Fixed Blade or Mechanical Broadheads

B

Brian5582

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So what do you use fixed blade or expandable? I have always used fixed blade either Thunder Heads or Montecs by G5. It seems like 70% or so of the deer I have seen lost were lost while the hunter was using expandable broadheads. This is my experience anyway from first hand accounts while hunting with friends or family. It seems like you are more likely to loose the blood trail while using expandables. I realize shot placement is key above all. I have always had good results using fixed blades and over 15 years of hunting have only lost 1 deer I thought was a good hit and lost the trail. Now I am a believer of if it aint broke don't fix it but while hunting last year with a friend he shot a deer using 100gr. Spitfires and the exit hole looked like the exit hole of a 12ga. slug or rifle round. I was completely amazed and up until that point had never really considered switching from fixed to mechanical but now I am thinking of it. I know they have come a long way in the 15 years I have been hunting.

So I ask what do you use and how have the results been?

If I switched this year I think it would be to a NAP Spitfire after seeing the damage it can do first hand.
 
I use NAP spitfire mechanicals because of the devastating hole they put in a deer with the 2 inch cut.

Here is a spitfire exit hole.

PA130108.jpg
 
I tend to us the 125g NAP Spitfire the most and it is my "go to" broadhead. I like everything about the Spitfire except the price so I also carry 125g Slick Tricks in my quiver. I tend to use the ST's when I am hunting areas where the brush is a little thicker or in the event that I need to take a finishing shot.

The two doe below were taken last year with the NAP Spitfire.

Bob


http://www.cthuntingnshooting.com/vBforum/showthread.php?t=3839

http://www.cthuntingnshooting.com/vBforum/showthread.php?t=4316
 
Those two does were 1.5 years old and were excellent. I hunt Connecticut in addition to Mass so I get plenty of tags to fill the freezer. I can't wait I will be back at it on the 15th.

Bob
 
I used the Tekken 100 grains for a season they shot great but after a few shots I noticed they had alittle trouble staying closed in flight, what i really liked about them was that the front fixed cutting edge was pretty much big enough to do the job just by itself. This will be my second season using rage I watched them pout a 2-blade rage broadhead through a beef torsoe and decided to try them. My first shot not using the practice one on my 3-d target hit right where i wanted, blew a pretty impressive hole ine the target and also got considerable penetration from 20 yds.
 
Brian5582 said:
I have also looked at Rage they are very similar to the Spitfires and my grandfather shoots them out of his crossbow
Click to expand...

I have a friend who shoots the Rage out of his crossbow. They make one hell of a hole that is for sure. The only thing that I have against the Rage is that if you bump the head sometimes one of the blades will pop loose from the rubber band. If you didn't notice that and took the shot there is no doubt that the arrow would go wide.

Bob
 
I have used Spitfires with mixed results for then past 3 seasons and have shot 7 deer with them. I have had some awsome kills with masive exit wounds and other times it looked like I shot the deer with a field point and had no blood trail. Because of the inconsistency I am switching back to a 4 blade fixed Muzzy
 
boxerjake77 said:
I just bought some Rage two blade mechanicial broadheads.
Sharp as hell too. Looks to me that it's impossible for the blades
not to deploy.
Click to expand...

I spoke to a professional bow hunter recently who said he could not recommend the Rage 2-blade highly enough. He stressed how close it was to shooting a field point (of the same weight) and how reliable it was. He warned however that a Rage factory rep confirmed for him that the Rage 3-blade does not deploy as reliably. I got the info 2nd hand and now you're getting it 3rd hand, so take it with a grain or 2 of salt, but I'd personally stick with the 2 blade Rage
 
SSShooter said:
I spoke to a professional bow hunter recently who said he could not recommend the Rage 2-blade highly enough. He stressed how close it was to shooting a field point (of the same weight) and how reliable it was. He warned however that a Rage factory rep confirmed for him that the Rage 3-blade does not deploy as reliably. I got the info 2nd hand and now you're getting it 3rd hand, so take it with a grain or 2 of salt, but I'd personally stick with the 2 blade Rage
Click to expand...

I have a friend who shoots the 2 blade rage out of his xbow. They make one helluva hole in an animal. They only issue I see with them is that if you bump them sometimes one of the blades will pop loose from the rubber band and if they were shot with a loose blade there is no doubt that it would go wide of its mark. Constantly checking for a loose blade would drive me nuts.

Keep in mind that the 2" cut requires a lot of Ke and it you don't have a lot of Ke you will not get a pass thru. Not that a pass thru is required to kill a deer.

Bob
 
Last edited:
I seen these Rage 40KE broadheads, two blades, made for bows that don't produce alot of KE.
Not sure what the difference is, both look the same to me.
 
I'm old school -125 gr Muzzy's on Easton aluminum arrow shafts. [thinking] Practice blades fly pretty true to real ones. These are logs compared to what most folks are using LOL. [laugh]

My buddy in CT has always used the NAP Thunderhead 125 grn for deer OR black bear. He has taken 4-6 deer each year w/ his bow since 1990. CT is over run w/ deer - great place for bowhunting!!! Lots of opportunities just about every time out. Many private land owners want deer removed. [smile]
 
No complaints with Thunderheads (100 gr.), but going to try the 2 blade Rage. I figure the mechanical may:
1) slip by an unseen branch
2) not cut me (hit my string in haste once)
3) guarantee an exit hole
But is 3 blades better than 2?
 
SSShooter said:
I spoke to a professional bow hunter recently who said he could not recommend the Rage 2-blade highly enough. He stressed how close it was to shooting a field point (of the same weight) and how reliable it was. He warned however that a Rage factory rep confirmed for him that the Rage 3-blade does not deploy as reliably. I got the info 2nd hand and now you're getting it 3rd hand, so take it with a grain or 2 of salt, but I'd personally stick with the 2 blade Rage
Click to expand...

One of the guys I hunt with smacked a deer in PA with the 3 blade rage and it didn't deploy. He switched to spitfires. I shoot a 100gr Rocky Mountain 3 blade
 
One thing I will say is if you are not shooting a good amount of KE stick to fixed blades. I shoot heavy arrows, 500 grains, out of a heavy poundage bow and I believe that is a big part of why I dont have the horror stories others have had with mechanicals not deploying. If you are shooting 55-60 pounds with light arrows you probably shouldnt be using them. You should be shooting at least 70 ft/lbs of KE to expect them to work every time IMHO.
 
25" Carbon Express Rebel Light 4560's with 100gr. tips. I don't know exact arrow weight or fps I don't have a chrono or access to one. Between 55 and 60lbs. I havent measured it sense I turned it up last.
 
I have used the NAP Spitfires since 2004. I have never had a bad experience with them. They leave a massive hole in my deer. I have also put them completely through shoulder blades on two occassions and only needed to sharpen the blades. Now I just replace them with new blades.
 
I also find it much easier and faster to just replace the blades. Generally speaking the prices are not too bad on replacements for just about every brand. I am using G5's now so I have to re-sharpen but they are relatively easy to do.
 
Spitfire 100s for me.Ive used them for years. One year I shot three deer with the same broadhead with only a quick sharpening and arrow change between deer.
Ive used others. Rothars,Muzzys, Cabela's house brand broadheads etc. Spitfires have always proven themselves to be rugged,dependable and accurate.
Ive never lost a deer due to broadhead failure since I started using them.
 

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