Broadheads?

[Joe]

I've been a long time Muzzy shooter and with the purchase of my new bow last winter I decided it was time to make the move to expandable heads. I'm in the process of testing out three brands.
Rocky Mountain Extreme 100, Rocket Aerohead Steelhead, and Wasp Jackhammer SST.
I tied them all with dental floss to keep them from opening and so far all I've done is shoot them each a few times just to see how they fly. All of them fly just like my field points. No tuning for broad heads. That is a huge plus. I'm undecided as to what to do next. I'm really not worried about penetration, but I'm concerned with them opening. Anyone have a suggestion as to how I could accomplish this?

[Brandon_Collins]

Go with the NAP spitfire they are awesome always open huge cutting diameter and get the job done

Brandon

[Joe]

I forgot to mention I also bought a set of Slick Tricks. These are fixed blade and shoot the same as my field points. Which also was a pleasant surprise. I'm still on the fence as whether our not to commit to expandable heads, but as long as they all shoot well out of my bow I could carry both.

[bowhunter73]

I have used both fixed and expandable  and have taken deer with both. but i know with expandable  (in the back of my mind) I'm allways worried about something going wrong     Ive decided i don't need anything else to think about when the time  comes so im back to fixed   just my thoughts on it

[Joe]

I know what you mean. This fall will be my first season carrying expandables and I'm having doubts already. I've got those Slick Tricks, which I'm really impressed with, and a few of the Muzzy's on stand by, but I think I'm going to nock one of those expandables this fall. :-\

[bowhunter73]

metro Joe have you had a chance to stick a deer yet With your expandable? If so how did it go ?
So far this year I have had 2 friends shoot deer with them and both deer are still walking. The arrows only went in 1-3 inch's w/close shots

I can tell you the one guy is new to bow hunting but the other guy is not and he shoots pretty good. So now they are both in the field with fixed blades
this year I'm trying the Tight point brand  hopefully Ill dirty one up tomorrow

[fly]

Go with Slick Trick. Nap's spitfire sucks. Blades keep breaking... but shoots great. Slick tricks the way to go.

[Joe]

I can't remember who I was talking to, but I guess you can't get any Slick Tricks at this time. There all on back order.

[Joe]

Just a follow up.......I shot 2 deer last fall with my new expandables and both were pass through shots and neither deer went more than 50 yards.   :rock:  Needless to say, but I was very impressed.

Now I'm looking at the new Rocky Mountain 3 blade Snyper. The cam action looks interesting. Might be worth a try this fall.

[luvn-luvnlife]

I have shot the spitfire 100's for a bunch of years. I have never had one fail me. The reason I switched was because I got a bad batch of muzzy 100's that would break off at the base of the ferrule, thats not cool.

[ChrisWallace]

Magnus Stinger 100's, killed pigs, rams, deer, ducks, geese, turkeys, cats and a few varmits as well. They are deadly.

here is my view on expandables. Go ask twenty bow hunting only lodges in TX and ask them if they allow expandables, most of them even say it on the rates page. These guys make a living off people killing animals and if they dont believe a certain product wont do the job they are gonna tell ya.

Ive used Slammerheads for turkeys and killed two with em.

Another idea is how well are you gonna place your shot on that critter when all your thinking about is "god I hope them blades open up."

Why are you using dental floss? They should have came with tiny rubberbands.

[Joe]

I tie them with dental floss for 2 reasons, one is to conserve the blades and two is to conserve the target. I just wanted to practice with them to see how they fly.

In my initial post, although not stated to clearly, I was inquiring about a method to test the broadheads to see how well they opened. 

I've been a longtime fixed blade shooter and believe me, I was very sceptical about expandables, but I figure the the only way I'm going  to know for sure was to try them for myself.

[labs4me]

here is my view on expandables. Go ask twenty bow hunting only lodges in TX and ask them if they allow expandables, most of them even say it on the rates page. These guys make a living off people killing animals and if they dont believe a certain product wont do the job they are gonna tell ya.

As with many things related to the outdoors, some lodges won't allow expandables because it is their 'opinion' that they are not effective.  The problem is their opinion was probably formed in the early days of expandables.   Traditions are hard to break... I know when compounds came out many of those had a high rate of failure too... My 1st compound I owned in the early 80's totally delaminated on full draw... yet most everyone owns and uses them today...

Go ask most of the pro staff at A-1 Archery in Hudson what broadhead they use and recommend... it is the Grim Reaper, which I have recently switched over to.   They have killed many animals with this head and have not had one not work that I know of.  I have a buddy I hunt with in North Dakota and he has shot 9 deer in the last 4 years, all with expandables and never had one go more than a hundred yards.  He still has folks up there around him tell them that they are no good and cause wounded deer, yet he has never even remotley came close to losing a deer.   The mind set up there seems to be 'Muzzy' and that is all you should use.  I have another friend who has used them for the last 6 years hunting in Wisconsin and he has never had one fail and even retrieved a buck that he had a bad hit with.  He let it lay over night and tracked it in the morning.  Hit high and back and went a 1/4 mile, but had enough damage that it bled out and died.   I have 2 friends that have used them on elk the last 2 years and have had great success.  One even downed a 360" that went only 200 yards before dying.

I like them and how they shoot...  I never had a lot of problem with wind planing back when I used fixed blades... but I shot a recurve and limited my shots to 20 yards or less...  I am a lot more confident in my shots now knowing that they will fly like a field point and still give me a 1 1/4" cut through the deer. 

Good Luck!

Ken

[Roosterslayer]

Joe you will not be disappointed with the tricks, I shoot 125 grain standard head and the blood trails are almost sick. I started shooting tricks last year and as long as they are around thats all i will shoot!

[Model12]

I agree w/some of the above comments about mechanical broadheads. I think they have gotten a bad rap from when they first came out. I honestly can't say which I prefer but if I had to choose one or the other I would likely err on the side of using a fixed blade. The whole reason mechanicals came out was due to the fixed blades flying like an out of control aircraft at higher speeds. Plus, some didn't open on quartering shots and blades were not as rigid. That isn't really the case, now.
Also, to counter the explosion of mechanical broadheads the fixed blade heads have come a long way and are entirely reliable. Especially the Slick Tricks. There's a few reason's they're on back order and what a cutting machine!
The good news is that both types are so good, we have a tough time deciding which to use! Consider the game you're going to shoot, the yardage and you'll find a slew of broadheads that will fit your needs.

[Rywheat]

I have heard the rage are the best out there right now  they are a little spendy but now days it is becoming the norm of a new product open the price High and then when the demand comes down so willthe price

[Joe]

They're not exactly giving them away are they?
I think the Rage and the cam action Rocky Mountain expandables(Snypers) are made by the same company. The only difference I see is that the Rage use a cut on contact tip while the Snypers are more of a chisel type tip.

Both look like they would work awsome.

I came across some of those Rocky Mountain Extreme 100s on clearance for $11 a pack. I can't remember how many I bought, but I'm set for the next few years. I just wish they didn't discontinue them.

[tripnchip]

I shoot Muzzy to Joe and have toyed with the idea of changing and then I think about the deer I have taken and the fact that my bow puts the field tips and my Muzzy's in the same place and cannt figure why I would want to change. Guess I just feel that the more moving parts you put in somthing the chance there is that it will break or not work as it should. Just don't need a ticked off bear because the brod head didn't open.

[Joe]

I think if I were to hunt bears again I would opt for a fixed blade myself. Like they say, those Muzzys are "BAD TO THE BONE".

I actually haven't shot any of my fixed blades out of my new, new bow. (I bought another one this past spring.) ::)  Like I posted above, I gained alot of confidence in expanables last year, but I still can't commit to them 100%.

Once it cools down here a bit I'll start shooting a couple times a week and I'll have to nock some of my fixed blades and see how they fly.

Archery seasons only 7 weeks away. :: :: ::

[awb500magman]

I have been shooting Rocket Steal Heads for 6 years now and LOVE them I have shot 7 deer with them and lost one "NOT BECOUSE OF THE TIP" becouse on state land I guess when a deer is found he who finds it gets it, some ATVers found my deer and took it I hit that one a little far back "Liver" and decided to let it sit so I left for 1.5 hours and cam back to track it and found ATV tracks around the gut pile... Now I dont stop looking. I have had lots of stories and commets about expandibals not opening and getting losy penitration, Here are some rules I came up with and every one that follows them has had awsome sucksess with Expandibals

1. LBS if you are shooting 60lbs or less for hunting DONT shoot a Expandibal that has a diamiter larger than 1.25", You have to snape open the blades an the bigger the cut the more resatance your arrow is going to have and you will lose energy that way, now if you are a person that shoots 65-70+lbs you dont have the problems with Kanetic Energy it is eayser to open the bigger cut heads with Higher KE...

2. If you are shooting 60-55lbs I would look at the Rocket Steal Head 100 with a 1.125" cutting diamiter they are a bit smaller on the diamiter but agin I have not lost a deer to the capabilitys of this head, rocket Wolverine 75 gr and the 57gr are both 1.25", the New Rage heads or the Rocky Mountin Snypers I would even recomend for this even down to 50lbs depending on your set up

3. if you are shooting the states minnamum waight to 50lbs depending on the speed of the bow and the persons draw and arrow type I usaly recomend a cut on contact type head Magnus Stinger, Magnuss Snuffers, Steal Force, Muzzy Phatom, Wackums...But if you have a faster rig and have the proper arrow agin the Rage or Snypers would work too....

alot of people have come back to me after i told them about the rules and have had grate sucksess with the heads I recomennded to them and I dont mind chatting with people about this stuff it is fun, The ones that have problems are the ones that come up to me and say "I cant stand the expandibals the suck they dont penitrat at all" I ask thenm where did you hit the deer they resond " well I went for the sholder" If you are shooting a 80lbs bow and have a Trocrar tip that is the only way you are going to get good penitration on a sholder but if you are shooting what the avg hunter shoots 65lbs the Sholder is the worst area to hit a deer at go for the Hart and lungs and you will always get penitration, In my opione if you want to shoot a deer in the sholders then put down the bow and get you 30-06 out.......

I get people like that every year and it iritates me that they ask "I want a bow I can take out both sholders on a deer" my self if I cant get my arrow to go in to the lungs or hart I dont shoot it.....  ok was venting that last half LOL

[JohnWester]

good info awb500magman, thanks.