Mechanical heads a butcher’s perspective Check it out if you haven't read this perspective. http://alcambronne.com/2011/08/15/what-your-butcher-knows-broadheads-for-deer/
Hard to believe that just mechanicals are the only ones doing this, Ive seen my fair share of fixed heads come out missing blades. I would agree that it is probably way more common with mechanicals rather than fixed for the amount of moving parts and the amount of people using them bc of promoting on t.v. I would also agree that more fixed heads get pass throughs which takes there count on broken blades way down. As a butcher im sure you guys see ALL kinds of crazy stuff but if the arrow is placed where it needs to be then no issues accur usually. I think our biggest problem is hunting commercials with 2" expandable cut heads that make people think they can just hit a deer anywhere and kill it! Good article though Peak!
By utilizing proper tuning methods you can get your fixed blade to fly like your FP's. So why not use a fixed blade? That is just my two cents worth.
This article reflects the same thing I say to every new bow hunter shoping for Broad Heads. Expandables explode when they hit bone(especially at the high speeds of the modern compound) maybe not all the time but is once in awhile even close to being ethicle or exeptable? If you've been using them and never had an issue with them when shooting a live animal then you will eventually. Since we're on the subject fixed blades that have a Twist in them(to offer better arrow spin and flight) do the same thing. I think as Bow Hunters we owe it to the game we harvest to provide the most consistent cleanest kill. Use Razor sharp edged fixed blades please. If you are one of the ones saying well fixed blades do the same thing...yes they do and I've seen it too but it doesn't take more than a little common sense to realise the odds of a mechanicle or a twisted fixed blade busting apart at 250+ FPS is way higher and way more likely. If you take into account how well straight edge razor sharpe fixed blades are put together compared to how the mechanicles are put together with all there hinges and the fact that they have to bust open at high speeds then consider the fact that you HAVE seen these well built sturdy broad heads come apart on contact it's easy to see what is the better choice.
When I was shooting Grim Reapers it had nothing at all to do with accuracy. My bow was tuned and would shoot fixed blades as well as any bow out there. It was all about the size of the wound channel and I don't see any problem with that way of thinking. However, shooting a mech because you can't get fixed blades to hit on target is a mistake. I shot those Grim Reapers for three years and killed 12 deer with them. Not once did a blade break off. The only ones that were damaged were the ones that hit the rocky Arkansas ground after a pass through. No broadhead will survive that without damage.
I don't know about this...I shoot Muzzy, but I don't think this is just a mechanical problem. I think most "casual" bowhunters use mechanicals now, #1 because they are lazy and don't want to have to shoot and/or tune a fixed blade (just screw them on), #2 advertising works. Along with not tuning their bows, they are typically less than average shots - meaning more bad hits (and bone hits). On top of that, these guys don't process their own deer ever so "average joe" butcher sees more of these guys kills than anyone elses. I've shot plenty of deer with both - tuned bow in hands of a good shot - expandables work just fine. I like that little bit of extra penetration quality from my fixed if I would encounter more bone than I plan. So, although I would agree that butchers would see more expandable horror stories, I think these same archers would be chucking fixed blades off the mark as well... Tune your bow - perfect practice - confidence...
Just a couple observations aboout the picture used in the article. It looks to me that one of the broad head fragments on the table is a piece of a rage blade, the other seems to be a blade from a fixed blade head. The picture also seems to have 1 complete 2 blade rage, another possibly complete rage 2 blade, 1 possibly complete fixed blade and 1 possibly complete rage 3 blade. I'm not sure how that picture illustrates any shortcomings that mechanical heads have. If a butcher took this picture the obviously all of these heads did their job. It is an interesting article and I may have learned something from it but it is still opinion and everyone is entitled to their own.
in the measley 3 yrs I've bow hunted, I've killed my fair share of deer, and none of them ran more than 50 yrds. I agree with everyone on the fact that perfecting your shot is going to reduce the percentage of busted broadheads. Hit em in the right spot and you'll bag em quickly and ethically.
At some point in time some unpracticed archer WILL hit a deer with there mech broad head squar in the shoulder blade, the kill will have to be left up to the filed point thats left
I definitely agree with #2, but not #1. I think its more ignorance than laziness. Majority of bowhunters don't know if their bow is out of tune, or how to properly tune it.
The same thing will happen with cheap Wal Mart fixed blade heads that you have to assemble. Hitting the shoulder is something that could happen to anyone, unpracticed or skilled. Stuff happens. When that does happen any cheap POS head is probably going to come apart. Even it's a good broadhead it's not necessarily the broadhead that's going to determine whether or not you get a good kill. It's the arrow weight, weight distribution and momentum that'll be the determining factors. That's why I increased my total arrow weight to 531 grains. I used to shoot mechs, and GOOD mechs do what they're designed to do. When I was shooting Grim Reapers I tested one on a 3/4" thick piece of oak veneer cabinet grade plywood. It bent the blades back enough to render the head useless but it didn't break a single blade. I'm sure that my setup would punch a GOOD mech through a scapula and kill the deer but there's no way I'll aim for it. It's the hunter's responsibility to put any broadhead where it needs to go.
I'm sorry, but this is kinda bogus. I agree that anytime you have a solid construction versus a dynamic one you run the risk of the system being less strong, but that alone does not constitute a reason for shying away from mechanical broadheads. But, I replace the blades and the friction plates on my mechanicals after every shot. This means that I have a brand new broadhead every time I'm in the field. How many shots do you utilize your fixed blade broadheads. The shock of those hitting something like bone and the ground over and over again would seem like a more dangerous structural risk to me than shooting brand new ones each time. I also don't think that using a mechanical broadhead equates to a less ethical kill. Comparing a mechanical to a fixed blade broadhead, the mechanical gives you a greater wound channel. Given that option, I'll take the greater wound channel. My decision to use mechanicals has nothing to do with laziness or ineptitude, it has to do with safety. You're a lot more likely to cut something (your string, yourself, etc.) with a fixed blade broadhead. The last concern I want in the field is whether or not this exposed razor is going to do some real damage to something. I also spend a good deal of time confirming the operational fortitude of my mechanicals. I ensure that the blades are new, the mechanisms are operational and that the frictional force required to open them is acceptable for opening on contact with deer but not loose enough to open during flight. As far as tuning my bow, I still shoot my mechanicals before using them in the field to ensure that I can shoot them consistently. Not tuning your bow, regardless of using fixed or mechanical, is a mistake. I also don't have to worry about any butchers cutting their fingers while looking for chunks of metal because I'm the only one that's ever processed my deer. Don't get me wrong, I think fixed broadheads are great. They've worked for thousands of years and at some point I'll probably play around with them just to say I have. However, I've blown through the back shoulder on a deer with my mechanical broadheads, leaving a 2" hole and I like sticking with what's worked for me.
Agreed, but just once I'd like to hear someone acknowedge the fact that there are some out there who do make sure their bow is properly tuned but still decide to shoot mechanical heads.
I'm right there with ya, BigStick, although I now shoot Slick Tricks. I was never worried about safety, though. Heck, even now I tighten my Slick Tricks with my fingers. :D
I've killed around 25 whitetails and 4 black bears (one was over 300 lbs) with mechanical broadheads (mostly steelhead 100's, some with wasp jackhammers many years ago). I have killed a handfull with fixed blades too. I must be the luckiest bowhunter in the world .... because I have NEVER experienced ANY type of failure with a mechanical head during my 15 yrs of experience using them. I'm shooting G5 T3 this year....must mean i'm "lazy" and "ignorant" hugh?
I have shot mech heads before and I've killed two deer with them. Both were good shots and both were very quick kills. One made a clean pass through the other busted one of three blades on first rib contact. I've never shot them again. My problem with them is simple. They have more mechanicle features making them MORE likely to fail. Simple as that. And yes far more likely to fail then the cheap fixed blades you "put together yourself". Actually you just slide the blades in place and tighten them giving them the same effect as a fixed blade thats a solid piece. Im glad to see you've read my other post though. As far as the amount of shots I take with my fixed blades I have seperate fixed blades some for practice some for hunting once I shoot a deer with one it goes into the practice section. I guess I cant speak for everyone on that matter but the deer I shoot are shot with brand new heads everytime. I'm not trying to give you a hard time if you shoot mechs and make clean kills. I'm only stating the obvious and that is that they ARE more likely to fail. Doesn't mean they will means there more likely too. Let each Bow Hunter decide for themselves.
