"Broadheads... What's YOUR Choice"?

[Ryan K Sanpei]

This was not created to stir up debate. The sole intention was to share how I go about selecting a broadhead for my application. It's a question that I often receive, so after much deliberation I wrote a blog post. http://rysanpei.blogspot.com/2014/12/broadheads-whats-your-choice.html

Please feel free to ask me questions on this thread in regards to my selection process and again I don't want this to turn into a "two blade is better than three blade debate". It's just to show newcomers my broadhead decision making process.

Thank you!
Ryan

 

[Beendare]

Great Blog ( as usual) Ryan

Most of my background is with a compound...and after appx 30 yrs of seeing piles of animals on a few different continents die to arrows I have my preferences. The bow and arrow are an incredibly efficient weapon...and thats the reason we see so many success stories with every kind of Bh under the sun- they all work most of the time from a tuned bow and good shot location.

I've seen enough instances where a little more penetration would have killed the animal vs wounding and losing them. So I style my equipment for more of a worst case scenario/max penetration and with trad gear that means a super efficient Tapered Cut On Contact head. The taper is important with trad gear as we need the added mechanical advantage.

In my experience, The 2 blades will out penetrate everything and the old "holes close up" line hasn't been the case with my 2 blade kills. IME, Blood trails are determined more by shot location than the BH. Animals with 2 holes and at least one being low leave great blood trails. Animals shot high...not so much....even with a compound and the big mech heads.

Blabber, blabber Beendare but what head do you like? Well what I use and what I think are best is 2 different things. I beat up and lose a lot of BH's so I don't use the expensive heads like the VPA's which could possibly be the best heads made. In my trad bow, I'm using the Magnus Buzzcut 125's which at $25 are amazing and just plain cut like crazy though not as strong as some of the more expensive heads.

Having a super strong BH isn't as big an issue with 55# trad equipment- again in my opinion- as my bow just doesn't generate the energy of my 70# compound. I also use the original Snuffer heads in my recurve- man those are nasty and do some damage and again a reasonably priced option though not the strongest head on the market.

So I match a 9-10 GPP arrow with a super efficient tapered COC fairly strong head...works for me.

 

[Ryan K Sanpei]

Thank you for your insight Beendare! It's all great information for the new guys!!! I agree with you on many points, especially on shot location!

Aloha!
Ryan

 

[justinspicher]

I like to use Muzzy Phantoms in 125gr. I have recently added 100gr brass inserts to my arrow and the arrows flight much better and penetrate even better as well. Those are the only broadheads I've used in the past five years so I don't see the reason to change them now.

 

[Hawker]

I prefer what shoots like my field points. Here are the two that fly great for me, Magnus 125 singer and my new favorite is the Aboyer 200gr single bevel. My neighbor makes them and I like shooting a head knowing who made it. It just adds to the the kill. The last dear I shot with the Aboyer head had a five corn row wide and six ft high blood trail.

 

[Ryan K Sanpei]

I wish my neighbor made broadheads!!!

 

[Jacob Chapman]

Hey Ryan, just wondering but I thought you shot VPA 3 blade heads?

 

[Ryan K Sanpei]

I was Jacob, but it started to get too expensive for me and the steel would rust in the weather, so I went back to Muzzy Phantoms.

 

[Jacob Chapman]

Ahh I see. I do really like the looks of those Phantom broadheads, just wish tbey came in a 200 grain screw in model.

How have you found the bloodtrails (assuming a good shot of course?)

Also how do you sharpen those Phantom's?

 

[Jacob Chapman]

I always carry unscented chapstick in my pocket. Works double duty-helps my lips from getting cracked and also prevents rust!

 

[Ryan K Sanpei]

Yeah, I'll have to use a heavy inserts this year. They stopped making the 200/220 phantoms.

In my experience, I've had really good luck with four blades. On marginal shots, I've had a better rate of recovery and in my opinion (comparing "apples to apples" in terms of shot placement), I've had better blood trails. I'll only use a four blade if my bow/arrow has enough "horsepower". Keep in mind, I'm only hunting medium sized game at this point and my broadhead choice is based on my current hunting application.

Besides the rust, our lava rocks eat broadheads and a missed shot or pass through shot may end up in a damaged broadhead. Additionally some areas that I hunt are so thick, a lost arrow is tough to find. With year round hunting, that adds up quickly!

I was using a spyderco sharpener, but will probably use my new KME sharpener for the Phantoms.

 

[rodney482]

I was Jacob, but it started to get too expensive and the steel would rust in the weather, so I went back to Muzzy Phantoms.

Huge fan of VPA vented. I do apply a light coat of string wax on my blades.

Too expensive? I cant remember the number now but I took over 10 big game animals with the same head.

I love practicing with the exact same arrow/bh I hunt with.

Good article

 

[justinspicher]

I was having issues when I first started the trad gig hunting when it came to shooting broadheads. Since I didn't have a sight, my focus immediately went to the broadhead which in turn, screwed up my sequence of drawing and releasing, not to mention my pick a spot theory. Since then, I use the last season's heads for the next season's practice tips. It has helped so far and I think I will keep doing it. Usually this is only one or to heads so I am not dumping a ton of cash into just broadheads.

I too am using a heavier insert. 100gr brass insert with my 125gr Muzzy Phantoms. So far I really like it.

 

[Jacob Chapman]

Just a heads up Ryan, Palmer makes a broadhead almost similar to the 4 blade Phantom's that are 160 grains if you're interested.

Great write up on bowhunting the islands, very intriguing as my wife was wanting to go to Hawaii some day and I wouldnt mind hunting there either!

 

[Jacob Chapman]

I think you will really like the KME system, I have the knife and broadhead sharpener and its one of the bestinvestments ive ever made.

 

[Rizzy]

I like the flight of the Magnus Stinger 2 blade so far. I haven't killed anything with them yet so I don't know for sure how that will pan out yet. One thing I know is that a braodheaded arrow is pretty dang expensive to lose.....20$ a shot or so......and that's with the cheaper Magnus heads.

 

[Ryan K Sanpei]

Huge fan of VPA vented. I do apply a light coat of string wax on my blades.

Too expensive? I cant remember the number now but I took over 10 big game animals with the same head.

I love practicing with the exact same arrow/bh I hunt with.

Good article

rodney, that's awesome that you took over 10 big game animals with a single head! I hope to one day be as proficient as you are with a traditional bow.

But as I mentioned, for my situation, besides the rust (Hawaii "salt air", "high humidity", something in our rain) our lava rocks eats broadheads and a missed shot (I miss shots with trad gear) or pass through shot may end up in a damaged broadhead (I've damaged vpas on lava rocks) Additionally some areas are so thick with head high grass, a lost arrow is tough to find. Combine that with year round hunting, the ability to take one per species per day, it adds up for me. I go through a lot of broadheads and arrows in a year. (maybe I'm doing something wrong) But gear can get expensive fast for me and with my salary, I don't have much to spend. I didn't say the vpas weren't worth the price, I was asked why I don't use them anymore. Cost is a concern for our family, 43.95 vs 29.95 (company's website prices). At a very minimum, I go through a dozen broadheads a year and that's not including my wife's broadheads. So if we both shoot vpas, she needs a two blade and I prefer a 3... That's 2 dozen just off the get go. If I go with Muzzys, I can remove the bleeder and she can use it as a two blade. If we share broadheads, it's easier to gage how much to stock.

Like I mentioned the reason for writing this article was to choose a broadhead based on your personal application.

 

[Ryan K Sanpei]

Just a heads up Ryan, Palmer makes a broadhead almost similar to the 4 blade Phantom's that are 160 grains if you're interested.

Great write up on bowhunting the islands, very intriguing as my wife was wanting to go to Hawaii some day and I wouldnt mind hunting there either!

Thank you for the info Jacob and yes I love my KME!

 

[justinspicher]

I wish G5 would continue to make the B-52 two blade heads again. I loved that BH!

 

[Brandon Pattison]

VPA 150 for recurve and compound.