I have always hunted with broadheads and experimented with every brand and grain. Currently I use the Muzzy 3 or four blade 125 grain broadheads and really don't have any complaints besides the occassional flyer most likely due to bad or lazy form, but i am very interested in the Rage expandable 2 or 3 blades. I have stayed away from expandables just becouse when I first started shooting someone said, 'stay away from mechanicals"! However, after doing minimal research I think I am ready to give them a try. Anyone have any experience with these?

I have killed about 6 or 7 deer with the Game Tracker First Cut 100 gr. I noticed that I was not getting complete pass throughs like I did with my Muzzy 100 gr 3 blades. My setup was 460 gr arrow at 240 fps. I have since switched back to Muzzy and am happy as a clam.

The general concensus is that mechanicals do require more kinetic energy to open up and penetrate. I have heard that the rear sliding blade models like the Rocky Mountain Snyper do not require as much KE and are less prone to deflection on sharply angled shots. I would not hesitate to use a quality mechanical head. I just switched back to Muzzy because I have a bunch of them and I didn't want to shell out a lot of money for new broadheads.

Hope this helps.

like sambo said you need a bow with some a$$ behind it but I shot my bowtech patriot a with rocket hammerheads 2" cut slam through our nc deer, Ray Charles could have followed those blood trails, 6 for 6, never have shot one with a fixed blade!

Wife and I used expandables 2 seasons just to try...

She had decent luck. I had a failure to open on a spine shot doe. Blades never opened. Looked like a huge judo point hole.... Opened just fine on a gray fox the next day, almost cut him in half. Deflected on an angled buck, shaved his hair though.... something my Zwickey would have killed.

Next year is the final year, I shot a cull big 6 point with no brow tines. Double lung, less than 20 yards. Blades again did not open. Took me till dark to find the deer by grid searches, up under cedar brush. I'd shot at appx 10am...

In between there were a number of good kills, and they do fly fine and cut big holes. But failure rate sucks.

Wife is back to Muzzy 3 blade fixed. I"m using them or Zwickey/Snuffers depending.

Jeff

The Rage also claim that it takes the same amount of kenetic energy for the blades to open as a traditional broadhead. I have absolutely no experience with mechanicals.

i have nothing bad to say about the mechanicals. all i use now. never had a problem with 'em. tried many different heads ie. muzzy,razorbacks,etc. like the mechanicals best. fly true & faster-less resistance. practice is easy with same grain field tip. only time i have to use a second shot is when i go for the spine, and then i walk right up to the animal & take care of business with one arrow.

-ken

Why take the chance, when you know that a fixed blade is not going to fail. Especially with the new fixed heads that are on the market now, they are small, and fly as good as field pts. There are too many varibles in bow hunting, why would you want to add another uncertainty to the mix.

Toby Joe

I have used mechanicals.....and will never, I mean never use them again. because of them (and not my shooting = they failed to open) I lost a true 135" coues deer in AZ. shot at 35 yds, terrible penetration and very little blood. the deer ran off with my arrow stuck in him as it appeared to have hit the opposite shoulder = quartering away shot. if I had my Montec G5's I'm sure that would have never have happened. (oh yeah all this was 435grain arrows travelling near 300 too).

The old blades have worked for years. Tuning solves most problems. Who cares if your field tips don't hit exact like your broadheads? Zero in with broadheads.

I think folks are becoming lazier all the time looking for easier ways.

Mechanicals are not the route.

Jeff

I've hunted with Rockets for years now and I love'em! Killed ALOT of stuff with them with no problems what-so-ever! I'm guessing around 30 deer, 30 to 40 hogs and a bear. Think I'll make some more animals die with them this fall.

I am a fan of Mechanicals. Mainley becuase you will not have problems getting them to shoot to the same POI as you target points. The same cannot always be said of fixed blade heads. Some will, some wont.
If the broad head goes where I want it to, then I am not as concered about a precieved "failure". Not pointing any fingers but the longer I listen to people about Mechanical failures, the more and more I think the error was in shot placement. Not always but alot.

I once listen to a guy go on and on about arrows (carbon vs aluminum), broadheads (fixed vs mech.), and draw weight, etc.
This guy had lost more deer in that conversation (due to failures) than everyone I know had combined.
He would start each senerio with:
"I put the 20 yard pin right on the shoulder"

So I asked him, "ever though about aiming just behind the shoulder?"
Then I got a 20 min lecture on why that was wrong. So you see, it aint always the equippment that "fails" to get the job done!

Ive seen several mechanicals either loose blades or fail to open properly (one of the blades failed to open) Ive used cut from the tip broadheads for 30 plus years and see zero reason to change


http://www.american-hunter.com/broadheads/broadhead_test.htm

I can promise that the failures I"ve seen, save one, were not shot placement. And the one was a bit too much of an angle for the head, my Zwickey would have aced the shot but thats another story.

Again, I fail to understand what the big fuss is over impacts of target points vs bheads. Its simple to move your sights. And not a PITA.... But our country has become more lazy over the years. Not to mention that good tuning usually solves the issue if it really is an issue.

Jeff

Aint that the truth!

I'm with raghorn. I've used Rocket Steelheads 100gr for quite a few years and never a problem on deer. In the past, I've used Gold Tip Gladiators and had one of them fail to open up. I think it depends on the design. Rocket Steelheads are VERY reliable IMO. I can use others but why change success...

RH

Muzzy MX-4 100 grain....Have to agree...tune it to broadheads and don't piss around....IMHO

ive been shooting muzzy 3 blades for a while, only stuck one in one pig.. didnt find him! i have been eyeing the Rage style expandables as i like the way they are designed.


i shoot a 400 grain arrow ( 100 grain broadhead included) at 260 FPS, is that enough KE to open the broadhead up or would it be better for me to stay with my fixed blade?

Mechanical broadheads are designed to make money. Archery equipment is just to durable to keep the companies in business without stuff like that.

I like less chance of things going wrong....I personally would stick with a fixed blade and take one more variable out of the mix...I like four bladed heads but that is just personal choice....

Casey

Dude i'm trying to save you. Just listen a bit. Mechanicals have a shaky track record. Fixed blades have a much better record.

A big hole doesn't matter if its in the wrong place! Stick a fixed blade where it belongs and its all over.

Jeff

Jeff, once agagin, AGE and wisdom are correct. think ill stick with the fixed.

Very wise choice, FC.

Yep, AGE is a key. I think. Its hard to be sure, I keep forgetting....

The rage isn't a durable design and they simply don't shoot well. They have too many parts that have to be in complete sinc to work correctly. The microscopic screws that hold in the blades easily shear off on contact with anything but skin. Don't get caught up in the gimicks. I think they are made to catch the hunter and their marketing is pretty impressive as well, but I wouldn't gamble on a trophy animal with them. Flinch

I wouldn't gamble them on any animal, though to me, anything with a bow, even a button buck, is a trophy. No flame intended

Thank you. I guess I was getting sucked in by the marketing! I really don't have a problem with the Muzzy's I was just looking for the next advantage. The muzzy heads seem to fly very true and always inflict damage!

I once heard it said that any buck with antlers as long as its ears is a trophy when taken with a bow. A trophy doe is any doe with ears as long as a trophy buck. I tend to agree.

Mechs were originally designed for turkey hunting so the arrow would not pass through the bird.

I use 3 blade Muzzys as a rule but I did just buy a three pack of the Rage 2 blade.

http://www.american-hunter.com/broadheads/broadhead_test.htm

read thru the test I provided earlier