Expandable broadhead first hand

[Duck-Slayer]

I saw that Slick Trick came out with a hybrid mechanical that I was looking at maybe trying…. I’ve killed well over 30 animals with my bow and all have been fixed blade, last few years it’s been the VAP’s. I have 0 interest in using then on elk! I figured maybe with the longer shots I could tighten my groups up at 70-80 yards. That said I don’t think I’ve taken an animal over 58 yards or so.
Matt

 

[Nick87]

I saw that Slick Trick came out with a hybrid mechanical that I was looking at maybe trying…. I’ve killed well over 30 animals with my bow and all have been fixed blade, last few years it’s been the VAP’s. I have 0 interest in using then on elk! I figured maybe with the longer shots I could tighten my groups up at 70-80 yards. That said I don’t think I’ve taken an animal over 58 yards or so.
Matt

Have you ever tried the qad's ? I'm not trying to be a fan boy but out to 60 yards I stopped shooting them for practice because they shred my fetching. They shoot every bit as tight as field points.

 

[DFS]

Deer and antelope I would use a rage, they are nasty. For elk as long as I can get them I will use a 100 grain 3 blade wac’em. Just my opinion lots of ways to skin a cat.
**edit** none have been long range bow shots.

 

[F250]

I’ve used 1 1/2” Grim Reaper mechanicals on a couple dozen Whitetails with great results. Lots of good stuff on the market that gets better every year.

 

[steveshuntn1]

I’ve hunted with Rage since 2007 and have watched all but one deer drop in front of me. The other one was hidden by some trees but he was dead inside 50 yards.

 

[vanish]

Careful with NAP. Another company bought them out a few years back and the quality just isn't the same.

 

[JDH]

I’ve hunted with Rage since 2007 and have watched all but one deer drop in front of me. The other one was hidden by some trees but he was dead inside 50 yards.

All of mine except one or two dropped within 60-70 yards for me as well. One of those was a bad shot on my part. I did switch from the 3 blade to the 2 blade due to a couple of the 3 blades no opening correctly. One blade would catch on one of the other blades. This past season I added 100 gr of weight to the front of my arrow and was able to punch through a near shoulder and the arrow stopped at the bottom of the opposite shoulder.

 

[Shangobango]

I’ve hunted with Rage since 2007 and have watched all but one deer drop in front of me. The other one was hidden by some trees but he was dead inside 50 yards.

Same here. The Rage 2 blades have served me very well.

My longest shot has been 35 yards as far as I can recall. I had to poke the arrow through a small opening that was about 10 yards from the deer. The deer was quartering away. The arrow entered just behind the ribs and got liver and lung. Exited just behind the off side shoulder. Full pass through. Deer went about 60 yards in head high palmetto.

 

[Jamen]

I've used grim reapers and have had really good results with them.

 

[WapitiBob]

I’ve killed a handful of bull elk with a spitfire 3 blade expandable, 60# bow and maybe 420gr arrow. Better blood, faster kills, and better penetration than any fixed head I’ve used over the last 45 years. The slick trick standard was a close second.

 

[GrantK]

I saw that Slick Trick came out with a hybrid mechanical that I was looking at maybe trying…. I’ve killed well over 30 animals with my bow and all have been fixed blade, last few years it’s been the VAP’s. I have 0 interest in using then on elk! I figured maybe with the longer shots I could tighten my groups up at 70-80 yards. That said I don’t think I’ve taken an animal over 58 yards or so.
Matt

I don't find that I gain much in the way of accuracy with mechanicals, but I'm also fairly obsessed with tuning, my standard is that I should be able to take a mechanical, a fixed blade, and field point and group them all with a bare shaft.

where I think mechanicals shine is in the wind and when shooting odd positions in the field where your form is compromised without realizing it, they buy you a little bit of forgiveness in those situations, I feel like the hybrid would negate the advantages of both options?

 

[mplane72]

As far as Rage I will say I have seen nothing but positive results. Those were all the original 2 and 3 blade design. Don't use anymore. What I will say bad about them is how easy a blade could get knocked out of place. Had it happen to me once and a buddy once. Both in stalking situations. Catch a twig or something and you got a blade flopping around.

I shot a lot of deer with WASP jack hammers and consistently got full pass throughs on big whitetails out of 60# bow.

Learned how to really tune my bow and shoot and now use fixed. Sorry had to say it.

 

[Scott85]

I shoot rage hypodermic +p. I love them. The only reason I recovered this buck was because of the broadhead. The arrow hit a limb and caused a bad shot and the buck only went 60 yards.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Have you ever tried the qad's ? I'm not trying to be a fan boy but out to 60 yards I stopped shooting them for practice because they shred my fetching. They shoot every bit as tight as field points.

My hunting partner swears by the QAD’s…. I may have to get a pack and try these!
Matt

 

[blackbeard]

I've had great results with the swacker Levi Morgan's the past few years.

 

[Northwoods]

Careful with NAP. Another company bought them out a few years back and the quality just isn't the same.

Interesting, thanks for the heads up.

 

[Corn king 60]

I’ve been using rage for years on whitetail only. Back when they had the plastic collars I shot a deer and one blade did not open, complete pass through in lungs, very weak blood trail but did recover. I’ve since gone to no collar hypodermic with no problem. 100 grain two blade. As was already said you have to be careful the blades are locked before a shot

 

[Shangobango]

Learned how to really tune my bow and shoot and now use fixed. Sorry had to say it.

I feel like a lot of people use the mechanicals to overcome these issues.

Not all of them though. When you combine a well tuned bow and a shooter that is proficient at shooting in hunting situations the mechanicals just add width to the wound channel IMO. I'll take that.

 

[mplane72]

I feel like a lot of people use the mechanicals to overcome these issues.

Not all of them though. When you combine a well tuned bow and a shooter that is proficient at shooting in hunting situations the mechanicals just add width to the wound channel IMO. I'll take that.

Without a doubt. I have not shot a fixed that left a blood trail like a mech. Can't say I see much of a difference in time till death. Maybe some don't run/spook as far with a really clean pass through fixed. Penetration definitely better.

All kind of trade offs to be made in life.

 

[rke]

I personally stopped using them several years ago. Once I found a fixed blade I liked I use it for everything.
Since you asked for recommendations though I’d go with Sevr. They were originally called Ulmer Edge but had to change for patent reasons from what I understand. I had incredible success with them before switching.
In my experience I’d be steering clear of Rage. I’m convinced those things could actually get stuck in the air they penetrate that poorly.

If I can locate the pictures I’ll post the blood trails from deer I shot with Sevr. The blood loss was crazy.

Which fixed blade did you land on?