My Dad shot a nice 9 point buck yesterday evening. Big bodied deer for AR, guesstimate around 175 lbs live weight. Dad was using a Q2, set to 55 pounds and a 5575 Gold Tip arrow. These broadheads were First Cut - the kind Wal Mart carries. He was 20 feet up in a pine, and the deer was quartering to him at 20 yards. The shot was a little far back, and Dad said there was a "thwack" when the arrow hit. The deer ran by him and out to about 60 yards and laid down. As the deer was running Dad saw quite a bit of arrow hanging out.

Enough time went by and the buck was recovered about 100 yards from the shot. The shot hit the last two ribs on one side, went through the end of that lung, through the liver and remained in the deer - no exit hole. The broadhead did cut through a bit, but the arrow only penetrated about 18"-20". The arrow came out the way it went in because there was no blood on the last 10" of the nock/vane end.

Anyway, heres pics of the broadhead. Looks much like a snyper I think. I think the head smacked a rib head on and immediately bent over as the pictures show. The head itsself it also bent pretty good. Remember, the arrow was pulled back through the deer the way it went in, no passthrough, no way the head could have bent after the shot. I think the very poor penetration was due to the head bending on the impact. The gut (pretty sure it took gut out too - he field dressed it, not me) might have slowed the arrow down a bit, but only 18-20" penetration from a 55# Q2 compound and Gold Tip arrows ?

I say failure because that tip shouldn't have bent, that head shouldn't have bent. Yes, the deer was recovered, but had the arrow smacked heavier rib bone, or shoulder bone, maybe only 12-16" of penetration or worse ?

Just FYI on a real situation with real pictures and real results. Any comments ?







Stealthycat's Photo's

Edited by - stealthycat on 10/20/2002 16:32:50

Edited by - stealthycat on 10/20/2002 20:03:28

Well I see your problem right away- your shooting one of those invisible broadheads- tell him you shouldn't hunt with those- no penatration and hard to find<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_evil.gif border=0 align=middle>

at least it did the job and the deer was not lost or mamed. looks like the problem is in the thin pointy (soft metal?) tip design. I would assume that another mechanical with a different head would have done better. A sharp chisel head like on a muzzy or wasp should crush the bone without bending. Broadheads work fine if the bow is tuned they fly good.

Edited by - meatgazer on 10/20/2002 18:04:45

Hey S.Cat thinks for the pictures. I am a big fan of Mech. heads but
not a big fan of these type of head becouse of the type of tip it has on it. I don't think it is strong enough and it's to thin. It would be ok if did not hit a rib or shoulder bone but thats going to happen with time.Ilike the tip on some of the rocket heads that have the pathfinder point or some of the points like the smart tip, or just a chisel tip, becouse they seem to bust through bone 10 times better.
Thats just What I think. Glad he found the deer, but be easy on my Arkansas big bucks. ha ha Hope you get one 2

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The above information came from examining the carcass before my Dad skinned the deer. While I was right that the arrow broke a rib going in, what was not evident or obvious was that the angle was a little sharper than appeared and the arrow actually hit the hip bone of the deer and broke the hip socket. Thus the &quot;thwack&quot; when the arrow hit, thus the bent tip. Would a Muzzy/Thunderhead penetrated any better ? Doubtful I think, because smashing a hip bone takes a lot out of an arrow !

Anyway, my apologies for bashing this head - it appears that it DOES take some punishment without falling apart. I have edited the title with my OOOOPS

Stealthycat's Photo's

We understand? <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> I still dont like that flimsy tip

Sounds as though that broadhead did a pretty good job, huh? Broke the rib and the hipbone, not the legbone? I am impressed. It might not be my tip of choice but man!

i never liked the head from day one. i didnt like the design. if u want pass through's shoot the muzzy's...a sure thing..the best head ever made, in my books. i like the rockets..the slammers and steelheads r good heads. switch!! NIce story...thanks

Hey Stealthy was this a 100 grainer or a 125? Either way coming out of a 55 lb. bow I think the head did quite well.

I have taken two nice bucks with the 125 first cut series. While they are not my favorite head they both performed well. One hit ribs going in and I didn't get a complete passthrough on a broadside buck although the tip of the head punched a hole in the far side. That was shot out of a Q2XL set at 67 lbs. The second buck was shot with a 70 lb Darton as it was quartering away (200 lb + buck). It entered the back of the rib cage on the right side and exited out the front left side of the chest taking out both lungs but never hitting a rib. The buck only went 60 yards.

Neither head showed much damage and gave good blood trails.

Give your Father my congratulations!

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