Broadheads

[Code-Man]

I know that you can have a poll on here I don't know how maybe an Administrator genious can help me out. I am new to bow hunting and wondering a big question.

Fixed

or

Expandable

[sticknstring]

I'll grab the popcorn...

Fixed-blade Mechanical is the only way to go!

[Duncan7709]

Fixed. Snuffers or 2 blade magnus broadheads for deer.

[Powerstroke]

As far as simple and reliable, I don't think you can go wrong with FIXED.

There are some great mech's out there and they have been used widely. When they are used for the right reasons they are great.

Too many people shoot Mech's because they can't make fixed heads fly right so they use it as a band-aid.

[sportfish]

I'd rather have a good xpandabe that hit were I want than a fixed blad that tends to wander. A bad hit with a wide cutting xpandable is deadler thans a small cutting fixed head.

[harvey lee]

I have had very good shooting with my fixed Muzzies over the past 7-8 years. I watched some friends shoot the new Rage broadhead and was very impressed with the damage that they deliver. Some of the holes looked like they were shot with a slug.

I dont believe it makes much difference what brand or type of broadhead one uses as long as you have them tuned to you arrow.

[Powerstroke]

 Originally Posted By: sportfish

I'd rather have a good xpandabe that hit were I want than a fixed blad that tends to wander. A bad hit with a wide cutting xpandable is deadler thans a small cutting fixed head.

I've never had a fixed head wander because of its design. I've used Magnus Stinger 4blade and G5 Strikers. Every year there is a discussion about how some people can't make their fixed broadheads fly true to their field tips.

Nowadays, these heads are tested in labs, real life and every possible condition to make sure that a properly tuned bow and arrows will deliver the head exactly where you aimed. If your setup is wandering, then change fixed heads. If its still a problem, then 99% of the time its a tuning issue.

I had a very difficult time making my fixed heads hit, but my buddy could shoot the same arrow and it would be dead on. After I discovered my rest was off and I was getting fletching contact, everything tightened up.

I'm not saying that mechs are bad. I have heard many great things about them and I plan on shooting them this spring for turkeys.

What I am saying is don't buy mechs just because you're not willing to figure out the tuning issue with your setup. With all of the accessories and the spine of your arrows, there are many things that should be checked if you can't make your FT's and BH's hit the same spot.

Also, you should consider the math on cutting surface. A Rage 2blade may have a cutting dia. of 2", but if you count the cutting a surface of the muzzy 4blade, its got a dia of 1 1/8"....but with a 4blade head then its doubled and you end of with 2 1/4" of cutting surface. It won't have as wide of a reach, but it will still cut on all 4 sides, which the Rage 2-blade cannot.

I'm not picking on Rage because I have them and will be using them this spring.

[Knute78]

I use Rage 2-Blade expandables for the first time this season after using many broadheads, mainly fixed. I wish I had the pics from the entry and exit hole on my buck this past fall using the Rages. The entry and exit hole were probably closer to three inches wide. Finding my deer was no problem...not even in the corn...it looked as if someone took a red paint brush and painted every stalk individually...40yrds later there he lay.

[djb1]

I use both mechanical and fix blade broardheads and think they both have there place. One thing you should do no matter which broadhead you choose is fine tune your bow using a fix blade broadheads. I use a 1.5in 3 blade broadhead for tuning and use 3 blade Wac'Em with my compound and Magnus Stinger 2 blade with my recurve.

[92python]

I agree with djb1 on the idea of tuning with fixed blades to make sure your bow is shooting its best.

[Powerstroke]

I did make an error in my post cause I was referencing the G5 which is a 3 blade. EIther way, I still prefer the fixed blades cause there's nothing to go wrong.

[DonBo]

 Originally Posted By: Powerstroke

As far as simple and reliable, I don't think you can go wrong with FIXED.

Too many people shoot Mech's because they can't make fixed heads fly right so they use it as a band-aid.

This pretty much says it!

Be aware, there are several states and many outfitters that ban the use of mechanicals. There is a reason for this.

[David Kasten]

I lost a monster of a buck two years ago on a mechanical head, 40 yards straight broadside shot, shot was right on the money as it hit the deer and the blades openedd something went WAY wrong and only two blades opened and the arrow did what people call "pole vaulting" and deflected, after that i said i would never shoot another head. Since then iv had good luck with a variety of different fixed heads. I will never go back, theres to many things that can go wrong with all the new technology.

[Hoyt4]

Rocket ultimate steal fixed is great broadhead.I have not had to adjust my sites from field point to broadhead.I had to use fixed for elk hunting out in Idaho since they do not allow mechanical.But I still shoot Mechanical I have not lost a deer or turkey from them.I think it depends on the brand or shot selection.I do know the Rage had a recall and I would not use those for awhile till they work out all the kinks.

[sticknstring]

Like previously mentioned in another thread, the Rage recall was nearly a year ago and the "kinks" were corrected soon after.

For the guys shooting at 40 & 53 yards and blaming mechanicals for their lost quarry... come up with a better sell. I'm not buying it. Good heads can't fix poor shots. A field point will kill a deer if put in the right place. There's of ton of excellent heads on the market - both fixed and mechanical, if you practice with it enough - you really can't go wrong with any of them IMO.

[killerloop1]

I've used the rage, nice hole, but lacks a little on penatration.

I'm on the fence on this one, I shot a little of both this year and was happy with the mech

[Guest Kyle]

Penentration shouldnt be an issue for anyone shooting a fairly new bow. Im not sure what everyone is shooting, but unless you shoot right for the shoulder blades, that arrow will more than likely go through so fast you wont even see it happen. Even with straight on shoulder shots, the arrow still often penetrates enough to kill the animal. Unless you are shooting at it from 50-60 yds. best thing to do is just try different broadheads. Im with Sticknstring on this one. They will all kill deer, its just personal preference, and which one works the best with your setup. Thats just my take on it.

[metrojoe]

 Originally Posted By: Code-Man

I know that you can have a poll on here I don't know how maybe an Administrator genious can help me out. I am new to bow hunting and wondering a big question.

Fixed

or

Expandable

The past 2 seasons I have been carrying fixed and expandables and have had good luck with both. I have limited experience with expandables, but the 3 deer I have harvested were all a complete pass through and the deer never went more than 40 or 50 yards. The only difference that I have seen is that I rarely get a complete pass through with a fixed blade and in most cases I ended up with a broken arrow, but those deer also never went more than 40 or 50 yards.

I think properly sighting in your bow, practicing, and putting that arrow in the boiler room is far more important than what type of broadhead you use.

[David Kasten]

Its not rocket science Mechanicals use energy to open which takes energy off the arrow, cut on impact fixed heads in my opinion are the only way to go. Sticknstring, iv heard plenty of times people seeing their arrows (with mechanical heads) do some weird stuff after hitting a target or animal even at 15 yards. Iv shot deer with both, all im saying is iv never had issues with fixed heads. You shouldnt have to limit your shots based on which style head your using. Explain this, how is it possible to shoot a deer at 17 yards straight broadside with a mechanical head and not get a clean pass threw? 70lbs you should be able to go in and smash threw any rib on the other side. Last year i put a guest on one of my bait stations he shot a bear at 23 yards broadside and put an arrow threw both shoulders using rocky mtn. ironheads,you show me a mechanical that can offer you this penetration. Mechincal guys, how many times have you shot a deer and recovered your arrow with it having broken blades?

[ANYFISH]

only 7 deer with mechanicals, 0 broken blades, only 3 pass thru's, but I still prefer them, I find less wind drift and shoot more consistently than with fixed, but that just my opinion. And yes I tune my bow every year.

[Guest Kyle]

actually someone, i think on this forum, was talking about how they shot a 450lb bear with a rage broadhead and surgically sliced through a rib on the entrance and on the exit. I believe it.

[David Kasten]

ribs and shoulders are different. Its all opinion really. as long as your comfortable with what you shoot.

[Guest Kyle]

I just talked to a pro staffer at archery country in st. cloud, and he said he shot two deer last year with rage broadheads and they were both complete pass throughs no question. He also said the exit hole was just naughty!

[DAD-N-EYE]

I shoot rage and have harvested four deer with them, none of which went over fifty yards and the blood trail was incredible. The talk about not getting a pass through with rage isnt really a question because even if you dont you still have a much larger hole than any fixed broadhead can offer. I will continue to shoot rage with there incredible accuracy(good penetration for me) and the extremely large hole they make and even on entrance.

Tracey

[92python]

Rage broadheads are very popular now but that design is not new. The Rocky Mountain Snyper is basically the same head with a smaller cut. I think Rage and Rocky Mountain are now owned by the same company. I haven't used Rage and some people really like them.

Based on info I have found it seems they are a one shot head as the set screw for the replacement blades get stripped often, are pretty expensive, are not the best for penetration on a shoulder hit (if you accidentaly hit there, the total cut (number of blades x diameter) doesn't add up to more cutting surface than many other heads, and there are reports of problems with the blades opening prematurely in the quiver so check that out, and some people love them.

There have been many success stories with these heads but if you get a good hit any head will do the job. Double lunged 2 deer last year. One with a Slick Trick mag (4 blade 1.125" diameter) and one with a Jak-Hammer (3 blade 1.25" diameter) and watched them drop within 30 yards.

[UMDSportsman]

Yes, the rage is a redesigned rocky mountain broadhead. If you are stuffing rage broadheads into the foam in a quiver, you are asking to have the blades open up in the quiver. I personally made sure the quiver i bought had 2 supports for the arrows so i could take the foam out of the quiver. that way you are not stuffing your broadheads into the foam possibily dulling them.

[koonie]

yes!

[charliepete2]

I had a miserable experience the one and only time I tried a mechanical head on big game. I ended up losing a medium sized bear on an 18 yard slam dunk shot. My buddy was filming me and you could see the arrow kick out as I tried to take a quartering away shot with a big wasp Jak-Hammer. There was just no penetration. It's tough to speculate without a recovery, but my buddy and I both saw the shot and the film and it looked like the shot was right on the money. Basically losing that bear convinced me to stick with fixed blades. I'd had nothing but success up to that point with fixed blades, and I only switched because I had purchased and early single cam bow that didn't tune with fixed blades very well. I ended up selling that bow, going back to fixed blades, and I haven't had a problem since.

A few years back while on another bear hunt I had another bear zig when I thought it was going to zag and I ended up shooting it in the shoulder blade. I might have another lost bear story to relate if I was shooting shooting a large expandable that didn't penetrate well. Instead with my fixed blade ironhead punched through both shoulders and the bear didn't make it 20 yards.

There isn't a broadhead out there that won't drop almost every animal inside 40 yards if you put it on the numbers. The trick is to find a setup that covers your tracks when things go wrong.

[icefishing21]

expandable by far. i have used both and i like the expandables way better. the rage 2 blade expandable is definately the way to go with a 2 inch diameter cut hole.

[SlamNFish]

This debate will go on forever i'm sure. Ive bowhunted for 30 years and have tried them all but for me personally i like the fixed blade heads.Although for turkey i like the big expandable to anchor the bird. But no matter what you shoot always know your effective range and don't force shots.Then blood trails will lead to dead animals.The magic triangle lung and heart. Study animal anatomy learn to shoot angles to hit the heart lung area and practice with your hunting head then it wont matter what you shoot if your deadly accurate.You owe it to the animal to be the best shot you can be. I can honestly say more deer have died in my sight then have not.The bow is capable of shooting perfect it's the hunter that is not perfect so practice everything you can think of you might encounter in hunting it will build confidance.Oh ya and go buy a range finder. It's a bowhunters best friend.You can range distances from your ambush spot a rock,tree,bush,game trails etc etc...long before the animal gets there.I hope this will help out some of the new bowhunters.Remember this! your first shot is the one that counts make it your best keep this in mind when practicing every arrow can be your first. And stop practicing before you get tired a few good practice shots is better then just shooting and shooting and getting tired because then your accuracy will go down and you will start thinking something is wrong with your bow.So always practice fresh and rested and stop before you get tired. Sorry i was so long winded. Hope this helps a newbie.

Deerslayer1