Any success with Thunderheads and the like?

unregistered · April 21, 2009, 09:05:00 PM

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?

wapiti · April 21, 2009, 09:40:00 PM

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.

elbow · April 21, 2009, 09:45:00 PM

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.

chris K. · April 21, 2009, 09:45:00 PM

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

Otto · April 21, 2009, 10:02:00 PM

I've probably killed a half a dozen deer using Thunderhead 125's from various stickbows. Always left a decent blood trail.

unregistered · April 21, 2009, 10:25:00 PM

Well seems to me like they are all right then. Canadian Tire just made a few more bucks. Thanx guys.

unclewhit · April 21, 2009, 10:38:00 PM

I shot them in my compound days. First ever bow kill was with the Thunderhead 125's, a fat whitetail doe, MMMMMMMMM!!

Autumnarcher · April 21, 2009, 11:47:00 PM

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.

2-BIG · April 21, 2009, 11:55:00 PM

When I shot aluminums with my recurves I shot a few with Thunderhead 125's and the penetration and blood trails were great.

April 22, 2009, 12:47:00 AM

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

wollelybugger · April 22, 2009, 06:51:00 AM

I also liked the 125 grain muzzys, they flew nice for turkey and shot exactly like your field points.

BradLantz · April 22, 2009, 07:21:00 AM

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

unregistered · April 22, 2009, 09:26:00 AM

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.

woodchucker · April 22, 2009, 10:11:00 AM

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.

SlowBowinMO · April 22, 2009, 10:31:00 AM

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.

Jeff Strubberg · April 22, 2009, 10:33:00 AM

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.

WildmanSC · April 22, 2009, 10:55:00 AM

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

Sharpster · April 22, 2009, 11:03:00 AM

"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

Talondale · April 22, 2009, 11:17:00 AM

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.

Sharpster · April 22, 2009, 11:52:00 AM

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