Broadhead test for RadSav

[Band]

In a different post about a broadhead brand someone claimed "you can't get anything past Rad".  I have found that to be true as well but just for fun I figured I'd give him a little test.  So, how about it, Rad, can you name the brand?

[RadSav]

Looks like a Kolpin Modular produced after Ron Kolpin sold the company.

[Band]

Here's the thing, I couldn't remember the name of that broadhead because I bought it so long ago, 1992 I believe.  But, Kolpin sounds really familiar so I'm going to assume you're right, as usual.

The blades are not perpendicular to the ferrule so I'm thinking penetration would suffer as a result.  Not that I would use a budget broadhead from yesteryear but I'm curious about your opinion on that design.

[RadSav]

Here's the thing, I couldn't remember the name of that broadhead because I bought it so long ago, 1992 I believe.  But, Kolpin sounds really familiar so I'm going to assume you're right, as usual.

The blades are not perpendicular to the ferrule so I'm thinking penetration would suffer as a result.  Not that I would use a budget broadhead from yesteryear but I'm curious about your opinion on that design.

Ron Kolpin designed that head the way he did to make sure he didn't run into patent issues between Savora and Maleski.  In it's original form, while Ron owned the company, it was a very effective head.  Had some of the best stainless blades ever made for a broadhead until the invent of the AEB-L material.  Kolpin's design was a solid blade, thicker than most of that time, so he was able to make the stainless blades much harder than everyone else without the breakage issues that sunk so many who tried stainless in the 80's.  My brother and I killed a few deer and a bear with the originals I'm thinking between '82 and '83, maybe.?.

I remember my first deer with that head quite vividly.  First day of late archery season.  School bus dropped me off at the Boise Cascade gate where I changed into my camo then hiked three miles to my deer spot.  I had just gotten my first pair of binoculars.  They were called Apollo and were distributed by a company out of Spokane.  I had a plan in my head to walk a ridge and use the binoculars to cover every square inch of that country.  It worked!! and I soon found myself in front of three does working there way to me.  At about 20 yards I missed the biggest doe.  Arrow went over her back and my arrow stuck about 12 feet high in a tree   Those Kolpins and Bear Metric Magnums weren't cheap!  So I climbed up on a stump, slung the bow over my shoulder and was getting my broadhead puller out of my pocket to work on getting the arrow free when I catch movement...It was a buck!!!  He was bird dogging the does, nose to the ground, no idea I was there!

When the buck went behind a tree at 10 yards I drew back.  By the time he got to the base of the stump I was on he looked straight up at me.  Probably two yards from the stump and maybe five yards of arrow travel.  I remember being startled when the Bear Grizzly II went off.  I honestly do not remember giving my fingers the command to relax.  The arrow glaced off the back of his head, traveled down the back of his neck, broke into the chest cavity between his shoulders, took out the back of the heart and buried into the ground.  The buck tried to run, but after maybe 15 yards he lost the ability to maneuver through the trees. After a head on collision with a fir trunk he went down hard, kicked a few times and that was it!  From drawing the bow back to dead deer seemed like less than five seconds!

Sometimes missing your first shot is a good thing!

[RadSav]

Sometime around '86-'87 Kolpin sold the company and the new stuff was shipped in from overseas.  The Modular broadheads went from being one of the best to one of the worst.  I remember when guys would bring the new vented heads into the shop I would take one, close my hand around the blades, spin the arrow shaft and the soft blades would wrap around the ferrule like aluminum foil. And I've had butter knives sharper!  What an absolute shame!!   After that Kolpin became known for cheap hunting accessories and the broadhead met it's doom in short order.

[SemperFidelis97]

That is a unique design for a broadhead, thanks for sharing that story Rad.  It is sad most of our kids will never know what it was like growing up at a time like that. 

[GoldenOscar]

Cool to see these, I still have quite a few of those heads in a ammo can full of my old years gone by broaqdheads, they flew well for me and I killled 3 or 4 deer with them........Funny last deer I shot was a little muley spike and the blades totally folded up that's why I quit using them......Thanks for the explanation RadSav

[RadSav]

Interesting fun fact:

Ron Kolpin became a strong advocate of broadhead safety after cutting himself badly on a Savora broadhead.  It is believed that Kolpin was the first company to manufacturer and sell a commercial broadhead wrench. 

[bearpaw]

I shot those for a while in the 80's, they seemed pretty good at that time, never knew what happened to the company, that's interesting info.

[RadSav]

Took me a while to find some early 80's magazines.  Finally found one with the big Modular add.  Sorry for the poor lighting and pic.  Just wanted to show what the head looked like back when my brother and I shot them.  Notice the broadhead wrench?!


BTW - If you ever find a copy of the November 1982 Bowhunter "Special Deer Hunting Issue" you should buy it!  One of my top two favorite Bowhunter magazine issues of all time.  Not only some really great articles, but the advertising is fantastic!  The issue was loaded with adds for product of the day.

[Band]

My first (and only) shot with that broadhead was my first day of archery hunting ever (in 1982).  If I remember correctly, I paid $99 for my bear bow package, which cam with everything I needed except the broadheads.  Anyway, after having about 3 months of occasional practice under my belt, likely a poorly tuned bow, no idea there was such a thing as broadhead tuning, and no distance judging skills, I took a shot at a doe I estimated to be at 20 yards.  The arrow hit the ground between her legs and we both looked down where it hit the ground, then our eyes met again.  I'm pretty sure she smiled and winked before walking off in disgust.

[lokidog]

I shot those back in the 80's as well.  I think I harvested a couple animals with them but did not keep track as well as Rad has.