# SPITFIRES????????????



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Who shoots spitfires or has ever shot them? I just picked some up and am curious aboput them, tell me anything you know... Thanks in advance..


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

Killadoe

I had them and I changed. The good about them is they fly really well loved that about them.. Two major problems I had with them. One is I don't think you get all that great of penatration. Two if you do put them into a deer or ground it takes a lot of work to get them tuned back up the right way and money. Because if you drop one of the blades down you will see another silver item in there. That has to be replaced.. But they do kill deer but just not very durable.


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Why does that silver piece on the inside have to be replaced? I shoot a long arrow and have my bow set on about 70lbs, so I think the energy will be there for adequate penetration. But tell me about the silver piece on the inside...


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

Because you will get dirt or hair and so on down there. And it will hold the blade either to tight or to loose. With that said it is very hard to tune the darn thing to hold the blade well again that I would get so mad and just go buy new ones but you have to buy blades at the same time..

Trust me I was shooting about the same weight as you and I did not ever get a pass threw with the eight deer I shot with them.. But they do fly well and stil make a hell of a mess going in.


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Did you ever practice with them or did you just practice with your field points? I have been told to just practice with field points then befor you go hunting install the spitfires. How much penetration did you get? The muzzys I shot for awhile and they would go through a deer like it were butter


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

You can practice with them but you will only get a couple of shoots one for every broad head you have and then you will have to rebuild the buggers. What will happen is you will get the target material into the grove that the blade falls into and have a hard time getting it out or you will bend something..

I was only getting about ten inches of penatration into deer with the darn things.


----------



## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

I shoot them and killed the 2 deer I shot at. However, as sota explains, they can be a biatch to replace.

Sota, what do you shoot instead?

Mike


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

I am not really worried about replacing them, that comes after the shot what I am curious about mainly is do they fly just like my field points will fly?


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

I know shoot the Montecs
The one piece broad head in the 100 Grain.

Kill they do fly nice and I have said that the whole time.


----------



## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

I used to shoot spitfires. The problems I had were similiar to the others posted. When you shoot a deer they can be near impossible to get clean. I believe you could easily kill two deer with the same broadhead but they seem so dang hard to clean. Also, sometimes the blades won't open or stay open when they hit the deer. I think the blades are supposed to automatically close when your arrow stops. I think they will somtimes do this when they first hit the deer resulting in your broadhead going through the deer with the blades partially open. On the other hand I have seen them work properly and seen them rip a deer apart and bring it down quick. I guess alot is up to personal preference a the situation.


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Dusty05 said:


> I think the blades are supposed to automatically close when your arrow stops.


 I never heard that, if they were supposed to close back they would have springs or something inside them...


----------



## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

It is not done by springs. It's just inertia that when the arrow stops that stopping force makes them close. It's just like slamming on your brakes and being thrown forward.


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Even when the broadhead is in a deer or stuck into the ground? Yeah what you are saying makes sense..


----------



## Dusty05 (Aug 21, 2005)

I don't think it can close in the ground very easily because the ground might be to hard. I know for a fact that it can do it in a deer though b/c I did see it more than once. Not on a deer I shot though, but I did help trail it and butcher it up. Alot of times you might find the broadhead all the way open or just one blade open when it goes through a deer b/c like I said they seem to get real dirty so with all the hair a flesh in the blade they can't close all the way when they exit a deer. I'm just saying I 've shot deer and seen other deer killed with major damage from spitfires, other times I seen them not work so good. I can't say I ever seen one break though.


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

Thanks for all your comments, I really appreciate them. I have never used mechanicals, used to I said I would never use them but I want to try it all you know, I think muzzy is the best fixed blade and thats what I was shooting. But thanks again...


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

killadoe check out the montecs all one part nothing to replace and they are great.. here is a link so you can see what I am talking about

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

I have seen the montecs, the only thing about them is the price of the practice heads.....


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

I agree but you can just buy to sets of the normal ones only shoot one set for practice and then just resharpen them come hunting time


----------



## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Sota, do those really fly like field tips???


----------



## killadoe (Dec 12, 2005)

You are right but will they fly like a spitfire?


----------



## sotaman (Apr 6, 2004)

Very close I would not say they are the exact same but seem to still fly well. Mine drift up about an inch at thirty yards. So to me it is not enought to adjust my aim or anything.. Killsadoe you right they don't fly like a spitfire but they sure kill a hell of a lot better


----------



## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

I shoot 100 grain Spitfires at 65 pounds and have never had a problem with penetration. Only one deer I shot the arrow did not go all the way through and that was because i hit the thick part of the rib on the top of the deers back. I am using them to bear hunt in Mn this year and have all the confidance they will do the job. If you shoot the hunting blades for practice you will only get 5 - 10 shots per arrow before you wear the little silver piece out. They do have practice blades that eliminate this problem. The new broadheads are much easier to clean than the old ones. They fly almost identical to target points. I am sighted in with the Spitfires and adjust slightly to the left for target points but that is probably because I need to paper tune my bow. I don't think you will be disapointed with the Spitfires.


----------



## parker_lipetzky (Aug 31, 2006)

I shoot spitfires xp proseries and they work awsome last year me and my uncle went to texas hog hunting and I shot a hog at 30 yards . It went thru like butter and i found my arrow 40 yards from where I shot the hog. The hog ran about 20 yards and tipped over dead.


----------



## DustinS (Nov 9, 2004)

Starky, most bear guides and all the info on the web that i have read, suggest not using the mechanicals for bear because they have so much thick hair. I am a firm believer in fixed blades but let us know how they mechanicals work on your hunt. I am also going on a MN bear hunt tomorrow but will be using my trusty muzzys'.


----------



## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

The silver piece in the blade channel is a flat spring that holds the blades in the close position, they are the reason you don't need an O-ring. I shot through a bear using 3-39 ACC's and a 100gn spitfire. It was about 380gn total weight @ 275FPS, complete pass through @ 18 yds. I also shot through a deer quartering towards me @ 40yds. In on the front shoulder, out just ahead of the off-side rear quarter. That was with 2413's a 100gn spitfire, the whole thing weighed 475gn and went 255FPS. The broadhead from the bear is still useable if I'd replace the blades, and I'm sure I've already replaced the blades from the deer and I'm still using that head. As for cleaning a little warm water and a small tooth brush, or for the really nasty stuff a high pressure solvent like gumout works well. Spitfires do shoot like field points and do a good job of killing critters.


----------



## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

I've been watching the "Bearin Down" series of videos with Ralph and Vicky from Archer's Choice and they only use Spitfire mechanical broadheads. Even Vicky pulling a 55 pound bow has pass through shots on #400+ bears. As long as I can put the arrow in the right spot I don't have any reservations about using the mechanical broadheads on bear. Hopefully I will be singing the same tune after the hunt.


----------



## kevin.k (Dec 31, 2005)

The thing with spitfires is that if your hit the deer broad side, nothing will make better pentration, but if your shooting them with a quartering away shot they tend to sorda deflect off the deer hard to belive but it is really common with that broadhead.

But they deffiantly work and i have killed 2 deer with them last year, this year i switched to montecs  :

I dont even replace my blades on brodheads, i just go out and buy new ones every year.


----------



## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

Kevin, I've heard that as well but have never seen it happen. Even at extreme quartering shots I've had no trouble with them glancing off. I will be the first one to admit if there is a flaw in a product but I haven't witnessed it. I think that is a rumore that other companies put out to try and sway would-be Spitfire users to their product. If I see a shot skip off an animal I will let you all know.


----------



## venisonslayer (Sep 16, 2006)

I use only spitfires, but last season I tried several other brands of mechanicals. One brand was such junk, it fell apart before I even put on my arrow shaft! O rings and rubber bands are just one more thing to worry about going wrong with your set up. A couple of years ago I shot two deer the same day, both shots were complete pass through with extensive damage leaving vitals/ organs hanging out of exit wound. After my secoond kill I found I accidentally used the same arrow since I rinsed it off there was no blood. The second time around was just as good as the first. Yes there was more "gunk" in the little slit that holds the blade, but like someone else said earlier, a toothbrush works fine. I used that same "lucky arrow last season, had a bad sighting with it (my fault), but the spitfire sliced through part of the spine paralyzing the deer for a second shot.
Yes, they definately fly like field points. IMO the best mechanical on the market. Like any hunting item, you need to clean and inspect it regularly.


----------



## gooseman14 (Mar 14, 2004)

I also used to shoot spitfires they do fly straight but the are a pain to the replace, i have found that fixed blade are better because they fly straight and have way more durability


----------

