A local store is having a sale on Thunderhead broadheads and other types like them. I am tempted to buy them up but I have never heard much on how these types of broadheads perform with traditional bows. I have seen Mr Fred Eichler use them with some success and I was wondering if anyone on here had any stories to share and perhaps some advice on whether I should go ahead with the purchase?
They will work fine. Maybe a little lack of penetration from a 45# on an canadian moose (may not get a pass through LOL). You'll be fine. They are a good broadhead.
I posed the same question a while back on the other site and found lots of guys had good things to say about them, I can tell you with a compound they were deadly.
I used them last year. I had a #50@28 I drew a little further than that. The deer went about 70 yards total. It was close a to a 35 yard shot.
Chris Kiefner
I've probably killed a half a dozen deer using Thunderhead 125's from various stickbows. Always left a decent blood trail.
Well seems to me like they are all right then. Canadian Tire just made a few more bucks. Thanx guys.
I shot them in my compound days. First ever bow kill was with the Thunderhead 125's, a fat whitetail doe, MMMMMMMMM!!
Thunderheads were all I ever used when I shot wheels. Too bad ya can't get 'em in a glue on LOL. I know a couple trad shooters that use 'em with good results.
When I shot aluminums with my recurves I shot a few with Thunderhead 125's and the penetration and blood trails were great.
Because of a lack of blade sharpening ability, I used thunderheads for years off my trad bows. I couldn't tell you the number of anumals I've taken with them but it is a lot. In my opinion, they are one of (if not the) best out there.
Bisch
I also liked the 125 grain muzzys, they flew nice for turkey and shot exactly like your field points.
I don't think I'll ever use anything but them again and I've shot Magnus, Zwickey, G5's, Steelforce and a bunch of others.
Why? They're as bomb proof as any head I've used, they will not tip bend, they will not break on you. The blades are ultra super sharp - you never have to worry about what sharpness your heads are.
Yes, they're not cut on impact, but take that tip, and using a nice diamond stone you can get it ultra needle sharp in no time, and that along with the ultra sharp factory blades is better than many resharpendable heads that people use saying they're "sharp" when they're a long ways from it.
I bought up some 160 gr 3 blades and using a KME resharpen the blades. Here is a buck I shot with a 700 gr arrow/head and 125 gr Thunderhead this past fall - the arrow blew through him high rib shot, coming out low on the opposite side, arrow laying on the ground where I hit him, head didn't show any signs of being used to be honest.
Also a comparison in a 125 gr head vs a 160
(http://i38.tinypic.com/29oh66r.jpg)
(http://i40.tinypic.com/2mq23p4.jpg)
Well I must admit I am a bit surprised to hear so many trad shooters using these heads. It really helps get rid of the lingering doubts I once had about heads of this sort.
Years ago,when we were all just "bowhunters" (in the 1970's) Lots of us used aluminium arrows fletched with plastic vanes and tipped with an "inter-changable blade" type head.....we shot these off an elevated rest out of old production recurves.The term "traditional bowhunter" was unheard of.The only thing we really thought about,was hitting the target.
Nothing really has changed except attitudes.
Thunderheads are fantastic heads and remain one of my personal favorites to this day.
Like Brad mentioned, a trad shooter who is sharpening challenged would be better off shooting a Thunderhead than a dull or sorta sharp "trad" head.
I won't get into the penetration question...that's been beat on enough.
I don't care for replaceable blade heads simply becuase there are a lotta rocks here in Missouri. The only way you are getting a broadhead back in decent shape is if it stays inside the deer. If you miss or pass through, that head is toast.
The Thunderhead 160 leaves monstrous holes and phenomenal blood trails. And that was shooting the head on a 2219 aluminum shaft and a not so fast compound about 20 years ago. I killed one doe in WV that didn't make it 30 yards from the point of impact. There was not a whole lot of blood left to drain out of her body.
Bill
"Razor sharp and ready to hunt, right out of the pack"...
All the modular head manufacturers make this claim but sadly, few blades actually are. The NAP Thunderhead is one of the few that are indeed consistantly huntin sharp, right outa the pack. The only others that I'm aware of are Steelforce and Silverflame. Thunderheads are great heads for sure.
Ron
I like them because I am sharpening challenged as well, but getting better. I use those and Magnus Stingers. I plan on getting a KME to help me resharpen the stingers.
QuoteOriginally posted by Talondale:
I like them because I am sharpening challenged as well, but getting better. I use those and Magnus Stingers. I plan on getting a KME to help me resharpen the stingers.
The broadhead sharpener was actually developed specifically for sharpening replacement blades (back in my wheelie bow days). With 2 sets of clamp jaws, it will sharpen both your Stingers and your Thunderhead blades. Replacement blades are getting too expensive to throw out after practicing with them.
Ron
Well here's my testimony. I won a pack of 180 grain heads in the mid '80s at a shoot, no longer made. Then with all the talk over heavy up-front weight, I decided to try them out. 2117 alum. arrows, I have a practice broadhead that I've tried to destroy. Stumps, rocks even shot a gopher at my friends house and richocet off the foundation, I can't say more! Use a ceramic stick to keep the blades razor sharp. Oh, and did I mention the big doe I shot with one out of a Black Locust selfbow 55lbs. Now does anyone have anymore 180 grain blades?
Thunderheads and good ole Muzzy 3 blades aren't in vogue anymore. They're solid designs. I think the muzzy is a better design personally, but I've used both. My only complaint with them is that Thunderheads are a hassle to deal with when they aren't on the arrow, and Muzzy's need a touch up on the stone out-of-the-box.
All I used in the wheel days, and will likely be what I get my first trad deer with.
Jeff Strubberg - I'd shoot my 160 gr Thunderheads into a concrete block right along side all the 2 and 3 blade Magnus, Zwickey, Snufer, Steel Force etc etc heads and would expect it to hold up as well as the best and better than most.
I've got that much confidence in those heads.
And you will replace those blades every time...that's my objection to em.
Killed many deer and a black bear with Thunderheads during my compound shooting days. Have no doubt they would work just fine out of my recurves and longbows. It just so happens that I like to sharpen my own heads and have no problem doing so. Now I shoot the older Bear Razorheads, Magnus and Muzzy Phantoms.
QuoteOriginally posted by Sharpster:
QuoteOriginally posted by Talondale:
I like them because I am sharpening challenged as well, but getting better. I use those and Magnus Stingers. I plan on getting a KME to help me resharpen the stingers.
The broadhead sharpener was actually developed specifically for sharpening replacement blades (back in my wheelie bow days). With 2 sets of clamp jaws, it will sharpen both your Stingers and your Thunderhead blades. Replacement blades are getting too expensive to throw out after practicing with them.
Ron [/b]
That's good to hear because I saved most of my used blades for practice blades. My birthday is Saturday and it's on my wish list.
I wouldn't shoot a Steelforce broadhead into a concrete block. I had one break on me when I shot a bit high and hit a "fresh" stump.
Bill
Can`t speak on the Thunderheads as I`ve never used them out of trad bows but I have killed a lot of stuff with Muzzy 125 grain 3 blades no problems with penetration or blood trails.
In reality most lost animals are not because of broadhead design but are due to poor shot placement.RC
"And you will replace those blades every time"
Nope, I have a KME and will resharpen them. I suppose a blade will get too badly dinged/chiped etc to reuse, but I've destroyed quite a few 2 blade COI heads and have figured out what works best for me.
New head = more money than a single blade