I just wanted to share my experience using the G5 Striker 100 gr broadhead. I am very curious what everyone thinks about them that has used them. I will be going on my first elk hunt next year and was looking for a broadhead that was flat shooting and accurate out to 60 yards. I have been shooting Thunderheads for years and have had great success with them. They just don't shoot like field tips out past 25 yards. They are accurate, but drop faster than field points. I saw the Strikers and really liked the looks of the design so I tried them this year. They shoot great. Flat shooting and accurate. I thought I found the perfect broadhead. I even bought a long sleeve G5 Striker t-shirt! Here's my experience. Late October I was lucky enough to have 2 does stroll by at 17 yards and spaced about 1 minute apart. I shot both of them. The first one was a heart shot and the second was a double lung. Both pass throughs. Doe one made it 60 yards and doe 2 made it 90 yards. A little farther than what I'm used to, but still good kills. Here's where I became concerned. The broadhead that took doe 2 had a blade break by just glancing off the front leg. I e-mailed G5 about this and they said it was just a fluke. I was OK with that until Saturday. I shot another doe at 20 yards. A good pass through double lung. The deer made it 40 yards. The broadhead had a broken blade and another was banged up pretty good. Get this. All it hit was a rib. It went between 2 ribs, but 2 of the blades actually hit a rib with a glancing blow. Neeless to say I will not be using these for elk next year. I can't even imagine what would happen on an elk rib. I would like to hear everyones thought on these heads. BTW, I have a like new t-shirt for sale. Jeff
I would never trust mechanicals again. Blew a shot at an elk with the 3 blade rage. Fixed blade for me I shoot Montecs.
The G5 Striker IS a fixed blade head. Did you consider that the head/s may have hit something AFTER passing through these animals? (ex. ROCK?) I've seen too many of them that have been shot through deer without a hint of damage to think ribs are breaking blades and banging up the tips.
I've shot a half dozen deer with the strikers and never had a blade break off. I've had weak blood on a couple, but I truly think this broadhead is one of the best, if not the absolute best on the market for fixed with replaceable blades. If you are unhappy with them, I'd suggest the montecs. Solid construction, so you would not have the same issue and they are tough. I've had several friends take elk without any issues using the montecs, the strikers for that matter, but I can understand your hesitation in using them again.
First, my opinion may seem biased since I am on their ProStaff, but I have taken deer with both the Montec and the Striker and would praise both of them. I personally use the Montec because of the toughness (which I was using before getting a spot on the ProStaff) and don't think that I will be switching anytime soon. However the Striker is by far one of the best built and sharpest replaceable blade heads on the market. As for your broken heads, maybe Matt / PA is on to something, did the head contact something after pass through? As for not using them on elk later, that is your choice and all I can say is, these are the best built and sharpest blades on the market when it comes to a fixed (replaceable) blade broad head.
I've taken 3 animals with mine so far this year, nothing but spectacular results. All pass throughs buried in the dirt, except for one spine shot doe that buried into a vertebrae. All BHs were in perfect shape, except one blade was wavy after removing it from the ground, which may have even been from a rock or something. I like these BHs alot, and for replacement blade fixed heads, I dont think a better one is offered. Once I use up all my sets of replacement blades, I am planning on trying some Montecs to compare, but either way I am more than satisfied with these heads. What size is that tshirt again?
I've killed four deer, and a bear with the Strikers. Never had anything but good results. All died within sight, great blood trails, and no damage to the heads. T, I got some Montecs I'll send you to try out. I like them too. You can't have my T shirt, though.
Strikers = 100grns of Awesomeness. I blew through 2 shoulders and into the ground on the other side. Shoulder was ruined... messed it up bad... Blood was awesome.
I agree the head is well built and very sharp and actually the blades are thicker .030 than the Thunderheads .027. I don't think I hit a rock after the pass through. On the last doe, the blades matched up with the cuts on the rib. I don't know what to think after reading the responses. I want to use these heads because they fly awesome, but I just don't have any confidence in them. I've taken a couple bucks with NAP Crossfires and those seem like a good head. They also fly great and I never had a blade break. They are dull out of the box, but that's a minor flaw. I can sharpen them. I also want to mention that my buddy used the Montecs this year. He go a doe. The arrow passed through the deer and stuck in the back leg. The action of the deer running actually broke the head in half. I saw it and it appeared to be cast steel. The shirt is a large.
No matter how good the head really is, If YOU don't feel confident in it.... Then don't use it. You will be wondering about what the head is going to do when you are ready to take a shot, rather than where you need to be putting that shot.
