SIMMONS LANDSHARK Broadhead Test

This is a test of the Simmons LANDSHARK, double bevel four blade, 135 gr head with very wide cut. It's not very expensive and could be a good option for many hunters--both traditional and compound bow users. Let's see how it holds up to my testing.
Here is the link to how to use the Stay Sharp Guide "C" to sharpen it.
l.facebook.com...
In case you're not familiar with my new test protocol, here is what I'm doing now:
1. Flight Test--1 field point & 2 broadheads out my by Bowtech SR6 at 40 yds, to see how well they group together.
2. Sharpness Test: I have a new test for edge sharpness and edge retention, using the Edge on Up Sharpness Tester. I test it out of the box and then again after Penetration Test 1, to see the edge retention.
What are some common scores for other edges? Here are some examples:
A butter knife takes 2000 grams of pressure to break the co polymer wire.
A new high end cutlery edge takes approx 375 grams of pressure to break the wire.
A utility razor blade takes approx 200 grams to break the wire.
Based on the many broadheads I have tested, here is my scoring scale:
Out of the Box Sharpness:
0-200 gr: 10
201-300 gr 9
301-400 gr: 8
401-500 gr: 7
501-600 gr: 6
601-700 gr: 5
701-800 gr: 4
801-900 gr: 3
901-1000 gr: 2
1001-1100 gr: 1
1101+ gr: 0
3. Edge Retention: Sharpness difference after Penetration Test 1:
10 minus 1 point for every 50 grams of sharpness difference. For example, if the initial sharpness was 400 gr of pressure and the sharpness after Penetration Test 1 was 450, the head would receive a 9 for Edge Retention Score.
4. Penetration Test 1: one shot into a combined medium of 2/3" of rubber mat, 1/2" MDF and Clear Ballistics FBI Grade Gel. This is to roughly simulate the tissue of an animal--hide, bone and muscle/fat.
5. Penetration Test 2: one shot into layers of cardboard.
6. Durability Test: For fixed blade heads, I take up to 5 shots into .22 ga steel plate and then evaluate the damage to the head. This is a good test to see the overall durability of the blades, as well as their connection to the ferrule. For mechanical heads, I take up to 5 shots into 1/2" MDF and then evaluate the damage to the head.
7. Concrete Test. This is a zero penetration test, which is a good test of the overall structural integrity of a head.
NOTE: Of course I understand we don't hunt steel plates and concrete, but all of these tests simply provide DATA POINTS for you to use in determining which broadhead is best for your hunting purposes. A well placed shot with pretty much any broadhead will get the job done most of the time. But why not prepare for the worst and buy the best you can?
If one head can hold up to multiple shots in steel & concrete-and another cannot--all other things equal, wouldn't you want to use the head that can withstand the steel and concrete? And after taking hundreds of animals with my bow, I've seen some bone shots cause more damage to a broadhead than even a cinder block.
The goal for all of us is to stack the odds in our favor as much as possible, and select a broadhead that is as lethal as possible for our bow/arrow set up and for the animal we are hunting.
At the end of each of my broadhead tests, you will find a score sheet listing all the results of the testing, so you can compare heads based on what factors matter to you the most. I also have an overall LUSK GRADE that is an evaluation of how the head performed in all the tests combined.
PLEASE ALSO NOTE:
I have picked up a new sponsor that is my top recommendation for Broadhead Sharpening. staysharpguide... or @Innovative Outdoorsman These are the best, simplest broadhead sharpeners on the market today. They have a model for just about every type of broadhead there is. The support I get for that has helped me improve my channel.
Discount Codes for Broadheads:
SEVR: LUSKFIVE
Tooth of the Arrow: LUSK19
Afflictor: LUSK10
Any financial support I get from my sponsor or from the discount codes is invested into my channel.

[@eaglepasss3580]

I can testify that Mr.Dave has great customer service I am a simple man and my first time trying out the land shark I only purchase 3 but he was great and over the phone he said he would ship them out right away because I was ordering pretty late in the season and I needed them asap he said they would get To me on time and he was correct he shipped very fast got to me with ti.e to spare. Very pleasant man to talk to very kind. Got to me quickening south texas

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Good to hear.

[@scottfrederick8299]

Great Video and I can tell you for a fact, backed up with a couple of truck bed loads of deer, that the Simmons Land Sharks (165gr) are worth every penny and are the only broadheads I currently shoot. I've used them both with compounds and trad bows. Out of the numerous deer shot only 2 have ever made it out of sight. One was on a mature buck I shot slightly quartering too, the broadhead completely destroyed the on side shoulder and lodged in the lower off side shoulder/leg. He was 1 of the two that made it out of sight. He went almost 100 yds. The blood trail was still emence even without the pass thru & this is the only time I ever did not get a complete pass thru. All others shot have been down within 40yds! I tell folks that you can see the ground on the other side thru the wound channel! Plus, I'm still shooting some of the original 6 that I purchased from Jerry Simmons himself. Dave told me that I needed to put those up! Lol Dave's a great guy and since he's taken over the business the broadheads are still some of the best money can buy! Have a great season and stay safe!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thank you for sharing all that experience.

[@southdakotasaved126]

How many pounds are the trad bows that you shoot? I shoot a 49# long bow @ 30”, 600 grains total, do you think that’s enough poundage for that wide head?

[@scottfrederick8299]

@@southdakotasaved126 yes, I always try to keep my trad shots at 20 and under. The only non-pass thru I've had was thru the on shoulder that lodged in the off shoulder. That shot was with a 60# compound about 30 yds. I have a short draw length, most of my recurves at my draw length are pulling 45-46#'s. One longbow I hunt with quite a lot is only pulling 43#'s. I've never had a problem with any of them, however I would have never taken the shot at 30 on the buck above with any of my trad bows, that shot was with a 700+ gr arrow.

[@davetoms63]

My broadhead of choice. Yep you can spend 4X as much for broadheads but none perform any better IME. Great Company and nice review.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing that, David. Much appreciated.

[@MikeyWoomer]

I love 2 blade broadheads. That thing is a beast. Thanks for the video John

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks Mikey!

[@josephtreadlightly5686]

2 things I like about the integrity of this head. The concave design gives u wound channel ➕ edge retention while going around bone & not hanging up so u can get a true passthrough. If anyone has doubt about surface area I like how the blades give u a shorter point up front while still getting the large blade for a huge cut. Great design. But like the Valkyrie Jag it should be used in a High FOC application. The ballistic gel & drag reminds me of a plastic sled & why it has runners protruding on each side of it. That way it doesn't drag on the snow but pulls through the snow on top with a minimum surface area contacting the snow. If u didn't want to get the 3 blade Valkyrie I could see this being a good choice. Interested to see how sharp u can get the blades & what system is best to do it wifh.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks Joseph. These blades were some of the sharpest I've tested. But using the Stay Sharp Guide "C" Sharpener, for concave and convex heads, they can get even sharper. I like the Valkyries, but not the size of the hole. For penetration, they're fantastic....but not for the hole size.

[@EarthyBlendPOV]

Enjoyed the review. I’m a 190gr Treeshark’r from way back. Simmons makes a great product. I may try these LandSharks though!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks brother. I need to test those out at some point.

[@Tobaizo]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures pleasseee do! Whatever you pick though keep them coming! Thank you!

[@Tobaizo]

I've been looking at the tree shark for ages! Really looking forward to grabbing some.

[@mannoa1]

Welp, I just found my new broadhead. Watched this video, Seen some for sale on AT and grabbed them. Came in today and they fly great, I don't need to test them anymore than that because you already done that for me 😉

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

They are really nice heads!

[@clintwalker7690]

I found it. I have shot the 190 grain for many years. I shoot the vented model. It is an excellent head. I have never shot it from a compound bow. I will get back to you on that. It is flying well on targets.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Very good. Thanks Clint.

[@calebwilliams7922]

Great video! You might would be interested in trying out the Tree Shark. It is 2 1/16” wide. One of the widest fixed blade cuts on the market. Keep up the good work!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yeah, I've looked at that--it's huge!

[@bbmopar3834b]

In actually very impressed on how well this head held up! I thought fir sure the edge was going to be all kinds of chattered up.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yep, me too!

[@2greeksandacamera]

Ballistics jel has been the standard for long time for bullets. But in comparing it to a big game animal which is blood moist flesh and blood, this seems much different. We’ve tested broadhead and point penetration in sand. It’s pretty consistent from shot to shot. You have given us much good information here. Wonder how they would compare with Howard Hill’s famous old head, which is long and more narrow.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yeah. Gel certainly has its limitations. The reason I put the MDF and rubber foam mat in the front of it is that gives a better indication of overall penetration. The advantage of gel over sand is being able to see the broadhead from the side, and make an accurate measurement of its penetration and to see Its rotation, or whether the blades open on a mechanical or remain open the entire way.

[@DeathByPurpleLongbow]

Last season I shot a deer with the Simmons Great White 225 and a recurve. Craziest blood trail I’ve ever seen. There shooting great out of my new Excalibur crossbow too. Will be using it exclusively this season.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Good to hear. Thank you for sharing that.

[@cray-z7404]

I have really been entertaining the thought of hunting with this beauty out of my Centerpoint sniper 370 crossbow with PILEDRIVER BOLTS , I am currently hunting with THORN RIFT 2.2 BROADHEADS 125GR & have had great success so far but I am leaning towards the fixed head that I can feel confident in shooting into the shoulder and if I hit the humorous bone / ball - joint etc. It will still bust through and possibly still have a complete pass through... I really wonder if this head would be sufficient and if I would feel confident in shooting it out of my crossbow out to 60 yards accurately ? I just want to know if & when I switch from my THORN RIFT 2.2 BROADHEAD to fixed broadheads that I make the right choice. I'm disabled & on a fixed income and have health issues & alot my equipment was stolen while in hospital battling cancer so I'm kinda financially in a place where I have no funds to waste so to speak ... I just really like the looks of this shark tooth Simmons broadhead yet I want to be confident that my broad head is accurate & it will bust threw bone and make complete pass through shots in at high percentage rate ... please let me know your thoughts & opinions and what fixed blade I should load in my quiver ???

[@DeathByPurpleLongbow]

@@cray-z7404 I’m not sure how accurate they would be out to 60 yards. I’ve only hunted with them out of a longbow and recurve. I don’t always get pass throughs but the blood trails are always great. I’m only shooting 40 and 45lbs at 150 feet per second. Crossbows have a lot more speed and energy. As far as the money goes, they can easily be reshaped and shot over and over again. There pretty durable. I use a Rada sharpener.

[@cray-z7404]

@@DeathByPurpleLongbow 10-4 ROGER THAT PARTNER...

[@darrenbowers3267]

Great video as all ways ! When you showed sharpness test after penetration test that was the mako in the video lol.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Oh, was it? That's weird.

[@triplez300]

Omg. I've been waiting for this video !! I shoot Annihilator 150XL for my compound and Simmons Sharks Safari for my Trads.

[@jacobmoore6874]

Im actually looking at shooting Annihilators. Which one do u perfer overall?

[@triplez300]

@@jacobmoore6874 Annihilator doesn't work or as effective as it should be if your are shooting low poundage or traditional bow. Simmons Sharks on the other hand will work well with any bows.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Very good. Thank you.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

@jacob moore, I have a test comparing the original Annihilator with the XL, here on my channel. Check it out. I prefer a wider cut when hunting whitetail and hogs, but they are still very good heads. I prefer the XL.

[@Kurtdog63]

I experimented shooting different traditional broadheads into a tire with a crossbow. The Shark was 190ish grain broadhead. It penetrated the best of three other heads, Ozcut, Zwickey No Mercy, and VPA double bevel. I posted video. I sharpen with a grinder. Video of that as well. Thanks for sharing.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

That's cool. Thanks for sharing that.

[@MrRobbob22]

Great job, we appreciate the information!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thank you!

[@chucklewis5396]

That thing did great on that block.. surprised me..

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Right? Me too.

[@heathalford4721]

I shot the 160gr years ago and was really happy with them. Years ago they had bleeder blades with them. I changed to go back to a lighter head. But I’m thinking of going to the landshark 160 or tree shark 190 with a 2 1/8 cut I think. They are very solid heads in my opinion

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing that Heath. I didn't know they used to have a bleeder. That would be extra good, I think.

[@heathalford4721]

That was around 20 years ago. When I first started shooting them. The owner of the archery shop I used was a believer in them

[@davidgreer9567]

Good video. I watch all your videos and this is probably the least penetration heads I've seen you test. Cool looking and durable but question pass thru on elk.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Well, it is really wide to use on a an elk, that's for sure. But like I said in the video, the more width surface area a head has, the least it will penetrate in gel and also cardboard, to a degree. Animal tissue is slightly different because the blood lubricates the penetration rather than sticking to the heads.

[@Kurtdog63]

I think sometimes three or four blade heads can penetrate better in certain materials because they reduce shaft pinch. The resistance of more blades cutting is offset by the greater reduction in shaft pinch. Simmons Interceptor 190 grain set up with old 1986 Jennings Devastator Crossbow I bought new back in the day, heading to the woods next week. I need some salami.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yes, that can be true. If penetration is your top goal, then a smaller broadhead with less surface area and even multiple blades is the way to go. But if you're going to blow thru an animal anyway, why not use one that is going to make a huge hole while doing it. There are few fixed blade broadheads that won't zip thru a whitetail, at least with my set up...and if it's not a heavy quartering shot.

[@vieuxacadian9455]

I use the big tree sharks set up at approx. 210 grains and for smaller game the 125 grain sharks .

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Nice

[@DavidBowCrazyBabyak86]

i had these heads and tuey do some serious damage with nice holes but you need to sharpen them more than they come but otherwise i loved them, i did bend the tip back when i hit a big rock!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing that experience.

[@tylersoutdooradventures8919]

These look very similar to the Kudu Broadheads? Thoughts and comparisons between them 2 heads? Thanks for the great videos John and God Bless!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

There are some similarities...these have a much wider cut.

[@bw6538]

The original owner of the company lived next to my cousin in walker country in Alabama they are really good broad heads and shoot good out my longbow

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

That's really cool.

[@willc3384]

Man that Landshark left quite a cavity

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Right? Thanks Will.

[@lildavid7571]

Hi , love the video (as usual) . Was that the 160gr in the concrete test ? If not , do you think the extra blade thickness would have allowed to fare better ?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I tested both, and actually for some reason, the 135 did better. It may have been the angle of impact or maybe due to the extra weight of the 160.

[@lildavid7571]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures that's surprising and so counter-intuitive , but that's physics for ya. Thanks for the response and I'll be looking forward to the next video as always.

[@chrismacomber9727]

Hey do you have a recommendation for what works best to sharpen expandable blades??

[@innovativeoutdoorsman5067]

which expandable?

[@chrismacomber9727]

@@innovativeoutdoorsman5067 rage hypo

[@innovativeoutdoorsman5067]

@@chrismacomber9727 stay sharp replaceable blade guide. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYTFhpKMl7x8l9U

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Like Innovative Outdoorsman said, it makes a difference as to which head it is and how the blades are shaped. Check out Stay Sharp Guides and ask Innovative Outdoorsman for the specifics. He's the man when it comes to sharpening!

[@chrismacomber9727]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures cool thanks I will check that out I have tried a few different ones but hard to get a grip on the blade enough to get it to sharpen right lol..

[@cray-z7404]

Which Simmons would u choose if you were shooting a crossbow ?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Mako

[@timbow50]

Really impressed with this head. Should be a great performer on hogs with the way their skin and fat tend to close up especially when hit with smaller width blades. Is that a collard insert and which product is it. I am going to order these 135 grain heads and inserts if they will fit my Carnivores. Thanks for the video

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks Tim. The collars I use come with the arrow, from Bishop Archery. They do sell them separately as well, I believe. They are hardened steel inserts/collars and the nock end of the arrow has one as well.

[@steve8828]

Are there 135 gr and 160 gr field points to practice with?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I don't have any...but the difference in point of impact over 125 gr and 150 gr heads is almost unnoticeable out to 80 yards at least. Even the difference between 100s and 125s is unnoticeable out to 40 yds. Most people make a much bigger deal about broadhead weights being a few grains over or under weight, when it really makes zero difference in the real world. Consider when you shoot an arrow with rain on it or some dirt--that weighs much more than 25 grs often times, but you don't think twice about it.

[@cray-z7404]

Which Simmons scored highest if u don’t mind me asking ?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I don't recall. Probably the Mako.

[@jameswoodie5657]

Sweet

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks James.

[@danietkissenle]

Have you tested schmisers yet

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Nope. I haven't even heard of them.

[@danietkissenle]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures I don't know if they are still around but they looked real good a few years ago

[@timbo749]

is 200 hunting sharp?,cause people say they don't come sharp from the factory.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yes. That gets a 10/10 on my scale.

[@timbo749]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures can you do a sharpness comparison between a landshark right out of the box and after a few swipes through a Rada wheel sharpener.

[@johnhamilton7495]

I watch your show many times but finding a non expanadble broadheads that fly straight and holds together in the stores is almost non available i use fast crossbows and a 60lb bow Please point me the way

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

It can be a challenge. I've found that if my bow is very well tuned, and my grip/form is consistent, and my arrows are well spined with good FOC and helical vanes, pretty much any fixed blade head will fly well out to 60 yards at least. Some that I have found to be the most forgiving, while still providing a nice size cut and great durability are: Exodus Swept, Tooth of the Arrow, Simmons Mako, Afflictor Fixed, Magnus Black Hornet, Iron Will Single Bevel with Bleeders, just to name a few. For a slightly smaller cut, like the typical 1 1/8" 3 blade single piece heads, there are a lot of great options too: Slick Trick SS3, Ozcut Elite Series 3 Blade, Deepower Fixed Blade, Bishop Holy Trinity. I have discount codes for a couple of those, cause they sell only direct to consumer: Afflictor: LUSK10 and Tooth of the Arrow: LUSK19.

[@l00nybin]

"There's just that slight bend to it" Ummm... Slight? That's a heck of a bend! If it had been stainless steel, it probably would have snapped. Just shows how tough they are!

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Well, compared to many two blade cut on contact heads, it was "slight." A lot of them just completely fold over.

[@jayytee8062]

I really would like to see some meat and bone targets on top of these tests.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks watching and for the comment. There are 2 primary reasons I don't test broadheads using meat and bones more: 1. They are not consistent mediums. For there to be true comparative data points, which is what my testing is all about, there must be consistency in the tests. My goal is to apply consistent tests to each broadhead, as effectively as I can, simulating hunting conditions as best as I can. Then, viewers can see how each head performs in those exact same tests. Bone densities and geometries vary quite a bit and the angle of impact on those bone hits make a huge difference in how the broadhead performs. I have used dried elk scapula in some of my destruction tests, because they are relatively similar with their large flat surface. However, even they are limited in their consistency--and they're dried so they're not really any more helpful in producing "real world" results than wood. I also stopped using plywood because of the inconsistency of the grains & knots in the wood. No consistency = No comparative value. 2. I test a lot of heads--about 60-80 per year. There is no way I can get fresh bones and meat to do that much testing...and no way I can keep all that material fresh...and no way I can afford to buy it. I have gone to butcher shops, but have not found anything that has anything worthwhile at a decent price. I paid quite a bit to get the elk scapula from Ebay. So given the cost and the lack of comparative value, I don't use animal parts in most of my testing. However, I do take 10-20 animals per year in my hunting and test a bunch of different heads when I do that and post those vids and broadhead performance reports about it as well.

[@jayytee8062]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures Ok I see. Well keep up the great videos, I still like them all the same.

[@carlredbird3054]

just wish they would have made the edge flat But still really nice

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

I was surprised by the flight.

[@daltonbbf756]

I really think ballistics gel isn’t a good test the gel just grabs that shaft to slow down the arrow. The Broadhead that goes the deepest just does the best at opening a hole to keep the gel Form grabbing the shaft.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Yeah, I made the point in the video. That's why I also use the MDF and the rubber mat, because it's not only the gel being tested...and why I also use the cardboard. The value of the gel is its visibility.

[@ThirdLawPair]

I love the design, but 1095 is a budget steel. Even among low-alloy steels for forging applications (I doubt these are forged), 1095 is the worst option. Even if they are forged, why not use a higher quality steel like 52100, or a mid-grade like 01? In the likely case that these are not forged, all sorts of budget steels like 14C28N or AEB-L vastly outperform 1095. I get that you don't need crazy expensive powder metallurgy steels in a broadhead, but 1095 makes no sense. And if you are only going to harden it to 51, why not use a high-toughness steel?

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing that detailed information. While I am a big fan of high grade steals, I cannot dispute the effectiveness of this broadhead. The way it holds up to impacting the sheet of steel and the concrete is really impressive, especially with its longer design.

[@ThirdLawPair]

@@LuskArcheryAdventures I guess considering that a broadhead doesn't take the same abuse as a bushcraft knife, it doesn't need to be the highest grade steel. Maybe by heat treating to a low hardness, 1095 takes on a level of toughness usually seen in medium and high quality steels. Saying that, I love all of your tests except the concrete test. There are so many inherent tradeoffs in the properties of the metal that subjecting it to such an extreme toughness test just requires that it have lesser edge retention. For the same reason, you wouldn't test corrosion resistance by submerging it in seawater for a month. Any steel that could pass that test would probably have lesser toughness than a knife or broadhead requires. That's why I love your flight forgiveness test. It replicates the way the broadhead is likely to be used not in perfect conditions and not in extreme conditions either.

[@normanphair8488]

Less Arrow drag

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for the comment.

[@willdesorcy5868]

This just goes to prove that this big FOC push doesn’t really mean a hole lot

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for watching and commenting, Will. What do you mean by that comment? I'm not sure I'm following you.

[@willdesorcy5868]

The 2 broadheads u shot side by side. I believe 135and 165. U didn’t get enough penetration difference to justify shooting more foc IMO Being a western hunter u lose to much speed and greater pin gape to justify the extra weight with high foc. Like I said just IMO

[@timturner7545]

Only broadheads made IMO, I shot them out of a compound and a crossbow.

[@LuskArcheryAdventures]

Thanks for sharing that Tim.