What grain head is everybody using?
Equipment
Contributors to this thread:
Just curious what weight head everyone prefers. I shoot 100 grain. The only reason why is because that is what the pro shop set me up with 20 some years ago and I never really thought about it. Now I see all these single bevel 150 plus heads. Am I alone with 100 grain heads? Any reason I should switch?
I've been shooting 100 grain for years pretty much for the same reason and I have a lot of broadheads. If I was starting over from scratch I'd probably go with 125 grain but I don't think the 100 grain heads are holding me back from being successful.
I always shot 125 gr. No need to change and the extra 25 gr over a 100. I don't think it makes a big difference. 100s are fine
I've been using 125s for quite awhile. Used 150s for a couple years.
100. With a 60 grain insert
I've used a 3 blade 125 gr fixed for over 45 years now (Rocky Mountains).. I've shot 100 gr & 85 gr 3 blades at home but 125s when I head out..
Mostly 200 grains, but have setups up to 300 grains.
Anything less than 150 grains seems really dainty, flimsy and prone to failure. The bigger heads are inherently a lot tougher and less prone to bending or breaking.
More weight up front helps a lot in penetration and since I’m shooting longbows, I need every advantage I can get with my arrow setups!
I used to shoot Thunderhead 125s with aluminum arrows, and I don’t know that a truly “better” 3-blade replaceable has come along in the 35 years that I have had them.
Now shooting 175 and 200 gr with carbons, depending on which bow & shaft.
For deer hunting, 100s are fine. If you want more mass all around, there is something to be said for adding it up front. I will let the Ashby Acolytes take it from there.
You may well need a stiffer shaft to make that change, but stiffer = stronger, right? Thicker walls. It also stands to reason that a heavier head is a tougher head because more steel.
But of you’re tuned with 100s and happy with the results you have been getting, I don’t see any reason to change things up… Not that a truly “good” reason should be required for doing something new that won’t hurt anything.
Type of head , arrow wt. And fps would mean more then to me then head wt.
100 grain heads since I began bow hunting over 20 years ago.
The animals never complain, and either do I!
100, but if I were to do it over again I'd do 125 for the added durability. In saying that my 100 gr. broadheads have performed very well.
I carried a 250 on my last deer hunt. That arrow and Bow setup likes 250 up front. 49# SanMarco longbow
Each arrow and bow combo is different I have some that I use 125 all the way up to 300 grain. Over a dozen bows and probably 20 different arrow spine And fletch combos
125 VAP solids. Stout little head.
100. With a 75 grain brass insert
100 grain three blade muzzy fly great and bad to the bone !
#40 longbow 150 grain insert 150 two blade Magnus Stinger
100gr for me for same reason as many others. It's what I started with almost 100 deer ago. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
115 grain Muzzy with washers to make it 125 with 575 grain carbon filled with weed wacker string behind it. Buck I shot this year didn't go more than 30 yds.
I shoot 100 grain heads simply because of availability. There are more options offered in 100 grain heads and I use the GT FACT system to get my point weight where I want it.
125gr with my compound, 175gr with my recurve.
125 Stainless Steel. I imitate Levi with my arrow build. The past is past.
125 gn. Bear Razor! Greenie! 60 yrs. and it's ALWAYS worked! Why change!!!!!
I too have so many 100gr BHs kicking around after all these years it would cost a pretty penny to switch now.
100gr w/ 50gr insert
100 grain head with 50 grain weight.
125 with 50 grain insert for compound. 150 with 75 grain insert for longbow.
125 works for me Good luck Lewis
Normally 125 grains, but there are so many cheap 100 grain options out there (don't know why) at half or 1/3 the price, I can't pass those up. The way I shoot, 20 yds, I'm not even going to think I'm good enough to see the difference. If so, I assume a simple sight adjustment will solve that issue.
100 grain broadhead and 95 grain insert.
125 with 50 grain brass inserts.
125
"In General" the 125 version of any head vs. 100 is a little more robust, which I view as a good thing. That said, 100 is fine too. When I set up my first arrows decades ago I went with 125 as I have a long draw length and wanted little more FOC compared to 100.
125, Little better penitration and accuracy for me after shooting 100 for many years.
I like stupid things so I’m shooting a 200 grain head from my compound
125 for deer size critters, 315gr for the big dangerous critters
Montec 125s and Zwickey Deltas (160?)
The majority of the time 125's.
250 valkyrie to 500 tuffhead
For those that shoot the 150 plus size heads, how much drop is there compared to a 100 or 125 grain. I understand better flight dynamics and penetration with more weight up front along with a beefier head holding up to bone, but what worries me is if arrow drop is significant then misses are more likely at unranged shots
Most of the guys posting heavier heads are shooting traditional bows.
The extra mass up front and total arrow weight help’s penetration a lot. No rangefinder, no sights.
You practice enough to get the trajectory imprinted in your brain.
Most trad guys are shooting a lot at stumps, dirt clods, pine cones, etc, etc as we wander around so keep tuned up.
Pretty crazy that trad guys ever manage to kill anything isn’t it?
100 grain heads and they go through every deer.
100’s in Canada, but in Australia, because they r different dudes, and I am Canadian, and acquiesce in the hopes of peace making, shoot 175’s. :)
Shot 100 grain thunderheads with standard inserts for years. I had no issue with that setup, however O wanted to try something new when I bought a new bow 3 years ago.
I currently shoot 125 grain Stingers with 75 grain inserts.
Was hoping Bearman would chime in on this one I think he's using 200 grain GrizzlyStik Alaskans this season
125 grain, 2 blade Magnus Stingers out of my 50# Bear Grizzly recurve on PA whitetails.
125gr with 50gr insert, or 100gr with 75gr insert. gives me numerous broadhead options without changing FOC, numerous arrows set up both ways ready to go.
125 with trad or compound. Currently shooting 125 vented and/or solid Iron Wills.
Mostly 175. Somethings 150. I like the head strenght and the FOC.
Hey Fuzz - I hope you’re wrong on the Ricardo arrows. I’m no lawyer, but that might be fraud.
Be patient my friend - I have a feeling this is going to be worth the wait !!
WhattheFRAUD?
I've been good with 250 grains
Why only 85 grains? Shaft too long? :)
Great handle.
Sorry to disappoint fuzzy/wtf. Been shooting Muzzy 100s for 25+ years. Put on nocturnal nocks last year so I bumped up to Muzzy 125s this year. No real difference at 20 yards. Can't say I've ever had a Muzzy "fail".
Whatthefoc
I’ve got kind of a weird setup that I really like. 250 spine arrow, 100 gr. insert and 85gr. Magnus stinger or QAD Exodus. Total arrow weight is 460 grains. I built this specifically around the Stinger. It’s 4 blade but because it’s only 85 grains it’s got very sleek profile.
The QAD has been very impressive though and the way the head is made it bumps my FOC from 13 to 16 %.
Bearman … for the money, Muzzy makes a pretty decent bh. I used to shoot ‘em too. My only beef was building heads that would spin true. If they won’t spin, they won’t fly - but I’m sure you know that.
When you coming back to the RL thread? The guys are pretty jazzed up to hear about your buddies bear hunt.
125 IW Solid with 50 Grn outsert.
Perhaps you missed my last post I made on that thread wtf. No more updates?
^of course not. b/c it never happened
By the way Bearman, are you Ryan David Guttormson originally hailing from Minot, ND?
Or possibly Nugene Ledbetter from Amite County , MS? Lol. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VUaiNAabX80
Bearman, if your buddy didn’t go to Kodiak, then the right thing to do would be to return the arrows or send them on to someone who will use them as intended. I have a buddy who is leaving on a solo elephant hunt soon.
I will pm you with my name, address, SSN and cc# so you can forward the dozen to me.
200gr for me.
One reason I moved up in size is because I think that you can get away from aluminum ferrules and to steel. The only downside that I’ve had is that I used to hear the 100 gr Muzzys hit because they were so dull. My sharper all steel broadheads slip through deer so quietly that I wonder if I hit them.