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Tru-Fire Hardcore Buckle Foldback Release & T1 Broadhead

Broadhead and Release

By Jace Bauserman

Confidence in your gear is pivotal. Anything that doesn’t boost shooting confidence should be discarded. Over the years I’ve tossed many products aside. Not necessarily because they were faulty or problematic. They just didn’t radiate that warm, fuzzy feeling. Some frown on this practice. In fact, I’ve had friends and random hunters tell me, “You’re being wasteful, and you need to stay with a particular piece of gear until it becomes familiar.” I disagree. I think that if I’m not confident with my gear after a day or so of testing it, I never will be. And nothing leads to errant shots in the bowhunting woods more than lack of confidence.

Over time I’ve found numerous companies whose products swell me with confidence, and each year I’m eager to see what those companies unleash into the archery arena. One such company is Tru-Fire. Known for its quality and craftsmanship, Tru-Fire keeps hunters on the cutting edge of radical new technology. Much of this technology is exhibited in two of its products—the new-for-2011 Hardcore Buckle Foldback Release and the T1 Broadhead.

The performance of the Hardcore Buckle Foldback Release was exceptional. The hook style of this release meant it easily adhered to my D-loop, and after multiple days of testing I was pleased with the zero wear it created. Its free-pivoting head always aligned to the centerline of the release, and it became apparent that its self-centering knuckle eliminated side-to-side torque. This is great news for all archers. We all sport different anchor points, and since the body of the Hardcore will actually pivot left or right a total of 20 degrees, it compensates for varying anchor-point positions. All of this boosts accuracy, and that accuracy became clearer with every shot. The swept-back trigger and its curved design welcomed my finger, and since frustrating trigger travel was no issue, shots left the bow cleanly and crisply. This travel can be adjusted, but after some tinkering I found 4 ounces of trigger pressure to be optimal for me.

Perhaps the Hardcore Buckle Foldback’s most impressive feature, though, is its ability to fold back. Now traveling through the hunting woods can be done without your release swaying across your palm, hanging up in debris and just flat out being a general annoyance. Not to mention the freedom it provides when sifting through your gear—I applaud this out-of-the-way design. I can say without hesitation that my confidence level with this release is off the charts.

Broadheads are crucial components to bringing home the backstraps. The severity of trauma they inflict is what ultimately leads to the demise of our quarry. For this reason, broadhead choice is critical. The problem for most of us is that we don’t have the means or time to purchase and test a variety of broadheads. So the question becomes: How do we choose? Personally, I use a four-part process I’ve dubbed “bow, research, invest and test.”

The bow part of this equation is simple. As hunters we want broadheads that fly just like our field points. This can happen, but not without a properly tuned bow. If you fantasize about field tip/broadhead synchronicity, proper bow tuning is essential. You also need a broadhead that has been spin-tested for pinpoint accuracy and constructed in a process that heeds the accuracy call.

The next step, research, can’t be overlooked. Start perusing literature and visiting with friends who have used a few of the particular heads you’re leaning toward. For me, it was a combination of literature and the excitement in the voice of Bowhunt America Associate Publisher Travis Reginek when he began raving about the T1 100-grain broadheads from Tru-Fire. After furthering my knowledge of these fascinating heads, it became clear why he was so excited.

The T1 from Tru-Fire is amazing. One of its most striking features is the first-ever Spring Retention System. This nifty two-position locking system holds the blades snug to the ferrule even when the head is not attached. This makes for a safer, more frustration-free broadhead. Equally striking about the T1 is the fact that the ferrule is designed to cut on contact and is constructed of one solid piece of steel. Couple this design with the .032 440 stainless-steel blades, and you’ve got one durable, accurate killer paving the path for your arrow.

Pleased with the research, I invested and tested. I loved the Spring Retention System. Attaching my heads to my shafts was painless. And when I needed to replace a blade, I found it to be a breeze—simply pulling downward on the spring allowed the blades to slide in and out. Spin-testing was flawless, and I found the T1, coming out of my 70-pound, well-tuned bow, hit within 1.5 inches of my 100-grain field points out to a distance of 60 yards. Chalk this up to the solid-steel ferrule. That was all I needed. Accuracy like that can only be achieved through relentless testing, and Tru-Fire is that kind of company—relentless in terms of product proficiency. The blades are sharp enough to shave a few whiskers from my face (don’t try that at home). I also discovered penetration to be no problem. These heads blasted through a 1-inch piece of plywood and then through a plastic milk jug, which I had filled with cranberry juice. The sight was pleasing— red liquid boiling out of the 1.125-inch cut. Animals beware!

For more information on either the new Hardcore Foldback Buckle Release or the T1 Broadhead, visit trufire.com or call (920) 923-6866.

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