I've got the Rage Hypodermics and the Swhackers. What are y'all's experiences with them? And which ones do y'all prefer?
Welcome to the site! I use Rage Hypodermics and they perform really well for me. I shot through a buck's shoulder with one last year. I have been shooting Rage broadheads since they hit the market. Many people don't like them, but they all have performed well for me. I like the Rage Hypodermics best out of them all. I have not tried Swhackers, but I have heard lots of great things about them.
I used swhackers all of last year and killed two deer with them. Both deer fell within sight. There was a massive blood trail with the first deer, it was quartering away. the second deer was completely broadside and had a complete pass through and the arrow stuck straight into the ground. No blood trail with the second deer but i did watch it fall. I switched to the dead ringer 2 blade rampages this year and killed a doe in early season and it only ran 50 yards.
I think everyone on here knows. I love rage. The guys who hate them... I'm not sure why? They say low kinetic energy set ups don't work well with rage. I'm not sure who has low ke set up with today's modern equipment. So unless your a elf with a 24" draw length I can't see why you wouldn't have enough ke for a rage. Any modern bow 50lbs and up your more then good. I swear by them.
I use Shwackers and have killed a LOT of deer with them. They work very well and penetrate great too. I can't say enough about them. I do have some Hypodermics as well. Like the design, just a little leery of the Blades breaking off like the other Rages.
Fact: Rage Hypo blades break way too often, even when not hitting bone. Happened to me personally last year, and a quick google search will show dozens of other instances. Good news is when they do break, you still have over an inch and a half cutting width... The only thing I know about schwackers is they leave a nasty big hole and are tough, but so do/are a bunch of other mechs.
http://forums.bowhunting.com/bowhunting-talk/68000-my-rage-broadheads-plug.html Just posted about my experience with Rage Hypos. Was quite pleased with them last night!
I can't speak to rage except that I've seen some youtube comparison videos and from what I've seen the blades are more prone to bend and break. I use swhacker and I've taken quite a few deer with them. Some have had great blood trails, other, meh... it was more about shot placement. Anyway, I like the thinking behind the swhacker broadheads. I saw it explained somewhere on youtube but now I can't find the link. The idea is that while other broadheads open on impact, the swhackers stay closed until they hit ribs causing the small side blades to fold back and break the rubber band thereby then opening the larger 2" blades. So, the larger blades don't get dulled by the initial entry. The only downside to this is that the entry hole isn't going to be as big as others might be. That is the theory but I don't think it necessarily takes a hit to bone to make the small blades fold and expose the larger ones. I happened to gut shot a buck last year using the swacker and it fully opened. So, the theory is good... but whether or not it actually works as intended every time.. dunno. But as I said, I've taken plenty of deer with them and I'm not about to switch. Just my 2 cents.
Last year I used Rage, killed 4 deer with them. This year I switched to Swhackers, so far a nice 9 point fell to that broadhead. My feeling is one or the other, they are both good broadheads and will do the job!
The thing about Shwackers is they make a 1" hole on entry. As soon as the wing blades hit the skin the large blades open inside. I killed two last year that did not pass through. He heavy bone, still had a decent entry hole. If the deer is at any type of angle, that 1" entry turns into a big entry hole..lol. I have bent a few blades....but never broken one on a Swhacker. Even if they do bend, your still cutting.
I used the Rage Extreme briefly. I double lunged a doe with one and the blades broke from the ribs. The exit wound was about an inch. Not 100% sure how the blades stack up on the Hypodermic, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were fragile as well. I think a lot of it has to do with the new collar they use. The blades are grooved so they set in the shock collar. I think that may weaken them. I've never used the Swhacker but a friend of mine does and killed a cow elk with one. Busted ribs with a complete pass through and the broadhead still looked good. Me personally, I went back to the G5 Striker.
