Broadheads for long bows

[gobbler1662]

I need your guys advise. I shoot a 62 inch long bow that has a draw weight of 60 pounds. Ive been shooting Gold Tip traditional series arrows 55/75 30 inches long. In the past I've always shot either Steel Force 125 grain Sabertooh broadheads or Magnus Stinger125 grain broadheads. These are more the traditional design, big long broadheads mean looking. My compound bow friends that I Hunt with have head great success shooting the 125 grain Shuttle T broadheads. I've seen first hand the damage these things do and am impressed. How would these work in a traditional setup. Understanding that the weight is the same but there obviously some serious difference of the speed and kinetic energy of the two setups. Is anyone using this type broadheads in you trad bow? And if so have you had good success?

 

[bowinhand]

I would stick with a cut on contact broadhead.

 

[JDeanP]

Pretty much any sharp fixed-blade, non-serated broadhead will do fine.

What will you be hunting?

 

[gobbler1662]

I am primarily hunting dear and elk with this setup.

 

[tuffcity]

How does your set up work on elk? If penetration is a concern I'd recommend doubling the weight of your broadhead and staying with a cut on contact design. I know that a heavy FOC has improved the flight characteristics of my trad gear- lb & recurve.

RC

 

[gobbler1662]

Well honestly I am a converted compound shooter. This was my first full year to go traditional and unfortunately with the exception of a squirrel or two. I haven't harvested an animal yet. So I don't know how well my current setup would penetrate. I am shooting as heavy a poundage as I can tolerate. But that s a very good point about increasing the weight of the broadheads

 

[SDHNTR]

Stick with a long, cut on contact, heavy head. Look at the heavy VPA's.

I'm no expert, but IMO, 125 is really light out of a trad set up. Most of the experienced trad guys I know shoot 150 and up, with 200's and 250's being very popular. I shoot a 175gr head with 60 grs of additional insert weight.

 

[gobbler1662]

Okay good point. I just started shooting a traditional winter league and a lot of the guys are shooting 200 grain setups. Good point I will look into the vpa

 

[marc]

I really like VPA and Simmons. I always try to tune a bow and arrow combo to shoot a 200 grain head.

 

[Shot]

you want a broad head that has the greatest ratio of length to width, usually 3 to 1 rule works great for traditional equipment. This allows for least resistance and therefore great penetration.

For example, I shoot 300g up front, 200g grizzly kodiak heads with 100g steel inserts. Extreme FOC (31.5%) allows me to have minimal fletching with great flying arrows.

 

[Coveyleader]

Alot of decent info above but the truth is, there is no need to shoot a 200 grain BH from a traditional bow.

If you've been shooting 125 grain heads, and the Ts fly good for you, use them without a second thought. I've shot animals with 3-1 ratios, 125, 145 200 grain heads and I never really saw any differences. Bad shot, bad outcome, good shot, good outcome. Most guys shooting these 650 grain + arrows can't hit anything their trajectory is so bad. Don't believe me, watch them shoot 3d courses with any shots over 15yds.

Get your arrows flying well, and pick a solid BH and you're fine. Elk aren't that hard to kill. You punch them in the lungs, most won't get out of sight. Punch them anywhere else, well, I hope you have your hiking boots on. One of the biggest misconceptions there is about shooting a traditional bow is the need for a "cut on contact"/Heavy head. Shot placement is key and as big as they are, most people shooting at elk miss low for a reason.

 

[SDHNTR]

Alot of decent info above but the truth is, there is no need to shoot a 200 grain BH from a traditional bow.

If you've been shooting 125 grain heads, and the Ts fly good for you, use them without a second thought. I've shot animals with 3-1 ratios, 125, 145 200 grain heads and I never really saw any differences. Bad shot, bad outcome, good shot, good outcome. Most guys shooting these 650 grain + arrows can't hit anything their trajectory is so bad. Don't believe me, watch them shoot 3d courses with any shots over 15yds.

Get your arrows flying well, and pick a solid BH and you're fine. Elk aren't that hard to kill. You punch them in the lungs, most won't get out of sight. Punch them anywhere else, well, I hope you have your hiking boots on. One of the biggest misconceptions there is about shooting a traditional bow is the need for a "cut on contact"/Heavy head. Shot placement is key and as big as they are, most people shooting at elk miss low for a reason.

Wow, to each their own, but my experience watching the old pros at 3d shoots is the exact opposite.

 

[slvrslngr]

There are 3 factors that optimize penetration (and ultimately killing power) with a bow:

1. Bow/arrow TUNING
2. Broadhead SHARPNESS
3. Shot PLACEMENT

These three factors trump all the other BS that people spew on about. With trad bows, quality cut on contact broadheads work best, pure and simple. Will chisel tips work? Sure, but COC's work better, especially if you hit bone. As far as point weight, shoot whatever tunes best, try to keep your arrows at the 10 grains per pound rule and all will be fine. Stick to the basics and practice, practice, practice!

 

[bowuntr]

I'm an amature... I shoot the Muzzy Phantom 125 out of my recurve. I tested heavier heads and did not see an advantage. The disadvantage with the heavier heads was loss of yardage. My arrows shoot fine with the 125 head and get plenty of penetration. Ed F

 

[gobbler1662]

This is great keep all the opinions coming. I absorbing this like a sponge.

 

[Shot]

Coveyleader…..my experience is quite the opposite.

Traditional bows need heavier arrows in general. Whether most of the weight is up front or not is a personal choice. No one is talking about shot placement, good flight, and cut on contact, those are given in any form of bowhunting.

I have shot with a lot of older trad guys, majority, have most of the weight up front. General setups consist of lighter arrow shafts but heavier heads giving higher FOC's. Search the web and you will find so much info on this you won't know what to do. Is it necessary to kill, no! Better penetration and flight, yes!

I was skeptical at first also with high FOC, until, I tired FOR MYSELF. Best thing I did.

I used to use a 150g broad head, CE arrow, weight 525g, FOC 16.5%. I switch to this setup, 300g grizzly kodiaks with victory vhorce arrows, with an FOC around 31.5%, total arrow weight 535g. Between this two arrows I basically change my FOC (moved the weight forward, and minimal weight change).

Here is what I noticed, my point on did NOT change, still at 40 yards. With the higher FOC, the arrow stabilizes much quicker and therefore less fletching is needed (Look at my fletching, 2" feathers). In addition, I'm able to shoot bare shafts to 50 yards. And my 3d score actually improved.

Like I said, I was skeptical at first also, but I couldn't deny the results I was getting. I will never switch back.

 

[SDHNTR]

Shot, what gr bh does Deville shoot? I know its heavy. His shooting blows my mind.

I wish S2 Bowstrings would chime in. He shoots 200 gr. His experience speaks for itself.

Another well known trad expert I know (And likely many others here know too)shoots 250 gr.

I don't know much, admittedly, but I know enough to listen to those guys.

 

[Shot]

Deville shoots 300-425g broadheads. His arrows weighs anywhere from 650g to 800g.

I shoot with him weekly, and he still blows my mind with the shots he makes. He shoots better than half of the compound guys at our range, and he shoots a longbow!

 

[gobbler1662]

Okay you guys are very convincing. I am now thinking of bumping up to a 200 grain broadheads. Looking at the VPA' so do you guys use the two blade or three blade VPA?

 

[SDHNTR]

Okay you guys are very convincing. I am now thinking of bumping up to a 200 grain broadheads. Looking at the VPA' so do you guys use the two blade or three blade VPA?

Again, I'm a rookie, so take anything I say with a grain of salt, but I shoot 3 blade. With a long contour head and enough weight, I think the extra cut is a good thing.

BTW, I don't know if you are an archerytalk or bowsite member, but VPA is having a Christmas sale for members of those sites. Maybe worth checking out. See www.rayzor-vpa.com