Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
06-05-2003, 07:22 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
Crimson Talon 100 grain
Accuracy 4 points
Plywood 4 points
Steel drum 3 points
Tire 1 point
Cutting diameter 4 points
Blades 6 points
Non-mechanical head 2 points
Total score: 24 with a blade sharpness rating of B-
The Crimson Talon is a fixed 6 blade head styled similar to a Muzzy in many ways. The tip and ferrule are very much like Muzzy uses. The blades however do not interlock. While there are 6 cutting edges, the number of actual “blades” is only 3. Each Blade has two cutting surfaces, one large and one small. The larger surface is “twisted” much like helical on fletching. The smaller surfaces are short and straight, but just large enough to open up the wound channel. The manufacture claims that these heads do not require any tuning. The add say’s “ just screw them on and go hunting”. I didn’t find this to be true. I won’t go into ethics, but I disagree with any sort of statement like that. It is up to every bowhunter to tune their equipment and make sure that their hunting heads shoot where they aim.
In the tests I found the heads to be very accurate, I shot them out of two different bows, one tuned for 100grain heads, the other setup for 125grain heads. In both cases I found the heads to shoot very accurately, but not always with the field points. With The bow setup and tuned for 100grain heads the Crimson Talons did indeed shoot right with my field points, but in the bow setup for 125grain heads they shot about 3” left and 3” high. They did however group very well. In the steel drum the head penetrated the first wall with the tip sticking in the back. All of the larger blades were bent, twisted, and “squeezed” down in size to about an inch. In the plywood the head penetrated fully, but again with the same kind of damage as in the steel drum. In the tire the head stopped prior to fully penetrating the first side, and there was some bending and twisting of the blades.
Overall this is not a bad broadhead as far as performance goes. It is accurate, and it does penetrate fairly well in most materials. The 6 blade configuration should really open up the wound channel in soft tissue. The larger blades are very easy to bend. I managed to twist one while shooting into my block target. I will say though that I didn’t break off any blades, but when ever the head struck a hard object the main blades bent and twisted effectively reducing the cutting diameter to around 1 inch or so.
I have mixed feelings about the Crimson Talons. I honestly feel that they will perform well on game, as far as doing what a broadhead should do, cut and destroy tissue while penetrating into the vital organs. That said, I didn’t find their accuracy to be any better than most quality fixed blade broadheads. Yes they shoot well, but I did not find them to offer mechanical broadhead accuracy such as stated on the package. The bottom line, they will perform on game, but you will go through blades fast during practice, and they will cost you twice as much as most other replaceable blade heads.
Accuracy 4 points
Plywood 4 points
Steel drum 3 points
Tire 1 point
Cutting diameter 4 points
Blades 6 points
Non-mechanical head 2 points
Total score: 24 with a blade sharpness rating of B-
The Crimson Talon is a fixed 6 blade head styled similar to a Muzzy in many ways. The tip and ferrule are very much like Muzzy uses. The blades however do not interlock. While there are 6 cutting edges, the number of actual “blades” is only 3. Each Blade has two cutting surfaces, one large and one small. The larger surface is “twisted” much like helical on fletching. The smaller surfaces are short and straight, but just large enough to open up the wound channel. The manufacture claims that these heads do not require any tuning. The add say’s “ just screw them on and go hunting”. I didn’t find this to be true. I won’t go into ethics, but I disagree with any sort of statement like that. It is up to every bowhunter to tune their equipment and make sure that their hunting heads shoot where they aim.
In the tests I found the heads to be very accurate, I shot them out of two different bows, one tuned for 100grain heads, the other setup for 125grain heads. In both cases I found the heads to shoot very accurately, but not always with the field points. With The bow setup and tuned for 100grain heads the Crimson Talons did indeed shoot right with my field points, but in the bow setup for 125grain heads they shot about 3” left and 3” high. They did however group very well. In the steel drum the head penetrated the first wall with the tip sticking in the back. All of the larger blades were bent, twisted, and “squeezed” down in size to about an inch. In the plywood the head penetrated fully, but again with the same kind of damage as in the steel drum. In the tire the head stopped prior to fully penetrating the first side, and there was some bending and twisting of the blades.
Overall this is not a bad broadhead as far as performance goes. It is accurate, and it does penetrate fairly well in most materials. The 6 blade configuration should really open up the wound channel in soft tissue. The larger blades are very easy to bend. I managed to twist one while shooting into my block target. I will say though that I didn’t break off any blades, but when ever the head struck a hard object the main blades bent and twisted effectively reducing the cutting diameter to around 1 inch or so.
I have mixed feelings about the Crimson Talons. I honestly feel that they will perform well on game, as far as doing what a broadhead should do, cut and destroy tissue while penetrating into the vital organs. That said, I didn’t find their accuracy to be any better than most quality fixed blade broadheads. Yes they shoot well, but I did not find them to offer mechanical broadhead accuracy such as stated on the package. The bottom line, they will perform on game, but you will go through blades fast during practice, and they will cost you twice as much as most other replaceable blade heads.
06-05-2003, 08:32 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA Sask CAN
Posts: 321
RE: Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
5shot,
Good, unbiased report as always.
Were you shooting with helical or offset? I believe their " big claim" is that the broadhead blades actually cause the arrow to spin therefore one could use shorter fletching with no offset and still get accuarate broadhead flight.
If you were using 4 or 5 inch fletching it would be interesting to test their theory with 2.5 inch fletching and see how the accuracy holds up...
Good, unbiased report as always.
Were you shooting with helical or offset? I believe their " big claim" is that the broadhead blades actually cause the arrow to spin therefore one could use shorter fletching with no offset and still get accuarate broadhead flight.
If you were using 4 or 5 inch fletching it would be interesting to test their theory with 2.5 inch fletching and see how the accuracy holds up...
06-05-2003, 09:03 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 439
RE: Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
Thanks 5-shot, I have not tried mine out yet - but was curious on how to get them out of the target without breaking them if the head did not go through completely. On the box it states that they recommend straight instead of helical. I shoot 4 degree left. I suppose I' ll stick with the steelforce 100 sabertooth - they group right with my field points and are razor sharp. Good report!
06-06-2003, 03:44 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
RE: Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
I shot the heads with straight and right helical fletchings. In both cases the accuracy was good and If I had 1/2 points I may have given them a 4 1/2 in the accuracy dept. But I don' t have 1/2 points and with the claims the manufacture makes I was tough on them as far as the accuracy score goes. I see like this, if you state it for the truth the head better preform.
06-06-2003, 05:16 AM
#5
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
RE: Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
Thanks Chris. Definitely your usual thorough review of the heads. From my judgement of your review I think I would be safe to say that they are not a significant improvement over the other replacement blade style heads currently on the market.
Can you come up with an area where they might be better than some other replacement blade heads?
Can you come up with an area where they might be better than some other replacement blade heads?
06-06-2003, 06:07 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: WEST PALM FLORIDA
Posts: 2,890
RE: Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
Thanks 5 shot for a great report , they looked kind of " gimmicky" to me and flemsy , if you get a chance I' d like to see a report on game trackers new 1 1/2 inch fixed 2 blade head , looks like a winner . I went to your sight and saw the report on last years game trackers and they got pretty good scores . Thanks again for the time and effort of doing these reports they inform us fellow hunters and help us to make good desisons .
06-06-2003, 07:31 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Heaven IA USA
Posts: 2,597
RE: Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
Thanks for the info on this head my friend. I haven' t had the chance to play with one. Very good report. Excellent description how the blades slid into the ferrule. I have not so much as held one in my hand and from your report I now understand how the blades fit into the ferrule.
I too find it troubling that " truth in advertising" has become an oxymoron. It is almost to the point where a person might just as well believe in the tooth fairy or Peter Pan as in some of these ads.
Another question that comes to my mind concerning this head. How would you rate the quality of components and/or tolerances? I think you answered one with the sharpness rating. Did every head spin true? What was the variance in weight one head to another? Was there any " play" in the blades once installed in the ferrule?
Thanks again for your investment in these reports. I enjoy every one.
I too find it troubling that " truth in advertising" has become an oxymoron. It is almost to the point where a person might just as well believe in the tooth fairy or Peter Pan as in some of these ads.
Another question that comes to my mind concerning this head. How would you rate the quality of components and/or tolerances? I think you answered one with the sharpness rating. Did every head spin true? What was the variance in weight one head to another? Was there any " play" in the blades once installed in the ferrule?
Thanks again for your investment in these reports. I enjoy every one.
06-06-2003, 05:51 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
RE: Crimson Talon 100 grn broadhead test results
To answer Frank and CG questions, No. I can see some potential in a 6 blade head if they would just cut the cutting diamter down to 1" and the same blade retention system, but with 6 smaller harder non-vented blades. I think that would make one heck of a deadly head that would still shoot well. Of course that' s just something I would like to see.
Antler, every head spun true and the overall fit and finish was pretty good, at least as good as most other major manufactures. The tips could also be a little harder, but they did fit well. The Three heads were between 99 and 100 grns. Pretty darn good. I don' t have a digital scale though. Overall I would say the heads were put together well, but the blades could be made harder, as I don' t see any advantage in the " flexable" ones now on the heads.
Antler, every head spun true and the overall fit and finish was pretty good, at least as good as most other major manufactures. The tips could also be a little harder, but they did fit well. The Three heads were between 99 and 100 grns. Pretty darn good. I don' t have a digital scale though. Overall I would say the heads were put together well, but the blades could be made harder, as I don' t see any advantage in the " flexable" ones now on the heads.