4 blade vs 2

[popup_menace]

I am new to trad, and therefore ignorant to the pros and cons of broadheads out of a trad setup. I am getting confident enough to try and hunt pigs this year (shot range limited to 10 yards or less), and I am unsure what style broadheads to get. I have narrowed the brand down to either swickey or Magnus stinger, but I am not sure whether to go 4 blade or 2. Are there any benefits of going to a 2 blade other than possibly better flight? Are there any mechanical advantage drawbacks to the bleeder blade style of each of these 4 blade heads that would hinder the arrow from penetrating?

My setup
Vista sage (bass pro special) 40#@28"
DL is around 27
Arrows are beman blems a buddy got for me with a total weight of around 550 grains with a 145gr head.
I would like to get either the 150 grain Magnus or the 160 grain zwickeys.

[ghostgoblin22]

From my experiences with 2 blades and 4 blade broadheads, is that the 2 blades always seem to get better penetration

But at times blood trails with 2 blades can be iffy depending on where you hit them, 4 blades produce some nasty blood trails but can lack on arrow flight and penetration if your arrow is too light

That's why I use shark broadheads, they're pricey but I've never seen better blood trails for a 2 blade broadhead better than a shark

For you're set up I would get a 2 blade for maximum penetration

125 or 150, no need to go any higher, either Magnus stinger, zwickeys and I will always recommend the Sharks, best traditional broadhead ive ever hunted with


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bisch]

You should be drawing about 37#-38# at your draw length on that bow. At that draw weight, I would definitely stick with the 2-blade broadheads for better penetration. Both of the broadheads you are looking at are fine broadheads. Just make sure that whichever broadhead you use is as sharp as it can be, and is a cut on contact type. That is even more important at lower draw weights. Personal preference makes me shoot the Magnus Stingers. You will be fine on smaller pigs and deer. Shooting a big shielded boar with that setup is iffy, and will likely result in a lost pig unless it is a perfect hit right in the pocket.

Bisch

[Flint knapper]

Also, with the bleeder blades, I would think it would kind of hinder your ability to sharpen the head with a file.

With your draw weight, I would stick with the two blade!

[Felix40]

Agree with all of the above

[speck1]

I tried a slick trick viper last season just to see what it would do out of my 54# longbow. Shot was 16 yards and failed to pass thru. That was the last time I tried a 4 blade. A 2 blade stinger would have easily passed thru on that shot.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bisch]

Also, with the bleeder blades, I would think it would kind of hinder your ability to sharpen the head with a file.

With your draw weight, I would stick with the two blade!

Never shot Zwickeys, so I don't know about them, but the bleeder blades come out of the Stingers. I also would not use a file to sharpen the Stingers. I use my KME (like a Lansky, only better), and get my Stingers hair shaving, razor sharp!!!

Bisch

[Junkers88]

I tried a slick trick viper last season just to see what it would do out of my 54# longbow. Shot was 16 yards and failed to pass thru. That was the last time I tried a 4 blade. A 2 blade stinger would have easily passed thru on that shot.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Wow. Hate to show my ignorance here but I'd have thought a 54lb longbow would blow through a deer as long as the broadhead, no matter what it is, is sharp.

Proof in pictures right there.

[Bisch]

Wow. Hate to show my ignorance here but I'd have thought a 54lb longbow would blow through a deer as long as the broadhead, no matter what it is, is sharp.

Proof in pictures right there.

Usually, they do! That particular head is not a cut on cantact head, and is a very popular head in the compound world. Also, sometimes **it hapopens for no explainable reason!!!

Bisch

[ghostgoblin22]

yeah you always want to use a COC with traditional equipment for optimal and maximum penetration, fixed heads with a chisel head will fill the bill but it wont maximize your setup

[SwampRabbit]

The thing I didn't like about the bleeder blade Mangus was the fact that you had to remove the bleeder blade to sharpen the main blade. Sharpening the bleeder was difficult and honestly, you can kind of tell that the point was to replace those bleeders. The whole setup also just made it easier for the broadhead to blowup (held together by a screw!) I have not tried the bleeder zwickeys and I also wonder how that thing gets in the way of sharpening and how easy it is to sharpen the bleeder itself.

My inexperienced based opinion is this... 2 holes are better than 1, so I choose based on the likelihood of getting 2 holes rather than how big of hole I get if I get only 1 hole.

[Bisch]

OP, if you have not figured it out by now, it is all personal preference (except the cut on contact and razor sharp parts). Either of the heads you are looking at will work just fine.

Good luck!

Bisch

[SwampRabbit]

Yep, pros and cons to both. The Zwickeys are not perfect. They don't come to you razor sharp... you gotta really put that edge on yourself. I'm considering trying the sharks at some point too.

[speck1]

The Viper actually is cut on contact that is why I tried it. Maybe it was just bad luck on that one shot. I have not had a two blade stop like that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ghostgoblin22]

its got a chisel tip, therefore its penetrating on impact rather than cutting on impact like a trad. 2 blade broadhead...the chisel tip may be sharp but its certainly not a typical COC