What features or considerations go into your choice? I'm not asking for a fixed blade vs mechanical debate. I'm curious about why choose Brand X over Brand Y or why choose Model W instead of Model Z. I have a friend that chooses his particular brand of fixed blade because they are made in his home state. I choose Swhacker because I like the way the main blades don't open until after initial penetration and that if for some reason they failed to open, they would still make a one inch cut on the way through and still do enough damage to make an ethical kill. I choose Steel Force Phat Heads for a fixed blade because I like how they are tough, the blades are reusable but also replaceable, and I can get them to fly and group with field points. What are your favorite features?
Well I chose grim reaper this year for a few reasons a family friend owns his own proshop and did a few big hunts last year with his biges buck being in Kansas and hew was testing the new fatal steel for grim reaper and the blood trails they left is ridiculous it looked like some one just dumped red paint every where also there made in the usa and reviews show them to be very durable
that's a great question. have had success bagging game with Muzzy 3 blade, G5 Motec CS and slick trick regular which is my current broadhead. tried slick trick regular because of their slughole advertising and on my first shot at game got full pass through on a hog that only went 20 yards. The only broadhead now avoid is the stainless steel three blade because can't get a decent edge on it.
I prefer fixed blades for deer. I shot Muzzy's for over 10 years. I will be honest and say I chose them because I walked into the shop and said I needed broadheads and the owner handed me 3 blade Muzzy's and I just kept using them. Until 2 years ago, I had an issue with MX3 ferrels bending so I switched to QAD Exodus. These I chose more wisely and researched heads, watched videos, read tests, read first hand reviews, and made an excellent choice. I am very happy with how they fly, how they penetrate, and the blood trails.
I shoot Grim Reaper for mechanicals and I'm trying slick trick magnums this year based on their reputation...I've noticed you have to tune your bow up a little tighter to get the slick tricks to fly right with your field points, but they seem like they'd do the job. We'll see what happens this season...I'll probably shoot more than one deer so hopefully I can do a comparison on bloodtrails, etc. this year.
I prefer fixed blades and used to use Magnus Buzzcuts when I started off with a traditional bow. After a few years and being gifted with my first compound bow from my late grandpa, I used ThunderHeads simply because they were the most popular at the time. I got sick of dealing with the replacement blades, blades popping out inside the deer cavity, and trying to keep track of them in my bow tackle. So about 5-6 years ago I was looking for a replacement broadhead and came across the G5 Montec, a fixed 3 blade, and thought I'd give it a try. They just fly really good for me and I've killed about 4 deer with them. My longest track job out of the 4 deer I killed with them was about 60 yards and I've just had really good success with them.
Late last year I switched from NAP killzones to Slick Trick standards. I just felt like I could get better penetration with a smaller fixed blade head, so I gave them a try based on reviews. They fly extremely well for me and had excellent penetration on the one deer that I shot with them. I smoked a mature doe with one at 50 yards and it didn't slow my arrow down one bit. The blood trail was excellent and the head was in great shape afterwards. The real test for these things will be in about a month if I get a shot at an elk.
I'm a big fan of the G5 Motec CS. I shoot them cause every deer I've put one through hasn't ran more than 50 yards. I'm a big fan of fixed blade, and I had a bad experience with mechanicals, so I just avoid them. That was a long time ago though, and I'm sure they are much better then they were 10 years ago.
I shoot RAGE Chisel Tip. I've shot RAGE since they came out. I use to shoot Vortex which had a chisel tip on them. I liked them but had a "mental" problem with them. I lost a couple of deer that I "thought" I hit perfectly. It has NEVER been the broad heads fault. 99% of the time it has been operator error. I liked the RAGE from the first time I shot them. As soon as they introduced the Chisel Tip version I was hooked. It is like most all sports that I've played. The largest part of it is mental. If you don't think you can kill anything with a certain broad head you will always have that in the back of your mind.
I shoot Slick Trick Standards. Made the switch five years ago when I was frustrated with penetration of my Rage. Standards group with my field points and have great penetration. Plus, I love the interlocking blades and how affordable it is to replace them Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
I switched to a 2 blade Helix, single bevel, fixed head last year, I like to be different, They fly great and penetrate like crazy. 2 deer so far, both pass throughs and neither one went more than 40 yds.
I use NAP Hellrazor fixed blades. I chose them because they fly true and I like the concept of K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) and because they are damnear indestructible.I've shot them through shoulder bone and had no problems.
NAP Killzone for me. They work every time, short tracking usually in sight of stand. I am going to try the Swacker this year as well. Interesting design and want to see how it performs.
I'm in CoveyMaster's camp on broadhead selection & I have 3 potential candidates for my quiver. My go to broadhead is the G5 striker - I appreciate the chisel tip and razor shard replaceable blades. I don't like that the blades can come loose if you are not careful while removing or installing. I have learned to keep them point down while messing with them. the last two are in no particular order. I've used them both with success. G5 Montec CS - completely fixed broadhead, nothing to fall apart, blah blah G5 T3 (mechanical). I've taken 2 deer with the G5 T3. the first was a normal range shot (25 yards) & ripped a huge hole - blood spewed visibly everywhere. I was actually pretty impressed. deer died within sight. the second was a deer that I probably should not have shot last year... it was getting dark and I had deer all around me and wanted to get down and head to the house so I though 'this one closest to me is dumb, so I'm gonna shot it. it was maybe 10 yards from the base of the tree so it was an extremely vertical shot and so close that the blades did not really deploy as expected. A 300 yard tracking job in the dark with minimal blood after a skeptical shot will make a person cranky... exit hole was no larger than the entrance hole. she bled internally fine, there was just no blood to escape the chest cavity that would have made tracking easier. I'll continue to use all three but I'll typically nock a fixed blade if given a choice.
Qualities I look for: Has too be 100% reliable. This rules out any and all mechanical heads. Also rules out any fixed blade head with questionable retention system. Has to be constructed of STATED quality materials, and high tolerances , these qualities are imperative for consistency in flight in many different locations and situations. Has to be responsive to tuning and not show a tendency to steer. Lastly the heads has to have value, that doesn't mean they cost cheap. It means they can be reused and practiced with and resharped and hunted with year after year. Right now I am using two different heads for 90% of my hunting. The first are Solids. I use them in both 100 and 125 grains, I also switch out the bleeder blades from .5 to .75 depending on the game I hunting. For larger game like Elk or moose I will prefer the lower profile of the 100 grain with .5 bleeders... The .75 bleeders are great on thin skinned game. http://solid-broadheads.com The second I use are VPA, three bladed heads. They are machined out of solid high carbon tool steel. I use them in 100, 125, 150 grain. They also have different profiles in some weights. These are work horses and no frills heads. They are consistent, easy to maintain and hold up to anything you throw at them. To top it off the owner is a stand up guy and great to do business with and talk to. http://www.vparchery.com/home.php
I shoot Muzzy 3-blade 100 grains. Why? Because I've been shooting them for years, they group well, and I get pass-throughs. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I shot a deer with a Rage a few years ago. It's the first non-pass through I've ever had. Decided then and there, back to the Muzzys.
My choice is Grim Reaper, because they haven't failed in dropping deer witin 40 yards of the shot. Nearly a dozen now and the only exception is when I got Down and bumped a big doe....at you guessed it...40 yards. she was as good as dead and we found a 3X3 patch of blood where she laid down to die. I have a short DL, so shoot the 1-3/8 cut. They is still make huge holes.
I like the thought of one piece BHs but I hate sharpening things and Slick Tricks fly just as well for me so I am shooting ST Mag 125s. Replace the blades after I shoot them and good to go again. Easy hassle free. I don't even use anything other than my replaceable blade havalon for cleaning animals now either.
