Rotating/helical broadheads

[brucelanthier]

This question is not related to fletching so much but, if you have an arrow that is fletched so that it spins a great deal after leaving the bow what happens to the momentum/KE when it hits the deer and stops spinning immediately? Does the energy from the spinning motion get tranfeered to the forward motion (I would think not) or does it have some negative affect on the forward motion?

Iasked this question in another thread and, after doing some looking around, found out about rotating broadheads and one helical broadhead. There may be more brands but these were what I found and I was wondering if anyone has tried them. I was also wondering about the general opinion on them whether you have tried them or not.

NAP Crossfire- Rotating
NAP Razorbak - Rotating

Spintite Crimson Talon - helical

[passthru79]

I have shot the NAP crossfires, and they flew awsome. I shot two deer with them one doe about 120 field dressed and one buck that was pretty small body wise, he dressed out at 180. Like I said before awsome arrow flight, but as far as penetration goes. I wasnt impressed at all. The concept is cool with the flight tabs and that ability for the blades to spin out of the way of bones and what not. I shot the buck high in the shoulder blade at 30 yards and didnt even get an exit. I was shooting a bowtech patriot at 70lbs with a 29inch draw and a goldtip XT arrow. Total arrow weight was about 385 and speed was around 285 I believe. The tips on the Crossfires are not very sharp and Im guessing that is the main reason for lack of penetration.

[TFOX]

Rocket expandables have a right offset to them and they fly and penetrate awesome.

[brucelanthier]

I am drawn to the idea of the Crimson Talon air foil/helical broadhead. Granted it is marketing for sure but if some of these claims are true:

A top research scientist working on the International Space Station Program has developed a new way to achieve flawless broadhead flight.
By applying a patented variable degree axial flow airfoils to the trailing edge of broadhead blades - arrows are now spin-stabilized from the front. Traditionally archers have attempted to guide their hunting shafts from the rear with vanes or feathers - that's the same as trying to steer your car from inside the trunk! This radical departure from traditional broadhead design results in dramatically reduced aerodynamic drag increasing arrow speeds and flattening trajectories.
Spin-Tite Airfoil Technology™ improves ballistics - the faster the bow - the more spin-stabilization imparted on the arrow shaft! No more being penalized for shooting an ultra-fast bow. And because arrows are now spin-stabilized by the broadhead, wind-planing is a thing of the past.

The patent-pending Spiral Wound Channel™ inflicts the most lethal wound channel in the hunting industry. All our broadheads continue rotating as they pass-through producing the patent-pending Spiral-Wound Channel™ - a wound channel that cannot close or clot under any circumstance. The result is unmistakable blood trails and the most humane harvests possible.

then it would seem like you could use the spinning energy of the arrow to impart more killing damage to the animal. I especially like the way they compare it to a drywall screw. If you are at all familiar with them you will know that they pull themselves into and through the working material.

It sounds like rocket expandables are using the same concept.

[HOPEMILLS450R]

Save your money as far as the Crimson talons go . Bought a pack of three last week and shot them today . I shoot a PSE firestorm X and from 25 yards out they fly to the right on every shot . At first I thouht it might just be me that was off so I shot my feild points a few times and then my mechs. It was'nt me that was off or an out of tune bow . Just my 2 cents .

[TFOX]

The Rockets are OFFSET ,not HELICAL.

I feel it does help penetraton and maybe even a LITTLE with flight but they do not pull themselves through like the claims of the Talons.

I personally doubt the theory but they seem to be improving the product from the original version.

[Dubbya]

ORIGINAL: HOPEMILLS450R

Save your money as far as the Crimson talons go . Bought a pack of three last week and shot them today . I shoot a PSE firestorm X and from 25 yards out they fly to the right on every shot . At first I thouht it might just be me that was off so I shot my feild points a few times and then my mechs. It was'nt me that was off or an out of tune bow . Just my 2 cents .

Your field points and mechs should always shoot the same. My bet is that if you shot another fixed blade head that it would be off as well. Your bow may be tuned but it appears that your rest is out of tune.

As for the Talons, I just got a few packs from a buddy. They fly the exact same as my ST's, Muzzy's, American's, FP's and Mech's... they only thing I don't like is that the blades aren't attached to the ferrule at the base and pulling them out of the target can bend the crap out of them. They seem to fly just fine though.

[brucelanthier]

ORIGINAL: TFOX

I personally doubt the theory but they seem to be improving the product from the original version.

I don't necessarily buy into the theory myself but it sure does seem to have some merit. I do like the idea of somehow using that spinning energy, once the arrow contacts the target, in a positive way. And, to also bring in the "heavy/light arrow" argument LOL, the spinning energy, if utilized correctly in the crimson talon theory, would have much more effect with a heavy arrow. I wonder if spine strength would also be a factor. Seems like it would, with the torqueing of the arrow and all.

It doesn't seem there could be a realistic test of the "pull through' effectiveness though. Even on game animals, who's to say which pass thru was more effective or if one pass thru is more effective than another given that they hit the exact same spot.