Ironwill vs Caribou Humerus

[Trial153]

Just a quick shout out to @Bill V and his Ironwill heads. I been impressed with them since he came out with them and have always been really happy with the performance. This experience however was exemplary.

The shot was I thought perfectly broadside on the bull at 61 yards, however it was ever so slightly quartering away . The arrow exited as the bull spun on impact, hearing the loud crack and seeing the bulls leg flop as he ran 30 yards before he pilled up had me thinking I missed forward. Walking too him I found the arrow missing the broadhead and broken behind the collar and HIT. Upon inspection it turned out that the broken leg was on the off side and that I center punched the further Humerus breaking it in a nasty compound fracture. When I processed the bull I was lucky enough to find the head and the short piece of the shaft lodged in the mess. The tip flattened a bit however the head seems to still spin true and still Sharp enough to use. I am going replace the blade, re-spin it and put it back in the rotation if it looks good. Bill is always jumping on here helping people, and I just wanted to give some kudos to the product that he spent some much time and energy to produce.

 

[Castronova]

Impressive, congratulations.

Would you share your bow/arrow specs?

 

[Trial153]

Impressive, congratulations.

Would you share your bow/arrow specs?

Yes sure. I should have put it down for better perspective.

2019 PSE Evoke, 28" draw, 68 pounds. BEA Rampage, 75 grain brass HITS, VPA flanged collar, 125 grain vented Ironwills.....total weight 490 grains.

 

[twdjr]

Congrats on your caribou!

 

[Ucsdryder]

I worry about my arrow breaking and stopping penetration. Did it break behind the collar or behind the hit insert? I’m surprised to see the tip flatten that much.

 

[Trial153]

I worry about my arrow breaking and stopping penetration. Did it break behind the collar or behind the hit insert? I’m surprised to see the tip flatten that much.

Behind the Hit. It Most likely happened after he spun off at the impact, hence the location of the broadhead and arrow past the far humerus. So it most likely it didnt brake because of the impact. I think the tip actually did its job, getting through the bone and protecting the main blade ...which is still sharp

 

[5MilesBack]

Collars are all fine and dandy, but when arrows are breaking behind them and the insert the only other option is a tougher arrow (I've had many GT Kinetics break that way). I'm testing some Sirius Apollo shafts now with 50gr brass HIT's and no collar. I put an Ulmer Edge through a big bull elk quartering away a few years ago that went perfectly through the offside humerus bone with the blades lengthwise on the bone, and that BH looked brand new except for the blood on it. Nice caribou!

 

[Ucsdryder]

I put a german kinetic xl through a quartering away bull 2 years ago. Broke a rib on the way in and the shoulder blade on the way out. Cut the off side skin but didn’t penetrate through. Snapped the arrow while it was running. Broadhead looked new when I got it out. I worry about the hit inserts and snapping behind them which will basically stop penetration. Youre right, it must have happened after it was done penetrating, probably when it ran off. I put a gt collar on my arrows, should help, but won’t be completely bulletproof as 5miles stated.

I still don’t think the tip flattening is acceptable for a 35 dollar head.

 

[Trial153]

I put a german kinetic xl through a quartering away bull 2 years ago. Broke a rib on the way in and the shoulder blade on the way out. Cut the off side skin but didn’t penetrate through. Snapped the arrow while it was running. Broadhead looked new when I got it out. I worry about the hit inserts and snapping behind them which will basically stop penetration. Youre right, it must have happened after it was done penetrating, probably when it ran off. I put a gt collar on my arrows, should help, but won’t be completely bulletproof as 5miles stated.

I still don’t think the tip flattening is acceptable for a 35 dollar head.

When Marcus started selling the originals GKs I was in love with them, bought three packs. In the span of week I killed a Bear and two deer. On one deer I bent a ferrule, on a very mundane shot, on all three good killing shots I had terrible but fairly short blood trails, except the bear....that trail was almost nonexistent. They lost their luster really fast. That was my last experience with them.

I am not sure I want to tune an arrow that wouldn't succumb to the lateral force that an animal imparts when run off and the arrow breaks. I can recall several that broke in that fashion, including FMJ and ACCs, however I have never had an arrow break upon impact. Broadheads coming apart on impact yes I seen that.

I can live with the IW tip flattening be it costing 10 buck or 30 bucks, especially considering it went through on shoulder ( not bone,) then through the cavity and through the far humerus. I have seen a lot of heads go through less with way more damage that IW. At 61 yards it was no small task.

 

[JasonWi]

I would agree for the ferrule and blades to remain true and intact after that type of sudden and violent impact it really impressive IMO.

Question for you. How big do you think that caribou was body wise? About the size of a spike elk or bigger cow? I've never seen one in person.

Congrats on a beautiful bull!

 

[Trial153]

I would agree for the ferrule and blades to remain true and intact after that type of sudden and violent impact it really impressive IMO.

Question for you. How big do you think that caribou was body wise? About the size of a spike elk or bigger cow? I've never seen one in person.

Congrats on a beautiful bull!

Thank you!

I had just shy of 125 pounds of boned out meat. That puts it a little bit north of 350 pounds live weight. I would say an adult cow elk would be closer to 500 give or take.

 

[JasonWi]

Ok tks for the information. Its antler size is a bit deceiving to how big their body size is?

Your IW's performance sure gives a person confidence when bone is contacted. My only kill with the IW was my antelope two weeks ago and it blew through it further than the shot was!

 

[Trial153]

Ok tks for the information. Its antler size is a bit deceiving to how big their body size is?

Your IW's performance sure gives a person confidence when bone is contacted. My only kill with the IW was my antelope two weeks ago and it blew through it further than the shot was!

Yes you'd be hard pressed to find anything in NA that bigger antlers per its body size then a caribou.
Congrats on your lope!

 

[mtnkid85]

Was that a wide or just a vented head? Weight? Looks like it did its job.

 

[Trial153]

Was that a wide or just a vented head? Weight? Looks like it did its job.

That's the regular width, 125grain vented.

 

[Bill V]

Congrats on the caribou and thanks for the feedback! Nice shooting.
The very pointed tip can get damaged on heavy bone. Usually it doesn't, but sometimes it does on a knuckle or leg bone. I think it happens if the bones are moving and pry on the very pointed tip as it starts to penetrate. I could fix this by making it more blunt, but I prefer a very sharp point to minimize the force it takes to penetrate hide, muscle, scapulas, and ribs for increased penetration. As long as it splits the bone and passes through without any damage through the main thickness of the blade, I'm happy with the results personally. The blade is covered under our lifetime warranty and we will replace it when this happens. To see how others compare, check out the premium broadhead tests on YouTube by Wapiti Wear. Many blades broke in half on bones whereas Iron Will had tip damage on one of three I think. This shows the difference in toughness of A2 tool steel vs. stainless blade steels.

 

[Trial153]

Congrats on the caribou and thanks for the feedback! Nice shooting.
The very pointed tip can get damaged on heavy bone. Usually it doesn't, but sometimes it does on a knuckle or leg bone. I think it happens if the bones are moving and pry on the very pointed tip as it starts to penetrate. I could fix this by making it more blunt, but I prefer a very sharp point to minimize the force it takes to penetrate hide, muscle, scapulas, and ribs for increased penetration. As long as it splits the bone and passes through without any damage through the main thickness of the blade, I'm happy with the results personally. The blade is covered under our lifetime warranty and we will replace it when this happens. To see how others compare, check out the premium broadhead tests on YouTube by Wapiti Wear. Many blades broke in half on bones whereas Iron Will had tip damage on one of three I think. This shows the difference in toughness of A2 tool steel vs. stainless blade steels.

No reason to warranty that head at all. The head did it ts job and then some. Going through a shoulder muscle, the Thoracic cavity then through the off shoulder and braking the humerus is no easy task for any head, the IW is still sharp and spins perfect. I will put a spare blade on it and put it back in the quiver.

Thanks again
Jimmy

 

[justin davis]

Impressive! That’s awesome.