FAQs

Below are the most common questions we have received from customers who have purchased and used Swhacker Broadheads. If your question is not listed below, click here to contact us. Thanks to Swhacker engineer Rick Forrest for taking time from his full-time job as an aerospace engineer to answer our customers' questions.

Can I use Swhacker Broadheads with my crossbow?
Yes. Our mechanical broadheads are well suited for use with crossbows - even the fastest crossbows on the market today. We recommend that crossbows and compound bows produce a minimum of 60 ft/lbs of kinetic energy when using Swhacker Broadheads. Most crossbows produce plenty of kinetic energy to use these mechanical broadheads.

Do the Swhacker Broadhead blades lock into position after opening?
No, the blades do not lock in place when opening up. If they did then Swhacker heads would be considered a barbed head and thus make them illegal in many states. The best advice we can give is to always consult local and state game laws when you are concerned if a hunting product is not legal for use in your area.

The blades rattle in the head. Is there something wrong with the set of Swhacker Broadheads I purchased?
No. In order to ensure that the blades open freely every time, the ferrule slot is intentionally machined with some clearance. This also ensures that the blades do not become trapped should the ferrule impact a heavy bone that will try to squeeze the slot closed. To eliminate the rattle, place some bowstring wax on the surface of both blades, close the blades, and slide the shrink band on.

Can the same blades be used on more than one animal without losing any of the blade sharpness? Also, what type of adhesive do you use on the screws when replacing these mechanical broadhead blades?
Yes, Swhacker's mechanical broadhead blades are durable enough to reuse. Depending on the impact and pass through density you could harvest several animals on one set of mechanical broadhead blades.

We recommend keeping a sharpener handy to tune the blades after every use. This is not necessary but will enhance the pass through. Our Swhacker HDX3 Multi-Sharpener Dual Angle Sharpening System works well and will attach to your bow or keychain.

We recommend a low strength adhesive designed for small fasteners. Here is a link to one adhesive that works well, and there are many others on the market that will get the job done for you.

The blades damaged the side of the ferrule. Is this normal?
Yes. Impact dents on the side of the ferrule will occur. The blades open with a lot of energy. As a result, the broadhead blades will make contact with the ferrule. These small indentations will not affect the performance of the head.

How do I replace the blades?
The fastener hole in the ferrule is not tapped through both sides. The near side (side with the hex socket in the set screw) is tapped with half threads so the screw can be removed after the threads are damaged when the blades deploy. The far side is not tapped through so that the screw can be tightly bottomed out. When removing the screw always back it out by turning it counterclockwise. Use a .050-inch hex wrench. If the blades have been deployed a number of times, a small drop of oil on the threads will help it rotate during removal.

What's the best way to practice with Swhacker Broadheads?
If you are shooting into a foam broadhead target, simply wrap electrical tape around the front of the head and you can practice with the actual head you will hunt with. The blade tips can potentially tear through the tape after a few shots. If the blades do start to cut into the electrical tape, simply replace the tape and continue practicing. When done, remove the tape and slide a shrink band on. As long as the head did not open, the main blades are still sharp and ready to hunt.

Can the blades from one broadhead model (ex: 100-grain, 1.75-inch) interchange with another broadhead model (ex: 100-grain, 2-inch)?
No. The blades will not interchange.

I shoot a Mathews Z7 Xtreme set at 65 pounds. I plan on hunting elk in Colorado. Does Swhacker work well on elk out to 60 yards? Will it have enough energy to penetrate?
If you are shooting an arrow that weighs around 400 grains you will be fine. We have shot many elk with similar setups. The last elk I shot was at 98 yards with a 70-pound bow shooting 464-grain arrows. She was slightly quartered at me, the arrow went through the last rib and wedged into the pelvis. As long as you don't hit the front leg bone or shoulder joint, you should be fine.

The Swhacker Broadheads I bought do not fly like field points. They drift to the right with graduating extremity over distance. I shoot a properly spined arrow from a bow that is paper turned and walk back tuned with field points. Any thoughts on what could be causing this?
Sometimes just a slight change in weight distribution due to the increased length of the broadhead will cause the tune to change slightly between field tips and broadheads. The stiffer the spine and the higher your FOC is, the less this has an effect.

If you are a right-handed shooter, then move your rest to the right a small amount at a time. Each time you move it, shoot the broadhead and a field point. Keep repeating this process until the heads and the tips fly in the same spot. One they are hitting the same spot, you can set you sight. It shouldn't take much to bring them together. This is the spot your bow wants to shoot the broadhead/arrow combination straight down the pipe.

What's happening is the arrow is not coming out perfectly straight, and even thought the wing blades are very small, there's enough there to steer the arrow to the right as it comes out of the bow. When the arrow starts it movement from an angle, the angle increases the farther away the target is located.