NAP spitfire Blade Broke
Whitetail Deer
Shot a doe Saturday evening. 30 yard shot broadside right behind the shoulder. When I picked up my arrow I noticed a blade broke off my 3 blade spitfire. I have been using the spitfires for years, taken well over 20 deer with them and this is the first time a blade has broke. The blade broke on impact as entry wound and exit were both 2 blade only. This was the second deer shot with this broad head. No heavy bone encountered on this shot. I am thinking the blade was compromised on the previous shot. The deer went farther then the usual for the placement of the shot. I usually see or hear them fall. She covered about 125 yards before going down. Still easy to trail and find. I will continue to use the Spitfires as I have supreme confidence in them. Just wanted to share. I did have one broken blade on a Thunderhead (for those of you who will suggest fixed blades) many years ago on a hard shoulder contact. Deer went down in 80 yards in that case.
I consider the thinner blades of most mech's to be one-and-done.
I can only imaging the distortions that happen to blades like this if you were able to capture high speed video of the impact. You might get lucky and shoot them multiple times before failure but you're gambling with a ticking clock of life expectancy.
Spitfires are some of the best, I just don't consider the blades reusable. IMO
Nice shot BTW
"I consider the thinner blades of most mech's to be one-and-done."
Yes they may be my way of thinking now. I did not notice anything a missed when I resharpened the blades but there may have been some stress on that blade.
If it's mechanical....you'll have problems with it !
I have had one fixed blade fail and one Mechanical fail.
I think a better statement is if you bow hunt you will have problems to overcome. That's part of the fun and challenge. For me the pro's of the spitfire out weight the con's. And I have shot both extensively in my 35 years of bow hunting. YMMV. It comes down to what you have confidence in. I have not lost mine in the NAP spitfire heads.
Almost had to be a stress fracture there from before. Those are almost twice as thick as fixed head replaceable blades.
I am also pushing them at a higher speed. Traded in my old Martin Pantara for a slightly used Matthews Outback. The Outback is not a fast bow by todays standards but I know it is faster then the 1990 Martin I was shooting. Also dropped my arrow weight considerably. I doubt that had much to do with it and I am sure others are pushing the same head at higher speeds. But something to think about...
I have always expected a blade to break or bend or be noticeably damaged on occasion, which has happened for me with bear razorheads, Magnus, and several different Muzzy heads...but with good shot placement the broadhead did its job and I recovered the animal rather quickly. With the Muzzys it's a simple matter of replacing a blade. I suspect that a blade breaking upon entry may very well allow the rest of the head and arrow to penetrate further into the animal.
I lost the biggest buck I have ever shot at, with a NAP Spitfire. The broadhead just came apart on impact. I hit the buck, about a 165" in the shoulder, broadside but I hit forward in the shoulder. I got only 3" of penetration and the ferrul broke off where the pins hold the blades. I was sick about it. I also switched to fixed bladed heads right then.
I did hit one doe (already wounded a month early by a buddy) in Femur or large rear leg bone with a spitfire. Bone shattered and arrow penetrated to opposite ham. Deer dropped in 30 yards. No visible damage to the head. The ferrules on these heads are very strong. Same as the Thunderheads. JayG you must have hit some really heavy bone to break the ferrule. I doubt any broad head would have brought that deer down but there is no way to tell for sure. But as I said earlier. Use what you have confidence in and for you that is not a spitfire. Good Hunting and thanks for sharing your experience.
those blades are supposed to break. look how small they are. you can break them with needle nose pliers and flip of the wrist.
if you want a broadhead to hold up- shoot a fixed blade instead of the one shot wonder mechanicals.
I use to sharpen and reuse them several times over, they are strong, thick blades.
I would bet it was a manufacturing defect.
"I lost the biggest buck I have ever shot at, with a NAP Spitfire. The broadhead just came apart on impact. I hit the buck, about a 165" in the shoulder, broadside but I hit forward in the shoulder. I got only 3" of penetration and the ferrul broke off where the pins hold the blades."
After more thought I am guessing the arrow was sticking out of that deer. Hitting a tree would create enough leverage to break the ferrule if it is buried in bone. If it breaks where the blades attach it would create this effect.
I've shot fixed blades for years and had lots of problems with them too. It's not a perfect world; I shoot fixed blades now and at least it is a little more accurate world. If you are good you will shoot around those bones; practice and shoot 3D:)
Have NEVER had a fixed blade failure in 52 bow seasons! And I've shot a few bones!
SB your bow would barely open one let alone break it. These compounds are delivering way more energy.
I know where your coming from, using mechanicals isn't necessary, in fact it opens up a new can of worms but honestly lots of people have great success with them. I did.
Works with only two blades!
