Broadheads

[rgecko23]

Nice to read a positive post on mechanicals. Not that I have that many, but all 6 of my archery kills were from mechanical heads. Five of six were complete passthroughs. The one that didn't was my fault. Terrible shot. Not sure what I did but I buried it in her hip. She laid down and pulled the arrow out. Found her dead about 90 minutes later. Thank God for the snow that day. I think about changing every now and then, but I'll keep shooting what I have on hand until they give me reason not to.

That is the only bad shot i had had as well, and it was with a rage. She stepped down off a bank and I was already in the shot, went through her back hips. She laid down, got up and we never found her. I have shot 4 other deer with rages and they have all fell within 50-100 yards. One doe i lost because she doubled back through the corn and I lost her blood trail, i thn found her a cpl days later tore up from yotes...(hicks dog hank would have been perfect for that track job).

I havent had the opportunity to take a marginal shot, ie..quartering away or anything. Mechanicals work, I havent had one fail yet.

two years ago, I shot 2 doe with the g5 montecs, they both fell to the same fate. 50 -100 yards. Both shots were broadside though. small holes and very minimal blood trail.

this year I am shooting the spitfire maxx, I like the cutting blades they put on the front instead of just a blunt tip. I will be posting pictures of the carnage when I shoot something this year.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Nice to read a positive post on mechanicals. Not that I have that many, but all 6 of my archery kills were from mechanical heads. Five of six were complete passthroughs. The one that didn't was my fault. Terrible shot. Not sure what I did but I buried it in her hip. She laid down and pulled the arrow out. Found her dead about 90 minutes later. Thank God for the snow that day. I think about changing every now and then, but I'll keep shooting what I have on hand until they give me reason not to.

The first deer I ever shot with a mechanical sold me on 'em! He was 38 yards, hard quartered away. Shot him through the right ham and the arrow broke the off side shoulder. When he took off, my arrow looked like it had gone in about 10 inches because it had backed out so quickly. From the stand I thought..."OOOps". After dark, my buddy came over and we tracked an awesome blood trail about 70 yards down the steepes hill in all of Kentucky. There he laid, deader than a stump. With few exceptions, I get better blood trails with mechanicals than I ever did with any other head though I don't shoot exceptionally big cutting diameter heads. I really think the difference is the kind of cut they make; they push the hide in a bit before they cut thus actually cutting a larger path than the 1 1/2" they advertise. Sure, that takes a little KE, but I don't care if my arrow is sticking 6" in the dirt or 12.

Saddlebritches, spitfires are good heads too. My only issue with them is that they stay closed based on the inertia of the arrow. I prefer a rubber band as it is a little more likely to stay closed if you brush a limb. Years ago, I pushed a dandy buck slowly down a fence row to a waiting buddy. The shot was 5 yards or so, and he missed by feet! He had clipped a little briar, and it threw the arrow off badly. I think if he had been using a rubber band model vs. a spitfire, he'd have killed that buck. I will say though, we never had any trouble finding a bunch of his deer after he introduced them to a spitfire.

 

[bowhunter1023]

"Anything mechanical can, and will fail..."

It took a while for that to sink in with me, but it has taken hold and I don't see me ever going back to a mechanical...

 

[Schu72]

"Anything mechanical can, and will fail..."

It took a while for that to sink in with me, but it has taken hold and I don't see me ever going back to a mechanical...

Isn't your bow mechanical and your rest?

Forgot to add release?

 

[jagermeister]

Isn't your bow mechanical and your rest?

Forgot to add release?

Well, obviously it IS Schu... I think the point is to eliminate as many mechanical things as possible that don't offer some kind of advantage. The compound bow is mechanical, but there's no advantage (other than mental or pride) to eliminate the compound and shoot a stick bow. Is there an advantage to shoot the mechanical broadhead instead of a strong, properly tuned fixed-blade head? Not really, so why add that extra variable?

 

[saddlepants]

Lol, yeah, my release caused ME to fail this morning and punch myself in the face:smiley_blackeye:

 

[Schu72]

Well, obviously it IS Schu... I think the point is to eliminate as many mechanical things as possible that don't offer some kind of advantage. The compound bow is mechanical, but there's no advantage (other than mental or pride) to eliminate the compound and shoot a stick bow. Is there an advantage to shoot the mechanical broadhead instead of a strong, properly tuned fixed-blade head? Not really, so why add that extra variable?

A number of people on here have given examples of fixed broadhead failures.

Mechanicals are easy to use, meaning I don't have to tune, and I have never had one fail. Even on hard quarting shots. I'm just saying people on this forum will argue about dropaway rest and others defend it, yet will use the same argument against a mechanical head??? Not trying to argue Jim.

 

[Schu72]

Jesse...After read my last post I hope it doen't come off as a direct jab at you. Wasn't my intent.

 

[saddlepants]

Ive always wondered about rests TOO. drop aways make me nervouse but then now that I own a compound I look at the biscuit and think..Fletchings passing through that fuzz HAVE to be slowed down or altered in trajectory in some way right?! Much in the same way I could never bring myself to shoot through "shoot-through" mesh.

 

[epe]

The rate of fixed blade failure is A LOT lower than mechanical. I think most on here won't have problems with either as most know the limits of their shooting ability, range and shot selection. I think mechanicals fall into the category of crossbows in some aspects. Some people think they can take, make any shot on a deer.

 

[jagermeister]

A number of people on here have given examples of fixed broadhead failures.

Mechanicals are easy to use, meaning I don't have to tune, and I have never had one fail. Even on hard quarting shots. I'm just saying people on this forum will argue about dropaway rest and others defend it, yet will use the same argument against a mechanical head??? Not trying to argue Jim.

I know what you're saying... What I'm saying is, when comparing these things, you have to "weigh out" the advantage of using one over the other vs. the likelihood of failure. Examples: compound bow = higher likelihood of failure than a stickbow, but the advantage of using said compound far outweighs that of a stickbow (speed, range, letoff, etc)... dropaway rest = higher likelihood of failure than a plunger rest, but the advantage of using said dropaway far outweighs that of a plunger (fletching clearance, better accuracy, more forgiveness, etc.).... Now, when comparing broadheads, think about the advantages of using a fixed blade vs. a mechanical head. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, there are more advantages of use for the fixed blade, but let's just say they were evenly matched.... Then you'd be smart to make your decision based on likelihood of failure... And in most instances, something mechanical has a higher likelihood of failure than something that isn't.

I'm not trying to be argumentative either, dude. Just trying to explain my own way of thinking and why I choose what I choose. My best advice to anyone in choosing broadheads is just to pick whatever gives you confidence to get the job done. We've practiced all summer... we've prepared for the season... we've scouted our asses off... When that moment finally arrives and you're at full draw, your level of confidence is about the only thing that'll hold you back.

 

[Jackalope]

Nobody will ever be able to argue that a mechanical head is somehow superior in durability to a fixed blade head. Bottom line, they aren't..

I also see a bunch of talk about "shot placement".. Or don't shoot this or that. Or calling a shot "low margin".... IMO those are all BS excuses... Front, back, down, quartering here or there.... Excuses.. Personally I know I can hit where I aim. I don't care if that deer comes in walking on his front legs. Get within range and I'm going to drive one into vitals.

There is a reason ST has a solid reputation among not only whitetail hunters but also elk, bear, moose, bou and all they way to Africa... And its not because they spent millions on .marketing on the same TV shows that pimp crap like c'mere deer, and swackers.. There is a reason that 5 years ago when I bought my first st I sent the company a check to a po box as their website or company didn't take plastic.. To what they are today where you can walk in almost any hunting store nationwide and they're on the shelf. Wasn't marketing money, but word of mouth..

 

[saddlepants]

I agree that anything mechanical has a better chance for failure. That is very true. I also agree that whatever you shoot and have confidence in because you have seen the results (for you) is the best way to work your season. I wont go to fixed blades yet this year simply because I have allot to learn. Especially about this whole TUNING thing now. But I have had Mechanicals fail, I have had batteries on red dot scopes quit right when Im sighted in on a good deer. I have had my crossbow fail and I even had my shotgun fail with a loose barrel once. Live and learn. But these types of discussions and/or arguments is a great way to learn Ill give yall that!!! As long as you have great aim and target experience you learn WHEN something has failed and when YOU have failed. To me that is the real importance. Make sure your aim is true every time before you try something new to you!

Its a funny thing. My mom said to me "how come you missed , you never miss...somethings wrong" and she has never hunted or shot a gun in her life. She was right, that was when I discovered my barrel was loose...something I never would have guessed in a million years. Simply because I nor anyone Ive hunted with has had the experience.

 

[Schu72]

I know what you're saying... What I'm saying is, when comparing these things, you have to "weigh out" the advantage of using one over the other vs. the likelihood of failure. Examples: compound bow = higher likelihood of failure than a stickbow, but the advantage of using said compound far outweighs that of a stickbow (speed, range, letoff, etc)... dropaway rest = higher likelihood of failure than a plunger rest, but the advantage of using said dropaway far outweighs that of a plunger (fletching clearance, better accuracy, more forgiveness, etc.).... Now, when comparing broadheads, think about the advantages of using a fixed blade vs. a mechanical head. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages. In my opinion, there are more advantages of use for the fixed blade, but let's just say they were evenly matched.... Then you'd be smart to make your decision based on likelihood of failure... And in most instances, something mechanical has a higher likelihood of failure than something that isn't.

I'm not trying to be argumentative either, dude. Just trying to explain my own way of thinking and why I choose what I choose. My best advice to anyone in choosing broadheads is just to pick whatever gives you confidence to get the job done. We've practiced all summer... we've prepared for the season... we've scouted our asses off... When that moment finally arrives and you're at full draw, your level of confidence is about the only thing that'll hold you back.

I hear what you are saying and buy into most of it. However, I still think mechanicals get stereotyped into one group and have gotten a bad name because of a few bad designs over the years. I do believe that there are quality, reliable mechanicals out there. As far as fixed blades go, it seems like the focus is put on a few select heads and nothing is mentioned about the lousy poor performing ones.

And then there's Joe who will slam anything but an ST.

 

[Buckslayer]

I have just been shooting what flies well out of my bow, I shot carbon express torrid ss for years, it was made by eastman outfitters then, this year I decided to try rage. They fly just like my field tips. I tried shooting muzzy and thunderhead. They were all over the place. Any broadhead can kill a deer when its put in the right place. Just all depends on the preference of the shooter. I dont want to have to try to tune my bow for certain broadheads so Ill just stick with mechanicals and try to make good shots.

 

[uglykat26]

Ive always wondered about rests TOO. drop aways make me nervouse but then now that I own a compound I look at the biscuit and think..Fletchings passing through that fuzz HAVE to be slowed down or altered in trajectory in some way right?! Much in the same way I could never bring myself to shoot through "shoot-through" mesh.

the biscuit does slow your arrow a good bit , at 55 pounds my bow was shooting a 30 inch arrow with a 100 grain tip at 230 fps , with a 28 inch arrow it picked up to 234 that was with the biscuit

i borrowed my buddys drop away with the 30 inch arrow it bumped it up to 251 fps and the 28 went up 255

i bumped my poundage up to 70 and with the biscuit im shooting 30 's at 275 and 28's at 280 so im figuring with the drop away it should put me close to 300 fps

the biscuit creates friction that slows you speed , im getting a drop away as soon as i canand im also droping my arrow length to 28 or 29

 

[bowhunter1023]

Just all depends on the preference of the shooter. I dont want to have to try to tune my bow for certain broadheads so Ill just stick with mechanicals and try to make good shots.

Not to pick on Seth, but I believe therein lies the deciding factor in a lot of cases in regard to this issue. It's fine to take that approach, and trust me I did for years. But what happened was I took a liking to tuning bows when I was learning to shoot. I'm not happy if I'm not shooting beer can groups at 40-50 yards and to do that, you gotta tune and do so frequently. (Not to mention shoot, and shoot, and shoot!) By default, a fine tuned bow will shoot lasers with nearly any fixed blade broadhead. Guys who are comfortable shooting fixed heads to 40-50+ yards and can do so proficiently, are generally tuning junkies also. I say none of this to say our way is better. What I'm saying is for me personally, when "good enough was good enough", I loved shooting my mechanicals. When I started to develop a perfectionists mentally with my equipment, I started eliminating variables. When I build arrows, I weight each nock, insert, field point, vane, then finished arrow so I can batch arrows to within +/- 1 or 2 grains of one another. I also spin test my finished killing arrows. It's just another example of possibly taking things TOO far, but that attention to detail is what eventually lead me back to fixed blades. In eliminating the variables first in my bow and arrows, I was able to take out another variable in "potential mechanical failure" by going back to a fixed blade head. I put two G5 Tekan II's through deer with failures. I've seen Rage failures. I had Grim Reaper failures. Seen a horrible Piston Point failure. Those failures started to weigh on my mind and it got to the point where I wanted to remove that doubt from my own head. When I screw that Slick Trick on the end of an arrow, I know it'll hit where I want and stop after it's done eating. For me, that confidence is vital. This game is largely impacted by confidence and my decision to shoot fixed blade heads boils down to that simple idea...

 

[Beentown]

the biscuit does slow your arrow a good bit , at 55 pounds my bow was shooting a 30 inch arrow with a 100 grain tip at 230 fps , with a 28 inch arrow it picked up to 234 that was with the biscuit

i borrowed my buddys drop away with the 30 inch arrow it bumped it up to 251 fps and the 28 went up 255

i bumped my poundage up to 70 and with the biscuit im shooting 30 's at 275 and 28's at 280 so im figuring with the drop away it should put me close to 300 fps

the biscuit creates friction that slows you speed , im getting a drop away as soon as i canand im also droping my arrow length to 28 or 29

What bow and arrows you shootin Kat?

 

[cotty16]

How in sam hell do you time an arrow? I'm serious... I don't know. Someone there with a stopwatch?

 

[bowhunter1023]

How in sam hell do you time an arrow? I'm serious... I don't know. Someone there with a stopwatch?

Who's timing arrows? You can tune 'em if you want, but timing is new to me...