Swacker Broadheads

[vixenmaster]

Mine are the Green 2" cut 100gr models. Its my opinion on these swhackers you need a crossbow that gets a min of 65 KE at 30 yds fer a pass-through on rib cage shots. Any other hit like shoulder or neck or brisket/front chest spine needs 70lbs or more at the impact yardage.

[nchunterkw]

Mike I shot the same ones last year and hit a small deer a little bit high. Got the top of the lungs but clipped the spine. No pass through. I'll check the total weight of the arrow and let you know what I think the KE was. It was a 20 yd shot with my Vortex and Flemish string and I should have 20yd chrony data on those arrows from last year. I'm pretty sure it's in the 75ft-lb area, but I'll let you know for sure.

[vixenmaster]

Mike I shot the same ones last year and hit a small deer a little bit high. Got the top of the lungs but clipped the spine. No pass through. I'll check the total weight of the arrow and let you know what I think the KE was. It was a 20 yd shot with my Vortex and Flemish string and I should have 20yd chrony data on those arrows from last year. I'm pretty sure it's in the 75ft-lb area, but I'll let you know for sure.

I have no reseach data nor means of ck'in this stuff jus witness to the outcome after my shots. I spect over all if'en yer Excal model n arrow combo doesn't produce so much KE these swhackers are not fer the run of the mill set-ups. The 8 pt i shot jus barely has pass-through 59.14 KE wid a used but resharpened Spitfire 100gr, on a 347 gr total weight arrow. The 1st Doe 32 yd swhacker no pass-through 400gr arrow weight 62.39 KE. The 2nd Doe regardless of what my Mrs thinks she saw, was no pass-through 400gr total weight arrow & 69.65 KE swhacker. Its goin to take at least a 175lb model wid 450gr + arrow weight to use these swhackers on ribcage shots. Their video's n tests are all done by them no data cept what they say( were suppose to believe them)

[Hester0305]

I decided to try Swhackers this year. I'm not impressed with what occurred.

2 Shots here:

First Shot, after a missed shot at a critter, I found that they have a design flaw. The wing blades contact the arrow shaft when deployed, destroying the shaft. This particular broadhead did hit a few sticks, but was found laying on the ground surface, but not in it.



Second Shot, I still wanted to see what they would do on a deer, since I figured maybe that first one just took a hard hit on a stick or root. Several days later I shot a deer. The shot was slightly more than quartering away, 25 yards. The shot should have come out on the opposite side shoulder area. (not optimum angle, but it was a quick shot)

Instead, the shot entered the last couple of ribs (in front of the diaphragm) and came out the front of the shoulder, on the same side. Same damage to the shaft. You can see where the carbon was damaged and then a sliver 1/16" wide by 3" long was peeled away. You can see this same sliver starting in the first image from the critter shot.
It's not the turning I dislike, it's the damage to the shaft.



I believe the front deploying blades grabbed on the ribs and make the bolt basically take a left turn, resulting in a one lung shot. Deer went about 300 yards.

I helped track and 8 pt that a friend of mine shot this year with a 2 blade Rage that almost did the same thing the deer was slightly angled away and he hit the deer behind the shoulder expecting the arrow to penetrate through to the other side but the arrow came out in front of the shoulder on the same side. I bet the buck went 400 yards or so with one lung that had been hit. The deer bled a lot to begin with down hill then turned and went straight up another hill but we finally found it with 4 of us and about 3 hours later searching in the dark with very good light. He waited at least 30 minutes before he called me and starting looking hiself thinking he had made a great shot. The deer bled very little but with all of us we able to find enough blood to keep us on the trail

[Cherokeeson]

I have no reseach data nor means of ck'in this stuff jus witness to the outcome after my shots. I spect over all if'en yer Excal model n arrow combo doesn't produce so much KE these swhackers are not fer the run of the mill set-ups. The 8 pt i shot jus barely has pass-through 59.14 KE wid a used but resharpened Spitfire 100gr, on a 347 gr total weight arrow. The 1st Doe 32 yd swhacker no pass-through 400gr arrow weight 62.39 KE. The 2nd Doe regardless of what my Mrs thinks she saw, was no pass-through 400gr total weight arrow & 69.65 KE swhacker. Its goin to take at least a 175lb model wid 450gr + arrow weight to use these swhackers on ribcage shots. Their video's n tests are all done by them no data cept what they say( were suppose to believe them)

I am shooting the Equinox this year and should have more than enough KE, but with all the varying issues coming to light here and on various forums about shwacker's I jus going to switch heads and more n likely list somewhere's.

[Cat power]

I shot an 8 point with a Swacker that made the same hard right and exited in the armpit too. Weird

Those heads are a joke IMO

[nchunterkw]

Mike I shot the same ones last year and hit a small deer a little bit high. Got the top of the lungs but clipped the spine. No pass through. I'll check the total weight of the arrow and let you know what I think the KE was. It was a 20 yd shot with my Vortex and Flemish string and I should have 20yd chrony data on those arrows from last year. I'm pretty sure it's in the 75ft-lb area, but I'll let you know for sure.

I have no reseach data nor means of ck'in this stuff jus witness to the outcome after my shots. I spect over all if'en yer Excal model n arrow combo doesn't produce so much KE these swhackers are not fer the run of the mill set-ups. The 8 pt i shot jus barely has pass-through 59.14 KE wid a used but resharpened Spitfire 100gr, on a 347 gr total weight arrow. The 1st Doe 32 yd swhacker no pass-through 400gr arrow weight 62.39 KE. The 2nd Doe regardless of what my Mrs thinks she saw, was no pass-through 400gr total weight arrow & 69.65 KE swhacker. Its goin to take at least a 175lb model wid 450gr + arrow weight to use these swhackers on ribcage shots. Their video's n tests are all done by them no data cept what they say( were suppose to believe them)

Finally had a chance to sit down and look for my data. I did nor have actual 20yd chrony data but I did have 0yd data and can get a real good estimate from other data I took.

I shot a Carbon Express MAxima Hunter with an Al insert and a 125gr green 2" swhacker. Total wt was 403.8gr. Zero Yd speed was abour 318fps. Other arrows I shot retained about 96.5% of their initial velocity at 20 yards, so doing that the arrow would have been going about 307fps at 20yds. That gives me a 20 yard KE of 84.62 ft-lb. And no pass through. So IMO there is more to it than just high energy. Arrow stability plays a small part, but I think momentum is the key to a passthru, especially with these large cut dia. heads. And the momentum needs to come from a heavy arrow not a necessarily a fast one. If I had to guess, I'd say a 550gr arrow from your Vixen would get you a pass through everytime.

Using the data for the VixenII, and a Flemish String a 550gr arrow would leave the bow around 240fps and have a KE of about 70ft-lbs, and a momentum of 0.59.

[JTL]

I've shot 2 bucks the last 2 outings using a Matrix 380, Diablo bolts, and 2.25" Swhacker BHs.

The first one was a short ugly buck standing in tall grass and I shot a tad higher than I would have chosen if he was in the clear. But it was still a good hit because he started dropping a blood trail when he reached the treeline after running about 50yds across an opening. The trail was pretty thick and then abruptly dried up. We didn't find him.

The second one was a decent buck and a solid hit with him perfectly broadside and standing still. The hit thumped and we heard the "Swhack" they advertise. There was a wisp of hair where he was standing when I hit him, but NO blood at the site and no blood trail the direction he ran.

I'm not one to blame my errors on my equipment. But I'm starting to think that the Swhacker BHs might be the weak link in my setup. I know the Matrix is solid because when I'm shooting at targets, I can hit the same hole the arrow penetrates multiple times! And I was shooting at known distances from a blind when I hit both deer. So, I'm confident that I got a good enough hit on both deer that they should have dropped or at least been trackable.

Another reason I'm leaning toward the BHs being the weak link is that we were not able to find either of the bolts. They just disappeared. I'm thinking that they may not have passed through and the deer carried they out of our search parameter.

So, I'm going tomorrow and buying lighted nock bolts and a different type of BH. I'm thinking of trying either some Rage BHs or non-mechanical BHs. Haven't decided yet.

Anyway, that's my Swhacker experiences.
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JTL

[Lake shooter]

Boy, you guys have me nervous about shooting a deer with my knew Swhacker 125's!

I don't need anymore complications in my life. Think I'll take my perfect condition Magnus SS 125 gr Snuffers off my old arrows and switch them out. I KNOW they will get the job done: great penetration, great strength, great flight, no rust or corrosion and NO moving parts!!!

[Riflemanz]

I shot this buck with my Titan crossbow,
100gr shwacker, 2219 shaft at 20yds,
complete pass thru and buck only ran
50-60yds and crashed.My Titan
gets 296fps out of my F1.Maybe
a faster bow speed is needed.

[JTL]

After further consideration, I rescind my critique of Swhackers until further notice.

I think in the heat-of-the-moment I was shooting the crossbow like a rifle & aiming for the shoulder instead of the vitals like you're suppose to with a bolt thrower.

I know better than that too! So, I take responsibility & am going to give Swhackers another go.

Honestly, I'd rather be at fault for an error than have faulty equipment. It's easier to forgive myself than a manufacturer. LOL
-
JTL

[vixenmaster]

I actually think the blades are too thin, some .036 would be much better when hittin bone.I will have a 2" swhacker on me arrow in the mornin. I will be usin Wicked n Nasty Bitch 200 pounder. If'en she don't punch a hole thru the chest then they ain't nutten but china tin!

[Cherokeeson]

I actually think the blades are too thin, some .036 would be much better when hittin bone.I will have a 2" swhacker on me arrow in the mornin. I will be usin Wicked n Nasty Bitch 200 pounder. If'en she don't punch a hole thru the chest then they ain't nutten but china tin!

I will be heading out to some marsh land for 1st day of Still Hunt Wild Hog with the 2 1/4" Swhacker with A total weight if 458 shooting out if the Equinox. Reckon I will find out how they handle a boar shield.

[JTL]

I was fortune enough to find both bolts today and both were pass-through shots. One is entirely reusable and the other has a bent blade. I'm certain that I missed the vitals and shot through the more solid upper rib cage area or the shoulder area.

Can't wait till to see what happens with a vital shot.
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JTL

[billygoat]

My advise is a fixed two blade for hogs. Min 500grain. Magnus are great flyers and the penetration is unmatched imo. Deer are a soft target where mechs have their place. Hogs are hard as rock in the shoulder. Heart lung shot is a must for quick recovery. Also a very heavy arrow..