I dont know why everyone doesnt use Rage broadheads (or any large cutting surface mechanical for that reason). Two marginal shots, two dead deer this week. Neither went over 80 yards. Im sold.
Mechanicals are not for anyone, some people don't trust them. I would venture to guess that most people that have had an issue with mechanicals are using arrows under 400 grains or shooting a lower poundage bow. Different strokes for different folks.
I get it...speed kills. But wouldn't we be more responsible as hunters if we used the products with the greatest margin or error? Even Olympic archers arnt perfect...
Arguably so...that's why I use fixed blades. I've never lost a deer using a fixed blade while I lost a Booner to a mechanical. Use what you like, I'll keep using what I like. Congrats on the harvests btw.
I am not a speed fan. Some say mechanicals are no good on bone, I beg to differ. I shot a 450 grain arrow last season out of a bow with a 28.5" DL and 74#DW. Drove a rage titanium fully deployed thru both shoulder blades on a mature buck. I use the weight as my safety factor.
Yes it is best to allow margin for error but what if that error is into a knuckle or shoulder blade. Just playing devils advocate as I use mech heads. But if you are really trying to increase margin you want a heavy arrow and single bevel heads. If you hit heavy bone it will crack it, it will drop a deer with a lung shot just like another head and make a starburst cut in the intestines. And the starburst cut will make a wound channel that will rival the rage broadhead any day. Fast forward to the 5:50 mark on the video. http://youtu.be/u6BLX3zlJkk I have 6 125 grain helix coming in the mail. Paired with my axis with 75 grain brass inserts it should be around 485 grains. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My issue with mechanical heads are that they are....well...mechanical...meaning prone to failure. I was sold on mechanicals a few years ago, and they do have their strong suits. I do like a big cutting diameter, and on MOST less than perfect shots that can be a huge advantage (clipping an artery etc). However, even at 70lbs, a mechanical will not penetrate a shoulder most of the time, so there is a distinct disadvantage compared to fixed blade heads there. Also, in the 2010 season, I lost 4 deer using mechanical heads, and I've only lost one in all other seasons combined. I discovered that on at least 2 of the 4, my mechanical didn't open, but passed through making only a tiny hole. I realize that most mechanical heads will deploy 99 percent of the time, but they are in fact mechanical, so they will fail at some point, whether explainable or not. This is unacceptable to me, so I switched back to fixed heads. They will work 100 percent of the time.
I think mechanicals are great if your setup has enough kinetic energy. If not, it can be bad news. I used the NAP KillZones for the first time this season and they were absolutely devastating on the two deer I shot. The first, a buck, went 40yds and piled up and the second, a doe, went 20yds and expired. Blessings.........Pastorjim
I love the "mechanicals have moving parts and are prone to fail" comment, when people use comound bows with how many moving mechanical parts? and a trigger release with mechanical parts. but I do understand it is another moving piece that could fail.
That's nonsense. If a bow fails to propel an arrow for any reason, what broad head that's attached to the arrow is a moot point. We are all talking about what takes place after the arrow is propelled and after it comes in contact with its target. That is the starting point of the discussion. A mechanical broad head has to have parts that move into or out of place in order for it to function. The fixed blade does not. To bring other variables into it is convoluting the discussion.
How do you know that 2 of the 4 only had a small hole due to the head not opening? Didn't you say you 'lost' those 4? Wouldn't you have to recover them to know that? And where are all the guys that say 'you can kill a deer with a FP if shot placement is correct'? Wouldn't a small hole still do the job if you put it in the correct spot? Maybe you (like so many before you) just made a bad shot and blamed it on the broadhead? It's no big deal if so. Just don't blame something that wasn't totally at fault
Uhm...yeah except the claim was made that mechanicals would compensate for marginal (poor) shot placement. If Booner was using mechanicals and the claim was correct then his shot placement wouldn't have mattered would it?
And maybe booners was less than marginal. Even a sharp fixed blade won't bring an animal down if the shot is no good Sent from my SCH-I535
I don't shoot a speed bow, I like a heavy arrow and my draw weight is 70#. I have always been apprehensive about using a mechanical head from horror stories you hear. I know I know a bunch of those shots probably were AWFUL but there is always that chance. I was talked into trying them, and after things went horribly wrong with a placement that I would take 100 out of 100 times from 22 yards no one will EVER talk me into using a mechanical head ever again! The last thing anyone should ever have going thru their head as they are taking a shot at an animal is my broadhead going to work???
2 of the arrows were complete pass throughs....upon retrieving the arrow, the rubber bands that keep the blades closed were still around the blades.these were rear deploying heads with a piston that locks the blades open....when they do open
I don't mean to PO anyone with what I'm about to say. I think these huge cut broadheads are really sending the wrong messages to less than knowledgable bowhunters. I think these things are giving people a false sense of security that the head will take care of things in less than ideal hits. Less than ideal usually is because of less than ideal shot selections to begin with. I think too many will chance it and hope the big cut of the head bails them out. I shoot 63lbs with a 450 grain arrow. I shoot a tiny 1" cut, fixed blade head. I take only high percentage shots that I'm comfortable with. 99% of the time, I drill these shots and the deer expires no more than 100 yards away. Knowing I'm dealing with a small cut broadhead, I think, makes me more aware of my shot selections. I don't plug and pray. And yes, anything that has moving parts is something that can and have failed. I used to shoot mechanicals. I actually shot the head that Rage either bought out or ripped off, the Rocky Mountain Snyper. It was a decent head, just didn't like messing with them and they weren't nearly as durable on bone hits of any kind. I simplified everything, went with the Slick Tricks and haven't shopped for another head in 5 years.
Congrats Caleb on the bow kills! I agree, Rage and other mechanicals work really well. I use Rage broad heads. I have since they came on the market. They perform really well for me. I have never lost a deer shooting Rage broad heads. I don't take shots over 40 yards so maybe that is why. This thing about fear of them not working I don't get. But, to each his own. That is why they make both fixed and mechanicals. What I don't get is people trash Rage broad heads like all of them are worthless when there are COUNTLESS videos showing them doing serious damage to deer and game. Just my .02!
