# Which broadhead ?



## wet feet (Sep 14, 2009)

I am shooting a goldtip 5575 at 30 inches with an 100 grain brass insert and a 125 grain head. I have been using the muzzy phantom but I think I am going to switch to a different head. I shoot a 55pound bow at 28 inch draw. Here are the heads I am thinking about please tell me which one and why.
Magnus 2 blade
Magnus snuffer 
woodsman 3 blade


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## Al33 (Sep 14, 2009)

I love the Magnus I's. The wide blades are easy to sharpen and they make a big hole, but the Magnus II's are just as deadly so that would be my choice of the three you listed . I prefer the penetration of a two blade versus a three or four blade head. When I hit something I want two holes.


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 14, 2009)

I wouldn't switch just because of an unrecovered animal. They are all good broadheads. Your arrow must of went more parallel and hit nothing vital. Mike


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## bam_bam (Sep 14, 2009)

I Really like the Magnus I 160grain, like Al said it is easy to get shaving sharp and looks like it would leave a gaping hole (never shot one with them). The magnus stinger looks good too. I am gonna try them with my recurve this year also.


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## Arrow Flinger (Sep 14, 2009)

I ordered Magnus 1's and Magnus Snuffers and shot them both.  On identical arrows, I got 40% more penitration with the 2 blades than the snuffers.  That made my mind up!


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## trad bow (Sep 14, 2009)

I have shot the Phantoms for three years now. Very deadly head.


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## sawtooth (Sep 14, 2009)

you asked for opinions.....here's mine. I really like the magnus two blade. I've been shooting them for years, even in my compound days. easy to sharpen, quiet in flight, no whistling, penetration is awesome when it hits where it's supposed to- and above all- they have never let me down when I've done my job as a bowhunter. plus...... if you damage one, be it your fault or the broadhead's, send it back. Mike Sohm will make it good- no questions asked. looking at the big picture it's a hard broadhead to beat. D.


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## BOFF (Sep 14, 2009)

Guess I'm the "other man" as I've been using the WWs for 7-8 years. I'm able to get them hair popping sharp, and I have difficulty in getting a two blade head sharp, so, that is a major factor in my use of them. Like Dendy, I've never had a problem with them, when I do my part.


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## BOFF (Sep 14, 2009)

Arrow Flinger said:


> I ordered Magnus 1's and Magnus Snuffers and shot them both.  On identical arrows, I got 40% more penitration with the 2 blades than the snuffers.  That made my mind up!



Not doubting you on the results, but curious as how you arrived at the "40% more penetration" and the test you used to determine the penetration.


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## Arrow Flinger (Sep 14, 2009)

BOFF said:


> Not doubting you on the results, but curious as how you arrived at the "40% more penetration" and the test you used to determine the penetration.



Same size cedar arrows with glue on heads shot into the rear part of a 3d target that had not been shot before.  I got 4 inches of penetration with the snuffers, got almost 6 inches with the 2 blades.  Did the test 3 times with the same results


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## BOFF (Sep 15, 2009)

Arrow Flinger said:


> Same size cedar arrows with glue on heads shot into the rear part of a 3d target that had not been shot before.  I got 4 inches of penetration with the snuffers, got almost 6 inches with the 2 blades.  Did the test 3 times with the same results



Great experiment!! 

Thanks for sharing.

God Bless,
David B.


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## LanceColeman (Sep 15, 2009)

I've either been on some broadhead companies shooting and advisory staff or testing Broadheads, or helping Doc Ashby or something to do with a sharp pointy object off and on for the past 15years.

One thing I can tell you is you truly have NO bad choices in your picks. Just personal ones.

As much time and talk as I have spent with Doc, we tend to see things differently. I guess it's because Doc looks all the way to cape buffalo and the only time I go pass whitetail is shields on boar hogs.

That said I've never liked or prefered a 2 blade BH with less than 1&3/8ths cutting dia. It's just to easy for tensed skin to slip back over the "slit". I've saw the small Mag IIs leave massive trails, and I've saw them shot with the same degree of sharpness from the same shooter on almost identical shots leave sparse spots of blood here and there. As with penetration on bigger heads.. thats not always the case, but it is something that happens.

The only Time I have ever had an issue with a broadheads was with a snuffer. And I love snuffers. It wasn't the blades fault. It was my fault for trying to push a head that size on a light wieght arrow off a lightwieght bow through a whitetails shoulder blade. I did not get an exit wound and the blood trail was sparse to say the least. fortunately a trail dog found the deer. But if not for the dog and the distance the deer traveled it would have been lost for sure. But I've shot completely through way too many deer with 145gr glue on snuffers and below 60# bows to deny the fact that a snuffer is a blood letting killer head.

A longer cutting length will increase penetration as well as amount of hemmoraging (Your chances of hitting a deer and exiting the same deer on a perfect 90 degree angle or slim to none to ay the least, so any off degree of angle or animal reaction will exceed hemmorraging on a longer cutting surface due to longer blade length and more contact). Most of todays compound foused blades have way too short a cutting surface and way to slight a mechanical advantage to their angles for this. But considering the power of todays compounds those are moot points.

A blade closer to a 3:1 ratio gives you a greater mechanical advantage and therefore better penetration. It also has better arrow dynamics and flies truer under different circumstances than shorter wider heads. Example would be it's WAY easier to get an 1&7/16ths wide, 2&13/16ths long ace super express to flie true with damp feathers than it is to get a 1&1/2 wide, 2" long magnus I to do the same. Zwickey deltas are another wide short head that will give less than perfectly tuned arrows flight issues if everythings not executed perfectly.

So BH makers turn to vents to avoid the planing effect at higher speeds. Zephyr sasquatch is 1&9/16ths wide and no longer than a mag I. But is a way easier and simpler head to tune due to the vents.

But vents can and do whistle and believe it or not they impede penetration to a point due to tissue build up inside the vents. On deer sized game it's not enough to matter though.

I try and steer clear of 2 blade heads with less than 1&3/8ths cutting dia because I like the penetration but dislike the blood trails. And my favorite by far is heavy mechanical advantaged 3 blades. I was one of the original testers of the wensel woodsman. Biggie Hoffman sent me some when I was living in Texas. I've loved that head ever since. But I walked away from them while I was shooting for Magnus because for several years they came out of the package needing massive bevel reworking. Now that someone else makes them thats no longer been an issue.

But My fondness of a head of that design is why when VPA asked me to join their shooting staff and shoot the VPA terminator?? I jumped all over it.

Since the terminator is not on your list?? I would highly suggest going with the WW. You'll get the best of both worlds. I've killed 41 animals with woodsmans and have not had bloodtrail or penetration issues with them at all.


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## ChrisSpikes (Sep 15, 2009)

Good post Lance.


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## wet feet (Sep 15, 2009)

Thanks for all the replys. There is some very good info on this thread thanks for all the help


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## bam_bam (Sep 15, 2009)

Awsome info lance thanks.


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## dutchman (Sep 15, 2009)

HookedN21 said:


> Good post Lance.





bam_bam said:


> Awsome info lance thanks.



x3.


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## Bubbaforsure (Sep 15, 2009)

HookedN21 said:


> Good post Lance.




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAmen.........................!


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## Night Wing (Sep 16, 2009)

This is the broadhead I shoot out of my 42# recurve and my 41# hybrid longbow. A 145 grain STOS. Since I shoot aluminum arrows, I glue the broadhead to a 36 grain Zwickey long broadhead adapter and after sharpening, this gives me around a 175 grain tip weight.


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## wet feet (Sep 16, 2009)

Well after reading the post bye Lance  I decided to buy the woodsman


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## dawg (Sep 16, 2009)

Slick Trick


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## Bubbaforsure (Sep 16, 2009)

wet feet said:


> Well after reading the post bye Lance  I decided to buy the woodsman



  The WW can be a pain to sharpen at times...But well worth the effort


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## BOFF (Sep 16, 2009)

Bubbaforsure said:


> The WW can be a pain to sharpen at times...But well worth the effort



I've found them to be quite easy, using a large file and then a Arkansas stone with oil.


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## SOS (Sep 16, 2009)

My experience is the 2 blades are great on deer and for penetration.  I think the 3 blades leave a little better blood trail on hogs.  At 55 pounds and a reasonable arrow weight - penetration should be just fine on both types.  Lots of folks love the WWs.  Good luck.


Arrow flinger, I wouldn't validate penetration on 3D foam.  It is designed to stop arrows from friction on the arrow shaft alone.  It isn't a wet, flesh and blood animal and broadheads act a whole lot different.


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## LanceColeman (Sep 17, 2009)

The key on terminators, vanguards, snuffers, G5s and Woodsmans is firstly a smooth straight bevel (magic marker it and make sure when you run a file down it it all shines and there's no spots of black left. If it looks wavy?? You need to either do one of two things, get uppity and return them demanding a straight correct bevel, or take them to a belt sander and smooth them out straight.*IF* you try and file them straight you will work yourself to death, remove more metal than need be, and with your toil your patience will waiver and it's every bit as likely that you worsen the problem instead of fixing it. So get them on something flat like a belt sander to get it right. Just keep a cup of water near you and bare finger the up pointing blade. That way when you feel it getting too hot you can quench it in the water. And if you taker that advice and cut yerself?? I'm not liable! 

After this the first step is a GOOD file. read that fellas a GOOD file as in a grobet or a brand spankin new nicholsan. And not no tiny lil 6" you keep in you day pack or quiver as atoucher upper. an 8-14" big boy. Now take you new file and go to your kids room and find the sidewalk chalk or chalboard chalk and chalk the file. Rub it with the chalk until it's the same color as the chalk all over. This "floats" the metal shaving you cut away from the head with the file out and away instead of letting them fall or jam in between the teeth of your file. You need to rechalk every time you sit down to rework your edge or bevel. (note thats not touch ups with your little field file. I'm talking when you are about to sit down the night before the hunt and clean up heads thats been rained on or shot in to stuff.

Now you will "feel" this file cutting as you run it across the head the usual "2 blades at once way". Here's what you want to do. there's 3 sides of the head. you want to start at 12 strokes per side, then turn then 12, then turn then 12. Now drop to 10 strokes per side, then to 8, then to 6. Now from 6 you drop only one per side . You count should go 12x3,10x3,8x3,6x3,5x3,4x3,3x3,2x3,1x3,

Here's the key. get LIGHTER with your pressure each time you drop down a number. By the time you reach one? You should be basically just pushing the file with nothing but it's own wieght across the blades.

This head should now already shave hair from you. At this point you can go to DMT stones, strops, arkansas, or what ever you prefer if you are looking for a more polished fine edge. Tom Lagatol uses different grits of jewelers paper wrapped around a  piece of 3" PVC pipe to create a hollow ground edge on his. But Toms pretty persnickity about his edges. I don't think you can buy a silver flame sharper than what Tom gets his heads.


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## Arrow Flinger (Sep 17, 2009)

SOS said:


> Arrow flinger, I wouldn't validate penetration on 3D foam.  It is designed to stop arrows from friction on the arrow shaft alone.  It isn't a wet, flesh and blood animal and broadheads act a whole lot different.



That is true but the broadhead design has to have something to do with it or penetration would be the same with both heads.


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## Bubbaforsure (Sep 17, 2009)

BOFF said:


> I've found them to be quite easy, using a large file and then a Arkansas stone with oil.



It was more........   me   .........having 
problems than the broadhead....Just rushing things ....getting in to 
big of a hurry!


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