Thinking of switching from fixed blade to mechanical broadheads

[Muleyfanatic]

Grim reaper fatal steel 125 gr
Complete pass thru 42 yards.

 

[R.K.]

It's the straight one directly above the dot! I shot Thunderheads when I bow hunted.

I mean, they all hit “straight". Unfortunately, the target rotated with each shot.

 

[glass eye]

45 yards Broadhead tuning- Find the thunderhead

The arrow with the deepest penetration.

 

[Dan O]

Also, you can see the cuts from the blades. LOL

 

[R.K.]

The arrow with the deepest penetration.

Nope. And that’s the point of sharing the photo- properly tuned fixed blades in a properly tuned bow have the same point of impact as field points. They’re about an inch low at 70, but I don’t think anybody here is taking shots like that in a hunting situation.

I’ve seen far too many mechanical failures to ever trust them on the one moment that you invested multiple days of hunting, and months of preparation to get to. In engineering, they teach you success comes down to KISS-

Keep
It
Simple,
Stupid

Also, you can see the cuts from the blades. LOL

Oh, look at you, with your fancy zoom. Just be glad I was using that target, and not the other one that’s been shot to hell.

 

[Dave N]

Also, you can see the cuts from the blades. LOL

That's what I went with.

 

[NYyotekiller]

Grim Reaper and Sevr are the only two mechanical options that I would recommend.

 

[kevine001]

I use to carry Rage mechanicals with a couple G5 Montecs in case there was any brush or grass in the way. The mechanicals flew straighter IMO. The Montecs just pushed through stuff better. I've now switched to fixed two blade. Best of both worlds. I'm running the 100g Stingers. Not the largest cut, but I believe shot placement is one of the most important factors. The accuracy of the stingers have been incredible compared to the Montecs and rages. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Roughwater]

I use to carry Rage mechanicals with a couple G5 Montecs in case there was any brush or grass in the way. The mechanicals flew straighter IMO. The Montecs just pushed through stuff better. I've now switched to fixed two blade. Best of both worlds. I'm running the 100g Stingers. Not the largest cut, but I believe shot placement is one of the most important factors. The accuracy of the stingers have been incredible compared to the Montecs and rages. Just my 2 cents.

Good for you! I mainly commented because you were in the Core. Semper Fi! 1968-1972 USMC, American Legion member, RMEF life member.

 

[Dinkshooter]

I was always a mechanical naysayer.

One day I was in Walmart and Rage BHs were on clearance.

I've shot 2 antelope with them. The first one quartering away. It was so gross as the lope did a 30 yard death spiral, blood mist coming out the front, with all it guts falling out to boot. Done in about 25 seconds.

2nd one, broadside. He was drinking water, in the millisecond it took for the arrow to hit and him react, he must have left a 1/2 gallon of blood in the water. Ran 30 yards on his face and tipped over forward.

I shot a Mtn Goat with them, first shot quartering away, little back. When he jumped out of his bed I tried a follow up Texas Heart shot, didn't hit perfectly on that one one but he didn't go 100 yards. The holes in that hide look like I killed it with a machete. Or an Official "Rambo" Knife.

I have the elk hunt of a lifetime coming up, little leery there. Have some fix blades tuning up, but number 5 in my quiver is a Rage expandable in case shit gets western and long.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

I was always a mechanical naysayer.

One day I was in Walmart and Rage BHs were on clearance.

I've shot 2 antelope with them. The first one quartering away. It was so gross as the lope did a 30 yard death spiral, blood mist coming out the front, with all it guts falling out to boot. Done in about 25 seconds.

2nd one, broadside. He was drinking water, in the millisecond it took for the arrow to hit and him react, he must have left a 1/2 gallon of blood in the water. Ran 30 yards on his face and tipped over forward.

I shot a Mtn Goat with them, first shot quartering away, little back. When he jumped out of his bed I tried a follow up Texas Heart shot, didn't hit perfectly on that one one but he didn't go 100 yards. The holes in that hide look like I killed it with a machete. Or an Official "Rambo" Knife.

I have the elk hunt of a lifetime coming up, little leery there. Have some fix blades tuning up, but number 5 in my quiver is a Rage expandable in case shit gets western and long.

I don’t know to love or laugh but I’ve been thinking of getting a pack to have, and this is priceless information

 

[Badlandcat]

Don't switch

 

[jpcoll01]

So I used a SEVR 1.75” 125 grain on a bear last weekend in Canada and it cut a serious hole. Very little blood at impact site but then it spilled buckets. Wouldn’t use on an elk but seemed about perfect for a black bear. If everything goes well I will try one on a Montana antelope this week!

 

[steveshuntn1]

I’ve only shot whitetails with them but I’ve never lost a deer with Rage heads. Watched most of them fall over. I shoot the 150 trypan and it’s a guaranteed pass through on deer.

 

[sclancy27]

Just make sure your KE is pretty high. I've switched mostly to mechanicals the last 3-4 years simply do to the fact that they are more forgiving with both shot execution and larger cutting diameters tend to make shorter blood trails on marginal shots, at least in my experience. I've shot 1.7 and 2" mechs, but I am @ 90-91 lbs of KE.

 

[Bennitto]

I have been running Grim Reaper 125gr mechanicals for around 15yrs now. They shoot like a field point. Accuracy is amazing.I have not had any bad experiences or lost game animals as others have mentioned. All of my shots are 40yds and under with most happening between 20 and 25yds. I've taken a good number of mule deer with them and a few elk as well. They have deployed consistently and have had good penetration. I will note that when the blades hit heavy bone they tend to break. That being said most of my kills have been broadside pass-throughs that aren't hitting heavy bones. My last elk was quartering towards at 25 yds. The arrow slipped past the forward shoulder, hit lung, and traveled through to the off side rear hip joint where it imbeded. The elk went 60 yds and fell over. Overall I really have been impressed with Grim Reapers products. Decent price point and great performance.

 

[Mr Feeder]

Looking for input on the best 125 gr mechanical broadhead. I hunted Kudu fixed blade last year with good results (got two antelope and a whitetail) but wanting to go to something that leaves a much bigger hole and blood trail. Anyone have anything that they absolutely love?

Only thing I can say about mechanical is 'stay away'. I have used them in the past but too many times they failed to open as designed and the result was a good shot placement that only lead to game I could not recover. Since then I have used fixed (none replaceable) broadheads with excellent results. It's not how big a hole you make but rather where you put that hole.

 

[Tlrussell]

Looking for input on the best 125 gr mechanical broadhead. I hunted Kudu fixed blade last year with good results (got two antelope and a whitetail) but wanting to go to something that leaves a much bigger hole and blood trail. Anyone have anything that they absolutely love?

I’ve killed lots of deer with rage.

Grim reapers now

I have killed lots with them.

antelope to elk.

I shoot a 560 grain arrow. 280fps

Never had an issue

Zipped one through an antelope yesterday.

 

[Dinkshooter]

560gr ? WoW! I'm guessing fancy inserts and weight inside? do tell.

 

[Gut Shot]

If it aint broke don't fix it. The only reason I see to switch from a fixed blade to a mechanical is if you are having accuracy issues with fixed blade.