My No.1 Big-Game Broadhead
Dave Maas 09.15.16
I can’t count on all my fingers and toes the number of times I’ve been asked, “What do you think is the best broadhead?”
Through the years, I’ve tested and hunted with a wide variety of broadheads. From fixed-blade heads (Zwickey, NAP Thunderhead, G5 Montec and Striker, etc.) to mechanicals (Rocket, G5 T3, Swhacker, Rage, etc.), my experience at the archery range and in the field has certainly led to some strong opinions.
But I’m not going to turn this article into a bash session. Instead, I’m simply going to tell you about the one broadhead that I’ll be using this Saturday, Sept. 17, when Wisconsin’s 2016 archery deer season opens. Before I give you my answer, however, I want to first explain a few things.
Like many products in this world, the best broadhead isn’t always the one that receives the most marketing hype/dollars. Hopefully as a consumer, you’re smart enough to realize that when a celebrity hunter with a TV show says “such and such is the best,” they are a paid endorser in some fashion. Does that mean the product is crap? Absolutely not. In fact, I can’t remember a time when the hunting consumer had such a wide variety of outstanding products from which to choose.
Speaking specifically about broadheads, all of today’s heads will quickly and effectively kill a broadside deer when shot through the lungs at a reasonable distance from a bow with a reasonable draw weight. This is true for fixed-blade heads and mechanicals. And yes, I’ve killed my fair share of deer with mechanicals.
The deciding factor for me is how a broadhead performs when everything doesn’t go exactly as planned. Example: A buck jumps the string and your arrow impacts shoulder bone. It happens, even from close range. Does your broadhead penetrate deeply and still reach the heart/lung zone, or does it stop in the shoulder?
Or how about when a deer is slightly quartering away, and in the split-second it takes for you to release the string and send the arrow on its way, the deer turns even more away, resulting now in a severe quartering-away shot? Does your broadhead penetrate deeply into the chest cavity, or does it skid along the deer’s side, resulting in a marginal hit?
I could go on and on with other examples, but I won’t.
This archery opener the arrows in my quiver will carry four-blade, 125-grain, Magnus Stinger Buzzcut broadheads. Why?
Simple: They’ve never failed me in the field – not once.
And off my compound bows (Mathews Z7 and Mathews Drenalin; both drawing 55 pounds at 27.5 inches) and crossbow (Carbon Express Covert CX-3SL; 175-pound draw, 13.5-inch power stroke), the Magnus Stinger Buzzcut is not only accurate, but it impacts the target in the same place as my 125-grain field points. Believe me, I’ve tested numerous broadheads from my bows, and it’s amazing the difference in impact you can experience between field points and broadheads of the same weight. It’s not uncommon for some fixed-blade heads to strike up to 6 inches out of the bullseye at 20 yards. (Yes, I know bow tuning can be an issue, but that’s a topic for another day.)
Magnus Stinger Buzzcuts are super sharp and tough, too. And because of their cut-on-contact design, you don’t have to draw a lot of weight to achieve deep arrow penetration. In fact, I can’t think of a better broadhead for small-framed shooters and youth hunters who draw 40-50 pounds than a two-blade Magnus Stinger Buzzcut weighing either 85 or 100 grains.
I’m not an engineer – or a deer coroner – so I can’t speak as an expert regarding the Singer Buzzcut’s unique chisel-cut serrated main blade. On the Magnus website, it says “This edge results in superior penetration, massive tissue damage, and excellent blood trails for quicker kills and quicker recovery of your game.” I can only tell you the blood trails are easy to follow, and whitetails don’t run far when you hit them in the vitals with a Buzzcut. Period.
Other things I like about Magnus Stinger Buzzcuts include: made in America; replaceable stainless-steel blades; and a lifetime guarantee.
You read that last part correctly. It states clearly on the product packaging (photo below): “If for any reason you find fault with this broadhead, you may send it back for a complete replacement.” For life!
Good luck this archery season. And whatever broadhead you choose to shoot, be sure to practice with it before attempting a shot on a game animal.
To see how well Magnus Stinger Buzzcut 125-grain 4-blades fly, watch the video below. Note: No one should shoot at animals at this distance; this is simply a demonstration to illustrate Stinger Buzzcut flight performance from a high-speed crossbow.
