Where to buy Spitfires?
Equipment
Interested in trying out some of the Spitfire 3 blade 1 1/2" cut with the trophy tip.
I see NAP "enhanced" the Spitfire with bigger and bigger cuts.
I was wondering if anyone knew if the originals were still being sold, and if so where I could find them (or the Spitfire Maxx @ 1 3/4 with the trophy tip)
Thanks all!
Also, I am seeing some "crossbow" spitfires with the trophy tip and 1.5"- these are the same as the regular spitfires right?
Cabelas has the regular version - https://www.cabelas.com/product/NAP-Spitfire-Blade-Mechanical-Broadheads/743070.uts?productVariantId=1612566&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=40000649&rid=20&ds_rl=1246591&ds_rl=1247873&ds_rl=1247876&ds_rl=1252079&gclid=CjwKCAiA2fjjBRAjEiwAuewS_Vof0yOd_XjwO7gpIEzWZkPQJX2jM3qdfN1hwHYELvctPvzKqirghBoCW4oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
They also have a Cabelas version that is only 1 1/4" - called Laserstrike.
Looks like Cabelas and Dicks both have the 'Maxx' version at 1 3/4".
As far as I know, the crossbow tips are the same as the 'regular' version. Just different packaging. I bought some 'crossbow' tips and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them and the compound time.
Just bought some spitfire Maxx 125 with trophy tips off of Amazon. Also check ebay. Great heads.
Crossbow Spitfires are supposedly a little harder to open.
I use the 125 grain 1 1/2” cut Spitfires (trocar style point) and have no trouble finding them on Amozon and my local shop.
Lancaster archery supply has them.
From Ambush recommendation I bought 12 packs from Walmart at 14 dollars a pack . I like Broadheads and have a Broadhead problem. Hunt
I know you are asking about three blade heads so this may not apply, but MidwayUSA has the two blade version on clearance for $11.29 per pack!
Interested in trying out some of the Spitfire 3 blade 1 1/2" cut with the trophy tip.
I see NAP "enhanced" the Spitfire with bigger and bigger cuts.
I was wondering if anyone knew if the originals were still being sold, and if so where I could find them (or the Spitfire Maxx @ 1 3/4 with the trophy tip)
Thanks all!
Not sure why that posted twice, my apologies!
You can also buy direct from NAP. I've bought broadheads from NAP a few times. I shoot Thunderheads and Spitfires. Great heads.
I've purchased all the original 1.5" Spitfires I've bought from Midway Shooters Supply.
The 1.5's are Elk killing machines. 1.75 is bigger than I like, personally. I get mine at sportsmans.
how's everyone experience with the Spitfire Maxx's @ 1.75?
I don’t use the 1.75” Spitires but have hunting partners that do or did. Simply put, a bigger head (fixed or mech) takes more to push it through the same medium. Obviously a bigger hole(s) is better, but better is then relatable to how much more dead can you get than dead.
Unlike a fixed head, a mechanical’s flight is not affected by the opened diameter. So the diameter decision on a mechanical is dictated by your equipments ability to ensure adequate penetration.
I get that Ambush-just seemed more difficult to find the regular spitfires online from what I could see.
NAP doesn't list the 1.5" spitfires on their website so I was concerned that they weren't being made anymore.
I'm shooting a 62# Carbon Spyder 34 pushing 500 grain Axis at 258-260 fps.
Iowa, my opinion would be to stick to the 1 1/2” heads. Draw length says more to me than velocity’, since I don’t chrono arrows. What is yours?
Thanks Ambush. I'm drawing 28.5"
Thanks Ambush. I'm drawing 28.5"
I’m 65# at 29” draw length and a 430 grain Axis shaft , so we’re probably pretty close in terminal performance.
I've shot a couple hogs and one whitetail buck with the Maxx trophy tip 1 3/4" cut. 65#, 30", 31" 2317 aluminum. They blow right through. Here's a hog from a couple weeks ago, went 20 yds.
Doesn't look like they offer a 1 1/2" model anymore in the Spitfire. They offer a Trivex that is 1 5/8".
I heard they were purchased by one of the big outfits that takes a good company and destroys it by putting the name on junk products. Just like what was done to muddy outdoors a few years ago. I can't confirm this info but the guy that told me had a ton of broadheads he got from a nap rep that told him what was going on.
“GSM Outdoors, a multi-brand manufacturer and technology innovator of specialized hunting and shooting products, has acquired New Archery Products (NAP). Terms were not disclosed.“
Acquired in March 2018.
Has anyone seen a decrease in quality since the purchase?
I went to the Web site too and it does look like the 1.5 stinger has been discontinued. If you like them and know where to buy some you better get em! It doesn't matter to me as long as they continue making Thunderheads. And no, I haven't seen a decrease in quality.
The original 1.5" 3-blade Spitfires are listed under the cross bow heads on NAP's website...don't know why but apparently they are the same as always, including how hard they open, based on info on other forums. And Midway Shooter's Supply shows them in stock.
just bought 3 new unopened packs of the 1.5 for 10.00 a package,,,,, sportsman rummage sale, we have these here in Wis almost every weekend at this time of year, somewhere
I also shoot the Spyder at 56lbs.................................. if I find anymore, would you want some?
Kurt is right. Look under crossbow heads. I didn't think there was any sense to them discontinuing the 1 1/2" Spitfire. Has to be one of the most popular mechanicals out there.
The crossbow spitfires have a thicker plate or "wedge" which creates greater tension on each blade to handle the increased velocity of crossbows. I think most compounds today easily have enough KE to open either the standard or the crossbow spitfires.
There is a dimple in the retaining plate on the Spitfires that holds the blades closed. Haven't seen a wedge? Does anyone have a sample they can measure the thickness of the retaining plates as well as the dimple thickness (height including retainer thickness) on regular Spitfire heads versus the cross bow listed heads)?
On other sites people claim both the original and crossbow heads are identical based on conversations supposedly had with NAP.
I'll look at my stash from 2018 as well as 2017 and see if any differences show up.
I didn't look at the crossbow heads. It is good they are still making them. I use them to hunt turkeys with. And I would be willing to bet there is no difference. The crossbow spitfire is the same one they have always made.
I've taken some measurements on 1.5" three blade Spitfires:
The "pimple plate" that retains the blade on the 2017 heads is made of 0.004" thick SS plate and the pimple area averages 0.014" thick maximum. These open fairly easy and I've never had one open in flight. A few of the "bloody" and obviously used plates had a pimple thickness of as low as 0.011".
I had a few of the 2018 heads seemed to open harder so I set them aside when I bought them last year: No wonder as the pimple plate material is 0.005" thick and the pimple area is 0.016" to 0.017" thick on the one broadhead I disassembled. I ended up tapping the pimple with a hammer and brought it down to 0.012" on one plate and it was a bit weak. Looks like 0.013" to 0.014" is where they need to be, irregardless of the base material thickness, at least for reasonable opening,
So there you have it....either QC has gone to hell, the spec on the pimple plate base material have changed changed dimensions and/or I have a batch of the harder opening cross bow heads. Anyway I won't shoot them without modifying the pimple plate as a few of the heads open too hard.
All heads were purchased from Midway Shooters Supply in Missouri and they did not indicate that they were for crossbows. I do not have the packaging anymore.
And thanks to Woodsdog for getting me to actually get some real measurements and data on this rather than relying on what NAP is telling customers.
Well that's discouraging, I found a good deal on Dicks website and bought 4 packs of the Maxx's. I tried to contact NAP last week, still haven't heard back
Jake, I'll start another thread when I finish collecting data. I've run pull tests on the opening force for each blade using a RCBS trigger pull gauge I had handy. There is a very large difference in opening force between my two batches of "Original Spitfires" so far. It is an easy way to tell what you have, but you don't even need a gauge on the hard to open variety...you will know with your fingers. Kurt
Called Nap today. Spoke with a customer service person who obviously covered more companies than Nap. She had to go ask someone about the 1 1/5" Spitfire regarding the location in the crossbow section and the blade opening pressure. She came back stating they are the same head and not more difficult to open than the old ones. I have no idea if this is accurate or not. Looking forward to Kurt's evaluation.
My data is all over the place. Some blades open with 9 ounces of “pull” using my RCBS trigger pull gage on the tip of the blade and one pulled at 2#12oz. Without disassembly on each to verify pimple plates, I had 6 heads that opened easily....less than 4#s of force for the three blades cumulative. 11 heads opened with greater than 4#s and up to 7#2oz cumulative force. Data on each blade was repeatable to within an ounce when I checked it out. Also, lubrication of the dimple plate with Breakfree CLP did reduce the opening force on a subsequent test by 4 to 5 ounces.
I would say any blade that individually pulled at more than 1.5#s is too hard based on feel and I will pull that blade down to reduce the pimple height. That is 22 blades out of the 51 I pulled. Bet they are the thicker 2018 dimple plates. Also, the few 9 ounce blades feel too lightly retained to be sure they won’t open at the shot?
I am going to leave it at that right now as the weather is too nice to dig deeper right now. If your blades seem too hard to open with your fingers, I’d say they are a problem. And to say I’m less than impressed with NAP’s quality control is also accurate.
I will look at my stash of spitfires but when I read the packaging for the crossbow version I could have sworn it said that plate provided more resistance.
