I got a compete pass through on 16 greasy pizza boxes and shot the neighbors cow at the same time...   :rolleyes:    I think i'm good to go on penetration and just bought enough beef for a year from the neighbor.....    :eek:

     Kirkll enjoy that beef  

Ok guys. It would be awesome if mystical magical forces governed the laws of archery that deem all things to be immeasurable. Would make shooting a bow that much more fun. But they don't and all parts of archery can be measured including penetration and predictions can be made off these findings. If you do not believe that I can't help you any further.

If I could consistently shoot a broadhead through 60 layers of cardboard no one would doubt its lethality. If I couldn't penetration a single layer there is no way I would hunt with it. Simply trying to find the point in between that maintains a correlation.

If you don't want to admit that. That's ok. I'm not here to change your mind. I simply want those who are interested to join in. I made a frame tonight and will get boxes tomorrow to breakdown and shoot. 3 kids and two jobs makes spare time rare!

We use to shoot broadheads into cardboard before they made broadhead targets.A lot of guys on here would learn things if they tried it.

I did another test yesterday. I tried 2 different broadheads, shot both into 15 layers of cardboard (that's all I had not 20 sorry). The penetration was fairly consistent +/-  1" or so. here are my averages from 10 - 20 - 30 yards

Equipment

Bow: Hoyt Dorado 45@28 I draw 27 ¾, with below arrow with 125 grain field points it chrono's 198 fps.

Arrow: Easton Stalker Extreme 500's 31" with 4" feathers. 265 grains with no point.  

Broadheads

Zwickey Eskilite w/5/16" bleeders 135 grain, total arrow weight is 400 grains.

Magnus Snuffers 125 grains, total arrow weight is 390 grains.

both broadheads were sharp enough to pop rubber bands/shave hair.  

10 Yards
Zwickey, 24.5"
Snuffers, 19.5"

20 Yards
Zwickey, 23.5"
Snuffers, 18.25"

30 Yards
Zwickey, 10"
Snuffers, 5"

FYI I use the cardboard flats that cans vegetables come on. Also I will be using the Zwickey this year, the Snuffers sounded like a wiffle ball in flight.

Not trying to be a wet blanket, but I am not sure any realistic test can be made on these artificial targets that will show much about performance on live big game. It will, however, give a relatively good comparison of various sets of equipment on a similar medium, but that does not necessarily translate well to a discussion of elk, deer, hogs, etc. This comparison may be useful, though, even if it is just a confidence booster.

Nor do I think it is necessary. If you have a reasonably powerful bow matched up to well tuned arrows and place the arrow well, the animal is going down. (This is intended to place emphasis on hunting skills).

I wonder if the Indians got so carried away with discussing and testing all this stuff, or if they just went hunting.

"It will, however, give a relatively good comparison of various sets of equipment on a similar medium"

For me that's all this is about, comparing equipment.

On the other hand ballistics don't lie! If you get more penetration with one arrow then the other in a test like this it's sure bet you will get more penetration on an animal, how much more? Who knows there are way too many variables to account for but if I shot a relaxed deer of equal size and at the same distance with the snuffer vs zwickey I would put money on it I will get better penetration with the zwickey. it's not a mystical unanswerable question, it's simply ballistics, people have been using ballistics to measure lethality of weapons for hundreds of years. I don't get why it's so hard for you guys to understand that????