gravedigger hybrid broadhead

Gravedigger Broadheads Review | The Inside Information

In this review, I’m going to be covering a broadhead that has been around for a while. It’s one I’ve actually used in the field quite a bit and been fairly successful with. It’s called the Gravedigger.

The Gravedigger Hybrid broadhead overview

Let’s take a look at the design and some of the features of the Gravedigger Hybrid head (it’s called a “hybrid” because it has both fixed and mechanical blades). Then, I’ll show you how it performed when I put it through my standard array of tests.

gravedigger hybrid broadhead in closed position

Here is the Gravedigger hybrid in the closed position.

gravedigger hybrid broadhead chisel tip

This Gravedigger hybrid model has the chisel tip. (They also make a cut on contact tip where the fixed blades extend all the way up to the top).

The cutting diameter of the Gravedigger Hybrid’s fixed blades is 1 inch. In the closed position, the mechanical blades are ½-inch. So, just in the closed position, if the blades were not to open at all, it would be an inch and 1/2 of a cut, which is no slouch of a cut.

But the mechanical blades do open. They open really well, in fact. They’re not held in place by an O-ring or a retention clip, but rather just by friction, and that’s adjustable with a small Allen bolt.

The cutting diameter in the open position here is a full 1 and 3/4 inches. So, 1 and 3/4″ by 1″ – that’s a lot of cut!

adjustable friction screw on gravedigger broadhead

You can adjust the tension that holds the blades in place. But, when they encounter a medium, they open over the top and they fall back into their fully opened position.

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Gravedigger Blade specs

The blades of the Gravedigger are made out of a 416 stainless steel. The ferrule is a 7075 aluminum. It’s a pretty vented blade, but it’s still is a good stout aluminum, and the tip is a hardened steel, really stout, chisel tip.

I couldn’t find any information listing the blade thickness, so I used my micrometer to measure. The fixed blade measured 0.039 inches thick and the mechanical blades were 0.032 inches thick.

Gravedigger broadheads testing

I was eager to see how this head performed in my tests. I did not test it for long range flight, because I know it flies really well.

I consider it like a mechanical in terms of flight in the closed position, and I don’t test mechanicals for long range flight, because they all fly really well, even though this head has the little one inch fixed blade. I know it flies fantastic.

I tested for edge sharpness and retention, for penetration, and for durability.

Let’s see how the Gravedigger performed.

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How will your bow’s specs affect arrow speed?

Sharpness Test

The Gravedigger cut paper after four strokes of the arrow.

carbon arrow shaft dulling the gravedigger hybrid

I use strokes of carbon shaft arrow to dull the blades. I want to see if they can still cut paper after each stroke.

gravedigger broadhead paper cut test

I use strokes of carbon shaft arrow to dull the blades. I want to see if they can still cut paper after each stroke.

A mechanical broadhead with no collar… We test it HERE!

Ballistic Gel Penetration Test

The Gravedigger penetrated 6 and 1/4 inches through the foam and ballistic gel.

gravedigger ballistic gel penetration

The Gravedigger penetrated 6-1/4″ into the ballistic gel.

Is your arrow too “bendy?”
entry hole of gravedigger broadhead in ballistic gel test

Here’s the entrance of the Gravedigger. And you can see that the mechanical blades opened almost 1-3/4″ on impact. That bottom blade for whatever reason deployed a bit more effectively than the top blade. But, both of them opened up quite well for an over the top mechanical.

Find out how THIS hybrid head did in testing!

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Interactive arrow FOC calculator!

MDF penetration test

I shot the Gravedigger through MDF five times. Below are the pictures.

I shot the first one in the closed position and the baldes didn’t open very much. But, then on the following shots, I kept the head in the open position when I was shooting, just to test durability.

gravedigger hybrid after going through MDF

Here, you can see the Gravedigger after going through a half inch MDF five times. As you can see, it held up relatively well. The tip is in still in great shape. The ferrule is also in great shape. The fixed blades are in perfect shape. And the mechanical blades also did really well. They didn’t break off.

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bent blades on gravedigger broadhead after going through mdf

Now, in terms of a bend, they did bend backwards a bit. The original on the left gives you a frame of reference. After the shots, there is quite a bit of arch to the expandable blades. But you know what? If you’re going to have a problem with the head kind of “failing,” that’s the way to do it. It’s not really a fail, because it’s continuing to cut even after going through this MDF five times. So, if there’s going to be any kind of a problem, to bend in that direction is the way to go. So overall, very impressive.

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Arrow wraps for nock tuning [genius!]

Final Thoughts

So, what do you think of the Gravedigger?

Going through these tests reminded me why I liked it so much when I first started using it way back.

There are just so many heads. It’s hard to keep using just one. I’m a broadhead junkie and like to keep trying new things!

But, this is definitely a broadhead that’s worth a look. There are some weaknesses to it but there are a lot of strengths to it as well. It performed fairly well for an over-the-top mechanical.

So, check out the score sheet below and see what you think about it, and decide if these broadheads are the right heads for you.

gravedigger hybrid scorecard
Gravedigger Hybrid score card.
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John Lusk of Lusk Archery Adventures
crimson talon battleaxe header image

Does this broadhead make the cut? | The Battleaxe Broadheads Review

In this review, I test a cool broadhead by Crimson Talon, called the Battleaxe.

I’ve already tested some of their fixed blade broadheads. And now I’m testing their mechanicals and hybrids.

The Battleaxe is a hybrid (but it’s not called the Hybrid… That’s a different one that I already tested.)

For all these tests, I’m using my Bowtech SR6 set at 72 pounds and I’m using Bishop FOC King Arrows for most of the shots. (I’m using the Bishop FAD Eliminator for the really hard impact ones.) Let’s check out this Battleaxe 125-grain head!

The Battleaxe broadhead up close

Now, let’s take a closer look at the Crimson Talon Battleaxe broadhead:

crimson talon battleaxe profile

Here’s a good look at the Battleaxe. Now, this is the 125-grain model. What a cool-looking broadhead! I love that main-leading blade.

battleax cut width

It’s got a fixed, cut on contact leading blade that is 7/8 of an inch. It’s 1 mm thick or 0.039″ thick. Both of the blades are made out of 420J2 stainless steel.

battleaxe ferrule

The ferrule is made out of a 7075 aluminum, which is stronger than some steels.

battleaxe broadhead bleeder blades

It’s also got this mechanical blade in the back. Now, in a closed position, it’s got 1 inch of cut and is sharpened on the edges with a single bevel.

battleaxe blades being forced open

Even if nothing were to open on impact, you’d have 7/8 of an inch cut in the front and 1″ of cut from the expandable blades in the back, which is nice. But, it’s going to open. And as it is forced to open, these main mechanical blades deploy and they reach a full cutting diameter of 2″.

battleaxe broadheads 100 grain vs 125 grain

They also make 100-grain model that you can see right here. It’s exactly the same. It just has a smaller leading blade in the front, has a 7/16 of an inch cut. So the 125-grain has 7/8 of an inch and the 100-grain has 7/16 of an inch. Everything else is identical.

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Now, I would think that the 100-grain is going to be a bit more forgiving in flight than would be the 125-grain, just because of that extra wide leading blade. However, it’s still pretty small, at 7/8-inch and just two blades with a really low profile to the back mechanical ends of the blades. So, I thought it would fly really well.

I was really eager to put this head to the test and see how the Battleaxe performs. So, let’s see how it did!

Info on why FOC matters in bowhunting HERE

Flight Forgiveness Test

I shot 1 field point and then 2 broadheads from 40 yards…

battleaxe flight test

The field point is on the top left. The other two are the broadheads.

Bowhunting tips you should have in your quiver HERE!

Initial Sharpness

balttleaxe initial sharpness test

The initial sharpness before testing registered 250 (the lower the number, the sharper it is.)

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Penetration Test

I shot the Battleaxe into 1/2″ MDF that was fronted with a 2/3″ rubber mat and ballistic gel behind it.

battleaxe ballistic getl penetration

The Battleaxe penetrated 6 1/4″ and the blades did fully deploy as well.

THIS makes finding your draw length a cinch!
THIS hybrid broadhead didn’t fare too well…

Edge Retention Test

battleaxe sharpness test after ballistic gel penetration test

After the first penetration test, the sharpness scale registered 300.

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Penetration Test 2 (layered cardboard):

battleaxe sharpness test after ballistic gel penetration test

The Battleaxe penetrated through 52 layers of cardboard. And I want to note that it actually cut quite a bit of cardboard as it did that because of that blade-forward design, compared to many mechanicals that just have like a long narrow tip at the front.

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Angled Shot Test

battleaxe angled shot test

I shot the head into some angled 1/4″ MDF and carpet.

Nock tuning is critical and HERE’s why!

Durability Test (1/2” MDF max 3 shots):

battleaxe after 3 shots through mdf

Here’s the head after three shots through MDF. On the good side, everything stayed perfectly intact. On the negative side, the cutting diameter of those arced mechanical blades did decrease by about a half as those blades bent back a little bit more with each shot. (I’m showing it here compared to the original size that it was before those shots.)

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Arrow wraps for days HERE!

Durability (22 ga steel plate max 2 shots):

battleaxe broadheads steel plate test

Here it is after two shots into the steel plate. As you can see, it made really nice holes. You can see the blades got a little bit of edge chatter and nicked up as expected. The back curved blades just continued to hold in that smaller cut pattern, and maybe they even shrunk just a little bit more in their cutting diameter. But everything stayed intact.

How fast will your arrow fly? Find out HERE!

Durability Test (Concrete 1 Shot):

battleaxe after concrete test

Here is the Battleaxe head after impacting the concrete. As you can see, it didn’t do very well on the concrete. The leading blade broke in half and the ferrule broke in half as well. But to be honest, don’t think that that means that this head is not durable. For a mechanical with that size cut, to make it through MDF three times and make it through the steel plate twice is really impressive. So, the concrete is just kind of an extra test of the outer limits of durability and it only counts for 3 points out of 100-point scale. But overall, the durability of this head was pretty impressive.

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Final thoughts on the Crimson Talon Battleaxe Broadheads

So what do you think of the Battleaxe?

They did pretty well. I don’t know how Crimson Talon does it for the price that they do it at.

There are definitely heads that are higher quality and they cost a lot more, but these heads are really functional and get the job done.

Check out THESE fixed blade broadheads by Crimson Talon

So, check out the score sheet below and see how it performed in the areas that matter to you the most. (You can learn more about my scoring system on my YouTube Channel.)

Great job, Crimson Talon!

battleaxe broadheads lusk grade
Scorecard for the Crimson Talon Battleaxe broadheads
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John Lusk of Lusk Archery Adventures
why is ammo so expensive

Skyrocketing Prices! [Why is Ammo So Expensive?]

Skyrocketing prices continue to influence our lives, from the food we eat to the gas we put in our cars.

The shooting sports have been hit hard as well.

Record-breaking gun sales and global supply chain breakdowns have contributed to escalating ammo prices. 

During and post-COVID-19 pandemic, ammo quadrupled over their pre-pandemic prices.

ammo bullets

Ammo scarcity and shortages has resulted in some retailers limiting how many boxes you can purchase at a time.

Prices for firearms have not gone above the manufacturer’s list price because they are durable goods that last for years and even a lifetime.

On the other hand, ammunition is intended to be used up. The scarcity of ammunition has resulted in some retailers rationing customer’s ammo to a few boxes at a time.

You might be wondering, “Why is ammo so expensive?” Read on and find out!

Raw Materials

Several factors contribute to the rising ammo prices, including warehousing, transport, and raw materials.

Copper is an essential ingredient that is highly sought after in the global markets.

copper pipe

Copper, which is essential to ammunition production, is also needed in other industries, increasing demand and limiting available supply.

Olin, which carries the Winchester brand, says they compete with hundreds of other companies demanding the metal. Wiring, electric vehicles, semiconductors are all part of the soaring appetite for copper.

In 2020, the average closing price of copper was $2.80 per pound. At the time of this article, it has more than doubled, reaching all-time highs!

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Supply Chain

Head to any grocery store and scan the bare shelves, and you have experienced the fault in our supply chains.

The nationwide supply chain chokehold has impacted every industry. Goods and raw materials are simply not moving fast enough to alleviate the demand.

There is a shortage of 80,000 truck drivers in the United States alone, and port backlogs are getting worse.  Manufacturers have expanded production, but customers suffer if the goods can’t move.

Intensified firearm demands, and the increase in raw components also contribute to the short ammo supply. Some local stores around the country are reporting that ammo is selling out in minutes once it reaches the shelves.

hinterland ammo online

With ammo supply getting harder to find, many have turned to online sources.

Active shooters need to find productive channels for their rifle and handgun ammo needs. Several online sources, like Hinterland Outfitters, are emerging as great places to do business, while gun shops and sports retailers love to service regular customers.

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Pandemic

The ammunition industry is highly cyclical and prone to shortages. However, gun sales spiked since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a report from the National Shoots Sports Federation, nearly 5.4 million Americans purchased their first gun in 2021 alone In addition, 2020 was a record year for the firearm industry as a whole. 

pistol with bullets on table

With the pandemic of 2020, it was certainly a year that will not easily forgotten. It will not quickly be forgotten by the gun industry either, with nearly 5.4 million Americans purchasing their first guns.

The recent surge of gun buyers was seen as a reaction to the widespread unrest and rising crime that began in 2019.

Many saw the gun surge as an arrival of government change in Washington DC., with some conspiracy theorists claiming that the government engineered the ammo shortage, even though the shortage has crossed over two diametrically opposed administrations.

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Consolidation

In some areas of the country long lines of ammo buyers are waiting in line at their sporting goods retailer for the weekly shipment of ammunition, which usually sells out in minutes. Any other day and the shelves are bare.

empty ammo shelves

Empty ammo shelves affect more than just hunters and recreational shooters. It seems that law enforcement agencies are affected as well.

From an outside view, there are boundless outlets to find ammunition. But, twists and turns of corporate greed and financial engineering forced Remington into bankruptcy, after handing over millions of dollars to a private equity firm.

Consolidations, mergers, and acquisitions have resulted in two names controlling the small arms ammunition market; Vista Outdoors and Olin Corp.

lots of bullets

While profits are being generated from ammunition-producing companies, they are not necessarily resulting in more ammo being made.

Olin and Vista Outdoors do not necessarily reinvest profits into more plants and personnel, which yields more ammunition. Annual reports state these companies are focused on providing “long-term shareholder value.” These companies are after top-line growth, not short-term demand.

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Meanwhile, ammo shortages are not only affecting hunters and competitors, but the DOD, FBI, and others. Olin contracts with the FBI, Secret Service, and Border Protection. Olin reinvented government-owned ammunition facilities in Salt Lake City with the government owning and operating 84 ammunition facilities. They are now down to 14.  

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What is the Answer To Higher Ammo Prices?

Popular calibers continue to spike, such as the 22 LR, 9mm, and 5.56. When do shooters say; enough is enough, and I am not buying any more ammo? Range owners are sadly looking at their patrons and saying that it’s a buck and a half every time you pull the trigger.

Buy in Bulk

Consider the savings; the cost of 1000 rounds of 9mm ammo will typically be about 10% less than buying in 50 round boxes.

Bite the bullet, as they say, buy bulk ammo in your favorite calibers, and store it for future use. Buying in bulk locks your cost in right now, so you save money if prices continue to rise. 

lots of bullets

Buying ammo in bulk can save you money now, and even more as prices rise.

Here are some advantages to buying rifle and handgun ammo in bulk.

  1. Negotiate; if you go through a lot of ammo, wholesalers will talk terms 
  2. Save on shipping; buying in bulk; you realize savings on items such as shipping charges
  3. Deals are everywhere; buying in bulk means wholesalers have a lot of lucrative deals to offer
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Reloading

A number of shooters believe the only way to go is reloading; in some situations, this may be true.

The first argument against reloading is the significant start-up costs and ongoing expenses. However, reloading saves money if you shoot ammo that is not cheap, like the 44 magnum or 40 S&W.

30-06 casing

While reloading can save money over purchasing new ammo, it can be expensive to get started.

Reloading expenses to consider

  1. Reloading press; a good press can go as high as $1500, with an average of around $500 to $700
  2. Crimpers and dies; some presses require additional equipment
  3. Recurring supplies; gunpowder, bullets, brass cases, primers, reloading dies

Never skimp on reloading supplies unless you prefer inferior ammunition. Once you start reloading, you head to the range more often, which means more brass, gunpowder, bullets, etc. In the long run, shooters who reload can save money with no increase in shooting. It takes a few months to recoup expenses once everything is in place.

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Additional ways to save money on ammo

  1. Always look for online and in-store sales
  2. Gun Shows 
  3. Big-Box retailers
  4. Storage

Final Word On Why Ammo Is So Expensive

The days of strolling into your local sports retailer to pick up a box of your favorite ammo at a discount are over, and some say it will never come back.

Shooters must start thinking outside their comfort zone to find the best deals on ammo.

If you shoot one of the premium calibers, a long-term perspective needs to be implemented. Constantly scouring the ads and online stores may now be commonplace. Some calibers like the 9mm are always in stock because of so many firearms that use the cartridge.

Changing your firearm to a readily available cartridge may be the answer if you just love the sport of shooting.

Happy shooting!