Broadhead Selection

[Kessler10]

Looking to changes broadheads as I usually shoot the Muzzy changeably blades for Whitetail. Any recommendations for when I go archery Elk hunting? Is this 2 blade RAGE the way to go as I have been hearing a lot about these as they fly like a field point.
Going archery elk in 2015 so if I am going to make a broadhead change would like to do it now so I can practice on whitetail and be confident with them come 2015 archery elk. Or should I just stick with the old reliable Muzzy?

[Mikeha33]

If you're referring to the Rage 2 blade mechanical, I'd stay away from those. I'd stay away from any mechanical for that matter. Elk have a much heavier bone structure, thicker muscles, and even a tougher hide, than most deer, which a rage typically works fine with. There is nothing wrong with the Muzzy's, that's what I used t shoot, but I switched to the G5 Montec 100 gr. I like the cut on contact heads better than other kinds, they are foolproof, can be sharpened to a razor edge (literally), and they fly really well. Probably not as well as a field point past 50 yards, but they do fly very well. There are a lot of other guys on here that'll have their preferences, but the Montec is mine. Good luck!

[WYO_ELK]

Magnus. They will fly like darts, will be the last broadheads you buy. Best warranty in the business. You could shoot them into a cinder block wall, email them a picture of the broadheads and they will send you a replacement, free of charge, for life. I will never switch brands

[husky390]

Everyone is going to have their own favorite broadhead. FWIW, Slick Tricks fly well. This year I've tuned my bows to Ramcats.

[mjblowers]

I'm curious if anyone uses the Cabela's Copperhead - mainly because they seem like a good broadhead at the most reasonable, non sale price out there at 3 for $25.

That being said - I too like the g5 montech 100gr - but I'm trying a muzzy mx3 this time around since they were half the price :p

[Gselkhunter]

Muzzy I have been killing elk for a lot of years with Muzzy. I have never had on fail and they are bone breaking SOBs.

[foxvalley]

Magnus. They will fly like darts, will be the last broadheads you buy. Best warranty in the business. You could shoot them into a cinder block wall, email them a picture of the broadheads and they will send you a replacement, free of charge, for life. I will never switch brands

X2 also on the magnus,I don't have to change point of impact at all from my field points, but most of all they are very tough,cut on contact,and the stainless steel blades hold an edge. You can read all the reviews at cabelas,and a couple hundred people can't be wrong.
There are lots of other broadheads mentioned here that will work as well,BUT,......... I encourage anybody and everybody to stay away from expandables on elk, period.
I talk to dozens of bowhunters every year thru my taxidermy business, and I always here of a few mechanical head failures, mostly on whitetails,that cost the hunter an animal. There are enough variables that handicap the bowhunter the way it is,and my personal opinion is stay away from any head that has moving parts.

[BRazz]

Doesn't matter. Make a good shot and any respectable brand will work. Make a questionable shot and no broadhead can make up for it.

I shoot Muzzy's usually but have tried lots (including mechanicals) and the only elk I've not found have been bad shots.

[mandrroofing]

I have shot the magnus heads and they do fly well.Im not shooting the exodus by QAD.\AS portion of the blades sit below the shaft making them fly more like field points.QAD makes great products and the exodus fits there product line well.

[Drawnandpinned]

IMO I would stick with ur muzzy bh I have heard that mechs don't always open and how would u like to do all that work and get one shot at a bull and it only wounds it stick with fixed blades

[Rizzy]

Where you hunting? I'm pretty sure mechanical's and anything that can be considered barbed are illegal in Idaho. Other western states might be similar.

[foxvalley]

Doesn't matter. Make a good shot and any respectable brand will work. Make a questionable shot and no broadhead can make up for it.

I shoot Muzzy's usually but have tried lots (including mechanicals) and the only elk I've not found have been bad shots.

If the blades don't deploy,or they close just after entering the animal, or if the blades come in contact with ribs and become deformed,the broadhead will act more like a field point than a broadhead,and yes that does matter. Heart stick an elk with a field point and he will live for min. or hours with NO blood trail. Broadheads work by being razor sharp, and causing massive blood loss, not by being just "stuck". There is a valid reason why some states outlaw them.

[ishy]

+3 for magnus. Penatration, simple, great fliers, easy to sharpen, and that great warranty. I mentioned this on another thread but the last primos elk video one of them hits an elk several inches behind the shoulder with a rage and gets little to no penatration. I've never seen an arrow get less penatration that didn't hit a humerus or scapula. They were obviously trying to sell rage, but anyone who sees that a rib will stop those broadheads would never shoot one at an elk.

[BRazz]

Doesn't matter. Make a good shot and any respectable brand will work. Make a questionable shot and no broadhead can make up for it.

I shoot Muzzy's usually but have tried lots (including mechanicals) and the only elk I've not found have been bad shots.

If the blades don't deploy,or they close just after entering the animal, or if the blades come in contact with ribs and become deformed,the broadhead will act more like a field point than a broadhead,and yes that does matter. Heart stick an elk with a field point and he will live for min. or hours with NO blood trail. Broadheads work by being razor sharp, and causing massive blood loss, not by being just "stuck". There is a valid reason why some states outlaw them.

Agreed. What I meant by "reputable" was a quality and sharp broadhead - and there are MANY choices that will fit the bill. People like muzzies and slick tricks and magnus and shuttle-t and so on and so forth - and the selection between any of those is a toss up in my opinion.

I also have found that if my bow is tuned properly then pretty much any broadhead will fly true to my field points. If that's not happening then there likely are either bow-tuning issues or shooter form issues that are otherwise hidden/corrected by field points.

I personally have seen mechanical broadheads work just fine, though I don't use them any longer myself. I've read plenty of stories about mechanical broadheads that don't open or deflect on contact but didn't see it happen. The one I used to shoot had exposed blades even if it didn't open correctly (which didn't happen one the two elk I shot with it).

That's my experience anyways.

[Csrbowhunter]

I use 125 steel force sabertooth they work great! If I had to use a mechanical it would be rocket steelhead 125. They are a tuff BH. I had a friend that shot an elk with a rage and came back three hours later and had to shoot it again. After he recovered the elk he found both BH blades broke off just going threw the ribs! I wouldn't use them the blades are to thin.

[Trophyhill]

Muzzy I have been killing elk for a lot of years with Muzzy. I have never had on fail and they are bone breaking SOBs.

It doesn't hurt that your arrows hit like a pile driver

[poisonarrow]

I wonder if the draw of mechanicals is the fact that they "fly like broadheads". I was a little tempted with mechanicals after screwing on my broadhead and getting less than perfect results.

You can make your broadhead fly like your fp by adjusting your rest. See my post "Tuning Broadheads".

[poisonarrow]

By the way I use a Magnus with a bleeder blade.

[foxvalley]

There are so many awesome broadheads out there,and lots of the ones mentioned here are proven on large animals like elk.
I think it's a toss up between cut on contact "coc" heads, and hardened steel tipped heads that bust thru bone like butter.Coc heads will get a little more penetration, on average, than tipped, but some coc heads will have the very tip bend over hitting bone. Most of this that I have seen, however,is so slight, and doesn't effect preformance.
Most hardened tipped heads are designed to break bone,and because of design,lose penetration slightly,but not enough to be an issue at all.
An interesting test to do is push a coc head thru felt, it takes about 3lbs. pressure to push thru. Now take a tipped head,(I used thunderhead)an awesome head that I used for years, and push thru. It takes a lot more to push thru,more than 5 times the presure. Does this matter going 300 fps, I dought it,but you will get less penetration on average.