I only have experience with mechanical broadheads. Never shot fixed blades before. I have heard it said many times that fixed blades have a much better chance of a pass through shot, which makes sense to me since mechanicals have to take some energy opening up. To anyone with experience with both fixed blade and mechanical broadheads, do you see a higher percentage of pass through shots with fixed blades, mechanicals, or is it about even?
I've only got one deer with my bow and that was a doe. But at 11 yards with my coc NAP Razorcap(fixed blade) it was a passthru. Based on my dad and his friends experiences IMO they are about even. But, I'm way far from a pro so the other people on here will be able to telll you much more. I may be completely wrong..
I've used both mechanical (nap spitfire) and fixed blade (G5 montec). I have killed 5 deer with my bow, 2 with spitfires and 3 with the montecs. But I have lost 3 with the montec as well and not because of poor shots. I have had a passthrough on all deer shot except for one-I hit a big buck right in the shoulder blade with a montec. I got what seemed like enough penetration to kill him but I never found that deer. I will be shooting the spitfires until I have a reason not too. The blood trails with the montecs sucked. With the spitfire, I have never had to worry about a blood trail because they fall in sight.
Thanks for the input guys. Just trying to gather a lot of opinions on this topic. Was thinking about possibly switching to fixed blades but I'm not sure if it will be worth it.
11 deer in 2 years with mech blades hit soft areas and you will have a complete pass through. hit bone or shoulder and it will stop it. Fixed blades is all i used to use before 2009 and I can say it is still pretty much the same result. I really believe that the main factor on getting a pass through with bne contact depends on your bow not as much on your broadhead.. I was a huge advocate of the rage 2 blade for the last 2 seasons. but after talking to Chris at the BH GTG I am going to switch to the spitfire maxx this year. best of luck to ya this season.
Every deer I've taken with expandables was a pass thru and all fell within sight of my stand and even though I didn't need it the blood trails were incredible. I've used rage, spitfires, wasp jak hammers with basically the same results. All the deer I've taken with fixed blades were pass thru also except one but that was a bad shot on my part. The deer shot with fixed blade heads went a lot farther and the blood trails were no where near as good a the expandables,so I'm a fan of expandables. So get em close and make a good shot and youll be fine with either but just plan on tracking farther with fixed blades. Fixed blades I've used were strikers, montecs, muzzy, slick tricks. My favorite expandables are jak hammers my favorite fixed are slick tricks. I shoot a pse brute 60lb 30"dl 395 grain arrrow 270fps
Shooting 60#+... Honestly, the #1 determining factor on pass throughs no matter fixed blade or a mechanical head is shot placement. Shoot what you are confident in and put it in the lungs and you will get pass throughs a' plenty.
I've had mostly pass-throughs with tons of mechs as well (full range of 'em, like Troy... Wasp Jackhammers, NAP Spitfires, Rocket Aerohead Miniblasters, Rages, and probably more. Those are just the ones I remember...) Shot placement is key, as Scott pointed out. Having said that, this was last year's buck... look closely at the pic, and you'll see just in front of his left hip is an exit hole. The entrance hole was just in front of his opposite shoulder at the base of his neck... pretty much skewered him lengthwise. It's NOT a shot I advocate for others to take... and I'm glad I had a fixed-blade Muzzy MX-3 on the end of my arrow for that one.
In my experience I have always had great sucess with fixed blades for pass throughs. But I shoot NAP 2 blade bloodrunners now, which are spring loaded, they are as accurate as a fix blade but pack more punch!
I think it is more of what angle you are shooting your deer and distance. I have used fixed blades and now going to try mech's. I have had a lot of pass throughs but I have also had a lot stay in the deer.
I have a pic very similar to Greg's posted here somewhere of buck I killed 2 years ago...Mine was with mech and just tore him apart. As Greg/Buckeye stated shot placement and angles are the key. I have killed a pretty good amount of deer with a bow, and mech/fixed made no diference if the shot was close and the angle was good. I cannot remember not getting a pass through except a couple spine shots. I have used Thunder heads, Montec, Snypers, Rage, jackhammers etc... Again, with fixed or mechs blood trails/distance varied based on each deer. I shot a doe through both lungs last year and saw her fall within 40 yards, I laer shot another doe through the liver and she fell in about the same spot. I knew I hit her back, so I made a huge circle after dark and came back 3 hours later to find her stiff as a board. Sometimes doing the right thing after the shot determines whether the head did it's job as well This first picture is the buck mentioned above, he whirled at the shot (23 yards) and the arrow hit him directly behind the shoulder, but came out back where the blood is...100 yard recovery, stiff as a board an hour later. Rage 2 blade
your gettin that much speed out of your brute? i shoot the same bow at 63lbs and a 29in draw. with a 400 grain arrow
I have seen no difference with either as long as shot is placed correctly. I have had some exit holes come out in the opposite shoulder and still pass through with mechanicals. This is an exit hole from a 2 blade Rage, complete pass through
Yup at least that's what the chrono said. It averaged around 270 as high as 274 as low as 268. It was at 253 then I Took my dl from 29 to 30, took the brass nock off took all silencers off, switched From 4" vanes to 2"fusion vanes and switched to a G5 meta peep. Just the peep and vanes added 10fps. Its the older model too my friend has a newer one set at 55lbs 28" dl shooting 261. Not sure what his arrows weigh. Guy was there shooting a mathews and didn't seem very happy.his bow was only shooting a couple fps faster. I was very happy. Depending on what you have on your string I wouldn't be surprised if you were shooting at least 260fps. Oh and the bow is still plenty quiet.
