I have been shooting Magnus I's for years with great results, but this year due to a number of factors I have moved down in weight from 57-60# to 53# on my longbow I will be chasing elk with. I'm second guessing myself on going to STOS or Zwickey No Mercy instead of the big Magnus I. What do you guys think?

I have never hunted Elk before but I believe the Magnus I's would perform just fine. I shoot a longbow that is 53# @ 27". I shoot a 590 grain arrow off of it that is tipped with a 175 grain woodman elite bh. I would feel comfortable shooting anything on this continent with my setup as well as many of the critters over in Africa.

I shoot deltas at 55# and have no doubt they will find the other side of an elk. You should have no problems.

Well, you have shot them for years with great results. Therefore they have already proven themselves to you. I would stick with them. They are a great head. Good shot placement and sharp heads you will find the opposite side. And even if you dont get a pass through, that 1 1/2" razor wiggling around in the vitals as they run will do still alot of additional cutting.

I think very highly of the STOS heads. I have not killed an Elk with one yet; but they have worked great on some decent Hogs.

If you are right wing fletched, I suggest the Red Feather heads. Bangin.

The Stos are a good choice, but your Magnus I's will work fine as well, just make sure you're arrows are still tuned perfectly.

I don't have any experience with the Magnus heads but I have been using the Zwickey Eskimo 125 gr. heads since I started shooting my longbows. I have taken 2 elk using these heads and both fell in sight. First elk was shot using a 53 lb bow and the 2nd shot using a 60 lb bow. Both hit with arrows weighting 550 grains. Good luck with your decision.

There's only two broadheads to shoot.  I love Adcock's BH tuning comparing a 160 Snuffer to a 160 FP, so why not shoot a Snuffer for whitetails?  And if your after something bigger shoot the 160 STOS.  And as a great third choice 165 No Mercy.  Five grains make no diff.

Bowmania

I'm with Bowmania on this.  160 gr. Stos for this years elk hunt and 160 gr. snuffers for everything else.

I believe Fred Bear made some experimental large sized razorheads way back when.. He and some of his cohorts used them on a few hunts and decided while the big heads were fine for deer he liked the standard sized broadheads for larger game...

I would shoot what you are the most comfortable with, the Magnus 1

I sure like STOS heads but any of those should work.  I would hunt with the heads that shoot the best for your setup.

I would stick with what you are using.  If you have your arrows tuned properly and are personally able to get your broadheads sharp, you have what you need.  

No real need to change.

I hunted elk with 53# and 3-blade VPA terminator heads. Put it in the boiler room, and you'll be fine. (I did not kill an elk with my set up, but I feel 100% confident that I could have.)

If you need to change to keep your confidence up, then change.  Otherwise, I think you'll be fine with Magnus I's.

Brett

The magnus 1's are a great head but i have used the magnus stingers to harvest my last 3 elk and have complete confidence in them.

I would stay with what has been working unless you have a flight problem. Magnus makes a good head. Why try to fix something thats not broken ?