In many ways, choosing accessories for your bow is more important than choosing the bow itself. So choose wisely!
By Bill Winke
BROADHEADS Rage
Rage 3-Blade
The Rage broadhead takes advantage of Rocky Mountain Broadheads' patent on heads that open from the rear forward (the Snyper was an example). This design has the potential to penetrate straighter -- without deflecting -- than broadheads that open from the front backward. Rage Broadheads are guaranteed to be fully deployed before the blades reach the hide for full cutting diameter and increased kinetic energy. The two-blade Rage has a 2-inch cutting diameter, and the three-blade model has a 1 1/2-inch cutting diameter. Both sizes weigh 100 grains. Call (715) 395-0020, or visit www.ragebroadheads.com.
Muzzy
Muzzy MX-4
Muzzy has two new heads for 2006. The MX-4 is a short-profile head that reduces blade surface so it will shoot like a bullet even from high-speed bows. The new red-colored four-blade head has a cutting diameter of 1 1/8 inch and weighs 100 grains. This is the first new replaceable blade head from Muzzy in a long time, and the sales have been booming. The company also beefed up the popular cut-to-tip Phantom by making the entire ferrule from stainless steel. The new Phantom SS has a finished weight of 200 grains, 220 grains with bleeder blades. Call (770) 387-9300, or visit www.muzzy.com.
Grim Reaper
Grim Reaper Hades
The new Hades fixed-blade broadhead has thick blades and a very rugged notched cutting tip that produces three edges. The three blades are .035 of an inch thick but neck down to .020 of an inch thick to make it easier to achieve a razor-sharp edge. To keep the blades from ever coming out, they are locked in place four ways. The Hades comes in three sizes: 85 grains, 100 grains and 125 grains. All three have cutting diameters of 1 3/16 inch. Call (801) 377-6199, or visit www.grimreaperbroadheads.com.
Innerloc
Innerloc Grappler
Innerloc's newest head is not a broadhead at all but a fishing head. The Grapple line of bowfishing heads comprises three models, a two-blade version and two three-blade versions. However, as whitetail hunters, we are most interested in their line of big-game products, and I am a big fan of their Stainless Extreme because I like super-rugged ferrules that won't yield at all on a shoulder blade hit. The Stainless Extreme has a stainless steel ferrule and three replaceable blades in 100 grains (1 1/16 cutting diameter) and 125 grains (1 1/8 cutting diameter). The EXP series mechanical heads have a retention clip that keeps the blades closed until impact, eliminating the need for O-rings or rubber bands. Call (706) 782-5863, or visit www.innerloc.com.
Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain Titanium 100
Rocky Mountain Broadheads is under new management, and the new owners have kept the six most popular heads in the line. They consist of four fixed-blade broadheads and two mechanical broadheads. The mechanical models are the 2-Blade Snyper and the 3-Blade Snyper, which both have blades that open from the rear forward to eliminate the possibility of deflection on impact. The four fixed-blade heads are the Titanium 100, Turbo, Ironhead and Premier. The Titanium 100 has been a hugely popular three-blade head over the past decade, and the Turbo typifies today's modern generation of compact heads with short, stubby blades and low potential for wind planing. It is ideal for fast arrows and weighs 100 grains with a 1 1/8-inch cutting diameter. The Ironhead and Premier are also historically very popular heads. Call (715) 395-0533, or visit www.rockymtbroadheads.com.
Steel Force
Vision Quest sells the popular Steel Force line of cut-on-impact broadheads, best known for the Sabertooth line of steel and titanium heads. The new Steel Venom is the company's first three-blade cut-on-impact broadhead. These heads are nice because the blades are replaceable, making it easy for those who don't have the time or expertise to give their heads a razor edge. The heads have an aluminum ferrule with a rugged steel tip. The heads come in three sizes -- 85 grains, 100 grains and 125 grains -- with cutting diameters of 1 inch for the 85- and 100-grain sizes and 1 1/16 inches for the 125-grain size. These are conservative heads that are geared toward offering maximum penetration from a downward tree-stand-shooting angle. Call (570) 448-2845, or visit www.steelforce.com.
New Archery Products
NAP Thunderhead-XP 100
Cutting-tip broadheads continue to be very popular because they slice instead of punch, improving penetration. For 2006, NAP has redesigned their ever-popular Thunderhead by attaching a cutting blade to the tip. The result is a fixed-blade broadhead with cut-on-impact performance with the same great tradition for rugged design and super-sharp blades. The new Thunderhead XP 100 has the same specifications as the original. It weighs 100 grains and has three blades with a cutting diameter of 1 1/8 inches. It has a blade thickness of .027 of an inch. The Crossfire and Nitron heads, introduced in 2005, continue to be hot sellers. These fixed-blade heads feature short, stubby blades for reduced wind planing (better accuracy) at high arrow speeds. Call (800) 323-1279, or visit www.newarchery.com.
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