Boltcutter Broadheads

[tex45acp]

All the years I hunted with a standard compound bow, I used either NAP or Muzzy 100gr fixed blade broadheads with great success.

I wondered why my xbow came with such heavy broadheads and then after reading extensively, I understood. So in keeping with OEM equipment, how does everyone feel about the Excalibur Bolt Cutters. If you use them what is your experience???
I actually wanted a little larger diameter cutting circle. I am used to 1.250" to 1.750". Since I am sitting in a popup blind and shooting through shoot through mesh windows, I am not interested in mechanical broadheads.

[paulaboutform]

The bolt cutters are fine and they're solid. I've seen game taken with them and they perform great. They're so heavy because the arrows you got with the bow have aluminum inserts and they're light. Many here, including me have gone to heavier brass inserts weighing 80,92, or 110 grains. This increases your foc and will aid in getting broadheads to fly better at hunting distances. They also allow you to shoot lighter than 150gr broadheads which gives you more options. The stock arrows are fine but I've been using black eagle arrows which I believe are superior and i customize them myself using 92gr brass inserts, 100gr points, 2"blazers, and plastic nocks. Big John is a custom arrow builder on the forum that builds great arrows if you don't build your own.

[Limbs and Sticks]

Bolt cutters have taken a lot of game over the yrs. more than most folks realize, they work well.

Wes

[rnldcramer]

I used them last year with Diablo arrows and m355 and went 3 for 3 on deer. They flew same as field points.

[galamb]

There is no reason "not" to use them, particularly if they came as part of the package.

I like shooting extreme FOC bolts and these put (typically) 50 more grains out front than what most guys/gals shoots.

But they weren't extreme enough for me so I swapped arrows/bolts, and in doing so moved to a mechanical broadhead - I just like them better - personal thing - you could probably kill a deer with the field point at 30 yards or less - but I chose to get my weight out front using an insert instead of a heavier broadhead.

The Boltcutters, being 150 grains, will slow down your rig a little. If you are shooting the (factory) firebolts (265 grains) with the 150 grain broadhead you are chucking 415 grains down range - so will not make the advertised speed which is clocked with 350 grain arrows.

But what you "will" get is significantly more "thump" when you do impact = deeper penetration/better chance of a pass through - plus, being fixed heads, they will not "fail to open" (which is 1) rare and 2) probably more the result of a quartering shot that shouldn't have been taken anyhow) if you put them on the target.

The constant argument about light/heavy, fast/slow, fixed/mechanical is like the Ford/Chevy argument - on each side there success stories and horror stories and at the end of the day both will carry a load of junk to the dump just as well as the other

Shoot them and decide for yourself (if you have them) - whatever I say or "Bob" says may not be your experience with them...

[flinthead]

They fly great and kill great... I do like the 150 Slick Tricks a little better though,,, but I wouldn't hesitate about sending a Bolt Cutter down range either.

[georgiaboy]

I shoot 125gr slick trick mags & 125gr slick standards out of my excal with the stock firebolts....only thing i did was put wraps on them and refletched with 2" blazer vanes. They both shoot poi of my fieldtips and do nasty things to critter's!!

[rockyhollowhunter]

never tried them tex, but do have the Wasp sledgehammers 150 gr. mite give em a try this year.They look bout the same

[UPSMAN]

A quality made head.

[hankenhunter]

Every animal, including bear and moose, have died within eye sight using Boltcutters.Making the right shot is the most important,
Hank

[seabee401]

Im not much of a tinkerer so I use all stock Excalibur equipment, w/the exception of the Blazer vanes I installed on my Firebolts. The Bolt cutters did their job on my first and only crossbow deer to date. Shot a doe late jan. Last season @ about 22 yds. Complete pass through fired from my Exocet / peep sight. Watched her drop 30 yds. From where I shot her. No tracking required but if I did need to track, it would have been no problem with the blood trail caused by the Boltcutters.
Tom

[Boo]

Although I don't use them, I know they've taken lots of animals in Africa by the Excalibur people. They are an accurate broadhead that puts them down.
Just like the string that comes with the bow, they are a great starting point because, like almost everything Excalibur sells, they work well.

[amythntr]

....Before I went out hunting today...took my son Christopher to sight in his M380...Diablos, 150g fieldtips, and 150g boltcutters, some with aluminum nocks and some with Lumenoks....The M380 could care less...He was shooting bullseyes out to 40yds....great stock equipment that just does the job....period!


Anthony

[xcaliber]

Here is my two cents! I never used them, only because they did not come with the package I bought, and I had a million other type already. What I will say is this, they're fixed head, like that a lot! Bill T. has killed trophy animals on more than one continent with them, so they must do the job! If you got some, shoot some!

[Shotnbeer]

I ended up with 100 grain 3 blade Wasp heads with the package I bought along with a xcal scope that had both adjustment knobs saying turn right for up. Never saw a Boltcutter but I would say they are probably better than the Wasps.