seems like a lot of you are shooting 2 blade broadheads. What weight of BH would you use for a 45# recurve 28" draw length? Starting a slow switch from compound to trad hunting, so I appreciate the help.

 

[Rob5589]

It seems like a lot of you are shooting 2 blade broadheads. What weight of BH would you use for a 45# recurve 28" draw length? Starting a slow switch from compound to trad hunting, so I appreciate the help.

Depends. Pick one you want and decide how much weight you want to use up front. Could be 100gr, could be 250gr. Arrow spine and tune will play into tip weight. For my own set up on a 46lb recurve; 50gr insert, 150gr head, .400 spine shaft, off an elevated rest.

 

[Squints08]

Another question, when people say "2 blade" are they referring to 2 blade with bleeders or only 2 blades? Thanks.

 

[Midwest_Farsight]

Depends. Pick one you want and decide how much weight you want to use up front. Could be 100gr, could be 250gr. Arrow spine and tune will play into tip weight. For my own set up on a 46lb recurve; 50gr insert, 150gr head, .400 spine shaft, off an elevated rest.

Is there any advantage on using a 150gr BH+ 50gr insert over a 200gr BH? or you add weight during the tunning process if you already have the BH?
Thanks!

 

[Shawn Hultquist]

Is there any advantage on using a 150gr BH+ 50gr insert over a 200gr BH? or you add weight during the tunning process if you already have the BH?
Thanks!

An old man whittling in a rocking chair told me to build my arrows around my broadheads. So after almost 25 years I still do that. I shoot a 150 grain head and add weight accordingly. This way I’m able to use the same broadheads from a range of lower 40 pound bows to 65 pound bows just by adding weight up front into different arrows. I mainly have 4 different sets of arrows but they all shoot 150 BH like lasers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rob5589]

Is there any advantage on using a 150gr BH+ 50gr insert over a 200gr BH? or you add weight during the tunning process if you already have the BH?
Thanks!

The advantage as I see it is a beefier insert vs the standard thin aluminum.

 

[LostArra]

I'll add that it has been my experience with less than complete pass throughs that deer run much farther with an arrow still in them They always run like the devil is on their tail.

Amen to this ^^^ regardless of broadhead type.
I call it the "riding crop" effect just like a jockey using the crop on a race horse. If that arrow is still in the deer he's going to run FAST until he can't run any more or the arrow falls out.

 

[kfili]

Is there any advantage on using a 150gr BH+ 50gr insert over a 200gr BH? or you add weight during the tunning process if you already have the BH?
Thanks!

Flipside to what Rob said is beefier broadhead (which theoretically should be more durable). ? This is speculation from my end.

 

[galamb]

I have both a 45 lb longbow and a 51 lb recurve and I shoot 125 or 150 grain heads now.

When I started out almost 50 years ago your choice was heavy 2 blade or heavier 2 blade

So for years I shot 160 grain Zwicky Eskimo's (without bleeders) and they worked just fine - good blood trails. But as newer heads came on the market (and then the Graphite and finally Carbon arrows) of course you are convinced you "need them" of you will never kill another animal - plus I'm a broadhead junkie.

I currently shoot - 125 grain vented Tooth of the Arrow 4 blades (absolutely fly the best), 3 blade 125 grain vented VPA and 150 grain GrizzlyStik Silver Flames 2 blade, no bleeders, if anything isn't going to pass through it will be the VPA's (can remember two occasions with good broadside shots under 20 yards and they made it but the head was barely through the far side of the deer (but seriously, only two incidence is tough to call it a pattern or likely or whatever)

But as someone else has mentioned I build my arrows around the broadhead.

I'm big on "mathematical arrow builds" so look for specific dynamic spines and slug force and aim for those targets without really caring where the finished weight ends up but generally I shoot anywhere between about 475 to 535 grains total weight.

Personally I stay away from the 200 grain heads (although I have shot them) because I'm concerned about the wind catching them easier then the lighter heads (more profile) - which is also why I shoot vented everything. I don't know if there is any evidence of that happening but I just feel more comfortable shooting them.

On some arrow builds if I'm looking for more durable I go with the a heavier static spine arrow and add Ethics SS inserts - almost always end up shooting 125 grain heads if I go this way.

 

[Rob5589]

Flipside to what Rob said is beefier broadhead (which theoretically should be more durable). ? This is speculation from my end.

In general, a larger broadhead has the same spindle/threaded section as a smaller/lighter BH. Unless you use something like the Iron Will Snyder head. It would make sense, although I have no data to back it up, that a larger/longer head would place more leverage on the insert which could cause failure.

 

[kfili]

In general, a larger broadhead has the same spindle/threaded section as a smaller/lighter BH. Unless you use something like the Iron Will Snyder head. It would make sense, although I have no data to back it up, that a larger/longer head would place more leverage on the insert which could cause failure.

Never thought of that- makes sense!

 

[galamb]

It does make sense and know there are a couple of the smaller companies that use aluminum ferrules on their lighter heads but the over 200 stuff has stainless ferrules.