Mechanical Broadhead Results for the 2016 Season

[IronNoggin]

Taking after Carey's post on Fixed Broadheads...

Since I collected my second Excalibur, I've focused on mechanical broadheads. Did try a handful of the fixed, and although they worked for other partner's, I simply wasn't satisfied with their performance for me. I guess you can call be overly fussy when it comes down to both Accuracy and overall Performance...

As many here know, I simply ain't satisfied unless I see minute of angle results out to 80 yards plus. So it was I began my search for a broadhead that would offer a decent sized cut, but just as importantly, pinpoint accuracy at extended ranges. After a fair bit of experimentation, I settled on NAP 125 grain Spitfire Broadheads. I have shot both the crossbow version and the regular from my 380, and have seen really no difference.

One caveat here, I do band the Spitfires even though they say it is not required. A single failure over hundreds of shots was enough to warrant that for me...

So, on to the query. If you used a mechanical broadhead in the field this year, I would like to hear from you regarding the following:
- Manufacturer, Model & Weight?
- Shot Distance and animal position (broadside, quartering etc)
= Shot Placement?
- Blood trail good or otherwise?
- Recovery Distance?
- Overall thoughts on this particular broadhead?
- Will you continue to use the same next season?

Thought it might be interesting to compare the notes between this one and the fixed broadhead topic...

Thanks in advance for any who share...

Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

And I'll start...

125 grain NAP Spitfire (3 blade) - Banded

A good distance to a medium sized whitetail buck, approaching my max.
Buck a little better than 3/4 facing dead on.

Shot through carotid artery, entered chest, took out opposite lung and exited behind off shoulder.

Blood trail INTENSE.

Recovery less than 20 yards. Fell in sight.

Rated overall performance a full 10 out of 10.



And Yes, I will be using these broadheads down the road...

Next??

[Deaf jeff]

100 grain spitfire maxx, not banded
8 point @ 30 yards broadside, lung shot, traveled about 100 yards decent blood trail but not as good as others cuz i hit high in the lungs. blood trail wud more than likely have been better with a lower shot. have used spitfire for most of my 18 years of using a crossbow,will use spitfire heads for all my future hunting
http://s1363.photobucket.com/user/elkma ... q.jpg.html]
http://s1363.photobucket.com/user/elkma ... l.jpg.html]

[Riflemanz]

10pt buck shot at about 15yds from me on ground,
rocket hammerhead 3 blade 2" cut shot into neck,
instant down for the count.

[racking up points]

NAP FOC riding shotgun on a 425gn ST out of my 405 - 35y shot broadside, double lung boogie. Arrow passed through both sides but stayed lodged in the cavity and I figure the blades broke off during his death run or his break dancing. He ran about 50y and left a very evident blood trail, I saw him flop. I double band my FOCs because the 405 packs a wallop. I have gotten 3 pass thrus with this combo, all with short blood trails. I'll be using it again.

[vixenmaster]

I shot 3 deer wid Mech.'s this past season, Torrid SS 1 1/2" cut 3 blade wid a single weak band. I knowed they are weak as they openin in flite n hit as much as 6" from where i aimed n hit. 100gr is what they weigh, made by Carbon Express n got them a Maul Mart. 1st deer went 50 yds, shot him at 16 yds as he was walkin towards me. His front left shoulder was angled towards me when i shot. Thar were enuff blood to trail him. 2nd deer shot at 32-35 ydsn walkin away at a slight angle on the right side to me. Pass-through ran est. 80 yds, blood trail was sparse n hard to follow. 3rd deer shot at 21 yds on left side angled abit away from me as it walked, pass-through, went almost a 1/ 4 mile, blood started good but after 100 yds was down to a drop here n there fer several hundred yds. This was one of the worse blood trials i have ever had to trail, good thing my girls were there. I lost all blood about 80 yds n they found some on the gravel road headed to the stock pond. Once i saw where the blood was showin i knowed she went to the pond. recovered here there. Those heads need 2 maybe 3 bands on them usin a recurve that has 350 SE power on up

[toledo]

We were after the same thing this season. Micro 355. All deer shot broadside, behind shoulder, inside 30 yards, hitting nothing but rib bones in and out, all pass through. Two hunters.

Spitfire XXX- 3 does shot, 1 broken blade on two of the three. All ran between 40-80 yards.

Switched to new Grim Reaper Pro series 2" cut 125 grn whitetail special. Shot one small doe. Deer ran 15 yards but one blade broke. Shot mature buck and blades broke off before entering the ribcage. 2 completely gone and one half way gone. Absolute total failure. No blood trail. Wound channel through the lungs looked like a field point. Only reason I found the deer was because it ran 30 yards and turned around to see what happened then barely eased off. Took a while for him to die but he didn't run and I was lucky. Deer of a lifetime and got very lucky.

Switched to NAP FOC 170 grn. 1 spike ran 25 yards and piled up. 1 mature buck was hit a touch too far back and ran 75 yards. Much tougher and thicker blades. My go to from here out. Wish they'd make a 3 blade model around 200 grn just to see.

[carperdoug]

I tried mechanicals this past season for the first time ever. Primarily to evaluate results as you stated. I used the Wasp 100 Grain JAK-X, 1 3/4 inch cut with double bands as recommended by Wasp. I harvested 4 deer; 3 were double lung and one a "full" frontal. The double lung were from 25 to 35 yards. Decent blood trails. The deer went about 65 - 75 yards. Fully open on entry. Complete pass through on all three. No broken or bent blades. The results of the frontal was devastating to the deer. 22 yard shot. The arrow entered the center of the brisket and lodged in the pelvis. 75 yard recovery, best blood trail I've ever seen. Entrance hole looked like a shotgun slug with great blood clotting damage to the shoulder. Again no broken or bent blades. The SST point was still as sharp as from the package. I used the same head for all 4 deer; simply replaced the blades after each.

I will continue to use this head.

[Big John]

Seems some have different results with same heads as others. I used the Grim Reaper Whitetail specials one season (2"in.) and the pass thru's on both deer taken were extreme!!! I could have field dressed both deer thru the exit hole! Massive! No trailing need. They fell over within 30 yds. No broken blades either. But I still went back to Slick Tricks and Spitfires. They will be with me forever I guess.

Big John

[IronNoggin]

Some interesting results thus far Gentz, thanks for posting them!

Never have had a broken blade yet, although I have seen the odd broken arrow. Luck of the draw I guess...

Forgot to post the exit wound picture for the buck noted above:



Shotgun slug size!
No wonder he went only about 8 - 10 steps!!

One of the others I shot this year was this large whitetail doe:



Same set-up exactly.
Range 20 yards.
Both lungs & complete pass through.
Ran over 65 yards which very much surprised me, but left a very very good blood trail so was damn easy to track in the snow.

Next?

Cheers,
Nog

[bob watkins]

i been useing a nap sling blade rear deploy my bow shooting 397fps 100gr head 400gr arrow killed 2bears and 2 deer with them big hole average 30yd recovery will be useing them again jmo

[sproulman]

No pictures No buck in 2 years..Oh well.The spitfire 100 gr regular ones I have used from 1996..Non crossbow ones have loose blades so if i was going to use them I would put 1 dental band on them...

new crossbow points have a tighter retention ring so there is no need to band those ...


Not much help I do not even look at another point if it aint bro why fix it person...

[rcmc]

First year hunting with Xbow for me, I harvested a mature Mulie buck this fall at 45 yards standing broadside, unaware of my presence. The shot was a few inches high but a complete pass thru. He ran approximately 125 yards with no blood trail at all with a huge entry and exit wound, the cavity was completely full of blood, he was completely expired when I found him 5-10 minutes later. I was shooting a Excalubar 380 with stock shafts and Rage 2 blade Hyperdermic heads. The broadhead was in good shape when recovered, I also shot the NAP broad heads too, but with this setup the Rage Broadhead were the most accurate at extended ranges.

[WVCBH]

2 bucks, 2 does. Here is a 125 gr Swhacker exit hole.

[DuckHunt]

We were 3 for 3 with mechanical heads this year. My daughter took a small doe and an 8 point with Rocket Hammerhead 2" 3-blades. Both shots were about 30 yards from an Exomax with the deer quartering toward. The doe went about 40 yards. The 8 point went about 80 yards. On the buck, the arrow didn't exit because she nailed it dead center of the front shoulder socket. The Hammerhead ended up with a couple bent blades, but cut through the socket and came to a rest behind the opposite shoulder. Due to the meaty entrance and lack of exit, the blood trail was only fair. Here is the entrance wound and picture of the shoulder socket.



I took a small 6-point with my Micro 335 using a banded Spitfire XXX 100 grain 3-blade. The shot was a little over 30 yards right behind the shoulder with it barely quartering away. The arrow did not exit coming to a rest just under the skin in the opposite shoulder. I heard the deer crash after about 75 yards. Even with only an entrance wound, the blood trail was instant and plentiful. The deer plowed over a rootwad just before it expired creating this painting.

Here is the entrance:


Gotta love big expandables.

DuckHunt