MA-2 heads

[MoSportsman]

#6051

I just acquired 11 old never sharpened MA-2 glue on heads. I weighed them all with my new scale and they came in at 106 to 110 gr. I set forth making them single bevel and got a 108 gr and a 110 gr down to about 103gr with a little more filing to go. Looking to buy steal adapters from 3 Rivers to go with them, 125 or 100gr.

I have been shooting some 250gr practice heads and was a bit put off at how fast they drop after 20 yards.

The info I have found about these heads tells me they were not the best made toughest heads ever made….any opinions?

I am thinking I probably want to go with the 100 gr adapters to make a total of 200 gr.

still have not decided on arrows I am going to be shooting a 50@28 bow with about 30 inch arrow????most likely. Upper midwest Whitetail only.

These heads seem to take to the single bevel pretty well so far, might make them a little tougher too. Anyone else ever put a single bevel on these?

Thanks for any opinions

Tom

[David Petersen]

#47684

Tom, an interesting thread. I’ve been doing this since ten years before Adam and Eve and never even knew of a two-blade MA, but only the clunky old MA3, sibling to the Bodkin. There are a few eccentric 😛 folks here who still swear by those soft old heads, but I am not among them. I presume you are doing this for nostalgia’s sake, like a step forward from using stone points. 😆 In sum, the steel they used was so amazingly soft I wouldn’t try using it to hunt anything bigger than a turkey. But then, there are zillions of hi-techies who could say the same for all of traditional archery. So while I can offer no help–other than I too a sold on single-bevels–I do wish you luck and hope to see your success photos here this fall.

Reminds me of that old saying “What was old, is new.” Or something like that.

[Stumpkiller]

#47953

Have you ever actually handled an MA-2 or MA-3 head? I was surprised how well made they actually are. Yes, they are a soft steel (Rockwell 44C maybe?) but they only have to cut for 12″ or 18″ and their job is done and they can be touched up easily with a file. What has concerned me more is the seam goes right down the middle of the blade. This, however, makes them a great cantidate for a single bevel.

Don’t use them myself but would if that is what I had. I still have a hoard of RibTec heads I use for medium to small game and when they give out I may be checking out the DEL-MA heads.

Currently I like Stos. Have been toying with the idea of putting together a dozen 1950’s broadheads for use with a couple of my older bows. One of those “no hurry” projects.

[MoSportsman]

#48322

The two I have worked into single bevel so far took a little work but the seam up the middle of the steal is now a non issue. If they hold up for practice into foam I suppose they should easily pop through ribs on a whitetail.

Otherwise the specs on them are what the Dr. orders for flying true and deep penetration. They right around 2.5 inches long and just over an inch wide.

I guess soft steel bends before it breaks. I will have to keep an eye on them as I shoot them into foam to make sure the nose does not get a bend in it. Ordered some 100 gr adapters yesterday and some 200gr practice heads. Will be tuning into that weight. New Martin Diablo TD (now Jaguar) should be on my porch today.

Yea, I am a little strange. I will be mixing old with new. Will be using a peep and fiber-optic sights and shooting off a rest in a beyond center riser and using carbon arrows tipped with 50s vintage broadheads. At least I will be putting away my mechanical release.

I have been playing with 250gr heads with a PSE Coyote of the same weight as the Martin will be and have a variety of old arrows I have tested and have not really found the spine weight that satisfies me before I order a dozen shafts. Of course I will be starting over with the new bow and the 200gr heads.

I just bought 114 old heads off Ebay and ended up with about 20 different heads for my newly formed collection. I will be selling the extras and probably end up getting the whole lot for free. You see part of my motivation for using these heads is I am a tightwad.

Anybody want to buy a PSE coyote? Bought that at a flee market at below market value. I am going to use that profit to help pay for my new Martin.:D

[James Harvey]

#49204

MoSportsman wrote:

I have been playing with 250gr heads with a PSE Coyote of the same weight as the Martin will be and have a variety of old arrows I have tested and have not really found the spine weight that satisfies me before I order a dozen shafts. Of course I will be starting over with the new bow and the 200gr heads.

I’m sure I’ve read the Doc mention that high FOC arrows can be a bit of a pain to tune on centre cut or cut past centre bows. You may find it a bit easier to settle on a shaft with the new bow 😉

Oh and I think you may be in the wrong crowd to sell that PSE 😀

[MoSportsman]

#49456

Yes, I know you are right about both.

The beyond center will be a problem with the Panther also. The biggest problem I see with it is ignorance. I read Doc’s warning about beyond center tuning and thankfully know about the pitfalls. I have already experienced them. It would definitely be a problem and confusing if I had not read his warnings.

The adjustable rest and sights are both working to give me false impressions while tuning. I am glad for the knowledge that they are liars. I guess it could be like going to buy a used car. Even though you know the salesman is going to lie to you it doesn’t mean you can’t end up with a good car.

The Coyote will be going to Ebay shortly.

[Arid zone A]

#50650

What kind of heads you got,,looking for some older glue on’s as long as I can get a DZ. at a time. Have all kinds of primitve type stuff to trade, IE, fox pelts, leather, antler, etc.

Love to barter,,,use the classified adds section on this site.

🙂

[MoSportsman]

#53892

I have piles of MA – 3 L and S and a pile of Bodkin 3 blades that would be usable. Most all of them are in as new condition. Don’t know if I am too interested in trade though. Got too much stuff now. I would love to have a Browning Serpintine head and something in the Howard Hill style to add to my broadhead collection. The additions I would like to make to my collection are all about looks. Most of what I have now all look pretty much the same two and three blade heads. I also would like some Ben Pearson that have the cut out ribs for a feral.

I know these MAs and Bodkins are pretty common so I would probably trade three for one if it is a head I like the looks of.

[Arid zone A]

#55035

MO,,,,sent ya a PM message. Have a good day.

[raghorn]

#14254

Dave:

The Bodkin was first sold in 1946 and was made by MAke All Tool and Die, it looked just like the MA-3. In 1949 Whiffen decided to make the Bodkin head themselves and changed the design. Make All Tool and Die continued to make the head just renamed it

MA-3. The MA-3 is far from being a “clunky” head. It can be shaving sharp in a minute, it will never fail, flies silent and true. A double bevel has preved itself for a long,long time. A single bevel is just another option, not a solution.

[MoSportsman]

#48917

Finally got to shoot my MA 2s and they did pretty good. Hit a beer can 4 out of 8 shots. That is certainly as good as I would shoot with field tips. Shot them into the soft mud and they didn’t find any rocks, or if they did they did not show any nicks or bends.

I have never shot any 2 blade heads, always believing they would wind plane and or not shoot where my field tips did. Nice to have a bow and arrows that are tuned in I guess.

I think these will be with me this deer season along with confidence.

[MoSportsman]

#20958

Hey these old heads did the job. I took my first deer with a recurve last Friday evening. A small year and a half old doe. Nicked rib going in and went between ribs going out. Arrow fell out on her first jump. She went about 50 yards and was done, double lung. Initially I thought the head was not a factor in her quick demise and it really wasn’t, the placement was good enough that any head would work.

After butchering though I was amazed at the amount of blood in and around the exit side shoulder and leg. Lots of hemorrhage going on. The head did not even suffer a nick. Worked like a charm, I saw no lack of lethality in this one.

[raghorn]

#20985

Good for you!

Proves that a $10 to $30 broadhead doesn’t work any better.

[MoSportsman]

#21075

I ended up using 100 grain adapters with these, so the total head weight is 200gr. GT trad. 400s 30 inch total weight of about 520 grains. With the light flesh this arrow encountered on its journey through I was a little surprised the arrow did not stick in the dirt behind her. I have to recalculate my FOC number have not done that since I changed arrows a couple months ago.

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