Im new tothe Forum and new to Bow Hunting. I got a bowtech tomcat for christmas. (i got a pretty nice deal becuase tey dont make them anymore and im left handed. it was great because it was brand new and the guy just wanted to clear his shop.) I have been a die hard hunter all my life. Hopefully i can get into bowhunting. But back to the reason for posting a new thread. What broadhead should i use. I know this is an extremely broad question (no pun intended ) but i would like to find some broadheads that i like. should i get fixed blade of expandable?? I am probably going to get many many opinions but based on the information i get here and a little more research hopefully i can find some broadheads that are right for me.
This is a million dollar question for sure b/c the broadhead is so important. Hopefully this will remain a civil discussion... First, I think we need to know what poundage, DL, arrow weight, and speed are you shooting? What will you be hunting for with this broadhead?
well like i said im new to bow hunting so bare with me, poundage: 65 im guessing DL is draw length: 29 arrow weight: i have no idea. I just bought a dozen Easton ST Epics and had them cut. Speed: well i had the poundage at 70 but i had it lowered to 65 but the factory speed was 297 fps with 350 gr. arrow. and i will be hunting central texas whitetail
No matter what head you decide on, these 3 things need to be true... 1. Scary sharp. Whether they come that way (few do) or you put an edge on them, they should be so sharp that they demand respect every time you handle your arrows. 2. You need to be able to tune them. A properly tuned arrow will be faster, more accurate and have better penetration. Some heads are easier to tune than others for sure. 3. Linked with #2, you need to be able to put that arrow where you want it every time. The best BH out there does no good if you are off the mark. Having said that, I've been shooting Rages and I love them. However I might switch to a fixed head so I can use the shoot-through mesh on the blind I just got for Christmas.
ok thanks ill keep that in mind. I have been looking at rage and muzzy MX-3 i have a friend that uses both and he really likes them.
While it can get expensive, I would recommend buying a couple different types and seeing what you like best. You could start by getting one of each major type of broadhead (i.e. fixed replaceable blade head, fixed one-piece head, expandable). Each has their pros and cons. I'll try to highlight each as best I can. Fixed replaceable blade head: Pros: Reliable Usually very sharp Tough Reusable with new blades Cons: Subject to wind planing Blades can break on bone (usually don't) Fixed One-Piece head: Pros: Reliable Toughest head available As sharp as you can make it Cons: Subject to wind planing Needs the most maintenance with sharpening If it is damaged the head is done Expandable head: Pros: Not subject to wind planing Large entry and exit holes Easily kept sharp with new blades (depending on brand) Cons: Moving parts Requires more kinetic energy to use Least tough head of the 3 types Hopefully this helps, and for whitetails any head will do the job. Just make sure you practice with your heads before hunting with them, keep them sharp, and tune your bow with your heads and you'll be fine no matter what you choose.
that sounds like a good idea to me thanks i think ill do that. oh and one more qestion: what tuning can i do besides sighting it in??
Lots of good heads out there. I am partial to fixed blades however. Make sure your bow is tuned well and with a little extra work most of the fixed blades will fly well. Don't overlook Slicktrick heads, many in my area never even heard of them...........my first season with them and I am impressed.
Id just keep it simple to start.... Just shoot your bow and have fun with it over the rest of winter and through the summer... then start looking at broadheads. You might have an opinion later on down the road about what you want to try.
There are a Lot of quality heads on the market. If you decide on an expandable I think 2 of the best are NAP Spitfire XP's, or Rage. Fixed heads some quality choices are Slick Tricks, G5, and the NAP heads are always top notch. After bowhunting since "68" using several brands, models, & types of broadheads as well as listening to feedback from customers I prefer a rpl Blade broadhead. IMHO Slick Tricks are the Best I have used. Muzzy is also a good head for the money but lack the strength of some heads. Dan
My opinion..... You're pushing 69 foot #'s of Kinetic energy with the specs you gave. That's on the cusp of what "I" would consider sufficient for utilizing a LARGE expandable (like the 2" rage and it's competitors). I see guys shooting more KE than you (and I know their bows/arrows are tuned) who don't get pass-thrus (and they're shooting the 1.5" expandables).....to make me feel REAL warm and fuzzy about shooting them with your specs. Fitz's list is good. Mine would rate a hunter's expectations of penetration similarly: 1. Shot placement 2. SCARY sharp BH's. 3. Sufficient energy. 4. Proper marriage between bow AND arrow (tune). You can get away with imperfections in No. 1 by being REALLY good with #'s 2-4. If No.'s 2-4 aren't optimal, you might not be so lucky, even if No. 1 is "good". My reply is in direct correlation to YOUR specs. My list of criteria doesn't change for any setup. But my recommendation of a BH would. The "UP" side to mechanicals is that they are unmatched for devastation (if you've satisfied all the other criteria). Problem is, I haven't personally heard of ANY archery hunter who has a 100% (or close) pass-thru rate with a similar setup. I just found that to be unacceptable (and I was admittedly one who didn't pay the attention to tune that it deserved). IF you go the mechanical route, I'd suggest tipping your arrow with a large, fixed blade BH to tune. If you get true flight with this head.......THEN you know you're gonna be good with your mechanical. Far too often, we see hunters tuning with mechanical practice heads, only. Bad idea. Good luck.
why would you need to tune your bow with a fixed blade BH if you're going to be shooting a mechanical? ... that doesn't seem to make any sense to me.
Everyone has an opinion on broadheads. I have yet to find a head that I believe is the greatest thing ever. I have used many different kinds, and was set on G5 Montecs for the most part, however they just aren't very sharp. I am currently using NAP Bloodrunners, but have not had a shot so I can't give a review. Some swear by fixed, others by mechanicals. Just try to get your hands on as many as you can and see what you have the most confidence in. If you make a bad shot with the best head it still probably won't get the job done.
Personally I shoot a fixed head it is my preference. I have been happy with the G5 Montecs. Shot 2 deer (both pass thrus) with them last year. Switched to the Montec CS this year but cannot give any in field results.
I killed my buck this year with the CS, and while it was sharper than the original Montec, mine rusted terribly over the course of the year.
