vortex??
04-24-2003, 09:57 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wellston Oklahoma USA
Posts: 143
vortex??
A buddy of mine bought the vortex broadheads last season and now he swears by them. I personally use Thunderheads, but was thinking about switching. Just wondered what you guys thought??
04-24-2003, 11:07 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sturgis, SD
Posts: 1,983
RE: vortex??
I have personally never used them but my brother has had experience with them. He guided several archery bison hunts over the past few years and he was impressed. He has seen bison shot with about every broadhead sold and said the vortex, by far, was the best. Absolutely devastating as he put it. Huge holes and very short tracking. He said nothing else even compared, fixed, mechanical, or two blade. He also said 125 gr gobbler getters don' t work very well but that is another story.
04-25-2003, 03:39 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vinton VA
Posts: 2,978
RE: vortex??
Vortex 2” two blade mechanical
Accuracy 4 points
Cutting diameter 5 points
Orange 4 points
Steel drum 3 points
Plywood 3 points
Blades 2 points
Total score 21 with a blade sharpness rating of B
The Vortex line of heads, are fairly large swing open style mechanicals. This one is no different. It has a 2inch, cutting diameter when fully opened. When closed it still has 7/8” of blade surface exposed.
I found the accuracy to be good, but it shot more like a fixed blade head out of my setup than a typical mechanical. In the plywood test the head made it most of the way through, stopping at the back of the blades and without damage. In the orange test the head had fully opened by the time it exited. On the front of the orange you could see the 7/8” slit that the blades cut when the first hit, therefore the head gets an extra point for starting to cut on the front of the orange. In the steel drum the vortex penetrated the first wall with the tip sticking in the back wall. One blade was bent pretty badly. The other blade had broken off the tip and was driven back into the ferule of the broadhead. I was surprised at how well this large head penetrated into the steel drum, and at how well the blades held up. For such a large broadhead, the Vortex did a fine job of holding up throughout the tests. Overall I was impressed with the performance of this head and would recommend it to someone looking for a large cutting diameter two blade head. I would however recommend at least 60 ft/lbs of Kinetic energy before you even consider using this broadhead, and more would be better.
Accuracy 4 points
Cutting diameter 5 points
Orange 4 points
Steel drum 3 points
Plywood 3 points
Blades 2 points
Total score 21 with a blade sharpness rating of B
The Vortex line of heads, are fairly large swing open style mechanicals. This one is no different. It has a 2inch, cutting diameter when fully opened. When closed it still has 7/8” of blade surface exposed.
I found the accuracy to be good, but it shot more like a fixed blade head out of my setup than a typical mechanical. In the plywood test the head made it most of the way through, stopping at the back of the blades and without damage. In the orange test the head had fully opened by the time it exited. On the front of the orange you could see the 7/8” slit that the blades cut when the first hit, therefore the head gets an extra point for starting to cut on the front of the orange. In the steel drum the vortex penetrated the first wall with the tip sticking in the back wall. One blade was bent pretty badly. The other blade had broken off the tip and was driven back into the ferule of the broadhead. I was surprised at how well this large head penetrated into the steel drum, and at how well the blades held up. For such a large broadhead, the Vortex did a fine job of holding up throughout the tests. Overall I was impressed with the performance of this head and would recommend it to someone looking for a large cutting diameter two blade head. I would however recommend at least 60 ft/lbs of Kinetic energy before you even consider using this broadhead, and more would be better.
05-02-2003, 08:41 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jamestown SC USA
Posts: 760
RE: vortex??
I' ve been using the 3 blade 2" cuts since the first year they came out (around ' 94)and won' t even consider another head. If you put this head in the boiler room, they won' t go fifty yards. The blood trails are incredible.
The one thing that has impressed me the most is the penetration. I have gotten passthroughs on every shot unless I hit solid bone. I' ve even had them blow completely through the spine on smaller deer.
As 5 shot stated in his report, the only thing I would say could be improved is the blade sharpness. I always hone my blades to shaving sharp before hunting so this isn' t a big issue with me. A few minutes of sharpening is well worth the time when the results are a full 2" triangle going in and coming out and the deer almost always goes down within 50 yards.
I don' t have a high energy setup, but I would stay above the 60 ft-lbs recommended for good penetration. Your bow also needs to be tuned to the hilt to get maximum performance. Given these two factors, I truly believe this is the best head on the market.
The one thing that has impressed me the most is the penetration. I have gotten passthroughs on every shot unless I hit solid bone. I' ve even had them blow completely through the spine on smaller deer.
As 5 shot stated in his report, the only thing I would say could be improved is the blade sharpness. I always hone my blades to shaving sharp before hunting so this isn' t a big issue with me. A few minutes of sharpening is well worth the time when the results are a full 2" triangle going in and coming out and the deer almost always goes down within 50 yards.
I don' t have a high energy setup, but I would stay above the 60 ft-lbs recommended for good penetration. Your bow also needs to be tuned to the hilt to get maximum performance. Given these two factors, I truly believe this is the best head on the market.
05-14-2003, 05:58 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: moore oklahoma USA,right now in Korea
Posts: 335
RE: vortex??
i use the 100 grain with 2 inch cutting 2 blades i love the just wish they had steel ferules they do leave great blood trais.never had one fail shot eight deer in two years.
05-15-2003, 07:32 AM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jamestown SC USA
Posts: 760
RE: vortex??
buck-i,
They have a new line out this year called the Stainless Solids. I' m pretty sure they are the exact head you are shooting with a stainless steel ferrule. You can check them out at the Mar-Den websight. If they start making those in the 3 blade, I' ll go to them immediately. I' ve gotten excellent performance out of the aluminum ferrules, but I have slightly damaged them on occasion. The SS line should be indestructible.
They have a new line out this year called the Stainless Solids. I' m pretty sure they are the exact head you are shooting with a stainless steel ferrule. You can check them out at the Mar-Den websight. If they start making those in the 3 blade, I' ll go to them immediately. I' ve gotten excellent performance out of the aluminum ferrules, but I have slightly damaged them on occasion. The SS line should be indestructible.
