How about starting a new thread instead of going on and on about arrow/broadhead weight here? I'm sure your points are backed with a lot of experience and many could learn from the discussion but that wasn't why I started this thread. Thanks for understanding....

You are right and I am sorry. I just wanted to make a point that you should pick a tough head that will hold up when using the proper arrow and a strong bow. Many on the market years ago, in the quest for heads that shot like field points, in the then new compounds would shatter in cold weather or break on rib bones. Today, some companies learned what is needed but some haven't. Unfortunately, some of the top brand names in archery still have not learned.

bfrshooter wrote:

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Reloader, if fixed blades don't fly well with a "well tuned bow" the bow is NOT tuned.

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Not true, You could have a bow that is tuned perfectly (I prefer paper tuning) and still not shoot the fixed blades straight. The arrow is the weakest link, w/ today's carbon arrows the inserts are epoxied in place. If that epoxy is not pefectly spread around the insert, then the blades will not be straight causing the arrow to plane. Even if the arrow's inserts are perfectly straight, some fixed blade heads will still plane due to minor misalignments of the blades in the head.

There are too many variables that cause fixed blade heads not to fly true.

The top quality heads such as Muzzy, Thunder Head, Rocky, etc. tend to have less misalignments but, every now and then, I even have one of them that will not fly true.

Expandables tend to fly true every time. A good expandable will penetrate w/ good cutting diameter and give fast kills, much faster than that of fixed blades.

Its much like Barnes X vs. NBTs, just personal preference. I have never seen a deer run very far (usually 10-50 yards) that had been hit through the vitals w/ an Expandable but, I have trailed deer well over 100 yards when threaded w/ a Fixed head. I never said the fixed blades don't work, they just don't work as well for me. I use fixed heads (TH 125s) every now and again but, I can tell a difference in the reaction of the animal to the shot when using the expandables.


Your penetration theory w/ the fast Carbon arrows is not completely right. When a heavy aluminum arrow is launched at a slower speed, it does not out penetrate the faster carbons in all circumstances. Now, notice I said all circumstances. If you have a reasonably weighted Carbon arrow w/ a Reasonable head weight, the speed will make up for the weight difference and allow the same and sometimes even better penetration. The carbons also have a smaller shaft diameter which causes less friction during penetration. The Main reason I switched to carbon was because they don't bend, they are either broke, craked, or perfectly straight. Aluminum bends to easily and gets expensive after awhile.

Good Luck!

Reloader

Rocket Steelhead 100gr expandable. They Work.

bfrshooter: My experience is much like yours. It takes a little weight for penetration. Last year I hunted Africa with my bow, and I had to tune it way down because of a shoulder injury, shortly before my trip. I had been shooting 2317's with 125 Gr. tips, but I ended up changing to Carbons with the same tips because I had them. I was very disappointed with the carbons and penetration. I shot both Steelforce and Rky Mt. Premiums, both 125 Gr. at 62 lbs. My arrows broke on each animal taken, and I only got a pass through with a Warthog. I didn't even get a pass through on a little Springbok, although the spine was hit. I had shot only two other animals prior to this without a pass through. I will not use Steelforce 125's again either; I had one blow to bits on Saturday on the ground.