Which broadhead weight?

nrhardin

FNG
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
42
Location
CO
Hey all,

Getting back into archery with a primary target of elk, although I will also have a mule deer tag and go back east to hunt whitetail once each year.

I'm a short guy so only have a 27" draw. Arrow length is 27.5" currently set to 64 lbs, but trying to get to 70 by the time the season rolls around. The guys at No Limits Archery were very helpful in getting me set up and I cant remember the exact figure, but my current arrow weight is around 450 gr. The FOC was somewhere in the 10-15% range with a 100 grain field point.

My question is what BH weight to use? I've narrowed it down to either Slick Trick Viper Trick, but tossing around checking out the Iron Will BHs too. 100 gr seems like a no-fuss choice, but is there any benefit to going to 125? Would that make my FOC too high? Trying to maximize everything since I do have a short draw length.

Thanks for your help.
 
Joined
Aug 9, 2017
Messages
469
Location
Southeast Texas
You’ll probably get a lot of differing opinions on this. But here is my opinion on BH selection (I don’t elk hunt, this is just my philosophy on BH choice in general)

1) 100 grain heads are a dime a dozen, and all manufacturers have a 100 grain option. Going this route will keep options open down the road

2) IMO, 25 grains isn’t significant enough to worry about switching. 50 grains would be the tipping point for me to switch.

3) you would be hard pressed to convince me that there can be too much FOC on a hunting arrow until you start hitting 250-300 grains up front. I shoot 92 grains worth of insert with a 100 grain head and I am at 16.8% FOC, which has worked very well and flies great. Some may disagree, but for me FOC is my friend.

4) if you’re accurate with your current setup, changing that may not be the best idea.
 

Sharp Things

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Messages
265
Location
In the woods
The more FOC the better you can steer any broadhead. Im at 22.5% and can shoot even the huge fixed blade Rothhaar Snuffer 3 blade. There are zero negatives to heavy arrows and high FOC. If you value penetration on large game or if you hit bone, you will want heavy, high FOC arrows. Im currently using 250 grain cutthroat single bevel heads but have taken large game with 250 grain woodsman and snuffers. and never worried that I had enough momentum to penetrate.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2015
Messages
1,186
Location
British Columbia
I went with 125gr to increase FOC and to design a heavier arrow. Arrow tip weight, albeit marginal, also affects spine choice. If you haven't used Archers Advantage Online I'd give it a shot, only $12 for the year. I learned so much about my arrow setup by using it. I like to aim for an arrow around 500gr and with ~15% FOC, just works for me.

GoHunt article as well on how to use as using the program put me in over my head when I first signed in How to build an accurate sight tape for bowhunting | goHUNT
 
Joined
Sep 7, 2017
Messages
324
Location
Boise, Id.
You’ll probably get a lot of differing opinions on this. But here is my opinion on BH selection (I don’t elk hunt, this is just my philosophy on BH choice in general)

1) 100 grain heads are a dime a dozen, and all manufacturers have a 100 grain option. Going this route will keep options open down the road

2) IMO, 25 grains isn’t significant enough to worry about switching. 50 grains would be the tipping point for me to switch.

3) you would be hard pressed to convince me that there can be too much FOC on a hunting arrow until you start hitting 250-300 grains up front. I shoot 92 grains worth of insert with a 100 grain head and I am at 16.8% FOC, which has worked very well and flies great. Some may disagree, but for me FOC is my friend.

4) if you’re accurate with your current setup, changing that may not be the best idea.

Good advice ^^^^ above !! The only "negative" for too heavy of an Arrow is GRAVITY for the lighter poundage Bows using, Pins! POOR TRAJECTORY, finally wins out with,.. the heavier arrows ! There is a "happy medium arrow" for everyone ! Enough arrow weight and FOC to do the "Job" but, not so much that your Arrow flies like,.. the arch of a Rainbow ! In our family we have found 10% FOC to be minimum with, 14-17% FOC being optimum and arrows weighing 435 to 505 grains depending on poundage, all with 100 grain BH's !
 

Trial153

WKR
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Messages
8,187
Location
NY
Your just fine with your set up and either of the heads you mentioned are both excellent. I don’t see 25 grains gaining you a whole lot. Honestly I focus all my extra weight to inserts and just shoot 100 grain heads across the board, way more user friendly to have all my different heads in the same weight and I also like the lower profile of 100 grain heads vs there 125s. Solids are a great example of this I think IW hit a home run by keeping the same profile and using the ferrule to vary the weight.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
1,164
Location
Missoula, MT
Most important is having a good tuned setup. Don't sacrifice a tuned arrow for an extra 25g in weight. Going up in head weight may leave your arrow under-spined, so run your numbers through a spine calculator or chart before doing anything, and then shoot through paper to make sure you still have good arrow flight.

I'm similar to you- 27" draw, 65#, 420g arrow going 273 fps. This setup has worked well for me on four elk so far. You current arrow weight is just fine. Make sure you have good broadhead flight and you'll be in business.
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,247
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Corripe cervisiam
The long answer;
It depends a little on what you hunt. Thin skinned whitetails are the easiest on a BH....thus anything works pretty good....and i wouldn't sweat it.

Now if you plan on hunting hogs...or Elk....or if you want max performance from your BH.....thats where I've personally seen some of the BH designs perform poorly is on the heavier animals; ie- some of the over the top mech heads and the short wide entry angle chisel point heads. You don't want your very thin blade chopping through hair, hide and bone....the idea is to have those blades sharp through the animal,eh?

The short story; I prefer a tapered design cut on contact fixed head.
 
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nrhardin

FNG
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
42
Location
CO
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm going to move forward with a 100 grain BH, and add an insert to gain weight if necessary. I am liking my current set up pretty well, and don't want to disrupt anything. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving myself short by sticking with a 100 grain head.
 
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